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Winter Build Off 2018 - Diva Inspired

#224
Is that Diva body shape copyrighted? If not, I think this could actually be a better seller than a Devil bass design, that’s always going to be a niche market to some extent. I can see this having a broader appeal if you can make money selling it for less than Marleaux. Seeing how fast you work now, a small volume business seems eminently do-able. I can see the flip side too, having just retired, maybe it just stays a labor of love. Having to meet deadlines might drain the fun off it. This is just too cool, might have to give the Ric’s a rest!
 
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#234
Thanks again everyone!

Started working on the nut and saddle.

Prelim

Prelim

  • Media owner mapleglo
  • Date added
Worked on the nut and saddle

It looks like I may have to pre-install everything before I start finishing. I'll need to cut the saddle to fit, and may even have to rout underneath it in order to hold it in place. I'll also have to cut the fingerboard extension over by the string anchors to allow room for the strings to come off the anchor at a proper angle.
 
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#235
This is definitely a beautiful instrument!

If you don't want to trim down the height of the whole fingerboard extension, you could always file small notches right in front of the anchors, to get the ball ends low enough.

On the other hand, it might be cool to add a little bit of 3-D contouring to that fingerboard extension. Scoop down the center and make the two points curl upwards a little bit? Like the end of a ribbon. It wouldn't take much to get the effect.

I also think you need something else up on the headstock. A truss rod cover made from the same wood as the fingerboard, continuing the end of the fingerboard into a slightly curved point? Or a smaller version of the angled curved cut shape that you have at the bottom end? Right now, the headstock doesn't fit into the design because of the dominant parallel lamination lines. Partially cover them with a shape that's part of the whole fingerboard thing.
 
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#236
Bruce Johnson said:
This is definitely a beautiful instrument!

If you don't want to trim down the height of the whole fingerboard extension, you could always file small notches right in front of the anchors, to get the ball ends low enough.

On the other hand, it might be cool to add a little bit of 3-D contouring to that fingerboard extension. Scoop down the center and make the two points curl upwards a little bit? Like the end of a ribbon. It wouldn't take much to get the effect.

I also think you need something else up on the headstock. A truss rod cover made from the same wood as the fingerboard, continuing the end of the fingerboard into a slightly curved point? Or a smaller version of the angled curved cut shape that you have at the bottom end? Right now, the headstock doesn't fit into the design because of the dominant parallel lamination lines. Partially cover them with a shape that's part of the whole fingerboard thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bruce! I was thinking a truss rod cover made from the walnut burl scraps. But the fingerboard wood may work as well - one really long piece from headstock to bridge. I may have some scraps to match the grain.

And yes, I was thinking notches in the fingerboard extension. The original uses the notches.
 
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#238
mapleglo said:
Perhaps something like this:

TRC test

TRC test

  • Media owner mapleglo
  • Date added
truss rod cover test

TRC test

TRC test

  • Media owner mapleglo
  • Date added
truss rod cover test
Click to expand...
My vote? probably not. personally I would have gone for a veneer over the whole headstock. Alternatively an inlay of fingerboard material bringing the bridge end design under the tuners. All just opinion and I like your work regardless.
Keep it going.
 
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#239
Slidlow said:
My vote? probably not. personally I would have gone for a veneer over the whole headstock. Alternatively an inlay of fingerboard material bringing the bridge end design under the tuners. All just opinion and I like your work regardless.
Keep it going.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I can still put a veneer over the headstock, but that doesn't solve the truss rod cover issue. Originally, I thought of using the scraps from the figured walnut for the veneer, but just like there's laminates poking out beyond the fingerboard extension, I thought it would pull the bass together if there's laminates poking out above the truss rod cover.

I'll have to put some more thought into it.

In the mean time, I potted the pickup.

Potted Pickup

Potted Pickup

potted the pickup
 
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#240
I like the idea of using the fretboard material to have continuity in the headstock, but my suggestion would be to let the shape roughly follow the headstock shape. Something like this: (sorry for the crappy photoshop)
TRCtest01.jpg
 
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