Jabba_the_gut

Have you got a multimeter to measure the coils? You can then work out if they are the same as the diagram.

Here's a diagram I got years ago from Aaron Armstrong regarding pickup wiring - I think it might be very similar to what you have.

I like the mother of pearl blocks - I think they look really nice. I put blocks on a bass that were non-Fender sized and they look fine but as @Andyjr1515 says, it's about what you are happy with.

So, as I'm building two of these and I like the 800mm (31.5" scale) I could do with a fret scale template to use in the StewMac fret slotting mitre block I bought off Basschat a while ago. As the scale I've chosen is non-standard I can get a ready made template but a while ago I got some clear Perspex off FreeCycle I thought might be handy for templates. Well, that day has come!! I used StewMac's fret calculator tool https://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator to calculate the fret positions - makes life easy. I trimmed the Perspex on my router table to get one straight edge to work from then measured (twice...), marked up the fret positions and scored them with a scalpel. I then drilled a hole at the edge of each fret mark and used a nut file to finish the slot. This slot was made the same size as the locator pin in the mitre box. I then trimmed the Perspex to the same width as the mitre box. It looks okay - the slots line up with my marks and it fits snuggly in the mitre box. Just need to try it now and see how it works!!

Lovely work! Still jealous of your drum sander...….!! Cheers Jez

Just a quick note for anyone thinking about attending any of the Bass Bashes listed in this section - go! The Bass Bashes are informal get togethers of all things bass with people of all abilities with all types of gear. Don't be put off going if you think that they will be dominated by exceptionally talented folk continually slapping on boutique basses as that isn't the case (there will be boutique basses and a bit of slapping but there is more to the bashes). Folk turn up will all sorts of gear and its a great opportunity to try different kit and put faces to the names seen on here. I've met some great folks of all abilities at these and picked up lots of useful info. I've tried lots of basses I wouldn't normally get the opportunity to try and discovered I dislike some I've previously drooled over and really liked others I've dismissed!! For info, I don't play in a band, I'm not a particularly good bassist, I can't read music, I can't slap but I have a pretty decent amp and I make my own basses. If you're thinking about it, try to come along to one if you can. It's great that someone organises these and attendance will reward their efforts and ensure these events keep going. Hope to see you there! And there's usually cake too.....

1) Cetera - Spector NS2 & Legend 4X, Dingwall NG2, Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird, Yamaha BB3000, GK800RB head, Genz Benz Neox212 cab, Tech-21 Dug DP3X preamp/pedal 2) Ezbass - Maruszczyk Elwood L 4 string fretted (J pickups), Maruszczyk Elwood L 4 string fretless (MM pickup), Rickenbacker 4003s, Rob Allen MB2 fretless, Phil Jones Flightcase + PB300 3) Happy Jack - AliKat DB #004, Mike Lull 54P, all I need to play a doubling gig (that evening) on those two instruments 4) BlueJay - Eminence Upright (left-handed), loads of camera equipment 5) obbm - Fender Precisions, Sadowsky HPJ, Bergantino NV115, Handbox WB100 and if room Quilter BB800 + BF One10 + Nate Mendel for sale/trade  6) Nancy Johnson (Paul) - The Big One, rack (GED/poweramp), possibly the dUg DP3x. A bass. 7) MacDaddy - Shuker bass(es), Snapdragon Folding bass, Flattley Bass Poison Ivy. 8 ) prowla (Paul) - Maybe a Ric or two and fakers, maybe a couple of Statii, maybe J- & P-basses. Probably a Markbass amp & cab and a pedalboard with some FX. 9) Stingray5 - Old faithful Stingray5; Tune SWV4-BB bass; Eden EC180 1x15 combo. (I also have a gig that evening so may leave the Eden in the car but happy to bring it in if anyone asks). 10) TrevorR - Wal Pro II E, Wal Mk 1 Custom, Aria SB700, MarkBass LMII and Traveler 2x10, pedalboard. 11) TheGreek - Mesa M Pulse 600 head/ Powerhouse 1x15 cab and The Psilos bass built by Andyjr1515 12) JapanAxe (Graeme) - most of the stuff in my signature! 13) Wolverinebass (Andy) - Maybe some Wounded Paw effects/signature preamp and a bass. 14) Silverfoxnik (Nik) - Roscoe Beck 5, Gibson Thunderbird, BC Rich Eagle, plus my Ampeg V4BH Rig 15) Paul The Drums of the Junkyard Dogs, with kit. 16) Frank Blank (Frankè Blanké) Rob Allen Mouse, AER Basic Performer, Fender Modern Player with modded fretless neck, Ibanez SRC6/SR500, cake. 17) Ordep - Noble Preamp, Modulus Jazz, Fodera Monarch New Std, Amp, pedalboard depending on the day’s mood. 18) ChunkyMunky - Yamaha BB1025X, SWR Redhead combo  19) Jabba the Gut - TC Electronic RH450, RS112 and some own build basses

Could I possibly put one of my own bass builds into the mix? I’d be interested to see how it compares ( or indeed if I could identify it!!)

Cheers @ChunkyMunky for the comment - much appreciated. If the timing is right i’ll bring a few of my own builds along. Be very interested to see what you’ve built and to have a chat. Cheers, Jez

Please could you let me know what time the doors open and close. I’m off to see a band that evening but would like to squeeze in a visit! Hoping to get one of the short scale things and one of the semi- hollow basses in a playable state for the bash but will be tight.

Cheers. Yes, I finished the edge of the hole prior to fitting the top. It was sanded, sealed then painted black. It is easier to do this it this was whilst I could still get at both sides of the top. I did the same on the previous version - just seemed to look a little cleaner to my eye.

I know that feeling. I want a fret scale template for my fret jig. 30", 34" 35" easy enough but no, I want one that is 800mm. Not 32" (812mm) that would be difficult enough but 800mm...….!!

Cheers Andy! TMAWBASHA is such a catchy name, just rolls off the tongue!! I think the membership will cost me many pounds...... I'll get my coat.

Just out of interest, I have weighed the walnut/maple body which is weighing in about 1.2kg/ 2lb 11oz. With the neck blank and fretboard (neither shaped) the weigh is about 2.5kg / 5lb 8oz. It should end up about this weight when the tuners, electrics etc are added and the neck wood removed.

Looking forward to this one - that tele bass did look superb. For having no hum on pickups I always like EMGs but they aren’t to everyone’s taste. cheers

I've done a bit more work on these bodies. I created enough space in my crowded garage to temporarily set-up my new router table and I fitted it with a cutter for rounding the edges of the bass bodies. One of my next project will be to clear all the cr*p I seem to have accumulated in the garage that 'might be useful one day' but has done nothing but gather the considerable amount of dust I create!! I really need to clear the space and make myself a half reasonable working space where I don't need to keep stacking things on top of each other each time I finish a task.... Anyway, the router table seems pretty decent - this is only a simple test for it but it is so much more robust than my previous home made effort. I rounded the edges and I'm pleased with how they look so far. The tops on each body are different thicknesses so the veneer lines are in different places but I think both look fine. The edges now need sanding and belly/arm carves need making which will be the next job.

No worries. Glad it might be of some use!!

I kind of guessed you’d have a copy!!

As you like Gibson basses, the 'Gibson Bass Book - An Illustrated Tribute' by Rob Van Den Broek is an interesting book full of excellent photos if you don't have it already.

Hi Christine, Looking forward to seeing this build thread progress. I've always liked the Thunderbird shape but I've never actually tried one. I keep thinking of building myself one with a pair of EMG's pickups but there's always too many other things to do - I'll make do watching this for now! Do you mind me asking where you source your wood for bass projects? Cheers Jez

Interesting build this one. I like the offset rosette - nice touch!

Cheers Andy. It's my first proper router table and I've started to see how else it can be used - such as for joining to halves of a top (as per your post the other day). This one has a couple of rods that can go into the aluminium extrusion to act as a shim to make 1/16" or 1/32" difference between the two halves of the fence for jointing. As you say, not the cheapest thing but looks like it should make life a bit easier and give some good results. Just need to get the garage cleared so I can use it now (I bought it 4 weeks ago and its still in the dining room)!!

I was down in Surrey the last couple of nights at 'Weyfest'. Brother Strut were one of the bands playing - Paul Turner's not bad is he?...….Damn talented man!! Also, Willie and the Bandits are mighty fine and their bass player is another talented bloke. Anyway, I've also routed round the bodies to tidy up the edges and make them the same size as the templates prior to starting to cut the neck pocket, neck bushings, cavity covers and string retainers. I've made templates for the position of the drill holes etc. so this has been pretty quick to do this time (making accurate templates can take quite a bit of time though). The maple body has some really nice flame to it I'm going to use black hardware on these as I think it looks nice matching the ebony but also the contrast with the spalted beech and walnut I'm going to make the cavity covers next then round the edges of both bodies. I got a new router table a few weeks (as my old router failed and my other router doesn't fit - I also wanted something sturdier than before due to a near mishap with the router being perfectly vertical...) which has been drilled to accept my Triton router but is currently sitting unused in the dining room whilst I clear space in the garage!! Not sure how much longer Mrs_the_gut will tolerate it - especially with the toolbox in the utility room.... Waiting to be used: Waiting to be moved:

I've been quite busy in the last month or so. Started a new job, been on holiday for a couple of weeks and been having to keep the two small inhabitants of the house occupied during the school holidays. I have got a few tasks completed on these two builds though. Firstly I decided to make the bridges. As usual, I stated off by making some templates. The template I made for the original semi-hollow build was okay for the bridge outline but the piezo will be a different size so a new template for the slot needed to be made. Small pieces like these bridges can be a bit trickier with a router and need to be well clamped to prevent them being ripped to bits and thrown across the room when the router is angry.... Firstly, the ebony for the bridges was cut roughly to size and the mounting holes drilled. These holes will also be used to hold these still whilst they are being routed. The bridge blank was then clamped under the template and a surround made to support the router whilst cutting to size and rounding the edges. The edges were then trimmed to make the blank the size of the template. I then cut a slot the size of the piezo into some more mdf to use as the slot template. The bridge was then mounted behind the slot template and the slot was cut. The blank was then put back on the original template and the edges were rounded. A bit of filing to slope the long edge a bit and some sanding and that's the bridges made.

Bought a pre-amp off Massi. Great communications, pre-amp was exactly as described, really well packaged and posted quickly too - couldn't ask for more! Many thanks!