And suddenly an interesting bass became a stunning bass!
I couldn't resist zooming in on that curl:
I couldn't resist zooming in on that curl:
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Winter Build off 2022 - Sardonyx F
- Thread starter postalflunkie
- Start date
The part that gave me the most anxiety
Thank you for the kind words, made me and my wife smile
Well, back on hold until the weekend. Started to put Tru-oil on and decided that the bottle I have left from last year is just a little too thick. It spread around ok, but just didn't feel right. Hopefully it will dry ok, I made sure it was super thin and nothing was standing on top of the wood, plus it's just going to hang until the new bottle arrives.
Come on Amazon, hurry up!
Come on Amazon, hurry up!
Can't blame ya, that's a lot of work to do just to get weird feelings on the tru oil. Looking good!
Weird Oil Feelings would make a great album name. 
Seven coats of tru-oil on so far, buffing with synthetic steel wool every two coats. It's starting to get an even shine on it, I think I'm around a third of the way there. I've got the next two days off, at a coat every three hours I should be able to get it done then give it the rest of the week to cure before buffing with Mcguire's.
Gotta admit, when you said you were going to burst it purple to yellow, I had some doubts that would look good.
I was wrong - this is a fantastic looking bass! Can't wait to see it all finished
I was wrong - this is a fantastic looking bass! Can't wait to see it all finished
Put a total of 14 coats of tru-oil on, got a nice even shine and figured better stop while I was ahead and not risk goofing something up or having it look too thick.
So while that cures I went ahead and soldered up the wiring harness. I had already drilled a piece of thin plywood to hold the parts in their proper position and mounted the pots, switch and jack to it.
I honestly don't know why I've never done it this way before... sooooooooo much easier to solder outside of the guitar.
All that's left to do after the harness is installed is to solder in the pickups.
Easy-peasy
So while that cures I went ahead and soldered up the wiring harness. I had already drilled a piece of thin plywood to hold the parts in their proper position and mounted the pots, switch and jack to it.
I honestly don't know why I've never done it this way before... sooooooooo much easier to solder outside of the guitar.
All that's left to do after the harness is installed is to solder in the pickups.
Easy-peasy
Yeah, man. Looks good. I do it the same way and it just drops right in to the cavity for installation.
Brought out the shine in the finish today. First scuffed it down with a Grey scotchbright pad, then Meguires Scratch-X worked in with a Surbuf pad on the ROS, then two coats of Renaissance wax and a final buff with a clean dry Surbuff pad.
I'm still not sure how I feel about the tru-oil, this is only my second time using it. I like how it drys faster and you can apply several coats in a day, but I really like the results of Formbys tung oil finish better. Only reason I didn't go that route on this bass is I like how tru-oil doesn't amber the maple.
I'm still not sure how I feel about the tru-oil, this is only my second time using it. I like how it drys faster and you can apply several coats in a day, but I really like the results of Formbys tung oil finish better. Only reason I didn't go that route on this bass is I like how tru-oil doesn't amber the maple.
I think it looks great
I've been using Watco Danish Oil on my non-poly surfaces, and have been happy with it.
It lightly colors the wood, but not a full amber.
Use it most frequently to oil and darken rosewood finger boards
I've been using Watco Danish Oil on my non-poly surfaces, and have been happy with it.
It lightly colors the wood, but not a full amber.
Use it most frequently to oil and darken rosewood finger boards
I've been using Howard's butcher block conditioner on all my non coated fretboards, wonderful stuff.
Neck pickup mounted! What a pain in the patutie 
For anyone wondering how I do this (with the screws through the body), the secret is dental floss, it's strong enough to pull the pickup up into the hole and you can start the threads of the screws while holding it in place. The floss goes in the screw hole in the body, then through a spring, then through the screw holes in the pickup, another spring and out the other screw hole. Tie it all off leaving about a six inch loop of floss, pull the pickup into place (the springs automatically fall into place) then start the screws. Once the screws are started in the pickup I pull the floss until it breaks, the tighten the pickup down. Pain in the butt, but the results are worth it.
Later on I'll put the wiring harness in and feed the ground wire to the bridge. Then I can mount the bridge pickup.
For anyone wondering how I do this (with the screws through the body), the secret is dental floss, it's strong enough to pull the pickup up into the hole and you can start the threads of the screws while holding it in place. The floss goes in the screw hole in the body, then through a spring, then through the screw holes in the pickup, another spring and out the other screw hole. Tie it all off leaving about a six inch loop of floss, pull the pickup into place (the springs automatically fall into place) then start the screws. Once the screws are started in the pickup I pull the floss until it breaks, the tighten the pickup down. Pain in the butt, but the results are worth it.Later on I'll put the wiring harness in and feed the ground wire to the bridge. Then I can mount the bridge pickup.
Just a friendly reminder, when tightening pots and switches avoid over-tightening 
Good thing I had extras
Good thing I had extras
Just a friendly reminder, when tightening pots and switches avoid over-tightening
Good thing I had extras
View attachment 4605964
Ouch!
Did it actually break or just come off those little tabs? I don't think I would ever use a repaired switch but it would be fun to try to put it back together. Or rip it the rest of the way apart as an experiment. I wonder what it looks like inside, if you pry off the stamped metal part from the plastic part?
Didn't look like it will go back together, but I wouldn't trust it if it did. And like I said, that's why I had extras.
This looks great! I was just at Paisley Park over the weekend and they have the OG cloud bass on display there. I don't know if this was intentional, but the original bass has a lot of horizontal checking in the finish and the flamed figuring in your bass feels like a thematic match.
