- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
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So let’s build another bass.
- Thread starter thisSNsucks
- Start date
Let’s put some frets in this sucker.
Clean those slots out first.
This little fret cleaning saw is one of my new favorite things. Great for getting all the junk out of fretslots and good if you need to deepen a slot a hair.
Then prep the slots for frets by putting a little V groove.
I’ll pop out my nut slot real quick too with a couple of chisels, a hammer and a little file.
Re
Just go until the file sits flat in the slot. No rocking and no gaps. Hard to see here but we’re good to go.
Hammer time!
So Wenge is a little chippy and I can’t imagine a refret being fun on this. I was going to just go with stainless wire but I’m on a time crunch and trying something new here might throw a wrench so we’re going with this.
Cryowire. Supposedly it works and sounds just like regular nickel but the process makes it more durable. We’ll probably have to wait 10 years to really see but let’s go with it. It works the exact same.
It might just be marketing fluff like Roasted woods but I’m using that too!
Anyway press them in after tapping them in with the hammer.
Snip snip
Flush em all.
Bevel file. Tape protects the frets from all the fine shavings that stick to the bottom of this thing.
Good.
I plan on working into the night in this tonight so let’s see what else happens.
Oh yeah and electronics are done.
I didn’t shield it cause my 66 isn’t shielded and that works just fine lol!
I did do an active pre on the 5er, so that one’s all shielded. Hopefully I’ll post some side by sideshots if the two of them soon.
Ok back to work!
Clean those slots out first.
This little fret cleaning saw is one of my new favorite things. Great for getting all the junk out of fretslots and good if you need to deepen a slot a hair.
Then prep the slots for frets by putting a little V groove.
I’ll pop out my nut slot real quick too with a couple of chisels, a hammer and a little file.
Re
Just go until the file sits flat in the slot. No rocking and no gaps. Hard to see here but we’re good to go.
Hammer time!
So Wenge is a little chippy and I can’t imagine a refret being fun on this. I was going to just go with stainless wire but I’m on a time crunch and trying something new here might throw a wrench so we’re going with this.
Cryowire. Supposedly it works and sounds just like regular nickel but the process makes it more durable. We’ll probably have to wait 10 years to really see but let’s go with it. It works the exact same.
It might just be marketing fluff like Roasted woods but I’m using that too!
Anyway press them in after tapping them in with the hammer.
Snip snip
Flush em all.
Bevel file. Tape protects the frets from all the fine shavings that stick to the bottom of this thing.
Good.
I plan on working into the night in this tonight so let’s see what else happens.
Oh yeah and electronics are done.
I didn’t shield it cause my 66 isn’t shielded and that works just fine lol!
I did do an active pre on the 5er, so that one’s all shielded. Hopefully I’ll post some side by sideshots if the two of them soon.
Ok back to work!
Ok let’s level and crown these frets.
Make sure the neck is flat.
Marked
Sand away
Then I add a little fall away to the upper frets. Little tape adds the incline
Crown em
I’m using my z file. I like it! It’s a little more idiot proof than my other files, and I’m known to have a moment or two of idiocy
Just a thin line left and we’re good.
Dress those ends
And they look like that
The. A little sanding and buffing and we’re good.
Let’s give this neck the stamp of approval.
Branded
Neck was sanded to 400. Let’s hit it with some oil.
I used odies oil. Looks great and smells even better! I’ve had it on another roasted neck for over a year and it’s held up nice. It doesn’t offer much protection from dings or dents but it’s super repairable and feels natural. On a roasted neck you can get away with such a minimal finish.
Fretboard hit with a little stewmac fretboard oil.
Hardware and nut up next, then assembly, set up and then I’ll plug her in and show it all off.
Gotta get this done before Avengers Endgame tonight! no spoilers!
Make sure the neck is flat.
Marked
Sand away
Then I add a little fall away to the upper frets. Little tape adds the incline
Crown em
I’m using my z file. I like it! It’s a little more idiot proof than my other files, and I’m known to have a moment or two of idiocy
Just a thin line left and we’re good.
Dress those ends
And they look like that
The. A little sanding and buffing and we’re good.
Let’s give this neck the stamp of approval.
Branded
Neck was sanded to 400. Let’s hit it with some oil.
I used odies oil. Looks great and smells even better! I’ve had it on another roasted neck for over a year and it’s held up nice. It doesn’t offer much protection from dings or dents but it’s super repairable and feels natural. On a roasted neck you can get away with such a minimal finish.
Fretboard hit with a little stewmac fretboard oil.
Hardware and nut up next, then assembly, set up and then I’ll plug her in and show it all off.
Gotta get this done before Avengers Endgame tonight! no spoilers!
Let’s make a nut.
Using bone here. Sand from 220-400 using my granite reference plate to keep it all flat.
Make sure we’re snug in the slot and mark out some lines.
Buzz it on a sander.
Little spring clamp as a holder for sanding top profile.
Plop it in and mark some more lines.
And start slotting. I started each slot with this tiny sharp triangle file.
Then to a gauged nut slotting file.
Just get them started.
Finish up on the neck itself using the strings to check everything.
But I need to install tuners!
Quick tangent:
Line them up and install:
Small tip, one drill the right size hole, two, wax the crap out of these little screws so you don’t strip or break any. I have this old candle from my wedding that I use on every screw I put in any guitar and I barely put a dent in it yet! Lol
I installed the string retainer too at this point. No tricks there, smack it on and drill.
Ok, string it up and finish the slots
Once they’re all good finish up the sides and profile.
Glue it in
Let it sit under string pressure to clamp it in.
Teaser!
Using bone here. Sand from 220-400 using my granite reference plate to keep it all flat.
Make sure we’re snug in the slot and mark out some lines.
Buzz it on a sander.
Little spring clamp as a holder for sanding top profile.
Plop it in and mark some more lines.
And start slotting. I started each slot with this tiny sharp triangle file.
Then to a gauged nut slotting file.
Just get them started.
Finish up on the neck itself using the strings to check everything.
But I need to install tuners!
Quick tangent:
Line them up and install:
Small tip, one drill the right size hole, two, wax the crap out of these little screws so you don’t strip or break any. I have this old candle from my wedding that I use on every screw I put in any guitar and I barely put a dent in it yet! Lol
I installed the string retainer too at this point. No tricks there, smack it on and drill.
Ok, string it up and finish the slots
Once they’re all good finish up the sides and profile.
Glue it in
Let it sit under string pressure to clamp it in.
Teaser!
So I built another bass. It was fun. I laughed, I cried, I got some Wenge splinters and inhaled lots of roasted maple sanding dust.
Until next time!
Until next time!
Great looking bass! I also appreciate the amount of pictures of the process you've included.
Questions about your truss rod; is that a StewMac Hot Rod? How long is it? I got one but found it to be too long for my neck. Probably have to disassemble it and cut it down a bit.
Questions about your truss rod; is that a StewMac Hot Rod? How long is it? I got one but found it to be too long for my neck. Probably have to disassemble it and cut it down a bit.
Thank you sir!
Thanks, yup, hot rod 24”. They are long if you’re doing a 20 fret neck, but they work for my 22 fret necks.
Allied luthierie has them at different and custom lengths but they’re more expensive.
That’s beautiful!! Make sure you post something here before you start your next project. I’d love to follow along again.
Just a guy who lurks in this section...beautiful bass! I love looking over these detailed builds with pics and end results like yours! Enjoy that loverly creation.
MJ
MJ
Wow! That is a great looking bass!
Ergonomics... I wanted to jump thru my mobile phone screen and grab it
.
I may have missed it but is it passive? Probably would be fine passive with those Aggie’s...
Ergonomics... I wanted to jump thru my mobile phone screen and grab it
.I may have missed it but is it passive? Probably would be fine passive with those Aggie’s...
Wow! That is a great looking bass!
Ergonomics... I wanted to jump thru my mobile phone screen and grab it
I may have missed it but is it passive? Probably would be fine passive with those Aggie’s...
Passive indeed!
Here it is with it’s bigger active 5 string brother.
With the size/shape of the upper horn, and the bit of extra headstock wood I’m guessing makes for a nice punchy solid fundamental.
What’s the big chrome knob on the active 5?
Stacked bass/treble controls?
What’s the big chrome knob on the active 5?
Stacked bass/treble controls?
The 5er is a big bass in every sense lol
Sounds great though, and the B is perfect.
That one has Nordstrand 70’s wind Jazz Bars and his 2 band Preamp which is that chrome knob. Stacked bass treble.
I think I like the more aggressive sound from the Aggies on the 4, but then again it could be the wood choices
Very clean, precise work, per usual. A pleasure to watch you work, Sir This'n
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Thanks for all the time you put into this post. I thoroughly enjoyed this post
