Andyjr1515

By the way, as an aside, when I got the walnut for this one, I also got some figured bubinga and a neck-length of ovangkol to make another bass similar in construction and size to the Warwick Thumb 4 Tribute I did for our band's bassist (below), but reshaped so as not to contravene Warwick's design registration. The tribute I did for my pal is my favourite bass to play, looks great and I've been asked from time to time to build more. I've always turned them down - I'm keen to stay squeaky clean when it comes to registered designs (and, just in case you were wondering, I can't find any on the Cort) and so won't make a Thumb Tribute to sell, but it would be nice to be able to build something with the same 'gravitas' albeit a different shape. I'll do a thread when I start it later this year...the first one will be MINE ALL MINE, but I could be persuaded to make some more if it's successful

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1424291946' post='2694897'] Andy, have you looked at photos of the genuine article, in other words Greg Curbow basses? Lots of beautiful wood combinations with those hand-built instruments. Most of these Curbows stayed in the USA; you'll find a lot of threads on them over on TalkBass. [/quote] Hi, HowieBass Yes - they are lovely. I think it's a great, great design - even the owner's budget white one made out of [s]plastic [/s]Luthite looks good and feels great on the strap, but some of the 'real' ones look fabulous Andy

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1424286782' post='2694813'] It's true beauty will only come out with the carve, and later with the finish . . . But as it is it appears to have a lot of potential. I'm subbin'. [/quote] Yea - I hope so Thanks! Andy

I cut a template out of a large sheet of paper to try out the four options to work out which will give the most interesting figuring once its carved. I think it's this one: If it's dry over the next couple of days, I'll cut it out oversize ready for popping a template on to route it to final outline

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1424274701' post='2694636'] I've done one around this thickness as I wanted it to be light ..... just call it 'slimline' You will need shorter neck screws or bolts too. Ian [/quote] Yup - forgot to mention that - make sure the screws aren't too long otherwise you might end up with some extra and touch-sensitive fret markers!

Just checked the depth also of the Cort Curbow I'm rebodying (see recent walnut thread) and that is 33 mm at the pocket - 18mm of supporting wood + 15mm depth of pocket so, again, you are well inside these dims.

36mm is fine - just be careful to plan where the controls are going to be, what pots, etc., you plan to use and then make sure in that area there is going to be enough depth for them all to fit. One of mine was too shallow to use the originally intended push-push pots because I carved a bit too deeply in that area... I'm actually currently working on one that is 25mm...now that really IS a challenge...especially as it's a very soft wood! Hope this helps Andy

Hi alittlebitrobot! Thanks The walnut came from Kirk at www.exotichardwoodsukltd.co.uk - great bloke, great website and great woods. The old Cort body will probably go back to its owner...after all, he might not like what I do Everything else will be used for the build And yes - you have to be very careful with yew. The wood is highly poisonous so you have to wear a mask ref dust, and be very careful where the chippings go! It's not particularly reactive ref allergies, etc, but deadly poisonous if ingested to any great degree. So chewing the guitar in frustration at the end of a bad gig will make a bad day even worse

It was dry today so I was able to plane down the walnut halves to the initial thickness of 1.5" I'll see how the carve and weight goes - it may come down to more like 1.25" but I don't want to get it too slim for the electrics to fit... Walnut is a nice wood to work with and these pieces have some interesting detailing in them: Got the edges all squared up (I'm getting better setting up and using a hand plane!) and they are now in the sash clamps waiting for the glue to cure. Andy

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1423820205' post='2689301'] Some cracking work there Andy, that Yew is stunning especially with all the carving, looking forward to seeing this progress. Wonder what the 'other' project is hmmmm ........ Ian [/quote] Thanks, Ian So, got my hands on the donor guitar, got the walnut and the 'other' project is temporarily paused while I wait for some info and bits relating to it. So if it stays dry this week, I may be able to make a proper start on this one. Here's the Cort: Actually, I reckon it's a bit heavier than the owner's identical Tanglewood, which might give me a fighting chance to get the weight down enough. First jobs are to:[list] [*]Strip the Cort down [*]Work out the thinnest body I can get away with compatible with the controls depth [*]plane down my 2 walnut halves to that thickness - this will give me an idea of the figuring too... [*]square up the join line and join the two halves [/list] Thanks for looking, all! Andy

It's been a while since I did a major build and now I have two! One is under wraps at the moment (mainly because it may not work ) but the other is a challenge in a different way. I want to break the back of the under-wraps project, so it might be a little while before I make much progress on this other one but it is to try to build a lightweight body (Cort Curbow sort of light!) from a chunk of solid american black walnut. Yes....quite The plan is to strip a Cort's bits and just replace the body. The outline will be similar to the Cort but the carve will be something like this: The depth of carve will be quite deep, something like two of my earlier 6 strings...one I did a few years ago in solid mahogany: ...but probably with the top of the lower bout more like the one I did in Yew: Two reasons - firstly because I think those kind of shapes bring out grain patterns of nice woods out a treat...secondly because it takes a lot of wood (weight) out of the proceedings. But, the Cort Curbow is made out of light plastic-type material and walnut is b*****y heavy! So I know that won't be enough. With a two-piece (back and top) like the yew / mahogany six string above, chambering is an option. However, with a solid it's a bit more tricky. So my thought is two control chambers at the back...and both quite generous in dimensions - with chamber covers using the same walnut as the body itself. It will end up like half of a centre-blocked semi-acoustic. Additionally, I will minimise the depth of the body to that just deep enough for the controls. It will probably end up about the same thickness as an SG. The density of the walnut SHOULD (fingers crossed) still retain the mass needed in a good bass. To achieve the matching control panel covers, I got Kirk (great bloke) at [url="http://www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com"]www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com[/url] to bandsaw a 4mm plate off one of the blocks of the two-part body wood I bought for the project. Balance in theory should be a big issue. Interestingly, the Cort balances beautifully...it shouldn't. The neck is set in as far as it can without the bridge hanging in fresh air, and the headstock is TINY. So, the theory (yeah...right) is that if the walnut body can be made the same weight as the Cort and have the same geometry, it will balance too! Well, without a few challenges, where's the fun?? I'll post a shot of the timber and doner bass soon, and then there may be a long period of silence... Andy

I will be very interested following this. :-)

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1422662226' post='2675516'] I've put the screw in a drill and held it against rough wet and dry paper until it's the right diameter to go down the hole. [/quote] Yup - I've done the same (but with a needle file). It's a right pain because the head size of the design is definitely not standard in these parts...

I had terrible problems with an otherwise lovely Gibson LP Studio...a common problem apparently. In this case, nothing to do with golf-club grip, sweat or anything else associated with the player - the gloss neck was simply draggy in the same way as a glass that comes out of the dishwasher...'squeaky clean'. I wire-wool'd it which helped for a while, but it generally came back. In the end, devastated, flogged it. Never had the problem before or since. An internet search reveals some Gibson necks take '10 years or more to fully harden'. Maybe normal internet hyperbole but certainly mine was still not fully hard after 2...

Excellent result

[quote name='Vixivi' timestamp='1421618654' post='2663421'] How does the it affect the acoustic volume? I've been thinking of putting black nylons on my fretless deko, but i'm a bit concerned about the acoustic volume. [/quote] Maybe a bit quieter but no 'clatter' so much more usable and therefore I find I can play actually louder. Plugged in no appreciable difference.

[quote name='planer' timestamp='1421582345' post='2662839'] Finally - I have a picture. This is the HB Thomman cheapie-special with my RBX374, as a size comparison more than anything. It's mahoosive and makes the Yam feel like a toy. I don't really have a black bass fetish (f'narr), given the choice I'd have had a natural one from Thomman, but black was all they had so I jumped on one while I had the chance. It's a nice thing, and sounds way better than it 'should' for the money. Happy bunny. I'd like to try some flats on it if I can find some for reasonable money. Recommendations anyone? [/quote] I've put black nylon-covered D'addarios on mine and it has transformed the sound, the playability and the feel

If it's clearly rocking on that one fret and not on the others then yes, it is that specific fret. Double check it's fully seated but, if so, just use your crowning file to bring the highspots down a touch. Andy

Fitted a set of D'Addario black nylons to my black HB30. Not only does it look a million dollars, it has made a marked improvement to the feel and tone too. It has also evened out the string volumes a bit through the PA. It is pretty much as much as I would want and need from an acoustic bass - but with a total cost (bass, strings, postage) of £70.66 !! Has to be up there in the 'best value for money of anything I've ever bought' category

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1421267649' post='2659246'] Found myself rather intrigued by these and have been looking in great detail. I "may" have found why the fretted is unplayable. The full price B30 is a 24 fret neck. The deco B30 is a 23 fret neck. Comparing the photos seems to suggest that the 23rd and 24th frets are in the same position on both models. This would lead me to believe that all of the frets are slightly high all the way up the fret board and as such the intonation is "wrong"! It won't be an issue for home use buy if you were to try and use it in an acoustic band situation then it'll probably sound off. I could be wrong and I'm sure someone with a set of vernier callipers will take accurate measurements and correct me if that's the case. [/quote] My Deko B30 is 24 frets and the nut to 12th fret distance is 433mm. It intonates fine now I've got the neck relief right and therefore the action at a decent low height. Hope this helps Andy

Warwick fretless gets my vote every time

Chris - with reference to the 4 string I got, my wife DID kill me...they are SOOOOOOOO big! [size=2]This message was posted automatically on notification of the sad demise of Andyjr1515 who met an unusual end accidentally falling headfirst onto a hard metal object 128 times in 4/4 time at 120 beats / minute.[/size]

[quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1420722136' post='2652521'] There is a UK company that sell the same thing, Rothko and Frost [url="http://www.rothkoandfrost.com/ip-luminous-glow-in-the-dark-side-fret-marker-dot-inlay-rod/"]http://www.rothkoand...-dot-inlay-rod/[/url] I have used these and also Luminlay and can't tell the difference. [/quote] I haven't tried Rothko & Frost's - I'll get some and see how it fares...it's certainly cheaper! I did get some 'no-name' stuff a while ago and that wasn't any good at all - it didn't hold the glow for very long but, more to the point, it was almost invisible in the daytime. The Rothko & Frost stuff looks much better. Thanks for the tip-off Andy

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1420714059' post='2652372'] ...and to you Andy. All is good thanks, hope the same with you? We may have to meet up for a beverage to discuss this. Patternmakers arms at the weekend? Chris [/quote] Discussions over that kind of beverage are always welcome Drop me a pm and we can sort a suitable meet Andy

Yes - definitely worth the wait!