Winter 2017 build off- carbon headless bass

[MPU]

CNC running. I drilled the ball end holes with smaller than final dimension to help my little CNC mill.

 

[MPU]

And slots for strings routed. I"m shaping the headpiece after the fretboard is on and exact headpiece place measured and headpiece bolted on the neck. With double ball end strings there's not much room for error.

 

[SLivinghouse]

Thanks. So I assume you left the two layers of glass out of the neck so that it would be flexible enough to respond to truss rod adjustments? The Luis and Clark CF orchestra instruments, like normal orchestra instruments don't have truss rods. Their fingerboards are CF. On the other hand, the neck length on a double bass is much shorter so they can get by without one. I think another factor is that since DB fingerboards are usually more than twice as thick as BG fingerboards, a lot of the adjustment that is done with a truss rod on BG's is done with a plane on DB's ebony fingerboards. A couple cello players in the Auburn Symphony I play in have them. I would love to have one but that's not going to happen until the kids are out of college. Check them out if you haven't seen one. Invalid Link Removed

 

[MPU]

Thanks. So I assume you left the two layers of glass out of the neck so that it would be flexible enough to respond to truss rod adjustments? The Luis and Clark CF orchestra instruments, like normal orchestra instruments don't have truss rods. Their fingerboards are CF. On the other hand, the neck length on a double bass is much shorter so they can get by without one. I think another factor is that since DB fingerboards are usually more than twice as thick as BG fingerboards, a lot of the adjustment that is done with a truss rod on BG's is done with a plane on DB's ebony fingerboards. A couple cello players in the Auburn Symphony I play in have them. I would love to have one but that's not going to happen until the kids are out of college. Check them out if you haven't seen one. Invalid Link Removed

Pretty much like you said. If I made a 6mm thick cf fterboard there would be no need or use to have a truss rod. The neck would be rock solid with no way to adjust relief. I added glass fiber to the body to get a bit more weight and thickness to the body. Structurally there is no need for those layers.

 

[Petebass]

It's funny to hear you say you use glass fibre for added mass and weight ..... I'm the guy who uses glass fibre to make ridiculously light speaker cabs

I guess it just goes to show the versatility of composites.

 

[MPU]

It's funny to hear you say you use glass fibre for added mass and weight ..... I'm the guy who uses glass fibre to make ridiculously light speaker cabs

I guess it just goes to show the versatility of composites.

This kind of "body" is so small that it needs some added weight. Otherwise it will feel like an inflatable bass. This bass will be featherweight anyway.

 

[mapleglo]

Is it possible to make a standard shape, like a Precision, out of carbon fiber? Or is there a reason why so many carbon fiber instruments have that trapezoidal shape?

 

[MPU]

Is it possible to make a standard shape, like a Precision, out of carbon fiber? Or is there a reason why so many carbon fiber instruments have that trapezoidal shape?

Every shape is possible with carbon fiber, I see no reasons for any shape being better for cf. Status has made both headless and headed conventional looking cf basses. Steinberger is the only paddle shape cf bass I know. Material, shape and headless were all something new when Steinberger introduced their L series. I think for most bassists Steinberger is what they think when they hear words carbon fiber bass.

 

[MPU]

Wetsanding done. I measured and drilled holes for bridge screw inserts. Brass inserts epoxied in their holes. Tomorrow I'm cutting the holes for pots, jack and battery box.

I also placed an order for Richlite fretboard after getting tired of waiting replies from European suppliers. Erik Lanz from BTY Guitars had fast communication and good price for Richlite blank. That's the way I like to do business!

 

[SLivinghouse]

Is it possible to make a standard shape, like a Precision, out of carbon fiber? Or is there a reason why so many carbon fiber instruments have that trapezoidal shape?

It's an interesting look at the importance of precedence. The first bass guitars made out wood (Precision) become the "standard" shape for wood basses. The first basses made out of carbon are paddle shaped and that shape becomes the standard for that material. I can see no reason why one shape is inherently made better out of either material but in each case it becomes the norm. So if you've got a new material...

 

[MPU]

Holes cut and drilled. I have nothing to do before the fretboard blank arrives. Wait, I can cut and shape the pivot plate as well as wire and shield the pickups before pouring epoxy in the covers.

 

[MPU]

Some play with possible decal. mpu stretched wider, maybe just the outline of the letters and for sure in white.
I just have to
- learn how to stretch those letters
- find out how to make white decals
I may however tell this idea to someone who makes decals and let him do the work. This is something I have no clue about, I've made black waterslides before.

 

[BTY Guitar]

Hi MPU, Greetings from 8,871 km away!

Your blanks are cut and ready to make the journey. Thanks again for the mention.

 

[yeelaberbin]

Really great build !!

 

[MPU]

Hi MPU, Greetings from 8,871 km away!

Your blanks are cut and ready to make the journey. Thanks again for the mention.

Let the Transatlantic journey begin!
Btw Transatlantic is one of my favourites, Portnoy, Morse, Stolt and Trewavas make great prog.

 

[SLivinghouse]

So given you made so much of the bass yourself, I assume you ordered the finger board because it requires some machinery you don't have?

 

[MPU]

So given you made so much of the bass yourself, I assume you ordered the finger board because it requires some machinery you don't have?

Just the raw fingerboard blank. On last page there was some discussion about the reason why.

 

[CosmoReverb]

See? I wasn't the only one who assumed that there wasn't anything that you aren't capable of making yourself!

 

[MPU]

It's not what I can do, it's what I want to do And I don't want to explode my hobby shop.
Progress is slow at the moment. I used double ball end strings to measure the headpiece position and bonded brass inserts on.

I wish the fretboard blanks arrive in short time... week or so.

 

[MPU]

Starting to look like a bass. Well, at least as much as it ever will. Everything is ready for fretboard. My order from US shipped on Tuesday after waiting for almost a month for a reply from European suppliers. Today I got a message that the fretboards are in stock now. I think I'm not going to order more fretboards, I can just as well wait.

I shielded the pickup coils and cast them in the covers. Later tonight I'm planning to solder wires, glue the magnets and cast the covers full.