SBO 23 - The Long Black

[Alex Xander]

The neck blank for the next build is out of clamps and has been thicknessed. Why I only just realised that I could use my jointer for flattening the fretboard side of a neck blank, I don't know, but it's considerably easier than levelling with a 80 grit sandpaper beam as I have done with all my previous builds!

By making the headstock blank as wide as the neck blank, clamping the scarf joint was a walk in the park. I have often heard that the correct amount of guitars to own is n+1, where n is the number of guitars you own now. Well I reckon n+10 is more like it when it comes to clamps.

This neck blank looks pretty sweet in my eyes. Reinforcement with this one will be two 3mm wide x 12mm deep stainless bars. I’m unsure at this stage whether I will run them full length, or cut them off around the 12 fret, Warwick style.

 

[ctmullins]

That is gorgeous!

 

[Alex Xander]

So I’m not 100% sure what bass this body will go on. The original plan intention was that it goes on my dual course 10 string, and that might still be the case.

Anyhoo, here’s some progress on a body. Red cedar, macassar ebony and pine of some persuasion.

It’s difficult to explain how this is all going to be laid out, so here’s some pictures

These pics are all of what will be the back of one side of the bass. I’m very much going for the rainbow style on this one, but trying to sort it so that some laminations are only in the top, some only in the back, and others right through the body. I’m pretty well winging this one and pulling scraps of wood out of the pile to see what fits as I go. Having no real plan is either a recipe for success or abject failure. Wish me luck.

 

[Flamingo21]

I truly love how tight the mudbucker sounds.

Indeed! That turned out very well. Congrats.

 

[Alex Xander]

Just so it’s all in one place, here’s my build off entry. No glamour shots here, just some very dry Aussie autumn backdrop.

Long Black 1 Specs
39” scale 5 string, 15.5mm spacing
BEADG tuning
Queensland bloodwood, Jarrah and silver ash body and neck, with Honduran mahogany neck insert and macassar ebony fretboard
Korean Wilkinson tuners
MM style humbucker under a wooden cover

Long Black 2 Specs
39” scale fretted 4 string
BEAD tuning
New Guinea ebony top and fingerboard, with double epoxy river
Rose mahogany back
9 piece ironbark/camphor neck
Schaller 3d bridge
Korean Wilkinson tuners
DiMarzio Model One neck pickup, Artec mudbucker middle pickup with neodymium magnets
VVT wiring with series/parallel switching for each pickup

 

[ctmullins]

Splendid work! Makes me want to try an XLS bass…

 

[Alex Xander]

Splendid work! Makes me want to try an XLS bass…

Thanks CT. I can wholeheartedly recommend giving one a go.

I always wanted and was intrigued by the Knuckle/Kalium Quake bass. Finances generally dictated that I couldn’t have one, but having taken up building means I can make my own

Having made the switch to 39 inches, I can’t see myself building a 34” bass in the future at all. It really is much, much easier to play than you would expect it to be.

 

[Beej]

I'm so, so jealous of the timbers you folks get down under, I just love them.

 

[Alex Xander]

More progress today on my rainbow style long black. Save for a chamfer on the back, this is an almost complete model. This will probably be for my 39” F#BEADG 6 string. It should really pop with gold hardware.

Woods are macassar ebony, rose mahogany, red cedar, silver quandong and sugar gum.

 

[ctmullins]

You are on a roll Alex! It looks like you’re having fun!

 

[Why Nautilus‽]

Can’t wait to see that 6er.
You should keep going lower string wise until you hit the industrial cable sizes.

 

[Alex Xander]

You are on a roll Alex! It looks like you’re having fun!

You betcha!

Can’t wait to see that 6er.
You should keep going lower string wise until you hit the industrial cable sizes.

I tried low C# tuning many moons ago (an octave lover than the lowest C# on a 5 string). That really was the point for me where things got a little bit useless. Maybe if I okayed metal or some other genre that may not be the case.

 

[Alex Xander]

Ok Talkbass brainstrust, I’ve got two options here.

Would you like to see a 6 string with a single EMG tuned F#BEADG

Or a 10 string double reverse P with F#BEAD tuning

 

[Reedt2000]

I think a 6 string tuned F#-G is more practical than the 10. Though the Thought of a doubled low F# is intriguing...

 

[Alex Xander]

I think a 6 string tuned F#-G is more practical than the 10. Though the Thought of a doubled low F# is intriguing...

Definitely more practical. I have all the hardware for each - it’s just a matter of which one to bite off first.


The octave string on the F# will be two octaves up, if I can get it to work. I think the super low rumble, with the pitch definition being done by the two octave up string would be quite something.

 

[ardgedee]

Before you plan on a 10 stringer, make sure you can get high strings that will reach the pitch you want at that scale.

 

[Alex Xander]

Before you plan on a 10 stringer, make sure you can get high strings that will reach the pitch you want at that scale.

I actually have the strings for the 10 string in my parts drawer, including options for one octave up or two octaves up on the F#.

Newtone came to the rescue with their extremely customisable string sets. all 10 strings are balanced tension at around 45lbs.

 

[Videojunkie]

I vote for the 6 string. Which ever you choose, that's some amazing woods for the build!

 

[Lo-E]

I vote 10-string because it’s completely bananas!

 

[Mickey666]

I vote 10-string because it’s completely bananas!

This exactly!