Andyjr1515

Over the weekend I popped down to the cellar every hour or so to fit a couple of frets. By this morning, I'd finished all 24 I normally glue the fretboard on before fretting but thought I'd try a different approach this time - there are pro's and con's of both ways. The angle is lower at the nut end to lessen the impact of the fanning for the bulk of the first octave. As far as these things go, though, it is a relatively modest multiscale.

Looks good They're pretty darned good, the Harley Bentons, aren't they? What's the weight like on this one?

Can't wait, Norris!

It's certainly out of my league, but I'd love to see it when it was finished!

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1487936924' post='3244311'] A quadrant cabinet scraper can help with rounding over in awkward places, especially if you cut it down a bit. It is quite easy to put a gouge in your top though It certainly helps to get a roundover started if it's too fiddly to get any power tools to it though [/quote] It's only a small area and the walnut is nice to work so I reckon a bit of sandpaper wrapped round my finger will be safer still! By the way, just catching up to date with your own build, I realise how close my f hole shape is to your very fancy feature... Apols if I've inadvertently and subliminally knicked the design!

Got the top curve planed last night. Still have to do the sanding and the sides - and still have to round the edges of the 'f' hole - but this is starting to get closer to the finished shape:

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1487897097' post='3244064'] I didn't think Andy's work could get any better. I hate being wrong.That looks fantastic. [/quote] Thanks, Chris Andy

Lovely job. Top marks - well done

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1487884208' post='3243954'] What are the string options with this size bass? [/quote] As it's guitar pitch and guitarish scale(s), then we are basically in guitar string territory. What I've gone for for starters is some flatwound jazz guitar strings with a wound G. The tighter E and lower tension on the G from the scale length difference should balance the strings out a bit. I will be wiring it up like a 50s Les Paul Junior to get the interaction between the volume and tone pot. Also, because it's a single coil sized humbucker, I will put a switch option in to allow split coil. It's very much a trip in the dark!

Well, as the saying goes, '' 'Tis an ill wind that blows no good...' And storm Doris meant that the planned trip out with the visitors was cancelled and therefore I was able to sneak down to the cellar a couple of times when no-one was looking. I cut the bulk of the the rough for the back scoop out with the very useful Veritas pull-shave: It's about a 10mm scoop from the highest point. It's still got to have a few of the lumps and bumps sanded out, but, with a round-over router bit round the outside edge, it's beginning to look the part: Next time I'm able to sneak out, I'll be trying to cut the concave curve of the top

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1487855491' post='3243556'] Cool! Looking good, Andy [/quote] Thanks, Bryan!

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1487783925' post='3242883'] Good thinking - reduces weight (probably won't matter too much on this though) and the profile makes it easier to play - no jamming in the ribs (good album title?). Looking good... [/quote] Yes - and thanks My other thought, which was actually where I started in my thinking, is to do a proper top binding on it, and with the curvy/ comfortable back. Now I can actually pick the thing up, it makes it easier to visualise...

With everything internal routed, I stained the inside of the 'f' hole chamber and glued it all up. Then a quick wizz round with a top-bearing trimmer using the walnut top as the template, and then finish off the last bit with a bottom bearing trimmer bit with the bass the other way up. It looks deceptively complete at this stage... : And from the back, a similar arrangement to Nic's Mouradian, albeit this will be left natural mahogany: Note that the mahogany is at the moment deeper than the neck. I'm probably going to go for a scoop at the back and curve at the top as Mick's 'Silk' bass or my bubinga fretless: There's a lot of carving to do!

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1487693938' post='3241906'] Visitors interrupting a man's bass build!!?? How dare they!! Have they got no manners?? [/quote] I know! Truly shocking

Got visitors over the next few days so I've tried to make some decent progress while I can. Basically I've done all of the machining I need to do before gluing the wings and top onto the neck: As you can see, the control chamber and cable run to it from the pickup position; the pickup cutout in the walnut top, the 'semi' chamber under the teardrop f-hole; the truss-rod slot. Final thing I have to do before anything gets glued is cut the neck plan-view shape. I'll do that once I've checked the positioning of everything...again....!

Sounds a very good way of making sure. I'll bear that method in mind in case I ever get asked to do one...

Now we're talking! Excellent - it's come out pretty well! I like the colour - much more defined than I think I expected. And, presumably, if your nails get too long you can file them down during the gig? Seriously, though - well done! That was a bigger challenge than I would normally want to take on and it's worked. How 'stuck' is the glitter?

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1487594559' post='3240982'] Ahhhhh gosh yeah, was getting all mixed up with fret spacing. Mea culpa! Don't panic! LOL What threw me was the board looks wider on the right so I'd imagined that was the body end! [/quote] Actually, it's a poor photo - the wide angle lens has made the left hand side look narrower - it's actually a rectangle at the moment. I've tried a fret at the far end where I've got a bit of spare and it took it very well (I thought with it being so hard, it might have been brittle...) . Radiusing it is going to be a joy, though

Phew!

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1487582255' post='3240812'] This is going to be a lefty? [/quote] I hope not! What have you seen that I haven't?

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1487524267' post='3240445'] And if it ain't right.... Lined fretless anyone? [/quote] Ah...but first I turn it round and do it better on the other side. And if that isn't right, then the mosaic look, then the....

Well, with the normal warning that these threads are always simply about how I personally go about things and never that this is the way you [i]should[/i] go about things, I'm into totally new territory: multi-scale and hand-cut fret slots First thing I did was get everything out into good light! I then clamped a ruler to the fretboard to the workbench, at the angle that the strings will run at and starting at the angled nut position: Then a double-check, triple-check, quadruple-check measure against the treble scale and a sharp tap with a hardened metal point: Then ditto for the bass string run. Then clamping with a squared piece of wood, that has been cut at a height to allow 3mm blade exposure, using the saw's blade clamp strip to prevent the blade to cut too deep: Then gentle sawing against the wood block until the slot was formed, then hard sawing to depth. And yes, blablas, you were right...this is my exercise for the week sorted! And, if I've got everything correct...this should be a 26" to 25" fanned set of slots!: Only time will tell...

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1487436781' post='3239818'] ... or even some of my boring ones.... [/quote] Yours are ALWAYS interesting, Paul

[quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1487432146' post='3239775'] i'm loving this build, the more i see of your work the more i want to commission a build from you. This body shape is rather nice as well, can imagine it as a 5 string 34" bass, if i ever have some money for another bass i think you might get an email! Matt [/quote] Always happy to talk through interesting projects

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1487432789' post='3239782'] Your fingerboard looks almost like it came from the same piece of rough lumber as mine did a few years back. Cutting fret slots in snakewood is a tough job, it's seriously hard (harder than ebony!), when I cut the slots in my board the saw tended to clog up, minimized it a bit by putting candle-wax on the saw. The block method you mention is how I always cut my fret slots. [/quote] Very useful tip - thanks, blablas