What has been happening with this build?
I'd love to see the finished article.
I'd love to see the finished article.
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There's another storm brewing!
- Thread starter pilotjones
- Start date
A Little Progress is better than No Progress
I have still been wrestling with pore fill. It seems to be basically impossible to get every pore filled, without opening up new ones. But I'm closer.
I drilled the second strap lug hole, and added bit of a counterbore to both of them using a Forstner. Not deeply inlaying the lugs the way someone else here (Matteo?) did, but a little bit to decrease the lug height when using the strap lock, while giving plenty of usable space when having a strap directly on the lug.
The lugs will eventually sit a touch higher, when they have washers under them.
Then I strapped it on for the first time, which felt great. Did a touch more neck shaping, based on how it felt in playing position.
I have still been wrestling with pore fill. It seems to be basically impossible to get every pore filled, without opening up new ones. But I'm closer.
I drilled the second strap lug hole, and added bit of a counterbore to both of them using a Forstner. Not deeply inlaying the lugs the way someone else here (Matteo?) did, but a little bit to decrease the lug height when using the strap lock, while giving plenty of usable space when having a strap directly on the lug.
The lugs will eventually sit a touch higher, when they have washers under them.
Then I strapped it on for the first time, which felt great. Did a touch more neck shaping, based on how it felt in playing position.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,004
- 1
- 31,697
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
I'm a bit new to TalkBass participation, but I've been a member for quite a while. Is this build really slipping towards 4 years in progress?
Yes, indeed. Sometimes other needs in life or just interests take precedence. Also, my being disgusted with this finishing process has not helped.
That's not too bad. Hell, I've got a "simple" refinish job I've had going on an old Aria for almost as long. Sometimes being on the backburner for a while can help rekindle the desire for a project.
Oh, and nice work on the bass so far, looks awesome!
-Jake
Oh, and nice work on the bass so far, looks awesome!
-Jake
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
Pilot I'm glad you are back. I remember some your older builds and they were truly inspiring to me. The creativity and the different designs and they showed me I could do something different and explore options to the norm. They showed me you could build a great bass that was art as well as a great build. I have valued your input here in the LC and hope you slowly come back around on a more regular basis. I know that's part of this forum that great talents come and go. I'm so glad to see every post from Bruce and hopkins and many of the other long time members here that keep putting their experience up here I value it greatly I wouldn't be the builder I am today without members like you.
On another note I always keep a couple of builds going so if I get disgusted with a part of a build I can focus on another and it seems when I come back to it later with a fresh viewpoint and different perspective I can be objective again instead of wanting to smash and burn it and keeps me from getting stuck in a rut. Finishing makes me pull my hair out. You could always pass the torch on the finishing part of it too. Pat Wilkins can put a finish on anything. I have a few guys that help me and are part time guys in my shop. I pay them by building a bass or guitar for them with them. One guy is a machinist and woodworker and used to paint show cars and has so much to bring to the table that I personally suck at and the other guy has the patients of a saint and likes to sand god love him. Keep coming back...
On another note I always keep a couple of builds going so if I get disgusted with a part of a build I can focus on another and it seems when I come back to it later with a fresh viewpoint and different perspective I can be objective again instead of wanting to smash and burn it and keeps me from getting stuck in a rut. Finishing makes me pull my hair out. You could always pass the torch on the finishing part of it too. Pat Wilkins can put a finish on anything. I have a few guys that help me and are part time guys in my shop. I pay them by building a bass or guitar for them with them. One guy is a machinist and woodworker and used to paint show cars and has so much to bring to the table that I personally suck at and the other guy has the patients of a saint and likes to sand god love him. Keep coming back...
Thanks.
Yeah, it's getting closer, though. Today I gave my sample piece back to my automotive painter friend, this time with sone frets in it and some scuff marks in order to see exactly how perfect the prep job has to be.
I'm glad you got something out of that thread, and in general.
Yeah another project is not a bad idea. I was looking at my wood pile the other day to see if it inspires anything.
My understanding is that Pat Wilkins only does bolt-ons, no? Makes sense to operate that way, from a painter's perspective. I always seem to do the difficult thing.
Glad to see some updates, this thing is still so cool. 
If you're looking at finishes, have you looked over TB Builder's Showcase's own "CinCity Customs"? http://cincitycustoms.com/ @StreetScenes
I'm not affiliated but his stuff looks pretty nice...
If you're looking at finishes, have you looked over TB Builder's Showcase's own "CinCity Customs"? http://cincitycustoms.com/ @StreetScenes I'm not affiliated but his stuff looks pretty nice...
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
Oh. My. God. That is my dream bass (a lefty unlined fretless 5). The finish doesn't hurt, either.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,962
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
High recommendations for Pat and Marty - the two people that dot my "i". (in Gildaxe that is…)
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Today I sent a query to the knob maker mentioned in another thread. Being Sunday, I don't expect a response for a while. I made the knobs for the first bass myself, but I had more extra material to work with on those, which allowed me to use the plug cutter method. With less material available, I'm thinking they will have to be done on a lathe, which I basically don't have. (I've got a shopsmith, but it is basically set up with the right end being used to support my drill press, preventing lathe work. Plus I have zero lathe skills.)
As far as finishing, I did more work today and have found that by bringing it up to a higher grit, I may be eliminating the patchy whitish haze that failed to disappear from my test piece when it was clear coated previously. This opens up the possibility of trying again to make have a 100% fill, and maybe a 100% full skim coat of epoxy. I had been thinking of settling for a few small open pores, and some exposed wood patches, and the hope that clearcoat would fill it.
As far as finishing, I did more work today and have found that by bringing it up to a higher grit, I may be eliminating the patchy whitish haze that failed to disappear from my test piece when it was clear coated previously. This opens up the possibility of trying again to make have a 100% fill, and maybe a 100% full skim coat of epoxy. I had been thinking of settling for a few small open pores, and some exposed wood patches, and the hope that clearcoat would fill it.
I haven't heard back from the knobs guy yet, after using his contact form twice. Kind of odd.
I have found that thoroughly wetting with alcohol and using strong light will let me see the places where white haze remains, so that's good. There are more places than I had thought. Not as good.
Maybe I'll have to learn turning. What's more scary than usual about this is
- possibility of having to do it without an end support
- it would be on crossgrain material, not a normal longitudinal stick, which I would guess is something to be done only by people with real expertise in turning
I have found that thoroughly wetting with alcohol and using strong light will let me see the places where white haze remains, so that's good. There are more places than I had thought. Not as good.
Maybe I'll have to learn turning. What's more scary than usual about this is
- possibility of having to do it without an end support
- it would be on crossgrain material, not a normal longitudinal stick, which I would guess is something to be done only by people with real expertise in turning
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Turning isn't so bad, just have a healthy respect for the machine and be mindful of what you're doing. For knob making I would suggest getting a a set of jaws so you can work the piece from the end. That being said, it isn't impossible to do spindle turned knobs either, just bring the material down to a very thin section at each end of the knob and flush cut it afterwards. A drill press would be able to sort out the shaft hole after that.
Crossgrain isn't too much an issue either - things like bowls are made with it all the time. Just make sure your tools are sharp and the speed is set appropriately.
