Winter Build Off 2023 - The Sergeant Buzzkill

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Here's an assembly build I've been planning for this build off since I learned about it. Named for my D&D character's Basic Training Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Ezhmer Buzhkilligh of the 4th Artillery Brigade, Svirfneblin Army. My character is an army brat through and through, grew up in the 4th Artillery's home town of Delverholm (now fallen, as has the 4th, sadly).

So enough of that, parts assembly build, 5 string fretless bass, Warmoth body and neck, Bart pickups, EMG BQC System, GraphTech Ghost AcoustiPhonic piezos, LaBella black tapes. I've had the neck for years, but decided against using it for the originally intended project - then this pops up. Decided to buy a new body to match. So the body pic here is an edited mock-up from Warmoth's build site - the body has shipped just yesterday, so no real pics yet.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

If you’re installing the Ghost system are you going all out and adding the synth driver too? It’s not much more….

 

[NKBassman]

Love that birdseye fingerboard

 

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If you’re installing the Ghost system are you going all out and adding the synth driver too? It’s not much more….

I have a synth pickup on my Ibby BTB 6er, and honestly, I find the bass harder to use with the synths than guitars due to tracking issues. Maybe in a later iteration...

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I have a synth pickup on my Ibby BTB 6er, and honestly, I find the bass harder to use with the synths than guitars due to tracking issues. Maybe in a later iteration...

I haven’t tried the Ghost setup on bass (works well on guitar) but I never had much luck with the Roland unit on bass.

 

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I haven’t tried the Ghost setup on bass (works well on guitar) but I never had much luck with the Roland unit on bass.

It's definitely not as responsive, and the available selection of sounds substantially less, than the guitar version, I agree.

 

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Sergeant Buzzkill has landed!!

Pics shortly...

 

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Here it is wet with mineral spirits to pop the grain a bit. Good large flames, not as figured as some, but I didn't pay the extra to select a special top, so this is what ya gets... ('scuse the fuzzy pics, this is my Galaxy S10e with the broken camera lens.)

 

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And here it is after the base coat (to be sanded back to almost white), a 2/3 1/3 mixture of Winetone and Oxblood shades. Not bad by itself even!

 

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Too pink and wine-ey when sanded back - next time, more oxblood.

 

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again, after a 1:3 mix of Cordovan and Oxblood - much closer in shade to my "mind's eye":

 

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Sanded a while with 220, then wet with mineral spirits to take a look - needs more sanding.

 

[Flamingo21]

For a broken lens, those don't look so bad to me.

 

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Now I'm just bursting with flavor!!

 

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For a broken lens, those don't look so bad to me.

Yeah, as long as the lens is either completely intact, or completely broken away, the camera seems to be able to adjust. When it's shot through with cracks and glass fragments, it doesn't do as well, but it's past that phase. This is the 2nd S10e to self-destruct like this. Won't be a 3rd.

 

[JRA]

that neck looks scrumptious! super nice colors for that body, really cool! nice work, bill!

 

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Oops, there's half a bottle of Oxblood on the floor. Good thing the floor's getting replaced soon.

 

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And here's the Orange + Rose then Red then Oxblood burst so far. Going to lightly sand back with 400 then wash over again with orange and rose to try to give it some more variation and "fire".

 

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A couple more passes of sanding back then overwashing, the last time with Angelus Light Rose, which seems to have picked it up nicely:

 

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And another shot, better light, wet with mineral spirits: