WBO 2022: Löwenbäss

[RichterScale]

I found a decent hunk of 2x6 in the misc pile. Trued up one edge and made a quick n dirty neck horse.
Instead of legs, I'm just gonna slap on a base with little 45 supports so I can clamp or screw it to the top of the bench and move it around as needed.
Next pics will either be a disaster and my resignation, or a mostly carved neck.
Edit: added the pic with the base.

 

[dwizum]

Soooo..... 2 hours later, what happened?

 

[RichterScale]

Soooo..... 2 hours later, what happened?

Went upstairs to get something and the stepson and his gf were over to visit. They're already over the allotted time for visitors, so just waiting for my leftovers to finish heating up and then back at it.

 

[RichterScale]

This is where I left it last night. Hard to tell what's going on because the combo of the lights and my phone makes for crap pics. I used the lams as facet guides to remove some bulk. Next I need to find some alum wire or something similar to copy the shape on the Laguna neck. Then I can make a couple templates for checking as I go.

 

[RichterScale]

Rounded off the facets and got it down to 180 grit. I'd say the shape is somewhere between a D and a soft V.
I can't exactly match the 5 string because it's wider.

Now I just have to figure out how to blend all this weirdness.

 

[Reedt2000]

Looks good!

Looking at pics online it seems the edge of the headstock wants to blend into the lines of either side of the volute as it returns towards the nut

Like this

 

[RichterScale]

Yup.
The problem is, the wings were 1/2" thick. All the way across.
I'm missing all the material in the blend area.
I'll leave it till I think of something.
Maybe the aliens will beam me an idea.

 

[RichterScale]

And one of the wenge lams ends up a little thinner than the other toward the nut end. I never noticed it until I started sanding.
None of will be seen from the front, but still.

 

[RichterScale]

Thin maple binding around the edge of the headstock and blend it into the neck.
That's all I can think of.
The wenge is too splintery and uneven when it's paper thin.

 

[TerribleTim68]

...I'll leave it till I think of something.
Maybe the aliens will beam me an idea.

There's still time to cut it off, re-taper it and glue new wings on.

 

[Level5wizard]

There's still time to cut it off, re-taper it and glue new wings on.

That's not nice. @TerribleTim68

 

[RichterScale]

I could cut the whole headstock off and do a scarf joint.
How much time is left Tim, like a week?

 

[TerribleTim68]

I feel like my work here is done.

 

[Level5wizard]

I could cut the whole headstock off and do a scarf joint.
How much time is left Tim, like a week?

What? I started late. And l live in Michigan. So it is technically winter until end of March.

 

[Flamingo21]

Edit: added the pic with the base.

Noob question: how did you make such nice square openings in the base?

 

[RichterScale]

View attachment 4596550
Noob question: how did you make such nice square openings in the base?

Up close, they're actually a little rough. But they just needed to be good enough for the clamp.
I drew the squares in pencil, drilled the corners, then cut them out with a jig saw.

 

[TFM94]

Design idea:
Don't fill the step between the headstock wing and the volute, but make the step more pronounced with two opposite curves.

 

[Reedt2000]

The volute looks a bit tall as is, why not adjust it to meet the wings? Would mean lowering the peak and moving it towards the body a bit but looks like there's plenty of material to work with.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Im not sure a scarf joint is even necessary on multi-laminate necks with a volute. If the grain alternates on the neck plys (as it should), and using modern adhesives, its already MUCH stronger than a single piece neck. Ive done three basses with laminated necks and an 8 degree headstock angle, no problems with break angle, and I don't ever expect to see them break under anything but getting backed over by a car. The only "weak" joint in that system is the edge gluing of wings to widen the headstock, which can pop off if you drop it on a tuner. I havent seen a break test study anywhere, so maybe Im wrong, but I am sceptical that a scarf joint is any stronger than a laminate, and I dont really like the aesthetics of a scarf joint. Alembic does a kind of hybrid, laminate neck scarf joint concealed by top and bottom headstock veneers.

 

[Flying B]

Rounded off the facets and got it down to 180 grit. I'd say the shape is somewhere between a D and a soft V.
I can't exactly match the 5 string because it's wider.
View attachment 4596495
Now I just have to figure out how to blend all this weirdness.
View attachment 4596496

I don't generally like stripey basses but I'm really digging that.