Ugh, this comes up for me with some regularity too haha. My suggestion is to look at them from the front, from a distance, while the bass is in a playing position. What looks right is not always what seems right. 
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Winter Build Off 2026 - Colonel Hathi
- Thread starter postalflunkie
- Start date
The original pachyderm has them in line with the center line.
Funny thing, I switched to a 2+2 headstock that kind of kept the same vibe because i found a 2+2 set of spertzels.
I just found out yesterday that you can reverse those gears...
Funny thing, I switched to a 2+2 headstock that kind of kept the same vibe because i found a 2+2 set of spertzels.
I just found out yesterday that you can reverse those gears...
In line with the edges would be my 2 cents. But, that original headstock looks fantastic with them aligned with center. Dang… I am no help at all!
Best regards, and best of luck!
John
Best regards, and best of luck!
John
Last edited:
Being retired is the best! Let me tell you, I'll take waiting on the package to be delivered any day. Anyway, the sheet of pickguard material arrived in the mail today and I proceded to attach it to the template, cut it out and route a 45° around the edge.
Say what ya want, but I think tort is gonna look great on cherry.
Say what ya want, but I think tort is gonna look great on cherry.
And now that I have a pickguard I did a little contouring of the lower horn and bottom curve.
And a little on the back to match
And a little on the back to match
This morning was spent contouring the hook on the upper horn. Carefully using my shinto, making sure not to blemish the neck, I started the roundover but only on the bottom side of the hook. Then lots of sanding with long strips of sandpaper, the kind of motion like polishing shoes. I also used the smallest sanding drum from the dremel bits to get inside the hook and add the little bevel inside the hook.
While it was clamped down I also cleaned up the heel a bit.
While it was clamped down I also cleaned up the heel a bit.
Moving right along, time to start routing the body.
First thing to tackle is the bridge. After measuring it back to 32" I use a couple of steel rods to align it with the neck and mark the location of the pegs by putting a brad point bit in the peg holes and giving them a tap. Then over to the drill press. First I use a forestner bit to set the first cut about 1/8th inch deep, then using the center detent from that I tap the hole for the insert.
Next up was the pickup route. I understand now why I prefer soapbar pickups... getting these right took alot of fiddling.
And once those were good and the pickups fit nice and snug I screwed the pickguard and used a flush trim bit to route it.
Last thing for the day was routing the control cavity.
I think all that's left now is to bob the tail off the neck blank, drill for the string ferrules, then the never ending job of sanding.
First thing to tackle is the bridge. After measuring it back to 32" I use a couple of steel rods to align it with the neck and mark the location of the pegs by putting a brad point bit in the peg holes and giving them a tap. Then over to the drill press. First I use a forestner bit to set the first cut about 1/8th inch deep, then using the center detent from that I tap the hole for the insert.
Next up was the pickup route. I understand now why I prefer soapbar pickups... getting these right took alot of fiddling.
And once those were good and the pickups fit nice and snug I screwed the pickguard and used a flush trim bit to route it.
Last thing for the day was routing the control cavity.
I think all that's left now is to bob the tail off the neck blank, drill for the string ferrules, then the never ending job of sanding.
Going to be away for the next few days, so I'ma gonna just leave this right here
The difficulty in making a P pickup template for my first build played a large part in making my own soapbar style pickup covers for my second build. I wasn't happy with the quality of my first template and didn't want to make or buy another one. Traditional P routes are too fiddly.
I swear, between the template (I bought a plexiglass template but didn't want to cut a notch for the fingerboard on it), the body route and the pickguard I think I spent 4 hours just to get the pickup in this thing
I suppose it's too late now, but couldn't you have used your bought template to make a custom template with the fingerboard notch?I swear, between the template (I bought a plexiglass template but didn't want to cut a notch for the fingerboard on it), the body route and the pickguard I think I spent 4 hours just to get the pickup in this thing
That's essentially what i did. The half eound "ears" for the mounting screws were way to big for the quarter pounders, so I cut those out on the drill press with an appropriate size bit. Then a little fine tuning with files.
I think this is now at that dreaded sanding stage 
Today I decided to route a little recess for the bridge. I figured with a tune-o-matic its easy to raise but going lower has its limits.
I also pulled out the strings I'm using, and keeping the silk at the end away from the nut but not all the way into the E string tuner, I measured back for the string ferrules. After drilling the holes from the front I re-drilled the back for the bigger ferrules to sit in... actually came out fairly straight
Lastly, with all that done I marked and cut off the extra neck blank material.
Time to get busy on my other build, and while glue is drying on it I'll sand on this one.
Today I decided to route a little recess for the bridge. I figured with a tune-o-matic its easy to raise but going lower has its limits.
I also pulled out the strings I'm using, and keeping the silk at the end away from the nut but not all the way into the E string tuner, I measured back for the string ferrules. After drilling the holes from the front I re-drilled the back for the bigger ferrules to sit in... actually came out fairly straight
Lastly, with all that done I marked and cut off the extra neck blank material.
Time to get busy on my other build, and while glue is drying on it I'll sand on this one.
Really nice work with the router, better than what I've seen on some basses from major builders.I think this is now at that dreaded sanding stage
Today I decided to route a little recess for the bridge. I figured with a tune-o-matic its easy to raise but going lower has its limits.
I also pulled out the strings I'm using, and keeping the silk at the end away from the nut but not all the way into the E string tuner, I measured back for the string ferrules. After drilling the holes from the front I re-drilled the back for the bigger ferrules to sit in... actually came out fairly straight
Lastly, with all that done I marked and cut off the extra neck blank material.
View attachment 7407113
View attachment 7407114
Time to get busy on my other build, and while glue is drying on it I'll sand on this one.
I spent about six hours between my two builds sanding, raising the grain, then sanding again. They're getting closer to ready for finishing, but I'll give them a look over tomorrow with fresh eyes and probably find something else that needs attention.
Todays music choice in the shop was Widespread Panic... great background music for luthery
Todays music choice in the shop was Widespread Panic... great background music for luthery
Just a little more sanding and I called it ready. Gave the shop deep clean and got all the dust vacumed up, then laid everything out for finishing. First coat of oil is always so satisfying! This one is getting tung oil, hoping it will ritchen up the mahogany and cherry.
Looking good, kinda has a Claypool-ordered-a-Ric vibe
