the only trouble with that "simple slot" is that it gets a whole lot more complicated when you add a twist, making the surface less that flat and making it very difficult to route a straight channel
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Twisted neck, composite headless
- Thread starter AndreasMergner
- Start date
I made some more progress this am. I routed out the P-bass PU, the tuner area, the control cavity and all the excess body wood.
PasdaBeer: check out cnczone.com for tons of info. Unless you are going to make 100s of parts, it doesn't make sense to build a cnc as you could make dozens of guitars by hand easier than building a cnc.
Arx: I had a bunch of "gotchas", but nothing I couldn't fix along the way. It depends a bunch on the design of your machine.
Re the trussrod slot, I did it for the last neck. It is just a slot, but at an angle between the bridge and the headstock. I can always add it later if I end up with a BOS.
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PasdaBeer: check out cnczone.com for tons of info. Unless you are going to make 100s of parts, it doesn't make sense to build a cnc as you could make dozens of guitars by hand easier than building a cnc.
Arx: I had a bunch of "gotchas", but nothing I couldn't fix along the way. It depends a bunch on the design of your machine.
Re the trussrod slot, I did it for the last neck. It is just a slot, but at an angle between the bridge and the headstock. I can always add it later if I end up with a BOS.
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It plays! I need to lower the bridge a bunch and maybe put in a trussrod. 
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Thanks for the positive words!
I have it in a playable state now. I lowered the bridge a lot and the action is nice and low. Because of the way I did it, there is not a lot of clearance between the strings and the body so popping is not as easy as it should be. I might route out some of the body at some point. I also need to finish shaping the body, sand and finish it. I may just leave it natural, but I'll take suggestions.
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I have it in a playable state now. I lowered the bridge a lot and the action is nice and low. Because of the way I did it, there is not a lot of clearance between the strings and the body so popping is not as easy as it should be. I might route out some of the body at some point. I also need to finish shaping the body, sand and finish it. I may just leave it natural, but I'll take suggestions.
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I was able to play it for a while last night. It feels and sounds good! The twist doesn't seem to be that extreme and maybe I'd put more on the next one. It does give a better position for the wrist.
The action is quite good on the E, but the other strings need to come down. Apparently the bridge I have is made for a radiused fretboard (mine is not), so the A and D saddles are raised. I have to lower the bridge again. This will be the third time! I also need to lower the MM pu. I'll go to the shop at lunch and do it. I think I might also route out underneath the strings while I'm at it.
It already plays better than the Rick I have.
The balance is excellent, although I don't have a strap for it yet (plays well on my knee). It also is very light! I think it is under 7 lbs.
The action is quite good on the E, but the other strings need to come down. Apparently the bridge I have is made for a radiused fretboard (mine is not), so the A and D saddles are raised. I have to lower the bridge again. This will be the third time! I also need to lower the MM pu. I'll go to the shop at lunch and do it. I think I might also route out underneath the strings while I'm at it.
It already plays better than the Rick I have.
The balance is excellent, although I don't have a strap for it yet (plays well on my knee). It also is very light! I think it is under 7 lbs.
Sure is quiet out there! 
I think this version is just about done for a while so I can play it. I need to decide on the finish. Maybe I'll leave it like it is, but I wouldn't be adverse to staining it. I also need to come up with side markers other than tape!
I like how the shape of the body turned out. The list of things to do are: intonation, remove just a little bit more wood out from under the strings for popping, smooth the sides of the frets more, move the "headstock" string anchors slightly down and completely even....I think that's about all.
It weighs only 5.2 pounds!! It is so freaking light. I think the sustain suffers a slight bit because of the poplar, but it could also be the attachment points (most likely the headstock end). It isn't bad, but I noticed it more because I had a couple of bad/dead frets. I just hammered them in and that seemed to fix it. I'll have my instructor take a look at it tonight and see what he has to say.
The action is really low. I think that is partially due to the fact that I only put 17 frets on it. I don't even go that far down so 24 frets would be even more overkill.
So you might be asking how the twist feels...? I like it. I notice it more now. It gives just enough twist to prevent straining to bend my wrist on low octaves (ie-F-F). I will do more twist on the next one. Maybe I'll make a 5 string?
Comments welcome!
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I think this version is just about done for a while so I can play it. I need to decide on the finish. Maybe I'll leave it like it is, but I wouldn't be adverse to staining it. I also need to come up with side markers other than tape!
I like how the shape of the body turned out. The list of things to do are: intonation, remove just a little bit more wood out from under the strings for popping, smooth the sides of the frets more, move the "headstock" string anchors slightly down and completely even....I think that's about all.
It weighs only 5.2 pounds!! It is so freaking light. I think the sustain suffers a slight bit because of the poplar, but it could also be the attachment points (most likely the headstock end). It isn't bad, but I noticed it more because I had a couple of bad/dead frets. I just hammered them in and that seemed to fix it. I'll have my instructor take a look at it tonight and see what he has to say.
The action is really low. I think that is partially due to the fact that I only put 17 frets on it. I don't even go that far down so 24 frets would be even more overkill.
So you might be asking how the twist feels...? I like it. I notice it more now. It gives just enough twist to prevent straining to bend my wrist on low octaves (ie-F-F). I will do more twist on the next one. Maybe I'll make a 5 string?
Comments welcome!
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Pretty damn cool. Congratulations. A great accomplishment.
It looks like youre neck ended up a little narrow at the body end, and the E string is almost off the edge. Or is it just the photos?
It looks like youre neck ended up a little narrow at the body end, and the E string is almost off the edge. Or is it just the photos?
It is just the pics. I had to go downstairs to check the bass to know for sure! The photos are certainly misleading. The A string is off by about .02" at the headstock end, which you wouldn't even see in person unless I pointed it out (probably!).
I noticed that with the strap that the bass hangs a bit with its lower side out, which negates the twist of the neck. There's got to be a way to fix that.
I have some really nice YELLOW stain I was thinking of using on the wood.
I noticed that with the strap that the bass hangs a bit with its lower side out, which negates the twist of the neck. There's got to be a way to fix that.
I have some really nice YELLOW stain I was thinking of using on the wood.
im not sure i understand entirely, but maybe taking some wood off the bottom right part would do it? like contour the edge, shave sum wood off for less weight? maybe thatll work
and definitely yellow, hands down
Good ideas....
It's just the way it hangs while on my body. I think if I put the rear strap down it would force the top out, no? I could have sworn I read some threads on this somewhere...hmmm....
There is no extra material at the bottom of the body that is causing it.
Yellow! This is the same stain on a Poplar plane of mine. I think it looks nice with the wood. Link Removed
It's just the way it hangs while on my body. I think if I put the rear strap down it would force the top out, no? I could have sworn I read some threads on this somewhere...hmmm....
There is no extra material at the bottom of the body that is causing it.
Yellow! This is the same stain on a Poplar plane of mine. I think it looks nice with the wood. Link Removed
haven't read the whole thread...i so want one! 30" scale, perhaps? i tune d g c f ... oh yeah, and a reverse p pickup...guess i'll have to make my own,eh? LOL later, ron
Sure is quiet out there!
I think this version is just about done for a while so I can play it. I need to decide on the finish. Maybe I'll leave it like it is, but I wouldn't be adverse to staining it. I also need to come up with side markers other than tape!
I like how the shape of the body turned out. The list of things to do are: intonation, remove just a little bit more wood out from under the strings for popping, smooth the sides of the frets more, move the "headstock" string anchors slightly down and completely even....I think that's about all.
It weighs only 5.2 pounds!! It is so freaking light. I think the sustain suffers a slight bit because of the poplar, but it could also be the attachment points (most likely the headstock end). It isn't bad, but I noticed it more because I had a couple of bad/dead frets. I just hammered them in and that seemed to fix it. I'll have my instructor take a look at it tonight and see what he has to say.
The action is really low. I think that is partially due to the fact that I only put 17 frets on it. I don't even go that far down so 24 frets would be even more overkill.
So you might be asking how the twist feels...? I like it. I notice it more now. It gives just enough twist to prevent straining to bend my wrist on low octaves (ie-F-F). I will do more twist on the next one. Maybe I'll make a 5 string?
Comments welcome!
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Glad you like it Ron. It might be a little early to take orders! This was my first, but I'm sure there will be more. A ~30" scale would be easy since all you have to do is cut off a couple of frets. I learned a lot on this build and the next one should be easier for me to make and come out even better.
My instructor played my bass and was impressed. He thought it played so well he wants me to make one for him.....mind you he wants me to make him a Millennium Falcon double guitar. Yes, he is a serious Star Wars nerd, but a hell of a bassist and guitarist.
I might just take him up on it!
My instructor played my bass and was impressed. He thought it played so well he wants me to make one for him.....mind you he wants me to make him a Millennium Falcon double guitar.
Yes, he is a serious Star Wars nerd, but a hell of a bassist and guitarist. I might just take him up on it!
Congratulations for taking such a crazy idea and executing it. Not just completing it, but doing a good job of it.
You might try moving the strap button down the back end, toward the tuners. Or toward the back of the body, closer to your own body. Or even all the way around to the back side. Trouble is, you can make a lot of holes experimenting.
You might try moving the strap button down the back end, toward the tuners. Or toward the back of the body, closer to your own body. Or even all the way around to the back side. Trouble is, you can make a lot of holes experimenting.
Yes, on the back! Why didn't I think of that? I wanted to put it on the side below the tuners, but I think it would hit and move the tuners. I was thinking that I could use a small light clamp to try it out without making more holes.
I had another friend try out the bass yesterday. He said it was really comfortable and easy to play. He thinks I should sell them.
I still have some more tweaking to do before I'm 100% happy with this one.
I still have some more tweaking to do before I'm 100% happy with this one.
