Jabba_the_gut

I will try to remember to take photos when I do it!! What I don't want is a bit of card or similar just sitting in the neck pocket as a shim - that doesn't feel properly finished to me. I'll use a piece or two of veneer to work out how much of an angle I need to introduce. Then I'll glue a couple of pieces of veneer together to get the same thickness. The veneer pieces are bigger than the neck pocket and are sanded into a wedge, cut it to the size of the neck pocket then glued it in place. I'll use the a veneer made from the body wood so the shim matches (even though it won't be seen!). I need to start looking at introducing a slight angle in the neck pocket when I route it - I'll try that on the next build!

Wenge is very nice if you find it flat sawn. This is another one of my basses (which has been an on going project for a long time as I cant decide what finish to use!!) with a wenge top on rippled sycamore. This piece of wenge was once a floor board......

Cheers Andy. Just got to get it finished and set-up!!

Rippled ash is lovely! This is one of my basses with a two piece rippled ash body. Lucky with this piece as it was two colours which gives the light central part.

Cheers for all the comments. Progress on this has been slow recently - between work and the garage being so cold getting some of the remaining jobs done is taking a while!! I have managed to get a few things done though. I've put the bass together to make sure everything fits, the neck angle is correct etc. Needs a little shim but otherwise went together nicely. Couldn't resist trying it and very pleased with how it plays and sounds. Shame I have to take it to pieces again to finish the frets and build a shim but nearly there!!! Not the best photos, but here's how its looks: Still deciding on a string retainer: And with its sister fretless bass (which also need finishing off - preamp needs fitting) Right, I'm off to take it to bits and finish those frets!! Must get this finished for the SW Bass Bash!! Cheers Jez

Great photo for this... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaydee-Celeste-5-String-Bass-Guitar/292480763320?hash=item44193645b8:g:ZBUAAOSwHG9aprWk

You could buy them all and build a 4 x 21 cab rated at 6000w....

https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-bass-amplifiers/phil-jones-bass-double-four-bass-amplifier-/1289234830 And they've got some other nice things

Angry Birds?

Damn snow!! Kids off school so chances of getting everything I wanted to get done on this today is looking slim. Damn snow!!

Cheers Andy. I'm quite pleased with it - does the job and is quite tidy ( even though it won't be seen!). Yep, just self adhesive sheet. You can get this stuff off eBay and it comes in normal and thick sheets; I prefer the thicker stuff as I find it nicer to work with. Cheers

Cheers for all the comments. Progress on this has been slow recently - between work and the garage being so cold getting some of the remaining jobs done is taking a while!! The fretboard had been radiused and the frets have been installed. I filled the gaps at the end of the fret slots with the sanding dust from the fretboard and some epoxy and I've started dressing the fret ends but this isn't finished yet. I've also shielded the control cavity and soldered the pots and jack; the pickup is yet to be installed. I made battery holder for the cavity and fitted this with a couple of screws - I'm quite pleased how this has turned out. I've also fitted the string anchors which was one of the last fiddly jobs. Hopefully I'll get to do some more work on it next Friday - I'd like to get it assembled and check the neck angles etc. before I complete the finish. Cheers Jez

I'll be being a TC RS112 if there is a 1 x 12 shootout.

Hi Andy. Yep, quite bold finishes on those two pictures. Just posted them as examples that don't have mirror finishes but still look great. The ash body I have had is just treated with three costs of oil - nice an easy! I was just lucky how the two halves lined up! Cheers

https://www.flightcasefittings.co.uk/flightcase-hardware-extrusions/flightcase-hardware-plastic-extrusions.html

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eagle-Altai-Black-Plastic-Edging-Extrusion-50mm-x-50mm-1M-Length/311754883789?epid=1405254945&hash=item48960a02cd:g:m~oAAOSwImRYRu38

Maplin do plastic strip if that is any good https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/1m-plastic-extrusion-wide-l38aa

I also think ash looks lovely without grain filling - depends on what look you want. I've just finished an ash body with oil without grain filling and I'm really pleased how it looks (it's in my build diary on here). Personally, I'm not keen on the red body/white pick guard combo but that's because I had an old Encore that colour and I hated it and it looked like it belonged in 'The Shadows' - just my personal taste!!! I do like these colour schemes on bodies with coarse grain where they are sprayed one colour then sprayed another colour. They are then sanded back so the bulk of the body is the first colour and the recessed parts of the grain hold the second colour. Can look nice if the right colours are used. This sort of idea (couple of random web photos): The ash body you have in your kit has a lovely grain to it - would be nice to show it off either natural or a semi transparent finish. I'll be interested to see what you choose! All the best Jez

It's not all bad.......er, okay it is. Very bad. The only thing that pleases me about it is that I don't own it!

That’s really nice walnut. I’ve got one of those bridges knocking around - this has give me ideas!!

Ha ha! The funny thing being that was a lucky accident! Er, I mean I carefully selected the two pieces and precisely aligned the grain.....

I have also completed the final sanding of the body and have started apply the oil finish. Really pleased how this is looking - the ash takes the oil really nicely. I do like the grain on this wood and the way it almost matches where the two halves are joined down the middle of the body.

So I had great plans to do lots of jobs on this but for one reason and another it hasn't happened as quickly as I hoped. But I have got a few things done. 1. I've fitted side dots to neck. I find this much easier to do before radiusing the fretboard and shaping the neck as there is a nice square edge to work to. Here's the neck marked up for drilling (the neck in the background is the one off the semi hollow bass I built recently which is the same shape as this one). 2. Once the dots were fitted I started shaping the neck. I use a small sanding drum to shape close to the heel and head then use a rasp to shape the actual neck. To me, this is the time consuming bit as it needs to be right. Take a little off, check the profile, check everything is cutting straight and repeat. Lots of times...... 3. Once the neck was pretty much there I sanded the fretboard radius. Again, just a sanding block and patience!!

Here's a few pictures of a neck template I made: First, I used a couple of straight strips of wood running tight down the side of the neck. These could be checked against the centre line of the bass. These bits of wood are typically about 6mm thick then pinned to the mdf with panel pins A second row of wood was added but just to keep the router bass level when cutting the pocket in the template. Another piece of wood pinned in place to mark the end of the pocket (and a second short piece again to keep the router level) Then use the router with a bit like this one below to cut out the neck pocket from the template. This will give you a template a bit like this for cutting the actual pocket on the bass. Hope this makes sense! If not, drop me a message and I'll explain further. Cheers