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Thanks gentlemen
I'm not sure where I got the idea about the bridge being the same as the pickups, but I doubt I came up with it. 
I finished sanding and pore filling it this morning, and I like how even though it's only 15mm thick compared to the 22mm of the pickup covers, its heavier in the hand, due to not being hollowed out (funny, that ). I was hoping it would be...erm...blocky...so that it makes for a firm base for the bridge.
I had to come up with something different, and it worked well enough to use on the actual build-off bass. 
Each one had wax hand applied to the screw as well. (In the prototype, many screws broke off around the edges due to being epoxied in place, duh.) 
True. I have a jerry-rigged go-bar setup I built a few years back with a bunch of thin strips of spruce, but my space is so tight right now. I like the cauls, because I can put something in the clamps, and then park it on a shelf under the workbench to dry while I work on other things.
Pah!.....That one was easy......True. I have a jerry-rigged go-bar setup I built a few years back with a bunch of thin strips of spruce, but my space is so tight right now. I like the cauls, because I can put something in the clamps, and then park it on a shelf under the workbench to dry while I work on other things.
In this case, because the wood has been well-prepared prior to glue up and can't be fully sanded back, I would be a little concerned over the bars (or even feet) marring the top. The solution to my gluing caul I think, will be lining the caul with 1/16" thick cork. I'll test it out this weekend and see. The cork should theoretically let me get it tighter and will compress the sections that didn't have contact. I was also thinking of making another radius caul that is a slightly tighter radius than the body. That way the curvature might hug it more tightly and I'd get a better join around the edges?
Dang problem-solving...
Just a guess, but it looks like pickup, pickup, bridge.I'm mostly curious about the 87 holes you screwed into the top. Do those get buried by pups and bridge? Or is that a design feature for the "air space"?
Yeah, I kinda figured that could be the case. But figured I'd ask in case I'm missing something here.
I worked on it too, but did a smaller number of things. I rounded over the back to 5/8" and used the RO sander on the back to get the router marks out before I block sand. The strong contrast between the top and the walnut is making me rethink binding. I'm going to sand things back and think on this.
) Mostly in regards to where to put it. Here's a mockup with knobs. 
So, you've cornered the chicken head market then?....I got in a little work this morning. I bandsawed the back of the neck down close to thickness, and rough cut the volute. I then planed the heel portion flat in a router sled.
And the back of the headstock:
Next I'm going to rout for the bridge block and then the neck, so I have to do a lot of carefuly measuring, marking and locating to get this right. I don't have the ability to relocate the bridge and hide the holes like I've successfully done on a couple of other builds.
I had to do several mockups to ensure things are where they should be. I've also been carefully thinking about my f-hole. (
And if I use all of the expansion components with my preamp, it might look something like this:
.....
LOLSo, you've cornered the chicken head market then?....
Love it!...
I know they look goofy AF to a lot of people, but on a poorly lit stage, I can tell exactly where they are at with a glance. If I ever sell one of these, I'll put some new "regular" knobs on it. 
Couple things:I got in a little work this morning. I bandsawed the back of the neck down close to thickness, and rough cut the volute. I then planed the heel portion flat in a router sled.
And the back of the headstock:
Next I'm going to rout for the bridge block and then the neck, so I have to do a lot of carefuly measuring, marking and locating to get this right. I don't have the ability to relocate the bridge and hide the holes like I've successfully done on a couple of other builds.
I had to do several mockups to ensure things are where they should be. I've also been carefully thinking about my f-hole. (
And if I use all of the expansion components with my preamp, it might look something like this:
I've wanted to do a slotted headstock for a while. I just did one for a guitar recently and it was enough experience to push me over the edge for this build. That and "air space"? I just had to do it.So, being a minimalist, I think you need to add more knobs.
Also,
Somewhat jealous that you have a slotted headstock. My build would have been well suited to a slotted HS.
I got lazy and didn't feel like figuring out the details
I got in a little work this morning. I bandsawed the back of the neck down close to thickness, and rough cut the volute. I then planed the heel portion flat in a router sled.
And the back of the headstock:
Next I'm going to rout for the bridge block and then the neck, so I have to do a lot of carefuly measuring, marking and locating to get this right. I don't have the ability to relocate the bridge and hide the holes like I've successfully done on a couple of other builds.
I had to do several mockups to ensure things are where they should be. I've also been carefully thinking about my f-hole. (
And if I use all of the expansion components with my preamp, it might look something like this:
