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The Hossenfeffer III Build

#201
Gilmourisgod said:
One more template.... probably...
The Nut Sa.. HEART OMEGA, made simpler by the expedient of making the cutouts the diameter of a Forstner bit I have, rather than some random radius. This is still going to be really fragile. Any suggestions on how to stiffen this whole detail up appreciated. It will be three laminations, but still.... awfully pointy.
View attachment 4123718

Learning to cut MOP: A generous TB'er lent me this jewelers saw, surely the Avatar of all jeweler's saws, and used on the Crimson Guitars tutorials on MOP inlays. Predictably, it works like a dream, though I did break a few of the hair-fine #3 blades. I made the jig in about 10 minutes, good enough, and, using the lit magnifier I inherited from my Grandad, proceeded to hack away. I bought some rectangular pieces of MOP on Ebay, which in retrospect wasn't my brightest purchase. the stuff was inconsistent in thickness, tapering from around 1/8" to as little as 1/32" at some points along the edges. The idiot I bought them from shipped them, no padding, no bubble wrap, NADA, taped to apiece of paper and stuffed into a plain letter envelope. Unsurprisingly, one of the pieces was cracked too. I had to do some careful arranging of my oval templates to keep it all on the thicker parts. Once again, a victim of my own inherent Cheapskatery.
View attachment 4123719
View attachment 4123720

My technique... lacks precision, but I got all but one cut out in about 3 hours.
View attachment 4123721
View attachment 4123722

One of the longer ovals at the 12th fret delaminated a little along the pointy end, not knowing what else to use, I grabbed the CA glue and hosed let it wick in, hopefully that will keep it intact. I have enough of the matching MOP to screw up (1) of the inlays, but not the 12th or 24th fret marker. At the Tool Lender's suggestion, I'll try a diamond file to gradually sneak these into perfect ellipses. 220 grit sandpaper works, but it clogs quickly.

STILL waiting for my purpleheart neck stringer stock, 4 weeks and counting! The Ebay vendor finally contacted me and let me know it was.. big surprise... a Covid related delay. Sign O' the Times, I guess.
Click to expand...

For the Heart Omega, I would not use a router to cut that delicate section. I would cut as close to the line as possible with your bandsaw, then use a ROSS (if you have one) or files and sandpaper. It will take longer but well worth it.

As for the strength, since you are making a hippy sandwich, the body should hold up especially if you orient the grain so it can gain some strength. Obviously you will need to be super careful not to set the bass down on the delicate part of its anatomy!

The MOP inlays look amazing! Glad the saw helped!
 
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#202
Oh yeah, definitely using the Robosander on that Heart Omega. I can picture that little pointy bit flying across the room, to howls of outrage. I've more or less given up on pattern routing for anything with funky grain, the Robosander is slow, but it doesn't chip out. I just put on some music and s..l..o..w..l..y sneak up to my line, no stress, no Terror.
 
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#203
John_Nicholas said:
For the Heart Omega, I would not use a router to cut that delicate section. I would cut as close to the line as possible with your bandsaw, then use a ROSS (if you have one) or files and sandpaper. It will take longer but well worth it.
Click to expand...
Wait, I think a RUSS (Rodent of Unusual Size and Strength) would just chomp that thing.
princess-bride-6.jpg
 
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#206
You guys are funny!!

I mean a Rigid Oscillating Spindle Sander (ROSS) Not to be confused with the Delta BOSS (Bench Oscillating Spindle Sander. The ROSS was purchased at Home Depot, back when they would let you use the Harbor Freight 20% off coupons! And the BOSS was a gift from an employee at Home Depot I used to see all the time and talk to.

IMG_1889 copy.JPG
 
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#210
Slidlow said:
I would consider using the forstner to open most of the heart omega and finish with band saw and spindle sander. Basically the way you made the template.
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Mike and Ike, we think alike! Precisely my plan, sir.

I used an aluminum plate to beef up the underside of the top over the control cavity on my HF II build, wondering if I could do something similar on the "horns" of the Omega Heart?
G2X0DAg.jpg
 
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#211
Gilmourisgod said:
This is still going to be really fragile. Any suggestions on how to stiffen this whole detail up appreciated. It will be three laminations, but still.... awfully pointy.
Click to expand...
Yes...oh yes it will be fragile.
Ask me how I know :banghead::eek:

John_Nicholas said:
As for the strength, since you are making a hippy sandwich, the body should hold up especially if you orient the grain so it can gain some strength. Obviously you will need to be super careful not to set the bass down on the delicate part of its anatomy!
Click to expand...
...maybe
This bit of sadness....was about as 'hippy' as a sammich gets. Sporting some very hard burl front and back, 2 -⅛" maple veneer, 2 -¹/16" ebony veneer, and a maple core.
Still broken. :(
(I'm not supposed to show this to anyone... until I fix it... ):cautious: maybe the blurry pic will make this bass unrecognizable) :whistle:
20210111_174832.jpg


I think I read somewhere about the origin and purpose of the Alembic lower bout pointyness... was to discourage setting expensive guitars on the floor leaned against your amplifier :thumbsup:
...or obviously dropping them...
OR... using a damn GIG BAG with a pointy one off!
(See above)
I don't care if it was a nice leather one. (sic):crying::thumbsdown:
 
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#212
I'm not a gigging bassist these days, strictly a bedroom player, and the rule in my house is "In the case or in your hands" but... stuff happens. I never did trust guitar stands or wall hangers, seen both fail multiple times. I'm seriously considering laminating in some aluminum sheet, just at the cutouts. It wouldn't prevent the tips from getting damaged, but might keep them from snapping off. I dont think I'll get any "plywood" effect unless the grains reverse for each layer, which they won't here. If all else fails, I can always blame @Rôckhewer. You will recall it was HE WHO ENCOURAGED ME in this pointy folly!:D
 
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#216
Gilmourisgod said:
Am I alone in thinking that Neuter Your Nut Sack (NYNS for short) would be an excellent punk band name? Moments of true genius are rare, when they occur, we must treasure them.
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I agree with that. But if the bassist were to own something as amazing as this bass, he would probably leave it hidden at home and instead always play a scarred up MIM P bass with the band, for fear of losing his punk credentials due to being too serious about his instruments, if people were to discover his "nice" axe...
 
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#217
dwizum said:
I agree with that. But if the bassist were to own something as amazing as this bass, he would probably leave it hidden at home and instead always play a scarred up MIM P bass with the band, for fear of losing his punk credentials due to being too serious about his instruments, if people were to discover his "nice" axe...
Click to expand...
Sorry to get off the topic of this beautiful hippie sandwich bass, but I will take a little exception here. For the most part punk/hardcore has been about utility and durability. Most of the people that play garbage stuff are folks that misguidedly thought there was something to looking nasty. I don't really count any of those people as truly representative. A lot of punk people played instruments because they are inexpensive, (affordability for sure is a factor). That being said, I once saw a picture of a custom Fodera being played by the bass player from Hatebreed. Someone is hardcore/punk would never play this bass, because they'd be afraid to damage it. The Peavey T40 is a bass that a lot of hardcore/punk people like because of it's utilitarian looks and function and durability, but plenty of people play nice and interesting stuff.
 
#218
Yeah, that was mostly tongue in cheek humor. An attempt to poke fun at my own misguided past more than anything! My favorite local punk group features a bassist that plays a high end Warwick - one of the custom shop deals with the lighted fret markers and other crazy extras.
 
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#219
My memory of the Punk scene in the 70’s didn’t include much emphasis on flashy gear or technical virtuosity, but a great in your face name was mandatory. There are some truly virtuosic Metal players now. Those people got some CHOPS worthy of @Rôckhewer masterpieces. I’m just a bedroom hack, but maybe this will inspire me to play through the arthritis pain. Use it or Lose it, I guess.
 
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