Andyjr1515

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1447888964' post='2911343'] I was actually very pleased with myself when you commented on my Variax makeover. [/quote] Without turning this into a mutual appreciation thread, that variax is probably the most stylish and elegant paint job I can recall ever seeing. In my eyes, all you need is a slightly more dodgy neck joint and it would be bloody perfect

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1447876646' post='2911202'] My only concern with bonding the neck in last would be that you can only clamp it to the top as the two wings are now fixed, will not being able to clamp the neck to the wings be an issue, also if the gap for the neck is nice and snugg will the glue scrape off as you insert it? Or am I overthinking it all as usual? Certainly not knocking it as I've never built a guitar before, just curious . [/quote] Very logical and valid concerns, Maude, and quite right to ask. However, the above are not ones I've personally had any problem with (so far). My weird methods are, of course, why the decent luthiers on this and other forums often shake their heads in disbelief.... . Nor would I advocate this as the way it [i]should[/i] be done, especially if you have the tools and skills to do it the conventional way. But....this will be the 7th guitar or bass I've built like this (all of which are gigged and 4 of which are gigged multi-times a week by animals - actually great guys, but animals all the same ) and, so far, I haven't lost a neck. There is a logic for the approach not to be a recipe for disaster, which is this:[list] [*]The critical strength in a thru neck is just that...the neck. The bridge screws into the neck; the tuners are attached to the neck - both anchor points are therefore secure as long as the neck has been constructed correctly [*]The top helps to maintain the rigidity, and helps to maintain the structural integrity due to the little detail that the slots you have to cut for the pickups, actually cut 2/3 into the depth of the neck! [*]So the bond between the top and the neck is critical [*]The "hanger's on" (ie the alder wings in this case), on the other hand, serve many purposes but not actually much to do with strength or stiffness (think cigar-box guitars...) [*]...so as long as they don't actually drop off... [*]...and they aren't going to do that because they are extremely well bonded to the top [/list] The logic is probably deeply flawed, but it does work. Also, the neck will be pretty much smothered in titebond and, other than the danger of hydraulicing, there will be plenty of coverage in the slot sides. To be honest, you only have to look at the tiny, tiny stub of an original Gibson SG 6-string set neck, to realise how little glue (and wood!) is actually needed to hold a neck on. I don't know if you followed my "Tom's African Fretless Bass" thread last year (built for Tom, our very own wwcringe) but that was a fascinating project - convention said that it should not have held together at all. Tom and I, at one point, said it probably wouldn't hold together at all But it did - and it cemented my confidence that, providing the fit is accurate, through necks can bypass a lot of structural challenges a builder normally has to overcome I don't know if any of that makes any sense. Of course, when FuNkShUi posts the photos of the finished product after it has 'clapped hands' in the middle of his most prestigious gig, the decent luthiers on this and other forums will nod knowingly and mutter, '...told you so...' All - keep firing the questions. It helps, because at the very least one in three of them makes me think, 'Oh, cr*p!' Andy

The first half can now be unclamped and the second half is trial-fitted: You can see the perils of when the weather turns your practice room (or as my wife says, with a touch of aggression in her voice, 'it's SUPPOSED to be a study, not a practice room!!!') into your workshop So, again, a couple of side clamps in place to hold it tight against the neck, then loads of clamps to glue the alder to the wenge / camphor: As always, thanks for looking Andy

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1447869466' post='2911128'] Nice work and quick progress too [/quote] Hi, Norris Thanks! To me, it seems to be taking a long time but I'm doing the 'little bit each day' approach which actually keeps the project moving Andy

... and one of the alder back pieces glued and clamped In the end, I have opted for my unconventional approach - hence the cling-film round the neck so that doesn't get accidentally glued just yet. Everything is square and tight, and I have a clamp holding the alder firmly against the neck. I will do the same with the other side, then lift the neck out again so that I can do the finish external shape routing and edge shaping without the neck in the way. As explained above, it also allows me to check absolutely the neck angle and position before committing it to titebond! Later this evening, I should be able to glue the other side on. It will start looking more like a bass soon Andy

Hopping in and out between showers and wearing lead boots to stop being blown away in the gales, got the bit of routing done on the back pieces. There's a lightening chamber in the upper half (I've left the LHS alone because there is too much going on around there with p/ups, bridge, arm relief carving etc) and the main control cable routes in the lower half. The eagle-eyed will probably be able to see the pencil lines that the two halves will be finish-routed to. I will do the control chamber after it's been glued to the top and carved and I know exactly where the back flattens out...

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1447778313' post='2910283'] Sweet. [/quote] Hi, Bryan! Yup - this one's coming on nicely. A very satisfying build so far Andy

I've done the final fit of the top to neck join: Popping a spare fretboard just to illustrate (still have to agree the actual upper-fret shape with FuNkShUi for the slotted board), it will sit pretty flat like this: I've also lined the alder / neck faces with wenge veneer: There are some bits and pieces I can be getting on with indoors, but now I really need a dry morning or afternoon to: [list] [*]weight-relieve the alder top bout [*]cut the control chamber [*]rout the control routes in the neck and alder for the pickup to pickup and pickup to control chamber wires [*]rough-cut with the band-saw the neck plan and side profiles [/list] Then (and I still haven't decided which way round to do it), I can glue the camphor top to the alder back

That looks the real deal, Dom! Andy

[quote name='6v6' timestamp='1447677958' post='2909405'] That's an interesting approach, is it a problem that you can't clamp across the wings to get them super-tight against the side of the neck (because they'll be glued to the top)? [/quote] Hi 6v6 I'm actually not fully decided of the best way, except it definitely won't be the wings first. The reason for the latter is that it is the relationship between the top and the neck that is critical. The top will be glued to the top of a recess cut into the neck. Just done that routing, actually. Still got to finish-fit the joint, but you probably get the broad idea: Now I [i]could[/i] glue the top to the neck, and then add the wings, clamping on both axes (wings to top and wings to neck). The trouble is, it is sooo easy when dealing with loose components for there to be a slight rock here, or misalignment there and you then find that the neck plus fretboard is no longer at the right angle for decent action height at the bridge. What I found with my solid-body slotted approach - as a helpful side effect - was that I could dry fit the neck and make ABSOLUTELY sure it was going to be at the right angle. If not, then I could always sand or scrape a tiny correction to the neck/body platform on the neck itself, then re-try the fit before gluing it in. My last build illustrates: The reason I won't be gluing the wings to the neck first it that everything would have to be absolutely smack on for the top to then fit tight against both the neck and wings. Everything would need to be completely flat and square, but at the exact depth in relation to the top of the neck. Anything not smack on will then be a real problem because it would result in sanding , which then changes the dimensions and fit - and I don't have the skills or equipment to be able to get it that smack on... I don't know if the above makes any sense? Andy

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1447496649' post='2908025'] Looking great Andy!! I'll start my forearm and grip exercises now [/quote] That's the spirit A 28kg bass with a 2" neck never hurt anyone! In the meantime, the weather has closed in again so I've used the time for a bit of planning for the next phases. First of all, I've sent off a profile gauge for FuNkShUi to measure the depth and profile shapes of his favourite playing bass so that I can get the neck as close to same the general feel as I can. Basically, FuNkShUi will take the measurements and profiles like this: ... and send me back the results like this: The other thing I've done is jotted down the best sequence for the next steps. This is where, as many of you know, I am sometimes a bit unconventional. The [i]conventional[/i] way would be to glue the alder wings to the neck, flatten the top and then add the camphor top. Some of you will know that - for a solid body - I actually rout a slot in the body and then slide the neck into the slot. I'm comfortable with that approach and there is a lot of edge carving to do, where I could do with the neck not being in the way. Sooooo, this is what I will do: [list] [*]Straighten up the alder pieces and add a wenge demarcation veneer to the sides [*]Wrapping the neck in clingfilm so it doesn't get glued, glue the alder pieces to the camphor with the neck in place simply acting as a spacer. [*]Remove the neck from the glued body, then finish-rout the alder using the camphor top as a template. [*]Carve the body edges [*]re-slot in the neck and glue [/list] That's probably clear as mud...it should make more sense when I do it for real and post the photos The thing I [i]will[/i] do before gluing either the alder or the neck, of course, is rout the weight-relieving chambers and control cable runs. Thanks, as always, for the nice words and encouragement Andy

That looks the absolute dogs b******s! Lovely job.

I'd be well chuffed if it was mine

The bass looks great. It will look fantastic when you've got the new pickups

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1447441885' post='2907757'] It already looks awesome. [/quote] Thanks ezbass. Do you like the biplane look? I think it might catch on

Switched to photobucket temporarily! So, first of all, tidied up the camphor top using a bearing guided edge router bit: The spent quite a bit of time checking heights, angles, distances in terms of bridge position, nut position, fretboard thickness, bridge height, etc.. before taking down the angle of the headstock and truing up the top of the neck: As you can see, I use a long length of aluminium box section and with abrasive paper double-sided-taped to one of the faces. Acts as a great flatness checking beam as well as a sanding beam. The bridge is going to be set fairly well back to shorten the feel of neck length (34"). It will help the balance too - the alder is already quite light and will be chambered on the top bout and horn. Here are the relative positions of everything. The neck's what I call a "|_|" profile and a bit deeper than many basses,but I'm sure FuNkShUi will get used to it :

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1447282098' post='2906456'] Great stuff. I think I'd make an MDF intermediate template though, even if you use the top as a bearing guide. It would cut a lot easier and be less likely to incur mishap. I'd probably draw round the top and then shape the MDF by hand myself [/quote] I agree, Norris Forgot to mention, I bonded the wenge to the camphor the other day. The degree of demarcation will be like this: Today I made more progress but imgur is acting up a bit - I'll post it later

I agree with both ^ and ^^ For fretless set ups, I get the nut slots (or use the fantastic Warwick just-a-nut) so that the strings are [i]just [/i]touching the fretboard. I set the neck relief in the same way as a fretted (with string held down at the 16th 'fret' aiming for just-perceptible movement at the 8th position), then string heights as you would for a fretted. My starting point is usually 2.7mm at 17th fret for E and 2.4mm for G. I then drop it a little lower if the owner wants a bit more (as MoonBassAlpha so elegantly puts it) 'mwah' Andy

A couple of hours of dry weather and a bit more progress! I've slimmed down the 3-piece neck to final width (not worth the picture), ready to glue to the wings, and bandsawn the top: For once my bandsaw was relatively on song, so it's pretty close to final. I might dispense with routing to finish and hand-finish this instead, then use this as the template for the bearing guided trim of the alder....I'll think about it a bit more as I have, in the past, 'reshaped' a template, and that wouldn't be good of it happens to be also the top and not an mdf template! The bridge has arrived so I can now also work out the neck angles and heights. Weather permitting, this should see the neck band-sawn to outline shape and neck, back and top glued up by the end of next week. Andy

Good result!

It's looking really good. Interesting thread

Guitarbuild are very good quality components in my view. Just finished a tele build using one of their bodies and it was tip top...

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1446927758' post='2903625'] Bonkers? Maybe. Skilled and talented? Definitely. Keep the info coming Andy. The local forecast is mostly dry for tomorrow. [/quote] Well actually, you do know that I'm bonkers - no maybe about it OK - bit more progress. Everybody repeat the mantra after me:- "You can never have too many clamps!" You can see clearly the ready-made truss-rod slot here. Super accurate and finished timber from David Dyke once more, by the way... Andy

I know you all think I'm bonkers, but this is what I end up with - below you see the centre-splice scarfe (scarf?) has been cut, flipped and glued and now the resulting splice assemply is being glued to one of the mahogany outer splices. You can see the grain direction of the inner splice where the headstock will eventually be: I offset the inner splice by 11mm to allow the 9mm deep truss rod to be just slotted in with a 2mm capping strip without the need for routing (the inner splice is 6mm wide - the width of the truss rods I use): Later this evening I should be able to glue and clamp the other outer splice...then I have an assembled neck blank ready for eventual thicknessing, routing and bandsawing to outline shape. Thanks for looking Andy

[quote name='Jabba_the_gut' timestamp='1446814913' post='2902564'] Interesting discussion. I haven't ever tried to do a scarf joint - might have a go on a few scraps and see if I can get it anywhere near accurate enough. Is there any particular angle that should be aimed for? I'd guess around 10 to 15 degrees, but that is a guess!! Cheers [/quote] Anything that gets an acceptable break angle for the strings at the nut, so usually, yes...10 - 15 degrees. I've gone for 11 degrees for no particular reason other than it's closer to 10 than 15