WBO 2022: Löwenbäss

[RichterScale]

What.....the.....

 

[RichterScale]

I assume the black bands on the horns are flea collars?

 

[Rôckhewer]

 

[RichterScale]

Side note, you and @TerribleTim68 are seriously testing my ability to avoid wenge. I was hefting a board in hand on Saturday and almost laid down 300 simoleons for it.

I still love the stuff. The only damper for me is that Rockler only has small pieces now and the price/bf seems to have gone up. That, and it doesn't seem to be sustainable. I think I read that something like half the standing trees have vanished in the last 30 yrs.
Soon it will be way too $$$ and then it will be unavailable.
I want to build a 5 string version of this bass and use wenge again. But I want something that looks like the back of Tim's Diva and not straight grain like mine.

 

[Slidlow]

All part of the learning process.
Some day, I won't make these mistakes and I will be a great bass builder and I will build a GOAT bass. Then Tim and Beej will be sorry they picked on me so much.
My therapist says it could take up to a year to get a handle on the bed wetting and stuttering caused by the verbal abuse and internet bullying I've suffered.

Hold on maybe we can adjust the carrier frequency and help with that bed wetting (or make it worse).

 

[Beej]

I still love the stuff. The only damper for me is that Rockler only has small pieces now and the price/bf seems to have gone up. That, and it doesn't seem to be sustainable. I think I read that something like half the standing trees have vanished in the last 30 yrs.
Soon it will be way too $$$ and then it will be unavailable.
I want to build a 5 string version of this bass and use wenge again. But I want something that looks like the back of Tim's Diva and not straight grain like mine.

Now I'm thinking I should grab it, resaw it and sell it in a few years to fund my retirement.

 

[RichterScale]

I heard there's another close relative called panga panga that looks identical, but a tiny bit softer and lighter.
My guess is, those trees are being cut right along side the wenge and retailers probably don't know the difference and charge the same. I would use panga panga all day long. My concern is going to a retailer and not knowing which is which and still paying the wenge premium.

 

[Lonnybass]

I can't tell if this would work from the pics, but I might try two things. First is to recut the radius from the headstock side tip back to where it meets the lams. This will effectively bring the join a bit more into the headstock. This could really impact the overall look so it may not work.

The second is to bring the headstock-side volute radius back into the volute further, such that the volute now starts curving towards it's point at a line closer to the headstock side. This would likely require a lowering of the height of the volute point relative to the back of the neck, but it looks to be a huge volute anyway. Like you were overcompensating for something maybe?

View attachment 4596794

If I were you, I would try to refine the radius by hand rather than recut anything. I think you'd have way more control with shaping and contouring that way.

 

[RichterScale]

If I were you, I would try to refine the radius by hand rather than recut anything. I think you'd have way more control with shaping and contouring that way.

The volute was much bigger than it is now. I was able to sand it back 1/4" on the spindle sander. I stopped a hair short and finished it off by hand. And I can still take more off.

 

[Lonnybass]

The volute was much bigger than it is now. I was able to sand it back 1/4" on the spindle sander. I stopped a hair short and finished it off by hand. And I can still take more off.

Personally, I love volutes and I think the direction you are going with yours looks fantastic!

 

[RichterScale]

Personally, I love volutes and I think the direction you are going with yours looks fantastic!

Thanks. I do too. Mostly because it adds strength at the end of the truss rod were there would only be 1/8" of material otherwise.
But also, there's something amazing about a perfectly carved volute. There are so many compound curves coming together and blending in one spot, I still find it hard to believe that people carve perfect volutes with nothing but eyeballs and files. In fact, I don't believe that's possible. I'm pretty sure that a human can't do that perfectly by hand and there's some trick that will be revealed to me once I've reached a certain level.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I'm lucky to have a local hardwood lumber yard that stocks wenge in decent sized chunks. I picked through the entire stash to find the one piece of wenge that I wanted. Always look for a hardwood lumber yard. I had no clue this one was even here until this forum told me to search.
I'm not sure "where" in "western Ney York" you are (I'm guessing that's what WNY means) but I'd be checking out places like Pittsford Lumber in Rochester. The online images of their store remind me very much of my local store. Lakeshore Hardwoods also looks promising (southeast of Rochester). Or Southern Tier Hardwood Sales west of Binghamton. If you wanted to get crazy, RC Tonewoods is in Buffalo. I'm sure they could drain your wallet. Memphis Hardwoods outside of Syracuse looks promising too. Without knowing exactly where you are, those are my suggestions.

 

[RichterScale]

I'm just outside of Buffalo. When/if we ever move into the new house, we'll be a little further outside the city, but north. Rochester is a little over an hour and Syracuse is maybe 2.5(?)
Not a problem because I like road trips and my wife can always think of a store she wants to stop at.

 

[RichterScale]

And I can already tell you that I won't shop anywhere that uses the phrase "tonewood". Unless it is exclusively an acoustic instrument material supplier.

 

[Beej]

I also tend to try to avoid tonepricing.

 

[RichterScale]

And the tonewood zombie attacks from the basses section in 3,....2,....

 

[RichterScale]

Thanks for throwing chum in the water, Tim.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I'm just outside of Buffalo. When/if we ever move into the new house, we'll be a little further outside the city, but north. Rochester is a little over an hour and Syracuse is maybe 2.5(?)
Not a problem because I like road trips and my wife can always think of a store she wants to stop at.

So I'm guessing your favorite Rockler is the one north of Harris Hills. Honestly, I'd find a way to make a day trip out of visiting Pittsford Lumber. There's bound to be another reason to visit that area, but when I see pictures like this -

I'm in! And, there's a crépe café just down the street!

My inner foodie is already picturing a great day! Luckily, my wife would totally be on board for a day trip like this.

 

[RichterScale]

So I'm guessing your favorite Rockler is the one north of Harris Hills. Honestly, I'd find a way to make a day trip out of visiting Pittsford Lumber. There's bound to be another reason to visit that area, but when I see pictures like this -
View attachment 4596997 View attachment 4596998 View attachment 4596999
I'm in! And, there's a crépe café just down the street!
View attachment 4597002 View attachment 4597003
My inner foodie is already picturing a great day! Luckily, my wife would totally be on board for a day trip like this.

Thanks. I feel like I gained 3 lbs and spent $200 just looking at those pics

 

[TerribleTim68]

Thanks. I feel like I gained 3 lbs and spent $200 just looking at those pics

I don't think you factored in the fuel it'll take too.