Super-lightweight P bass build

[Bruce Johnson]

Got the neck pocket and pickup cavity done, then the roundover. You can see I put a block of mdf in the neck pocket to make the round over easier.

That's a reasonable solution to a classic problem. Should you rout the roundover before or after routing the neck pocket? Either way, the router can take a big chunk out of that sharp corner.

On my Scroll Basses, I rout the neck pocket first, then rout the perimeter with the round-overs. But I stop the round-over rout a bit shy of the corners of the neck pocket. Then I bolt on the neck, which is partially shaped and line it up accurately. Then hand file the transition of the round-overs on the body to the blend into the shape of the neck. Filing the two together, to make sure they match smoothly.

 

[Flying B]

Got as far as making a control cavity template and routing the cavity out today. Just used a 40mm forstner bit then joined up the holes with a jigsaw, and filed it straight. Still need to make a slightly bigger template for the ledge.

Quite nice routing when it's already hollowed out!

 

[Flying B]

I made an outer template to make the ledge, but I think I might make it again, as I haven't really left enough room for the magnets. Unless I use tiny ones. Which I might.

 

[Flying B]

I made a new template. I just made a copy of the old one then shifted it along a bit to give me more room at each end. I found a piece of walnut I can thin down to use as a cover.

 

[Flying B]

Cover done. Still needs fettling a bit, it's too tight.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I like words like "fettling".
"Buggered" is another good one.

 

[Beej]

I like words like "fettling".
"Buggered" is another good one.

A couple of my faves are 'swarf' and 'shrubbery', though I have not worked out many uses for shrubbery in lutherie as of yet.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I was watching Paul over on Milehouse Studios and he referred to the hardware as "furniture". He was installing all the furniture.

 

[Slidlow]

A couple of my faves are 'swarf' and 'shrubbery', though I have not worked out many uses for shrubbery in lutherie as of yet.

I need to see you build a shrubbery bass

 

[Beej]

I need to see you build a shrubbery bass

I may have to settle for a shrubbery tone.

@Flying B sorry for ruining your thread!

 

[Flying B]

monty python coconut GIF

 

[Flying B]

Moving along at a glacial pace, I got a couple more bits and bobs done. I drilled a hole between the routs for the wiring, and also squared up the corners of the pickup rout, but didn't seem to get any pictures of that.
Also made a start on the truss rod slot. Here's my simple setup.

The neck is stuck down to the table so it can't move. I first put a pointy cutter in the router so I can center it on the centerline, then swap it for a ball end cutter. I got the main slot routed but still need to square up the ends and rout the headstock access. This will have to wait until the new year now as I've finished work for the year and will be away over Christmas.

 

[Flying B]

I managed to get the truss rod slot finished. I'm wrestling a bit with my order of operations right now but I think I'm going to glue the fretboard on before shaping. I still haven't decided if I'm using Brucebars or just using regular neck screws.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I prefer to glue the fretboard on before shaping. I don't know if it's best practice, but in my mind the fretboard helps keep the neck from moving too much after shaping. So adding that material seems good to me. But, I'm not a pro by any means. I do wait until after shaping to install the frets tho. I'll radius and slot it, then install it on the neck, then shape, then fret. It gives me one last chance to go back over the fretboard and make sure it's level after shaping the neck, but before installing frets.

 

[Flying B]

To clarify, by shaping the neck what I mean is routing the perimeter shape. I definitely wouldn't carve the neck without the fretboard on.
I'm going to use a router cutter to radius the fretboard, it's exactly when I do this which is giving me pause for thought. I'm currently leaning towards gluing the fretboard on first, then rout perimeter, then rout fretboard radius.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Ah, got ya.
I tend to do the perimeter shape of the fretboard before I glue it on, and then use that as my router guide to route the neck perimeter. That way I can be sure that they match.

That being said, there's lots of people here much better at this than me.

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Leaving the board full size when gluing does provide plenty of places to pin the board in place that will be removed later...

 

[Flying B]

Today I shook off the mantle of indecision and shaped the neck perimeter. It's a pretty good fit. Always feels nice when the neck and body meet for the first time.

 

[Beej]

Wow that top is amazeballs.

 

[Flying B]

Started work on the Bruce bars, then this happened,

It was a cheap set, but it broke very easily. Am I supposed to be using some cutting fluid or something? I'll need to wait for a new 4.2mm still bit to arrive now.