Yep, runs the full length, except where it's broken up by the pickup. The plan is to have the neck blank flush with the top of the body, have the finger board a little on the thicker side and sit on top of everything.
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WBO 2022: Löwenbäss
- Thread starter RichterScale
- Start date
This is what I'm attempting.
1-1/4" thick neck blank, 3/4" wenge wing cores, 1/4" maple caps on the top and back. Neck will be exposed on the back and the finger board will slightly flare out on the bridge end, so it will cover the neck blank and slightly overlap onto the maple. This body is smaller than a Diva. I'm trying to shape it so it fits nicely when I'm sitting (the reason for the foam test mule). Plus I'm hoping the smaller size will alleviate some of the wenge weight. I'll also leave the maple caps off the back for a while and then I can keep checking for weight and balance, then forstner out more chambers in the wenge from the back as I go.
Yeah, I’m considering cutting weight cavities in mine too. I’m just always worried about how much work you put in vs the weight removed when you factor in the area still needed for the bridge, the pickups, the controls, etc. is there really enough left to remove to matter? I dunno. I know Matt over at Texas Toast posted a video on this exact topic showing just how much material you have to remove before it even matters. You might want to look it up. 
The foam mockup to test the ergonomics is a great idea.
I honestly don't know what to expect. The neck will be mostly wenge, so it might balance well without even removing any material. Originally I was just gonna go ahead and cut out some chambers, but now I think the best approach will be to not glue anything up and test it out with it all doweled and taped together. Maybe just hog a little out of the back and then strap it on, see how it feels/balances and then repeat as necessary until it's right, or as good as it will get, then go ahead and glue it all up.Yeah, I’m considering cutting weight cavities in mine too. I’m just always worried about how much work you put in vs the weight removed when you factor in the area still needed for the bridge, the pickups, the controls, etc. is there really enough left to remove to matter? I dunno. I know Matt over at Texas Toast posted a video on this exact topic showing just how much material you have to remove before it even matters. You might want to look it up.
I honestly think I should not even worry about weight and just focus on balance. I mean, I chose to make it 90% wenge, so it was silly to even make weight a consideration. It should help that it's only a 4 string and the body is both small and thin. That's probably the best I can hope for. I'll be surprised and happy if it's under 9 lbs when done. That's what the 5 string weighs and it's manageable.
Yeah, when I said Lucifer isn’t heavy, I mean he weighs basically dead on 10 pounds. Which is decent for a long scale 5er in my opinion.
Sounds like a good plan. You could start chambering out the forward half of the body now. That will remove overall weight without affecting the balance much. Leave the back end of the body heavy for now, until you can start mocking it up and testing the balance.
Remember that it's much easier to add weight than to remove it. You could chamber it out as much as you can now, then add metal at the very back end if you need it.
Also, you can chamber the neck too. If you can summon up some engineering courage. Rout some slots down the neck on either side of the truss rod. Place them carefully and you won't lose any stiffness.
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I spent yesterday working out neck dimensions, headstock angle, etc and drawing it out full scale to tape to the wood. I noticed the body is proportioned, but it looks some percentage smaller than it should, so I may print it out again a little bigger.
The plan was to have it all worked out and then chop the boards to length, then bring them to work for resawing.
But I didn't get home till after 7 and all I had time/energy for was to make a string tree for the CBG.
Since I'm making the whole bass from just the 2 boards, I have to be very picky about where I make my cuts for which pieces. Not just because I don't have much room for error, but I have to factor grain orientation. So, that will all be worked out tomorrow after work, I'll make my cross cuts, lable and do my resawing on Wed.
Then I have Thur/Fri off and should finally have some sawdust and glue squish-out to take pics of.
This is my end grain. I've hade this Wenge for quite a while and never noticed how the grain runs out on one side until a few days ago. Or did and forgot. I thought it was straight all the way across.
The plan was to have it all worked out and then chop the boards to length, then bring them to work for resawing.
But I didn't get home till after 7 and all I had time/energy for was to make a string tree for the CBG.
Since I'm making the whole bass from just the 2 boards, I have to be very picky about where I make my cuts for which pieces. Not just because I don't have much room for error, but I have to factor grain orientation. So, that will all be worked out tomorrow after work, I'll make my cross cuts, lable and do my resawing on Wed.
Then I have Thur/Fri off and should finally have some sawdust and glue squish-out to take pics of.
This is my end grain. I've hade this Wenge for quite a while and never noticed how the grain runs out on one side until a few days ago. Or did and forgot. I thought it was straight all the way across.
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Yeah, the board isn't long enough to cut 2 consecutive pieces for a neck blank and then flip one so the grain is opposite on both sides. So I have to cut all three neck pieces from the vertical grain side. I think.
I have to stare at it for an hour and and then draw a diagram and then mark it all off.
And that gets me up to about a 50% chance that I won't screw something up.
I have to stare at it for an hour and and then draw a diagram and then mark it all off.
And that gets me up to about a 50% chance that I won't screw something up.
Neck lams, left-right, lightest-heaviest (probably not a huge difference).
I'm leaning toward the middle.
- Apr 18, 2008
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Visually, middle or right.
Ergonomically, middle or left.
Either way, taper that center lam.
Ergonomically, middle or left.
Either way, taper that center lam.
Should it be parallel with the outer taper? It would be quite wide at the bottom. I have to cut that piece from the resaw leftover from the finger board and I think 1/2" will be the thickest it can be.
I'd have to try and finagle the board a bit and move the cuts around.
Don't feel obliged, Richter. Tapering the center lam is a fashionable thing that doesn't have any tangible advantage.
Unless I'm wrong, @ctmullins ?
Unless I'm wrong, @ctmullins ?
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,738
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
You’re not wrong. It just looks bitchen’!
Plus one on tapering the center. Looks much better visually. I've been doing it for many decades now.Either way, taper that center lam.
It's definitely just an aesthetics thing.
I'm thinkin split the difference at each end, like a cone? No lines are parallel. Well, the maple fillers are cut equal thickness end to end.
I'm thinkin split the difference at each end, like a cone? No lines are parallel. Well, the maple fillers are cut equal thickness end to end.
My peer pressurey thoughts: tapering the center laminate is attractive to the eye for many. Place two instruments side by side and I've found people notice the tapered laminate without mentioning it. I think it adds a touch of luxury or sense of attention to detail. And it's super easy to do without messing up one's workflow too much (depending on jigs and templates).
The second is that the large expanse of maple on the back of the bass I think will be mutually set off by an overall darker looking neck. Especially if you have a matching maple cap on the back of the headstock. So I'd lean towards with thinner maple lams and more wenge.
This might not be helpful. I have a hard time doing what other people tell me. Like if I'm bending over to pick up 100 bucks I just dropped and someone says "pick that up!", I hesitate before picking it up and then addressing their impudence.
The second is that the large expanse of maple on the back of the bass I think will be mutually set off by an overall darker looking neck. Especially if you have a matching maple cap on the back of the headstock. So I'd lean towards with thinner maple lams and more wenge.
This might not be helpful. I have a hard time doing what other people tell me. Like if I'm bending over to pick up 100 bucks I just dropped and someone says "pick that up!", I hesitate before picking it up and then addressing their impudence.
You know, I like you for this.
