Wenge ASAT

[Scoops]

Specs
Strings: 5
Body Style: ASAT
Body construction: Solid
Body Wood: Wenge
Neck: Wenge
FB: African Blackwood
Scale: 33"
Bridge: G&L
Tuners: Hipshot Ultra Lites
Pups: G&L
Preamp: G&L
Pickguard: Maybe

This project may turn into a slow mover. Still alot of unknowns

 

[Scoops]

I'm taking on this challenge.

I've read and heard alot of good thing about the G&L ASAT. Alot of the reviews I have read have been favorable with a notable exception. It neck dives.

I've designed the body so that it is actually an inch an a half longer than a ASAT. That will help a little. Using ultralite tuners will help as well. If I were to keep the body at it's current thickness, it will be a hugh amount of mass to keep it from neck diving. Unfortunately, I'm projecting it to come in at @13lbs, which is way to heavy, so I'll be making the body thinner to take off some of the weight.

Goal is to make a 5 string ASAT that doesn't neck dive.

 

[ctmullins]

Sweet! My walnut Tele is 32" scale, with Hipshot Ultralites, and it balances really well. Would you consider a slightly shorter scale?

Another option is to chamber the neck. I'm going to be experimenting with that myself at some point.

 

[GMC]

If you change the headstock design to a 2 a side design, it helps too.

 

[GMC]

If you want to totally eliminate neck dive...go headless

 

[Scoops]

Sweet! My walnut Tele is 32" scale, with Hipshot Ultralites, and it balances really well. Would you consider a slightly shorter scale?

Another option is to chamber the neck. I'm going to be experimenting with that myself at some point.

If you change the headstock design to a 2 a side design, it helps too.

If you want to totally eliminate neck dive...go headless

Thanks guys for your feedback

I've cut out the body. The blank alone comes in at 9.4lbs. It's 1.875" thick. I have the strap button on the upper horn at about 15.5" from the bridge. That will help with the balance.

My plan here will be to build the neck, mount the neck with the tuners installed to see how bad is the neck dive is. If it doesn't, I'll start to reduce the overall body thickness, I'm thinking by about 1/16 of an inch. I'm counting on the weight of the body to counter act the neck dive.

 

[pudge]

Love that! fyi my warmoth 32" scale maple /ebony neck with the schaller
/fender lite weight tuners weighs in ar 2-1/2 lbs.

 

[dedpool1052]

With the overall body length being extended, have you thought about mounting the neck a bit further inward (toward the bridge), then deepening the cutaway and contouring the neck heel? sort of like the boutique single-cut designs.

 

[Scoops]

With the overall body length being extended, have you thought about mounting the neck a bit further inward (toward the bridge), then deepening the cutaway and contouring the neck heel? sort of like the boutique single-cut designs.

A Vulcan internet mind meld I see.

That's the approach I'll be taking. I have moved the lower horn back an inch from where it would normally be. I have a Warmoth tele below to show the difference. I'll be making the neck at least an inch longer than the traditional fender neck, and yes, I plan on setting it deeper into the body. Still working on the final numbers. The heal is still on the bass, but that will get removed in the future and shaped to something more access friendly.

Technically I can't say that this is really an ASAT for obvious reasons, but I plan on getting some G&L MFD pups and preamp, and probably a G&L bridge. This will help me get close.

 

[dedpool1052]

I like where this is heading. I look forward to the progress pics.
I'm sure it'll sound huge. Those MFDs are some big sounding pickups.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

That's gonna be cool Scoops. How's wenge to work with? The slightly rough open grain makes me think it would be prone to splinter, but I've never worked with it. Its beautiful to look at, like chocolate wood. Sub,d

 

[Scoops]

That's gonna be cool Scoops. How's wenge to work with? The slightly rough open grain makes me think it would be prone to splinter, but I've never worked with it. Its beautiful to look at, like chocolate wood. Sub,d

I got a couple chip outs when routing out the body. One bad, one not so. I'll be able to recover. Probably won't put a binding on this one because of that.

Oddly, routing created more dust than chips. My air system filters clogged up real fast.

 

[kkaarrll]

I may still have to get this.

Now to find some old stuff to sell...............

 

[Scoops]

Every now and then, I need a distraction. Today that distraction comes in the form of this build. I figured I should do some work on this, so, here ya go.

I've decided to go with a lot of G&L components. I'll be using G&L Pups, preamp, and Bridge. This thing still weighs a ton, and it doesn't neck dive. Moving forward, to loos weight, I'll be routing out the control cavity and pups, and I'll be putting in a tummy and for arm cut. If this still weight a ton I'll start reducing the thickness of the body.

Truss rod route

Cut out neck

Obligatory watching glue dry pic

And hogged out neck pocket

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I like the body shape, still singlecut, but without the "mutant earlobe" look some singlecuts get. I just read some comments on another thread where @Bruce recommends using a fine cut bastard file to smooth wenge instead of sandpaper or scrapers. Interested to hear your experience with finishing wenge.

 

[Scoops]

I like the body shape, still singlecut, but without the "mutant earlobe" look some singlecuts get. I just read some comments on another thread where @Bruce recommends using a fine cut bastard file to smooth wenge instead of sandpaper or scrapers. Interested to hear your experience with finishing wenge.

Mutant earlobes you say? Ha! That's a good one. The thought crossed my mind.

This one probably won't get a finish. My plan was to use scrapers for top and back. I an undecided on how I will approach the sides. Maybe it's time to experiment with some files.

 

[Scoops]

I got a care package from G&L yesterday.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

MFD pups and locking bridge, a bulletproof combo.

 

[Cuzzie]

This looks amazing

I am a sucker for an ASAT bass and for G&L.

I never found the neck dive too much of an issue and way overstated.
Interestingly I found the 'neck dive' less on my semi hollow compared to the solid body which I think is probably due to the #7 neck compared to the thinner #8 neck.

Obligatory pics complete with mutant ear lobes for mine and keep up the good work!

 

[Cuzzie]

Also meant to say is it too late to chamber the body and make it a semi hollow with or without an F-Hole.

Semi hollows sound gooooooooood!