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Six string spalted maple, fretless, and first build ... kit

#61
eightyearsapril said:
If I can't get it to work, I'll find a Plan B.
Click to expand...

For a first build you have proven yourself very capable of working around issues that crop up. There is a Youtube channel for wood working enthusiasts called "The Wood Whisperer", and in one of his posts he said something to the effect of "Good woodworkers make fewer mistakes, and great woodworkers know how to repair them so you don't notice...". I personally hope this does not end up being your last build, but I am not wishing to add an addiction to your life... ;)
 
#62
michaelwayneharwood said:
I personally hope this does not end up being your last build, but I am not wishing to add an addiction to your life... ;)
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I hope so, too. I don't know if I mentioned this at all in the thread, but I started building this bass for a few reasons, one of which was practice for building a guitar kit with my 11-year-old son this summer (he lives with his mother and will be visiting me this summer). However, he's lost interest in his lessons, so he may not want to build one with me. I had hoped to jump start a luthiery hobby with this, as I don't have the space/knowledge/equipment to carve a body/neck out of wood now, but I might in a year or two.

Seeing the money I've dropped into this project has given me a little pause (a few posts ago), and now, this morning, thinking I might have wasted $325 on the Pope pre-amp makes me wonder if I'll want to do this again. As of now, I'm not sure. I am having fun, and enjoying solving the problems I encounter.
 
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#63
The good news is that you can most likely resell the pope and reclaim some of your investment if it's not a component you want to keep. Though not ideal, it could help to offset the cost. Balancing the amount of joy you receive with the investment of time, money, etc. is a very personal space so I won't be boorish and try to convince you of anything. I have definitely enjoyed watching your progress, and look forward to your updates.
 
#64
eightyearsapril said:
I had hoped to jump start a luthiery hobby with this, as I don't have the space/knowledge/equipment to carve a body/neck out of wood now, but I might in a year or two.
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I don't think you need a lot of tools to start with. I started with a router ($69 complete with 15 router bits, so you can imagine the quality), a crappy hand drill ($10), 2 cheap drill bits ($10), a hand saw ($10), a 2-sided (flat and half round) rasp ($17). $116 worth of tools and tons of reading from this forum to build the bass below.

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It is not the most perfect bass in the world, but it is surely not the worst. It plays nicely and the intonation is spot on (I think they are the most important things in a guitar).
I don't think tools/knowledge is your issue. You just need to DO IT!!! lol...:bassist::hyper::hyper::bassist::hyper::hyper:
 
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#65
Very nice, Harry, and good inspiration.

I suppose I should say I don't have the skill, nor the work-space (I live in an apartment, and took over the guest bathroom for my stain/glueing tests), but I'm working on improving both.

Nothing new to report this morning. I've been practicing with the Forstner bits in my drill for making the space for the battery boxes, should I need them. Making sawdust is fun!
 
#66
#68
I don't know if you've got your bridge positioned yet. Read the last 4 pages any see anything bar mentioning the holes.

Easy way to centre the bridge is using string. Run one length from the nut slot on your 6th string to the saddle and one from 1st to the saddle.
Slip your pickup in the hole and move the bridge till the string lines up with the poles.Try and get the string reasonably tight.

Forgive me If I'm teaching your Granma to suck eggs here.

Also look for a pillar drill stand,they're not expensive and will make life a whole lot easier.
 
#71
Harry Cahyadi said:
Speaking about skills, you might surprise yourself if you keep doing it. :D;):thumbsup:
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True. I've been practicing with the Forstner bits and getting steadily better with them. At this rate, I'll be an expert by April. ;)
kodiakblair said:
I don't know if you've got your bridge positioned yet. Read the last 4 pages any see anything bar mentioning the holes.
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Yes, I have, but I haven't drilled the necessary holes yet. I'm hoping to do that this weekend.
bassingeorge said:
Subbed. I've always wanted to do a bass kit. Never heard of pitbull...
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Neither had I, before I did some googling for bass kits.
 
#72
TIL (Today I Learned) to drill holes slightly smaller than the screws you're going to put into them. For the bridge mounting screws, I measured them as 9/16", and drilled a hole with a 9/64" bit in one of my test 2x4s. The screw slid in without any tension. Redid the test hole with a slightly-smaller 1/8" bit, and it was perfectly sized.

Does anyone have any advice about drilling/routing a cavity for battery boxes? The 18V (2x9V) boxes from BBG are 58mm x 70mm (2.29" x 2.7"). I'm thinking of using a mix of different sized Forstner bits with my Ryobi hand drill (love that neon green thing!). But, if there's a better method, I'd love to hear it.
 
#73
eightyearsapril said:
Does anyone have any advice about drilling/routing a cavity for battery boxes? The 18V (2x9V) boxes from BBG are 58mm x 70mm (2.29" x 2.7"). I'm thinking of using a mix of different sized Forstner bits with my Ryobi hand drill (love that neon green thing!). But, if there's a better method, I'd love to hear it.
Click to expand...

Do you have a router? If you do, you can buy the template (get the mdf one not the acrylic) from BBG.

If you don't have one, check whether the control cavity big enough to fit your Pope pre-amp plus 2 batteries.

In my opinion, if you are not prepared to face the risk, fitting the batteries inside the cavity is your best option (I'm assuming by paying $325 for the Pope, you will have the A/P switch/push-pull knob).

If the cavity is too small for 2 batteries, I suggest you go down 9v route (which I think the difference is almost unnoticeable), enjoy your bass, and after you aquire more tools and gain more confidence of using those tools, you can revisit the bass and route the battery boxes cavity.

However, it is your bass, so it is your call.:):thumbsup:

All the best.
 
#74
No, I don't have a router. I hope the control cavity is big enough for the Pope (yes, I got the A/P push/pull knob, along with blend, bass, treble, hi/low mids stackable, and a coil tap switch) and the batteries. Until I can test mount the preamp, I won't know how much space I have.

I'm looking at getting a router, but I don't know how one works, and I'm kind of intimidated by them. I also don't have the steady hand I probably need to use it.
 
#75
eightyearsapril said:
I'm looking at getting a router, but I don't know how one works, and I'm kind of intimidated by them. I also don't have the steady hand I probably need to use it.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't recommend you to do it free hand. Get the template and a straight cutter bit with top bearing, like below.

4227b643-8833-49b6-a7f0-15f07fae5d7e.jpg

the bearing will ride on the template wall, so the cutter will copy the template, creating a perfect cut.

Practice on a scrap to build ip your confidence.
 
#77
Harry Cahyadi said:
I wouldn't recommend you to do it free hand. Get the template and a straight cutter bit with top bearing, like below.

4227b643-8833-49b6-a7f0-15f07fae5d7e.jpg

the bearing will ride on the template wall, so the cutter will copy the template, creating a perfect cut.

Practice on a scrap to build ip your confidence.
Click to expand...

This is great advice. The only thing I have to add is that the bit I got was much smaller in length and diameter. It made the corners of the pickup routes perfect.
 
#78
Uh oh.

Just had my first drilling mishap. Enlarging the holes for the Pope knobs was fine, as was drilling the four mounting screws for the bridge.

image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg

However, while drilling the first pilot hole for the string ferrules, this was the result...

image.jpg image.jpg

That's on the bottom, fortunately. I tried glueing that flap back down, but it didn't take. It will mostly be covered by the ferrule, plus I'll be sanding and staining, so I think I'll live with the gouge. What scares me is that I have five more to drill after finishing this one.

Since I enlarged the holes for the Pope knobs, I was able to mostly seat it to see how much room I have.

image.jpg

I should be able to fit one battery in there, and maybe two, if I neaten up the wires some.
 

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