The plywood bass

[tpaul]

Waaaay back in 2007 (which feels like about 100 years ago now) someone made a Telecaster out of MDF and posted a soundclip on TDPRI, without revealing what material he'd used to make his new tele. Many pages of frenzied guessing ensued as to the nature of this mystery material. The soundclip is long gone, but the posts are still an entertaining read for anyone who has an hour or two to kill. Invalid Link Removed

Apparently it sounded just great to many listeners.

Well, here we are in 2018 and the debate rages on. Tonewoods! Rosewood vs Maple! One-piece bodies!

Meanwhile Dave Tronzo keeps right on knocking 'em dead with his Sears Silvertone guitar made of Masonite.

 

[bassdude51]

Hahaha thanks
Although, it wasn't just building a non functional bass, I gained quite a lot of experience in woodworking and painting during this project. That's valuable too ya know

I know what you mean and I agree with you too! (By the way, the wife and I have visited Helmond, Netherlands a while back.)

I built a walnut P Bass body with Jazz Bass pickup routings. Instead of a P Bass pickguard, I inlay-ed figured maple into the walnut. Building this bass was soooooooo difficult and just like you, I had almost no power tools.

I was very lucking and made a very outstanding bass. But I will never do that again. It just wasn't worth it.

I only made the body. The neck is Warmoth.

 

[Morse_77]

I owned a P-like plywood bass for a long time.
I learned a lot about modding and set-up with that bass.
I still kinda own it, only I changed the body, neck, tuner, pick-guard, pick-up, and electronics.

 

[delta7fred]

Great story, it's a pity you never got it finished.

This sounds very much like the bass I built in woodwork class at school (circa 1967) except everything had to be near perfect before our woodwork teacher, Mr Archer, would let me move on.

I knew nothing about building a bass, neither did Mr Archer but he had plans for an acoustic guitar in a woodwork magazine. I used that for the neck dimensions and added a solid SG shaped body. Good job I made a floating bridge because I was clueless about scale length and it was another bass player who pointed out that the bridge was in the wrong place and set the intonation for me.

Because there was no truss rods the neck very soon bowed so it was unplayable past the 5th fret, but it got me started playing.

I wish I still had it, some kid wanted to buy it and being young and broke I sold it.

 

[MTMB]

Hahaha thanks
Although, it wasn't just building a non functional bass, I gained quite a lot of experience in woodworking and painting during this project. That's valuable too ya know

I know what you mean and I agree with you too! (By the way, the wife and I have visited Helmond, Netherlands a while back.)

I built a walnut P Bass body with Jazz Bass pickup routings. Instead of a P Bass pickguard, I inlay-ed figured maple into the walnut. Building this bass was soooooooo difficult and just like you, I had almost no power tools.

I was very lucking and made a very outstanding bass. But I will never do that again. It just wasn't worth it.

I only made the body. The neck is Warmoth.

View attachment 2986121 View attachment 2986122 View attachment 2986123

I hope my fellow residents weren't too blunt (we kinda have a reputation for that )

But that bass is gorgeous man. I hope one day I would be able to build something like that too

 

[Cliff Colton]

I owned a P-like plywood bass for a long time.
I learned a lot about modding and set-up with that bass.
I still kinda own it, only I changed the body, neck, tuner, pick-guard, pick-up, and electronics.

I did the same mod to my grandpa's Ric. Only original part left is the truss rod cover.

 

[Uncle Hanky]

I have a plywood P bass body and a fretless Warmoth neck and YOU MY FRIEND are an inspiration.

 

[Fender_Bender]

When I saw "plywood bass" I was expecting a laminated top upright bass, but oh well. Your experience shows that you're much better off using solid wood, even if it's just construction 1x2's on edge. Getting an acceptable edge and contours from plywood is very difficult.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Really, a great job of woodworking! And sooo much effort for a plywood bass! OUCH!

As far as practical? 50+ hours working at McDonalds? About $500 to $600 here in the USA. A brand new Fender Squire Jazz Bass or Ibanez Bass, $199.

Even cheaper prices for used basses on Craigs List.

As an old man to a young man..............time is valuable and irreplaceable! Use it wisely!

Ah, but how much is the experience in wood working worth? If its $400 worth of experience and more interesting than working in fast food he's up on the transaction.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Ah, but how much is the experience in wood working worth? If its $400 worth of experience and more interesting than working in fast food he's up on the transaction.

What I learn, doing such things, is that I should keep the day job. Valuericeless

 

[Allegrus]

Just some caution. if you are planning to use plywood, there are some terrible bits of things in it. Even the best plywood, the adhesives are not friendly to steels typically found in hand tools. Stick with carbide tipped router bits and band saw blades, otherwise you will spend more time at the sharpening station than building your bass.