Kees_SoS

See the photo for the roughly shaped neck.

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For anyone who's interested, I've just posted a build diary for my five-string Original Series fretless:[/font][/color][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/213384-overwater-five-string-original-series-fretless/page__gopid__2157007#entry2157007"]http://basschat.co.u...07#entry2157007[/url][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color]

For anyone who's interested, I've just posted a build diary for my five-string Original Series fretless: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/213384-overwater-five-string-original-series-fretless/page__gopid__2157007#entry2157007"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/213384-overwater-five-string-original-series-fretless/page__gopid__2157007#entry2157007[/url]

Martin Lee, who is building the bass, has got off to a flying start with it. The photos below show the construction of the neck in stages.

A few months ago, I commissioned Overwater to build me a contemporary five-string version of their classic Original Series bass from the 1980s. My plan is to ultimately own a fretted/fretless pair with largely identical specs, but for now I'll just be having the fretless built. This build has been a long time coming. I first visited Overwater in the summer of 2001. Aside from having a thoroughly enjoyable day, I was suitably impressed by the quality of their instruments, particularly a recent four-string Original Series they had in stock at the time (see photos below). Unusually, this particular bass had a two-a-side Progress series headstock, as opposed to the Fender-style headstock featured on the earlier models. Aside from its striking looks, it played with incredible ease and had a tone to die for. Through one thing and another, I didn't buy that particular bass, but I've never forgotten it, so now – after twelve years – I'm finally going to have one – eventually two – built to my own specifications. I should add that, in the intervening years, I've come to know the guys at Overwater very well, and owned two of their basses: a fretted six-string Progress III Deluxe I had built in 2006, and a largely matching fretless I bought second-hand a few years later. Both basses were superb, but a serious bout of RSI that started in 2011 and lasted the best part of a year made it difficult and painful for me to play a six-string, especially with 18mm string spacing and an extended scale. Consequently, both my Progresses have since been moved on to happy new owners, and I have opted for something that will be safer and easier for me to play with my injuries and the resulting physical limitations. After having toyed with various ideas, I played a one-of-a-kind Overwater 'Proception' owned by another customer, whom I met at the Overwater London Bass Day last year. A five-string with more ergonomic specifications (incl. 17mm string spacing and a 34" scale), this bass felt perfect in my hands. Moreover, despite its standard scale length, it had a huge-sounding B-string, most likely due to the use of wenge as instead of maple as the principal neck wood. Following the Overwater event, I adopted the Proception's specs as a blueprint and set about putting the specs for a new bass down on paper, the most obvious difference being the Original Series body. Whilst a smaller body might have been a more ergonomic choice, I was very much set on the Original Series shape, so to limit any additional weight, the body will have a three-piece back, as opposed to full-thickness neck laminates running right the way through. [b][u]Specs[/u]:[/b] [b]Model:[/b] Original Series through-neck [b]No. of strings:[/b] 5 [b]String spacing:[/b] 43mm at nut (9mm/10mm) / 17mm at bridge [b]Neck woods:[/b] wenge with ash stringers [b]Fingerboard:[/b] unlined fretless ebony (side dots only) [b]Headstock:[/b] Progress series [b]Body: [/b]bookmatched flamed ash top / 3-piece walnut back [b]Electronics:[/b] Scott Devine signature circuit [b]Pickups: [/b]custom-made rounded ebony covers (like on '80s Original Series basses) fitted with standard Overwater 'innards' [b]Pickup placement:[/b] TBD, but close together near the bridge [b]Hardware:[/b] black [b]Bridge:[/b] individual saddles and through-body stringing [b]Machine heads:[/b] Gotoh, with Hipshot Xtender key on B-string I will post more photos as the build progresses, but for now here are some photos of the template and the black four-string Original Series that inspired the build (see attachments).

Very pretty. I've always been a fan off the body shape. What are the specs? 36" scale with 18mm spacing? The Jazzes look pretty impressive, too! [quote name='k50' timestamp='1371371859' post='2112951'] Well spotted, the bass was made in 91 and i bought it from Chris in 95. [url="http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o530/overwater1/fretless003.jpg"]http://i1146.photobu...fretless003.jpg[/url] [url="http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o530/overwater1/fretless004.jpg"]http://i1146.photobu...fretless004.jpg[/url] [url="http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o530/overwater1/fretless001-1.jpg"]http://i1146.photobu...etless001-1.jpg[/url] [url="http://s1146.photobucket.com/user/overwater1/media/fretless001-1.jpg.html"][/url] [/quote]

Is that a fretless Fusion at the back? Do you have any pics of it in full view? [quote name='k50' timestamp='1314805541' post='1357712'] [attachment=88346:DSC00010.jpg] My contribution to the thread. [/quote]

Not long now. Martin should be starting my bass early next month for collection in early September. BTW, I PM'd you the other day with a question about your basses. [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1364756267' post='2030519'] Go for it! And I hope you'll start a thread in the Build Diaries section with plenty of progress pics. [/quote]

Chris May had mentioned his friend Rick who had briefly been in Crimson to me a number of times, but I've only just got round to finding out who we was talking about. What a monster player! Interesting Overwater, too, with the recess near the neck, presumably for slapping.

Wow! It's very unusual to see an Overwater on Marktplaats. Do you still have the bass? I've been using them for years. What kind of headstock does it have, BTW? A Progress headstock or the Original Series type? [quote name='JanSpeeltBas' timestamp='1245742774' post='521412'] Well, here it is! I really love it...more pictures after I've cleaned her up...there's no serial no., only the marking 1/2 at the side of the control cavity. Really like to know the 'official' model name. Thanks Chris, you build awesome basses that deserve much more attention beyond the UK. And thank you BB for your posts - The seller turned out a real nice guy and actually let it go for the equivalent of GBP 375. Incredible! [/quote]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1364756267' post='2030519'] Go for it! And I hope you'll start a thread in the Build Diaries section with plenty of progress pics. [/quote] Will do!

[quote name='Leen2112' timestamp='1364821738' post='2031230'] Hello, I think you must be talking about my green fretless (the link doesnt work) Yup, what Martin said Is true. The electrics were working but not in very good condition. To get the volume pot fixed they ended up scrapping it all and as old parts arent made anymore they custom made (bodged) some new ones in. I find the weight not very balanced but as I don't use it for gigs It's not a problem. I couldnt say how much difference the old electrics compare as in tone etc as I pretty much took it to Overwater as soon as I got it. Sorry if this reply is a year out of date, I just saw it today when it re-surfaced. Cheers Leen. [/quote] Yes, I was referring to your bass, Leen. We spoke about it on the Overwater page on Facebook a while back. It's an absolute beauty! I've never seen another in that colour. Please let me know should you ever decide to part with it, as I want to add a fretted/fretless pair of '80s Original Series to my collection at some point.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1359918965' post='1962059'] A friend of mine, and a bloody good player, Rod Clements, was in the studio yesterday with his.... [/quote] This looks like a really early one, with the carved body, more extreme headstock shape and Bill Lawrence pickups. Thanks for sharing! Any more Original Series freaks out there? I'll be ordering a custom five-string within the next few weeks.