Winter Build Off 2022 - Get Ready

[A9X]

Letting the mods decide what is and isn't a bass, and by extension decide about buildoff rules, is going too far. That's not a mod's job. We have to reach some consensus here, among us.

Agreed.

I kinda lean towards "it's still TalkBass".

I think my first post on potential rules was to say, an instrument that a bassist would play, in a bassist role. Does that include piccolos or Sticks as I can give examples of famous bassists playing both, Clarke and Levin respectively?

But in the end, I'm fine with whatever outcome.

Same here. But I still think a bassist category and a free for all where we see what others can design and build and we can take inspiration from. Maybe people will get ideas from those that they can incorporate into another year's bass BO. Do a great job building anything and people here will appreciate your ideas, ingenuity and workmanship and give appropriate kudos.

 

[RichterScale]

Did I win?

 

[41hzthunder]

Did I win?

You did! But, you weren't there to pick up the million dollar check and missed the deadline. Dang!

 

[BishopJP]

Eh, guitar... bass... let's just build some stuff and have fun!

I plan to build a bass AND a guitar (probably); the more people posting their builds, the more ideas and techniques I can unashamedly copy.

Hurdy gurdy build on hold until I finish the glass harmonica...

 

[A9X]

Hurdy gurdy build on hold until I finish the glass harmonica.

Cool, if it's a free for all, I might make some bagpipes. I do like them, but I don't like my new neighbour, and hours of practice in the yard could be just the tonic...

 

[RichterScale]

Cool, if it's a free for all, I might make some bagpipes. I do like them, but I don't like my new neighbour, and hours of practice in the yard could be just the tonic...

Funny, we never play music, have parties,....make any noise at all really.
All I've done is try having a conversation or 2 with my neighbors and they seem to avoid me.
I dunno, maybe they just like to keep to themselves? Maybe I smelled funny?
Doesn't make sense to me 'cause I'm pretty charming.
Oh well, at least I don't have neighbor trouble.

 

[A9X]

Funny, we never play music, have parties,....make any noise at all really.

Where I used to live, and where I'm moving back to soon, the old bag next door used to ring the cops on me even if I played ay modestly loud levels during the day. They were at best 40mins away (small town) so they never caught me. Eventually, I came to an agreement, using my SPL meter that the level in my living room would not exceed a certain number during the day, and a lower one after certain time in the evening, which I would have done immediately if she'd bothered to knock on my door and tell me; calling the cops got my back up. It's probably best if I don't tell you how I got her to agree to it, but if you were to swap bagpipes with brick saw, you might get an idea. My system is very capable.

Oh well, at least I don't have neighbor trouble.

I don't any more.

 

[RichterScale]

the old bag next door used to ring the cops on me even if I played ay modestly loud levels during the day.

Well, a lot of people still don't appreciate disco.

 

[RichterScale]

Where I used to live

Hey, is it Thursday there?

 

[A9X]

Well, a lot of people still don't appreciate disco.

Their loss. Dancing to Staying Alive, especially with the lit floor in my living room is my jam. I'm just so much more cool looking than JT when I do it. It's jealousy on their part. I can't help that.

 

[A9X]

Hey, is it Thursday there?

Yep, 7am according to the prison clock.

 

[RichterScale]

Yep, 7am according to the prison clock.

Any updates on the WBO thread?
It's only Wed here.

 

[A9X]

Any updates on the WBO thread?

From me? I don't think I'm going to tackle the Stick as the bridge is turning out to be too hard to sort. Once settled back into the house, my business partner has a mill for me from an elderly uncle of his. I forget the brand ATM, but I researched it and it looks like a nice piece. There's also a bandsaw and drillpress from the same Uncle.

If I'm back in the house in time, I think I might have a try at the XL2-6 as it seems more straightforward and I have lots of local timber to hand (Tas Blackwood and Oak, Qld Maple, Jarrah and Ironbark) so I need the bridges from Nova and some pickups. I'll get the trussrod and ebony FB from LMII and I'll use Bruce's TOW idea for reinforcement. I'm wondering if dual trussrods would be a good idea or not.

It's only Wed here.

You Yanks are always behind the times...

 

[AudioTaper]

Funny, we never play music, have parties,....make any noise at all really.
All I've done is try having a conversation or 2 with my neighbors and they seem to avoid me.
I dunno, maybe they just like to keep to themselves? Maybe I smelled funny?
Doesn't make sense to me 'cause I'm pretty charming.
Oh well, at least I don't have neighbor trouble.

My neighbor plays bass, Squier VM Jazz with an Audre preamp. I fixed it for him last year. Hes super jealous of my Cirrus' (plural) and Warwick.

 

[A9X]

Well, I'm now safe as I've chosen a project, and it's a bass. This is because I cleaned out my garage in advance of my house move and found a box labelled 'bass bits'. I detailed in this thread, what I found in there.
So I'm thinking a 4 string SS, 30.75" using the chrome Gotoh bridge. I have wood and a bunch of pickups, so all I need to do is design the shape and buy some matching Gotoh GB707 tuners. The rest of the details are fluid.

 

[postalflunkie]

Really loving the Gotoh hardware, especially the 707 tuners. Not trying to start a debate about who makes the best this or that, but I love the asthetics and it's well in my budget.

 

[Slidlow]

Really loving the Gotoh hardware, especially the 707 tuners. Not trying to start a debate about who makes the best this or that, but I love the asthetics and it's well in my budget.

707s are cool!

 

[A9X]

Really loving the Gotoh hardware, especially the 707 tuners.

I agree they look great, and are available from a local supplier for $A90 ~$US70 for a 2+2 set in chrome.
I'm thinking about a set of 6 (3+3) black Res-o-lites for the BTB846v as well.

 

[AudioTaper]

Really loving the Gotoh hardware, especially the 707 tuners. Not trying to start a debate about who makes the best this or that, but I love the asthetics and it's well in my budget.

I use Hipshot Ultralight on pretty much everything. For this build, I'm using the Gotoh 707, just for something different. Plus, they are a little cheaper at the moment....

 

[41hzthunder]

Debating whether to go scratch build or parts build. Good thing there's 2 1/2 months yet! I have this MIM '51 P-bass neck that I like, except its a thick U shape. I'm leaning toward using this neck, but could build a C shape one based on it. Thought about just sanding it to what I want, but that voids the warranty. On the other hand, the warranty is only 1 year anyway. If I go parts build, there's still a lot to do: build the body, wind the pickup, finish, wire and set up. Either way, I am settled on building a '56 P-bass, with two tone finish. Oddly feel like using this neck is sort of cheating, given my skills. Add to that, wondering about vintage "string through the body" bridge vs high mass. Thoughts??? Here's the neck: