Special Edition Build Off: The Paper Birch Precision

[Matt Liebenau]

At least you caught it before everything was ruined. Looking forward to more on the bass.

 

[Delusionati]

Thanks, all!

A quick non-bass update: About 24 hours after that last picture was taken, my older daughter came down to the dungeon to grab ice cream out of the “backdrop”... also known as the white, upright freezer that has shown up in a multitude of the pictures on this build.

“Dad,” she says, “did someone leave the freezer door open?”

So we check it out and, sure enough, there’s a couple hundred pounds of homemade moose sausage sitting there thawed, but thankfully, still cold! Based on the level of “thawed out”, the freezer had quit freezin’ a couple days previously. The compressor was running non-stop but no chillin’

Ah, well... an hour later the esteemed and lovely Mrs. AK4570 and I had redistributed the sausage, veggies, coffee, and sundry fowl to a couple of other freezers. The only thing we couldn’t fit was 23 lbs of chicken breast... which is in the canner as we speak.

All’s well that ends well, I suppose, and now I’ve got more room in the shop!

OK... back to bass building ;o)

Oh god now you have me homesick for my beloved Canada. How I miss the sweet sturdy flavour of garlicy moose sausage! Lovely with a sharp white cheddar.

 

[rudy4444]

Thanks, Matt. There was a bit of a “duh” moment right after it happened... particularly in light of the fact that I had a chamfer bit sitting about 10 inches away when it happened! There’s definitely a bit of a learning curve happening here but it’s also whetting my appetite to continue building. Thanks again for the input

Very nice write up! I'm enjoying watching someone else make some of the same types of "mishaps" that I've also been guilty of.

Another option for your "tone block" would have been to add a small "faux control cavity cover". Nobody would be the wiser that it wasn't necessary to reach the controls from the back side.

I think I might have also been tempted to cut the waist in just a bit farther to eliminate the knot, but it looks good the way it is.

Keep up the good work!

 

[AK4570]

Thanks, Rudy. It didn't occur to me to make a cavity control cover for the rear.

And for our Canadian friend @Delusionati...

...moose sausage pics!

 

[TerribleTim68]

Wedding rings too...

Circling back around to this one, just because.

I ALWAYS suggest getting a Qalo ring. I do a lot of work around cars, steel fabriction tools, welders and the like. I swear by them now and rarely ever wear my real wedding ring. The Qalo rings are made of solvent resistant material, very flexible and only cost $25. If I destroy one I really don't care, and it's much more likely to rip before my finger does should it get caught on anything.
I also do a lot of cooking and several professional chefs I know swear by them too. Google it up, get you one, you'll thank me later!

 

[T-34]

Catching us up to today, I spent some quality time with the RO and various blocks, dowels, and rubber erasers with 320grit wrapped around them...

...knocked together a finishing stand,

View attachment 3828248

...mixed up a combination of clear and amber shellac (70/30 I would guess)... and applied liberally.

View attachment 3828249
View attachment 3828250

I'm going to let that sit for a while before I start clear coating. I've got a quart of Varathane WB sitting here patiently waiting its turn...

This wood took a very nice colour!

 

[AK4570]

Looks like it's been a while since I posted an update... I most heartily assure you that it is NOT due to inactivity on the build. Instead, you would only have observed me shooting endless coats of Varathane then sanding them back off because of runs, sags, ridiculous amounts of orange-peel, bugs, dust, hummingbirds, small children, 3 blind mice, etc...

Eventually, however, I figured out a process that worked, sprayed a bunch of coats that collected a minimal amount of pterodactyls and lost dogs, and that brings us to today.

Here's where we're starting:

Apply elbow grease, mumbling, liver-destroying amounts of coffee, and...

...not too bad for a first try.

Feeling not-too-terribly-shabby about how things were going, I decided to get her all wired up...

...after which decision, I discovered that I possess not a single, solitary piece of solder!

Well, let's load the body up, at any rate.

I'm headed into town tomorrow (an hour+ drive) so I will hopefully remember to pick up the solder... There exists at least the potential of having it completed by the deadline!

 

[AK4570]

Moving right along here, I got a 1/2 lb. of solder (enough for a lifetime of basses) and got the electronics sorted.

When I went to install strap buttons, I realized I didn't have felts for both of them. Time for some Irish-American engineering! I grabbed a felt polishing wheel out of the Dremel box

... and sliced it in two with a filet knife.

Problem solved; problem staying solved.

 

[AK4570]

About a year ago, a dashing, debonair, and devilishly handsome chap bought my Wife a Cricut.

Actually, a fair, fat, forty, and flatulent fellow who often uses my driver's license did!

Anyway, I decided to try logo-making using it with not completely awful results.

While I attempt to bury the logo (right around a dozen coats of Varathane currently), the completed body is hanging out in the HSC that my Dad surprised me with.

Hoping to have her all wrapped up in the next couple of days... The anticipation is definitely building!

 

[AK4570]

This is my submission for the Special Edition Build off:
Special Edition Build Off: The Paper Birch Precision

This build has been more fun than a pet monkey… without the poop-flinging! While there is a laundry list of “features” and things I would do differently next time, for a first build, I am tickled pink to have a playable instrument that definitely won’t embarrass me to take out in public. For some reason, every time I go to pick up a bass and noodle around, this thing seems to jump into my hands.

At any rate, here are the details… and, man, do I wish I could take pictures like some of y’all!

Specifications:
Body: Alaskan Paper Birch (Betula neoalaskana), 2-piece semi-chambered
Neck: Squier VM Precision Bass take off with modified headstock (yay, Craigslist!)
Pickguard: .063in black Kydex (smooth side up) sanded to 400grit
Finger Board: Indian Laurel
Finger board radius: 9.5 in.
Scale Length: 34 in.
Tuners: Fender (new)
Bridge: Fender (take off… thanks, Dad!)
Bridge Spacing: .75 in (19mm)
Pickup: Fender American
Electronics: Standard P-Bass with passive Vol/Tone (250k CTS pots and 0.047uF Orange Drop Capacitor w/ pushback wire and Switchcraft jack)
Finish: Varathane WB Poly
Strings: EB Slinky Flats (45-100)
Weight: 9lb. 6oz.

 

[BioWeapon]

Fantastic! Really love that grain against the black

 

[Beej]

Nice work!

 

[Reedt2000]

Not sure how I missed this one... but I like it! Looks great, very nice job

 

[Gary_M]

 

[Sunk by Sirens]

Loving this custom neck plate. It really sums up the emotions of bass-building for me.

Great job, nice looking bass.

 

[AK4570]

Hmmm... looks like my ugly mug just couldn’t stand to be left out of the pictures.

Therein lies the danger of chrome, I guess. Gonna need to do the next one in all black hardware, I reckon ;o)

 

[Beej]

Hmmm... looks like my ugly mug just couldn’t stand to be left out of the pictures.

Therein lies the danger of chrome, I guess. Gonna need to do the next one in all back hardware, I reckon ;o)

Well, your eyes aren't crossed, and your tongue's not sticking out, so I'd call that one a win.

 

[GMC]

Congrats! Nice work!

 

[AK4570]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. The only thing I would have liked to include on this build and didn't get to was a bridge cover, but I can always add that later. This has definitely whetted my appetite for more... got a plan brewing for a single-cut 5 string on the drawing board.

 

[eddiechicago]

That birch is fresh. Love the subtle topside contour. Stay chrome , but maybe a black control plate. That's a workingman's bass. What time does my shift start ?