Andyjr1515

That's looking very nice, cameltoe Andy

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1449668710' post='2925775'] Are you grain filling before applying the Danish oil? With finishes such as Tru-oil, some prefer to fill using the "slurry method" (there are lots of tutorials out there) but basically you finish sand with sand paper/wet and dry which is lubricated with the oil, which then forms a slurry with the fine dust and grain fills as you go. Also, I've found it tricky finding truly lint free cloths if you are doing a rub on finish, and you end up with one or two tiny fibres in your hard earned finish, which you know are there! So I tried using coffee filter papers which you can wear like a little mitten and it works quite well and doesn't drop any fibres God luck Harry [/quote] Micro-fibre cloths are pretty much always lint-free. I used to have loads of problems until I started using those. I also use a glass-cleaning micro-fibre as a tack rag nowadays...got utterly p****d off by 'specially made for the job' traditional tack rags leaving bits all over the place!

A couple of small but important jobs done this morning. Glued and scraped flat a leftover length of acoustic guitar binding to act as the truss rod cap and finished the main carve of the body, ready for filling and final sanding: I've retained the rounded look, but scooped the back out a bit to slim down the overall feel. After I've done the main body fill and sand, the fretboard will be glued on and then I can get on with the neck and heel carve Andy

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1449431971' post='2923496'] Progress. Pics soon! [/quote] ...and still waiting!

That is some VERY cool carving...

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1449151040' post='2921111'] There was never any doubt [/quote] Your confidence is flattering, FuNkShUi. Totally misguided, but flattering all the same I did the final 'really scary' bits today. ie, the final routing. Most other things (not all, but most), can be got round, but a flyaway router = instant firewood. Happily, this one went OK. Started the rout of the control chamber with a guide bush and template: Note the exposure of the pre-routed control run channels and pot drill holes. Then, for the last 5mm, used a bearing trimmer bit to get down to the final depth. Ignore the black marks on the neck - they will disappear as part of the final sanding. Something I was using (not sure what) when I was clamping the neck acted as paint-stripper on my clamps! When the final sanding on the back has been done (probably 2mm-3mm to come off), I will use a router bit with a smaller bearing to cut the ledge for the cover. If I can get my cheapo bandsaw to cooperate, the control chamber cover will be off one of the alder offcuts. Also routed the chamber for the battery holder. I like the battery to be easy to get to. This one is a Gotoh holder - very good design IMO. Still LOTS to do, but now I can get on with the final carve, including the neck (the heel will be progressive from the top join line to the bottom join line which should give lovely unimpeded access to the very top frets). Thanks for looking Andy

Looks great . I bet it sounds it too

Definitely watching these builds!

There are two items in the design brief I have been getting my head around - to try to make this as light as possible without neck dive and to have covered pickups. I have combined those two requirements by routing the pickup chambers both to the largest width / length - which is basically the neck pickup, squared up, taking a bit more wood and weight out. It has the added advantage that if FuNkShUi ever wants to replace the PJ's with super-triple-gargantuan-flipper buckers, it'll be a doddle The challenge was covers. Never made those before and I only had enough camphor left over for a single shot at it. I decided that I would go for free-hand routing the chamber and then cut the shape out. The camphor offcut still has the wenge veneer stuck to it, but I thought I would leave that on for the time being. Here it is during the chamber-routing process: I went for the small router base on the little bosch because it's easier to see what is going on. I was aiming for a 1.5mm - 2.0mm thickness at the top and 5mm max sides (which will probably be sanded down a bit) I then cut the shapes out with a pull-saw and did an initial tidy up with the sander. They will be sanded further to angle the sides a bit and dome the top a touch, and will have the veneer taken off and sanded down to finished height, but at least I now know I don't have to revert to redoing them in ebony! They finished at 1.5mm thick which I'm very pleased about Andy

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1449135446' post='2920959'] The D and G tuners look very close together too, would they be awkward to operate that close? [/quote] Hi, allighatt0r! No - as long as they don't touch at their extremes, I think it's fine. My bubinga is VERY close to the point the the lobe on one tuner, fits into the cutaway of the adjacent one! When you're tuning up, you have the luxury of making sure you are turning one and not knocking the other. The difference with the drop D is that you want to be able to do that between numbers and not knock the other tuner in the process.

[quote name='alittlebitrobot' timestamp='1449095783' post='2920819'] always a joy to follow your builds, Andy. After all the to-ing and fro-ing on page one about the design, did nobody think to point out that Alder + Camphor = Alpher? Spooky. Anyway very nice work [/quote] I came up with Camder....but then again what do I know

The pretty appalling weather has halted major building work, but allowed me to plan some of the remaining stuff. The pickups are going to be covered - I have enough camphor offcut for one-shot at this...and if I bugger it up I'll pretend I wanted to do it in ebony anyway... They are going to be symmetrical, sized to accommodate the P p/up: The other thing I've done is double check the headstock with the Hipshots - particularly the Drop D tuner. At first sight, it looked OK: BUT, with the drop D dropped, this didn't leave me with enough margin for error in terms of potential tuner clash: Good job I checked! But no problem and easily solved, especially as I haven't cut any wood yet!

I'm like hubrad- I aim for zero. Nowadays I use the Warwick Just-a-nuts so I can tweak it until it's spot on.

Welcome to the coolest bass forum on the net, Skodadad! Seen this in the other place but it looks just as good here! Andy

Really something very, very special. Brilliant!

I'm not at all sure how I've missed this thread before, but that is a [i]stunning [/i]restoration. Top job. Pleased you did the update - not only that you've sorted the electrics but because I'd have missed this otherwise!

[quote name='Bastav' timestamp='1448714604' post='2917593'] I like that headstock shape. Goes real with the body [/quote] Thanks, Bastav

With a few days of rain forecast, I have been sorting some jobs that I will be able to do indoors in the spare room ("Yes, dear, that's what I said...it's not a spare room, it's the guest bedroom. Building guitars? Well, I don't think you'd let me do that in the [i]guest bedroom[/i]..."). Re-wording it a little, I have been sorting some jobs that I will be able to do indoors in the spare room when Mrs Andyjr1515 is out. I've got approval from FuNkShUi for the design of the headstock - a very nice indoor job. What he was aiming for was a non-symmetrical, medium-sized ebony plated shape that would 'fit in' with the vibe of the body. This is the design we've firmed up on: and this is what it will look like in proportion: What it is trying to do is offer a passing nod to the shape of the body, with the scoop-out exposing the mahogany and walnut to balance the colours between the head and body. I know I'm somewhat biased on this, but I think it looks tickety-boo Andy

[quote name='6v6' timestamp='1448558208' post='2916467'] Looking good! For the uninitiated, would you mind describing what the "flossing" entails? I assume it's a technique for fine adjustment of the joint prior to joining? [/quote] Yes - it's seen more when you are building an acoustic and trying to get the neck heel butting up exactly to the guitar sides. In my case, this joint needs to close up a bit: All I do is put a strip of emery cloth between the two joint faces and pull - repeated until the neck face exactly matches the body face. In reality, of course - as the only bits seen after the fretboard is on are the two small side joints - I could have just cut it away in between the extreme ends and nobody would know or care (no structural significance of this mating surface at all)...but I would!

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1448542302' post='2916280'] Bet the wife hasn't seen that in the spare room! Wet glue / Light Carpet your livin' on the edge my friend [/quote] ..and no, she hasn't Let it be our little secret!

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1448542302' post='2916280'] Bet the wife hasn't seen that in the spare room! Wet glue / Light Carpet your livin' on the edge my friend [/quote] It adds the thrill of danger.... Actually - the router does that, too....

With the fretboard now profiled, I checked and double checked the projected action height and I am sure it will be just right with a totally flat-angled neck. So flossed the body/neck join and on it goes... The pickups and EQ are on their way, so I will be able to do the routing of the control chambers and pickups. Then the fretboard can be glued on after installing the truss rod. As always, thanks for looking Andy

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1448520302' post='2916035'] Yep - the same, looks like tortoise shell when glossed up [/quote] Fantastic. Can't wait I hadn't seen a bass or guitar with a camphor top before and am delighted with how yours looks.

Thanks all! That's a lovely looking Shuker, deepbass5. What is the top wood on that one? Is it camphor too?

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1448449248' post='2915456'] Ay Caramba! This just keeps on getting better. More sunny days required. [/quote]