Wolf 5 String rebuild

[Slidlow]

I finished the repair at the heel end

Now on to the mess at the truss rod cover

 

[Slidlow]

Not much work done to the bass but I did receive the new pair of Artec humbuckers today. I've used these on a couple of budget builds (common size if upgrades are desired) and they are quite nice pickups. I used them on a short scale four and a fretless five and they really give good sound and performance for the price. They also upped their packaging game too.

 

[Slidlow]

Just a little update. Had a small amount of time today so I started to shape a new fingerboard from Ipe. I’ve used it before on a couple of instruments. It’s hard and a tiny bit brittle kind of like wenge but more manageable. It’s an oily wood so typical gluing considerations. It will darken with finishing and should fit nicely with the look of this bass.

 

[Slidlow]

Well I was a happy little fret slotter today. Going along great until I got to the end and the board was about an inch or so longer then where the 24th fret was. It was at that moment I remembered the bass is a 35” scale and I was cutting a 34. So I’ll keep this Ipe board for another and see if I can find the EI rosewood board I originally intended.

 

[Slidlow]

Can’t locate the EI board but I have this ebony with some stripes that may work.

 

[Slidlow]

I got a chance to clean up the truss rod channel and fit a new one. The original route is about 1/32” deeper then the new rod so I will add a thin filler to even it out. Next is to find time to slot the ebony fretboard and fit it.

 

[Slidlow]

A thin filler strip is installed so next will be the fretboard.

 

[Slidlow]

Most recent update is this one will be put on hold for about a month and a half. I am acquiring some Blackwood Tek fingerboards and will wait to try one on this rebuild. I have a brown version coming to install on this bass. I have also ordered a quantity of the black version and will have a small quantity (7) extra once I have sent ones already promised to others. Until then.....

 

[TerribleTim68]

Not sure how I missed this thread. Awesome restoration so far. This is great to see. These are the ones I love seeing, finding stuff that someone threw away or abandoned and giving it a new life.

Also, I have 35" scale LTD F-series and it has quickly become one of my favorite basses. The extra inch just seems to add something to the tonal qualities that I really like.

 

[Slidlow]

Not sure how I missed this thread. Awesome restoration so far. This is great to see. These are the ones I love seeing, finding stuff that someone threw away or abandoned and giving it a new life.

Also, I have 35" scale LTD F-series and it has quickly become one of my favorite basses. The extra inch just seems to add something to the tonal qualities that I really like.

Yes I kind of enjoy doing them. I’m curious to check out the 35” string length myself. My last two personal basses are both 880mm (about 34-5/8”) which tightened up the low B strings just enough for me.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Yes I kind of enjoy doing them. I’m curious to check out the 35” string length myself. My last two personal basses are both 880mm (about 34-5/8”) which tightened up the low B strings just enough for me.

It's certainly not some amazing bass, just a bone stock all original F-104 -

But man I just love the way it sounds. I also got a matching loaded 5-string body with no neck from Rôckhewer that I plan on building my own neck for and I'll probably do a custom paint job on that one (I'm thinking one of those neon cellphone deals similar to this) -

I'm a full on 35" convert.

 

[Slidlow]

I acquired a number of Blackwood Tek fingerboards and also picked a couple of their “brown” version. I’m going to use a brown board and head plate on this Wolf bass. I took one raw board and did an application of linseed oil pictured here with an untreated board.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Crazy how much it changes color.

 

[Slidlow]

Crazy how much it changes color.

Yeah I know right! I wasn't too keen on the look before but with one wipe it looks pretty cool. I'm going to use this one on this Wolf bass I am rebuilding.

 

[Slidlow]

So a change of plan. As mentioned I acquired some Blackwood Tek boards and a few of the brown version. I’m using one of the brown boards on this bass as well as one of the headplates. Took a thin slice off the headstock and used my trusty Stanley #220 plane to true it up. Been sanding the headplates and found it to sand much like ebony but maybe a little more hard. Definitely harder than any rosewood I have used. Going to be interesting.

 

[ardgedee]

Hm. If the brown is as hard as the black, that could make for some welcome diversity with fretless fingerboards. The options have usually been either ebony, something almost-as-hard and almost-as-dark, or a softer wood that's been clearcoated with something that's toxic to apply.

 

[Slidlow]

Hm. If the brown is as hard as the black, that could make for some welcome diversity with fretless fingerboards. The options have usually been either ebony, something almost-as-hard and almost-as-dark, or a softer wood that's been clearcoated with something that's toxic to apply.

My thinking as well. I’ll start working the fretboard soon.

 

[Slidlow]

Hm. If the brown is as hard as the black, that could make for some welcome diversity with fretless fingerboards. The options have usually been either ebony, something almost-as-hard and almost-as-dark, or a softer wood that's been clearcoated with something that's toxic to apply.

So I took an ebony board and the brown headplates and put them one at a time under a round wound E string an aggressively ground the string into the surface back and forth. They came out of this test with about the same makings but using a fingernail I could not really feel any gouges. So it looks like it is comparable to ebony. Very interesting, my plan was to fret this bass but maybe?

 

[Slidlow]

Moved along a little bit today. Using one of the brown Blackwood Tek headplates I started shaping. Drills nicely without chip out and cuts cleanly with a knife. Even got a pretty clean cut with the bandsaw. It’s hard like ebony but a little less dense. Getting nice clean edges like working ebony.

Next will be gluing it to the headstock.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Moved along a little bit today. Using one of the brown Blackwood Tek headplates I started shaping. Drills nicely without chip out and cuts cleanly with a knife. Even got a pretty clean cut with the bandsaw. It’s hard like ebony but a little less dense. Getting nice clean edges like working ebony.View attachment 7143264View attachment 7143265Next will be gluing it to the headstock.

Are you planning on using Titebond or an epoxy or something else?