Surfin'bird Fenderbird Build-Now With Poll

[NathOBX]

Had a small mishap routing the control cavity, tried to plunge with a non plunge router, DUMB DUMB DUMB!!! But I still have all my digits and it was easily repaired. Cleaned the gash up with a 5/8 forstner bit and cut a plug from my scrap with a plug cutter. Cleaned up nice.

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Had a small mishap routing the control cavity, tried to plunge with a non plunge router, DUMB DUMB DUMB!!! But I still have all my digits and it was easily repaired. Cleaned the gash up with a 5/8 forstner bit and cut a plug from my scrap with a plug cutter. Cleaned up nice.View attachment 4503617View attachment 4503616 View attachment 4503618View attachment 4503619

Were you cutting the whole cavity with the router?

Acquired wisdom of most is to take most of the waste out out with Forstners, and then ... you don't need to do plunge routing at all.

 

[NathOBX]

Were you cutting the whole cavity with the router?

Acquired wisdom of most is to take most of the waste out out with Forstners, and then ... you don't need to do plunge routing at all.

I did most with a Forstner, just didnt go deep enough as i was concerned about punching through the back, i needed 1" depth for stack knobs in a 1 5/16" body. Lesson Learned

 

[NathOBX]

Got my round overs, jack hole (heh heh), and belly cut done. Now it's time for Sanding, wood filler, grain filler, and more sanding.

 

[NathOBX]

So the body is 99% ready to spray. Unfortunately I'm not going to have weather to spray for a few months, it's just too humid here and I don't have access to a climate controlled space. So…I've decided to try my hand at neck building. I've had a maple blank sitting around and I was gonna use it for my next build but I figured what the hey.

This last pic is the jig for cutting a radius template for the curved truss rod channel.

 

[NathOBX]

Routed the truss rod channel today, drilled out my peg holes, and drew on fret lines and marker positions.

 

[1n3]

I was thinking the opposite, paint on the center, just because the grain on the wings is better and not broken up by a bunch of hardware...

Center painted / wings natural would also be my vote, if it were an option, though I'd note that the bottom wing will also have hardware and a pickguard. If you paint the center, you could also paint the headstock, and you could also paint the back of the neck, covering up the CA/sawdust repair, and saving the neck you're building for that next planned build.

 

[1n3]

Illustration... got a little carried away in Photoshop.

 

[NathOBX]

I've decided to go solid Surf Green on the body. I may or may not go matching headstock on the neck I'm building. Today I made the "fillet" cut on the headstock removing the material from the front all the way to where the transition to the fretboard begins using my buddy's bandsaw. Then I carefully used a mitre saw to cut down into it along that same transition line. Then I drilled the truss rod access using a 4.5 degree block I made. It's was a direct hit!!! About 1/32" off laterally on the channel side but since I was using a 3/16 bit into a 1/4 channel it was close enough that I was able to then drill from the channel side tweaking the bit to the side to even it out. An overall success! Next I will rough cut out the outline and then shape it with the template on the router table, but that's for the next episode.

 

[RichterScale]

I'm late, but I like the first and last.
If the last one, I like the matching headstock. But I always like the look of a matching HS on a painted bass.

 

[JIO]

Illustration... got a little carried away in Photoshop.
View attachment 4599791

It's easy to get carried away. Getting design 'fussy' usually looks like that.

 

[1n3]

I'm late, but I like the first and last.
If the last one, I like the matching headstock. But I always like the look of a matching HS on a painted bass.

Can't argue. My preferences changed after this exercise, which is the point, of course... to test one's imagination.

 

[NathOBX]

Illustration... got a little carried away in Photoshop.
View attachment 4599791

Thanks this helped solidify my solid color plan, the two tone just looks like a nightmare, solid surf green, im still debating matching headstock.

 

[buldog5151bass]

You spent money for a beautiful piece of mahogany, and you are thinking of painting it????

 

[jamro217]

I like the two at either end. The one on the left would be the first choice. Great job so far.

 

[1n3]

Thanks this helped solidify my solid color plan, the two tone just looks like a nightmare...

I think I understand. I initially liked the "center paint" option because it exposed more mahogany, and enabled the repaired Squier neck. Curiosity about how that would look motivated me to play with your photo.

Mahogany usually darkens when finished, so I darkened the body to approximate that. I found that I didn't like that color combination as much as expected, and liked the sunburst and solid color more than I expected.

One last look at the two-tone option though... How dark the mahogany gets will depend on your finish, and you could even lighten it with wood bleach or a milky finish. So here are a couple takes with lighter mahogany. Better, I think.

BTW, I've always seen Fenderbirds with the usual strat-style headstock. The tele-style shape works better for me.

 

[Durham52]

I'm usually in the use clear finish and let the grain show camp, except for when it comes to Surf, or Sea Foam green.

In this case the grain in the mahogany isn't anything startling, (no insult to some fine musical instrument wood intended) so I've voted for all Sea Foam, though I'd happily go either way on the matching headstock.

 

[JIO]

I'm usually in the use clear finish and let the grain show camp, except for when it comes to Surf, or Sea Foam green.

In this case the grain in the mahogany isn't anything startling, (no insult to some fine musical instrument wood intended) so I've voted for all Sea Foam, though I'd happily go either way on the matching headstock.

Wood is the material of choice for stringed instruments. Painted or natural - it's a choice that works either way for me. (I have and have built both varieties)

 

[1n3]

Last post:

 

[NathOBX]

I am going cut plugs from my scrap mahogany for marker and side marker dots. It would be cool to use it for my skunk stripe as I have enough. Can anyone tell me a reason why I shouldnt use the mahogany for the skunk stripe? Is its dimensional stability too different from the maple?