Winter Build Off 2026 - One for Dad

[Matt Liebenau]

Matt, this one is from 2012 and still going strong. While I'm not afraid to drop a little coin at HF, I tend to buy their hard goods only after having similar experiences to your own with electric tools.

Thats great. It’s entirely possible I got a bad one or I shouldn’t have mucked about with it. I was looking to replace it right after I got rid of the HF one but didn’t find anything on the local version of craigslist. I apparently haven’t really missed it though.

 

[AK4570]

The first coat of finish (Wipe On Poly) just went on. I'm doing the finishing in our RV to keep the fumes down for the ladyfolk. Happy Wife, etc., etc. Crank the heat (it's still winter in Montana), and go put a coat on every 3 hrs.

 

[AK4570]

Thats great. It’s entirely possible I got a bad one or I shouldn’t have mucked about with it. I was looking to replace it right after I got rid of the HF one but didn’t find anything on the local version of craigslist. I apparently haven’t really missed it though.

Matt, I've got several sanders up to 6x48 belt and a 12" disc. For a delicate, not to mention experimental task like this, the little one is just about right. Now, switch from making knobs to shaping a body blank, and we'll bust out the bigguns...

 

[AK4570]

It's time to finalize some of the metalwork.

First, disassemble the bridge and trim the bottom the saddles by 30 thou... Just to be safe.




Give all the aluminum pieces a 400 grit scratch pattern then knock down the shine with a green pad.



A drop of red Loctite and assemble.



Back up a step... And remember to de-sharpen the elevation screws.





Before and after:



The body and neck are up to 4 coats currently with a couple more on tap. This one's gonna be down to the wire!

 

[AK4570]

Well, she's alive and gigable. I need to pick up a couple screws tomorrow, mount the knobs, and take some better pictures... But here she is.

 

[JFlo]

Excellent work! It looks very comfortable to play.

 

[AK4570]

This is my submission for the WBO 26, Unfinished business category:

Specifications:

Body: Chambered Northern Ash with a soft maple/wenge 5-piece sandwich in the middle
Neck: 3-piece hard maple with a walnut backstrap on the headstock, double action truss rod, heel adjust
Fingerboard: Macassar Ebony, 23 jumbo frets, Corian nut, 1/8 aluminum tube side markers filled with white side dot material
Fingerboard radius: 20 in
Scale length: 34 in
Headstock: 2x2
Tuners: Gotoh GB707
Bridge: Aluminum with thru-body bolts and string ferrule/anchor block. Saddles from the Borg.
Pickups: EMG JCS
Electronics: Active Vol, Vol, Tone
Finish: Wipe on Poly
Strings: EB Super Slinky 45-100 top loaded (these will be changed to DR Pure Blues thru body when Dad gets it)
Weight: 8lb 13oz








I played it last night at our band rehearsal and got lots of compliments on the sound... And a couple on the looks!

Now why, you might be asking, does the setting of picture of the back not match all the rest? Well, (grits teeth)... There was a foul up in the form of over-drilling pickup screw holes. And no, I will not be disguising it. While there are "only" 5 holes (grits teeth again), there will be a matching pattern of 8 miniature walnut plugs. Sometime soon. Maybe in a week or 2 after I can look at it without wanting to throw up.

For now, I'm playing it at a rehearsal on Thursday and a church gig on Friday. It is easily the most comfortable bass I've ever played (think 8.5 lb Spector with an upper horn long enough to reach the 12th)

Lessons learned: A bunch!
First, don't redrill pickup screw holes while racing to practice and severely distracted by kid drama.
Second, embrace the foul-up and make it a feature.
Third, build more basses!

Thanks for all the fun in this year's WBO, and thank you to @Beej for putting it on.

 

[Mickey666]

This is my submission for the WBO 26, Unfinished business category:

Specifications:

Body: Chambered Northern Ash with a soft maple/wenge 5-piece sandwich in the middle
Neck: 3-piece hard maple with a walnut backstrap on the headstock, double action truss rod, heel adjust
Fingerboard: Macassar Ebony, 23 jumbo frets, Corian nut, 1/8 aluminum tube side markers filled with white side dot material
Fingerboard radius: 20 in
Scale length: 34 in
Headstock: 2x2
Tuners: Gotoh GB707
Bridge: Aluminum with thru-body bolts and string ferrule/anchor block. Saddles from the Borg.
Pickups: EMG JCS
Electronics: Active Vol, Vol, Tone
Finish: Wipe on Poly
Strings: EB Super Slinky 45-100 top loaded (these will be changed to DR Pure Blues thru body when Dad gets it)
Weight: 8lb 13oz

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I played it last night at our band rehearsal and got lots of compliments on the sound... And a couple on the looks!

Now why, you might be asking, does the setting of picture of the back not match all the rest? Well, (grits teeth)... There was a foul up in the form of over-drilling pickup screw holes. And no, I will not be disguising it. While there are "only" 5 holes (grits teeth again), there will be a matching pattern of 8 miniature walnut plugs. Sometime soon. Maybe in a week or 2 after I can look at it without wanting to throw up.

For now, I'm playing it at a rehearsal on Thursday and a church gig on Friday. It is easily the most comfortable bass I've ever played (think 8.5 lb Spector with an upper horn long enough to reach the 12th)

Lessons learned: A bunch!
First, don't redrill pickup screw holes while racing to practice and severely distracted by kid drama.
Second, embrace the foul-up and make it a feature.
Third, build more basses!

Thanks for all the fun in this year's WBO, and thank you to @Beej for putting it on.

Nice!

 

[postalflunkie]

She's a beauty!

 

[I-Am-The-Slime]

That's a fine lookin' axe!

 

[Flamingo21]

That's a seriously beautiful bass!

Question: I probably missed something, but what's the logo on the headstock?

 

[AK4570]

Question: I probably missed something, but what's the logo on the headstock?

It's a stylized JT (my first and last initials), laser cut out of 1/8 aluminum, and set into a 7/8" diameter x 1/8" thick piece of wenge with black Smooth-On epoxy. Send Cut Send is a pretty amazing resource!

 

[Dave Higham]

Send Cut Send is a pretty amazing resource!

'Specially amazing to people like me in 'forrin parts'.

 

[AK4570]

'Specially amazing to people like me in 'forrin parts'.

@Dave Higham , I've followed several of your builds, and you have no need of online CNC vendors! Your work is truly amazing and your craftsmanship is abundantly evident. Add to that the fact that your local cuisine makes me more than a little jealous...

Kindest regards,
John

 

[Gary_M]

Wowee, super nice! Great job!