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Winter Build Off 2022 - Get Ready
- Thread starter Beej
- Start date
Then post it in Basses in a NBD thread.
Some of us are prototyping our designs during a "fall build". 
Any build thread any time is definitely awesome 
We have talked about a summer build off in the past and that may come to fruition next year too
Any build thread any time is definitely awesome We have talked about a summer build off in the past and that may come to fruition next year too
Just finished talking to my former luthier mate, and he suggested that I try to build an 8[This invalid link has been removed] type instrument as an NS Stick is the only thing on my 'want to buy' list. I really have enough conventional basses and guitars at the moment.
Is that eligible?
Is that eligible?
Awesome. I have a good supply of timber, mainly Tasmanian Blackwood (Koa family) and Queensland Maple (actually a mahogany) so all I need to do is work out how to do the bridge. I'll see if LMII can supply a fretboard. Tuners are easy, Hipshot or Gotoh and as I wanted an NS Stick, I'll pony up for the EMGs.Great. Now I have to build one too.
I don't see any reason not to build one for the build off.
As for the rest of the construction, I know little about them in tech detail.
The reason I want to do this, is an NS Stick will be over $A4000 landed and taxes paid. I reckon this could be made for less than 1/4 that using good parts.
About 30 basses and 6 guitars is enough. Plus I have at least 3 basses and 2 guitars that I would like to build later.
I want to build several basses and even other instruments, just for the sake of building them.
But my ultimate goal and priority is to build myself "the" bass. One bass to rule them all. That will be the one I play. I may end up building 30 before I get it right.
I'd like to build some odd stuff too. Stuff that's unique and you don't see every day.
But my ultimate goal and priority is to build myself "the" bass. One bass to rule them all. That will be the one I play. I may end up building 30 before I get it right.
I'd like to build some odd stuff too. Stuff that's unique and you don't see every day.
I've been searching for "the" bass for years. After about 30-40 basses I'm pretty sure it's headless (because of balance, nothing is even close). So far I've liked the Steinberger XM with custom Q body the most. Not sure if it's "the" bass, I guess the search goes on.
I understand 'the one'. Based upon my preferences and history, I'm hoping that will be the XL2-6.
Plus I want to get good, and build a guitar as a gift for a girl who did me an extraordinary favour once, a thing that was insignificant to her, but meant a lot to me.
Design and construction aspects of building have been on my mind a lot lately. I must have watched a hundred YT vids and thought about how to build (nerd engineer brain), including from scratch, a bit like Ned did with the original Steinbergers. I have a few ideas.
I was recently commissioned to design some audio gear, and the designs are complete (waiting for parts for protos) so I have more free mental time and that's going to go toward pickups.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,023
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- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
I understand the sentiment, and have chased it myself, but it's akin to finding "the" tool. And there's no way a router can out-bandsaw a bandsaw. Similarly, there's no way a fretless can out-perform a fretted in certain contexts, and there's no way a normal fretted can out-perform a multi-course in certain contexts, and there's no way a short-scale can out-perform an extended-length multi-scale in certain contexts. It's the "right tool for the job" concept, and there is an entire spectrum of jobs.
The only gig I have at the moment and for the foreseeable future I could do on my SRC6 or one of the LS 6s.
If I find I enjoy building, and I'll be surprised if I don't, I'm sure I'll end up building everything on the 'want' list, which when I checked my design notebook earlier, is actually about 12.
As per tradition, I have to let the WBO planning thread get to at least the eighth page before even noticing its' existence. Dec 23rd gives me time to finish a build and get started on molds and fixtures. No promises, though.
Building my own pups is still a ways out for me. I'm going to start with building a bridge. That's a little more in line with my skill set and tools I already have and/or can use.
Hand tools, anyway. I don't have a mill or a lathe, so it will definitely look hand made. Pups require buying/building a winder, then going through the whole learning curve of building them.
I'd say pups are 2nd last. Tuners are probably at the end of the list of things to DIY. Actually, they're not on the list.
