The Hossenfeffer II Build

[TonH]

Very, very beautiful!!!!!

 

[Rôckhewer]

Long scale getting hard on my increasingly stiff left hand

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[sloppy_phil]

Dang, nice job mate!

I don't suppose you want to build one for me, too? I graduated recently.......... 2009 is still recent, right? I wouldn't even be mad that it's a little late.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

My current waiting list is 2-4 years per build, just cranking them out! (Not) I wonder how many Ric ships daily? Current 4004 output= 0/day.

 

[sloppy_phil]

My current waiting list is 2-4 years per build, just cranking them out! (Not) I wonder how many Ric ships daily? Current 4004 output= 0/day.

LOL!

Just sayin'..... I would wait

 

[wraub]

Simply beautiful, both.

Well done.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Just a couple more....

The Mass Maritime Academy Graduating Class of 2019 throws the white hats! I am Stupid Proud.

Newly Minted Licensed Marine Engineer, Nathaniel J. Higgins in his dress whites with the New Toy. (He likes it)

Playing with his Aunt and Uncle at his graduation party. The bass sounds great! So far he seems to like it with the blend knob just centered, he leans more towards a McCartney tone than Squire anyway, but it's nice to have the Clank on hand when needed. I noticed that the Bridge pup is slightly louder than the neck when you roll it back to bridge only, although the pups are currently at the same height. They are both maxed out vertically, short of raising the chrome edge above the body. I guess we could lower the bridge pup, but is there anything inherent to two identical hi-gains that would result in slight volume difference, or is it associated with a blend knob? It's minor anyway, just curious.

 

[Jeff Siddall]

Really nice work on these. Agree with others, they look great!

Playing with his Aunt and Uncle at his graduation party. The bass sounds great! So far he seems to like it with the blend knob just centered, he leans more towards a McCartney tone than Squire anyway, but it's nice to have the Clank on hand when needed. I noticed that the Bridge pup is slightly louder than the neck when you roll it back to bridge only, although the pups are currently at the same height. They are both maxed out vertically, short of raising the chrome edge above the body. I guess we could lower the bridge pup, but is there anything inherent to two identical hi-gains that would result in slight volume difference, or is it associated with a blend knob? It's minor anyway, just curious.

That's a bit strange actually. Typically you need to have the bridge pickup raised higher than the neck since the string physically moves the most at the 12th fret and progressively less towards the nut and bridge.

Sometimes the neck pickup is wound less hot to compensate and maybe it is over-compensated here. Either way, unless you are getting too far away from the tone you want I would simply lower the bridge pickup a bit until the level is matched.

Alternatively, even if the pickups really are supposed to be identical you could try swapping them around and see if the levels are more to your liking.

 

[Rôckhewer]

Well done... Congratulations!
Nathaniel J. Higgins
(You too Dad)

 

[ctmullins]

Thanks for posting that. It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for, vicariously or otherwise! The kid looks pretty happy about life. Well done Dad!

 

[sunbeast]

Playing with his Aunt and Uncle at his graduation party. The bass sounds great! So far he seems to like it with the blend knob just centered, he leans more towards a McCartney tone than Squire anyway, but it's nice to have the Clank on hand when needed. I noticed that the Bridge pup is slightly louder than the neck when you roll it back to bridge only, although the pups are currently at the same height. They are both maxed out vertically, short of raising the chrome edge above the body. I guess we could lower the bridge pup, but is there anything inherent to two identical hi-gains that would result in slight volume difference, or is it associated with a blend knob? It's minor anyway, just curious.

It’s quite possible/probable that the magnets are not charged to the same degree. The magnet material used is not high quality and likely to be fairly inconsistent. The magnet will be the main source of output issues. You could swap the magnets pretty easily, and while you’re at it could wire up the bass for RWRP to get hum-cancelling in middle position if you haven’t already. You could also replace the magnets on both pickups with a thin neodymium magnet of equivalent length- there’s a website that’s been linked on the Rick thread a few times recently for neo magnets people have used to successfully boost output of the stock neck pickup to balance with the bridge... as far as a wonky blend pot- it’s possible the 2 rings are imbalanced, but I wouldn’t expect enough difference to be that clearly audible especially when you would expect the opposite (neck pickup louder than bridge).

 

[Aceonbass]

Swapping magnets in HB1's is not possible.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Swapping magnets in HB1's is not possible.

Actually these are just two stock current production Hi-Gains. I had originally planned on HB-1's, but the budget was getting a little stretched, so I opted for single coils. I used the same blend pot you recommended, it works quite well, Thanks! I like having the gradation of tones available from both pups. I did a full copper shielding job, and it's really pretty quiet, so I don't have any big incentive for RWRP. My son is an inveterate tinkerer, I'll leave that to him!

 

[Ric5]

A bit premature, no doubt, since I haven't painted the Hossenfeffer I yet, but I will be doing that in a couple weeks, looking for a winter project. I'd promised my son a Ric clone, so here it is in the planning stages:
View attachment 1141864

I have some 1" thick plain sawn walnut stair treads i plan on using for the body wing backs, on the hunt for 1/4" figured walnut bookmatch pieces for the front, with a flame maple three piece neck with one walnut stringer. The headstock wings will also be capped with figured walnut. Fingerboard will be bubinga with crushed pearl inlays. The body and headstock will be bound with cream abs binding, which will cover the transition between plain walnut back and figured caps.

I haven't decided on electronics yet, leaning towards HB-1's with a simplified three-knob control set, Master Volume, Master Tone, and Blend. I don't know if stereo is possible with that setup.

Finish will be some kind of oil, maybe Tru-Oil, or I may end up doing a clear WB finish on it, we'll see.

Any suggestions appreciated. I had originally thought of using two walnut neck stringers, but they have to be pretty thin to avoid overlapping the headstock cutouts weirdly.

my version … the 5 string Rathenbacker

I bought the body , and modified it, I bought the neck and modified it, I used a schaller bridge, and 2 wilkenson pickups, and wired it like a 90s 4003

 

[Gilmourisgod]

That thing is badass ^^^^^

 

[rickreck]

I saw the instrument you made. Both are great. Especially I lost my word for the achievement of II. By the way personally the most favorite part of both bases is the volute behind the neck. Anyway it's great, thank you.

 

[Huw Phillips]

Looks to be another awesome project, I am jealous can’t wait to get my workshop