Grangur

Hey @TripleB67, Firstly, a big welcome to BC from another mature bass player. Actually, many of us here are the wrong side of 45, so you're in good company. You got a good deal on the bass there. I started bass in earnest when I was 50, and also don't gig. I've been in 2 bands, but found it's not for me either. I play a lot of tunes and melodies. There's a lot you can do on a bass, and plenty of challenges in bass-playing, without committing to humping gear in and out of bars at sill hours in the night. (IMHO) A good place to start learning is YouTube. You also won't spend long there before you come across Scott Divine and Scott's Bass Lessons. Scott does some good free lessons on YouTube, but he promotes his "SBL Academy". This is well worth the investment. He does a 14-day money-back trial. Take advantage of this. The number of lessons there are phenomenal. They go from "parts of the bass", playing technique, etc, right on the walking bass lines, Jazz and loads more. There are also lessons on SBL, from other teachers who teach at major music colleges in USA. www.studybass.com is also worth taking a look.

Have a read here. I think judicious use of the steam iron is a valuable contributing factor. Also, when you fit the neck after wards, tighten the truss rod BEFORE you tighten the strings. It's worth remembering with these cheap basses, the necks are no the best. So, you need to make good use of the TR to compensate for the lack of structure in the wood. But with care, you can get a good result.

I recently fixed a neck worse than that.

Then go and buy one. Or make one from a blank. All bodies need to be made to suit a specific length of neck and number of frets. If you don't the fret spacing will be wrong to suit the scale length.... but you know this as it's basic knowledge when building a bass. Your question, without defining the number of frets is unanswerable. But you know this as it's basic... troll alert!

So what you're looking for is something like an Ibanez or Warwick version? The necks on these tend to have a different number of frets to those on a Fender. So I don't know where you can get one ready made.

Hey @anzoid, if you feel you have zero practical skills, then that's a good way to start. Buy a fair bass that looks like it needs some lovin' and re-build it. As a starting place a re-fin of a working bass is what most of us have done. You can strip the body and spray it with Halfords rattle cans. Then fit it with your choice of parts and you'll be there. Keep posting her with pictures and folk will give tips along the road.

I've used inkjet waterslide paper. It worked well for me. Something to be aware of is that after you print the work, you need to spray it with lacquer to give the decal something to hold it together. Waterslide paper is, in effect, paper with a waterbased gelatine on the surface. So the lacquer provides the substance that holds it together. If you don't lacquer it, all the letters will float off the decal in the water. When you apply the decal, don't be afraid to get the headstock wet, even with bare wood. Soak the decal well, make sure the gelatine is well wetted and dissolving. If you don't soak well, the decal will always have a milky look to it when applied to natural wood. When the decal is dry, sand down the edges of the decal to soften the edges and spray a good few coats of lacquer over the top to allow you to sand it some more and get rid of the lines.

I travel to Surrey with work. So I could collect from you @TrevorR, when you're finished with it.

Hi all, I'm pretty mobile in my job. If it comes first to me, I can take it around to the other folk I've listed. Then get it to @Bridgehouse in Peterborough. If @Bridgehouse also goes to Nottingham, this is also where @honza992 is. This is also near @Geek99. So, does this seem possible? If it comes to me in time, I'll try to get it to someone who can get it to the SE bash (and bring it back) PS. Sorry, Marco for having a stupid screen name.

I did. I bought a white Fender Jazz from you. I remember the visit more than I remember the jazz

The nearest I get to you is Kettering. Maybe we can sort something where I finish work in the Kettering area and we can meet half-way or something? When you have it, maybe you can meet up with @Andyjr1515 and @Jabba_the_gut & others?

To be honest, if all those who have a loan of the bass, have it for 2-3 weeks, we can take it to other bass players for them to try. I can take it to @gary mac and @Al Krow, if they're interested. Also @Lozz196 and @TheGreek don't live far away. So, this way, we can get it into the hands of a good number of bass players. It may not be to everyone's taste. Some like the feel of paint, for example, but I'm sure some will be interested.

At least the continued discussion is bumping the thread, drawing attention to the first posts.

The whole point of CNC is setting up a computer to remember how to make the same shape item repeatedly. You wouldn't normally use CNC for a 1-off.

German income tax is high anyway, so the point is still well made. It's fair to say you won't make much money building basses without going to CNC manufacturing. But where's the style and craftsmanship in CNC?

@Bridgehouse Peterborough, Leicester/Notts @Geek99 Coalvile, Leicestershire @honza992 Nottingham @Grangur Bishops Stortford, Herts @fiatcoupe432 [{location.unknwown}] So far, 5... if I'm right

Thanks @Marcoelwray. Maybe we should see who's on the list before we decide the order. As it may be most sensible to sort the order by geographic location, so it can sometimes be passed on by hand? I travel a lot for work, so I can travel to collect and to pass on to the next.

Hi Marco, Your basses look and sound fantastic. It was interesting to listen to the one with the comparison with other makes, especially when you played the Warwick. I have a number of German Warwicks including 2 being neck through. It would be great to get the chance to experience one of yours.

All done and packed and message sent to @Bassmingo for him to send labels for shipping. Completed.

Last night I have the neck a final tweak. The tuner bottomed out. So I removed the clamp to raise the blocks. It stayed straight. So I left it out of the clamp. This morning it is still straight. Job done. All that's left now is to level the frets.

Thanks @Twincam. I have been using steam out of the iron. Apart from anything it will help increase the penetration of the heat... or that's my theory anyway.

It is @Andyjr1515. As you'll appreciate, a good turn on the tuner makes only a small increase in the tension. So it would take some going to really whack up the tension and do shock damage. After all, slowly does it: No need to rush. It's going to take the wood a while to adjust to the new position.

This morning I gave the tuning head another small turn or 3. The first small turns were quite easy to turn. The tuning head still isn't quite grounded on the worktop. I then got the clothes iron out again and gave it another heat up through a cloth. Looking at the progress, it's looking like it's getting pretty flat. I'm expecting the frets will need levelling, but It's looking a lot better than it was yesterday, not that I'd want to take the clamps off yet.

Hey, here's the original version of "Word up". I like this and the cover. Edit: Wrong! Cameo was the original.