Andyjr1515

Nail varnish is much easier to blend in and sand down, but it does shrink. Cyano doesn't shrink much, but is as hard as nails (the metal kind!) and more difficult to sand down without catching the surrounding, softer, area. Probably horses for courses...

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1386253618' post='2297751'] Right i've bloody done it. Painted and clear coated. It's Inca Silver. Just waiting for decal for headstock and flatting and buffing gear to show up from Rothko and Frost, then at the end of the month i'll do all that and stick it together. hopefully it will be done mid Jan. Here's some probably rubbish pics. [attachment=149904:20131205_140756.jpg] [attachment=149905:20131205_140829.jpg] [attachment=149906:20131205_140846.jpg] [attachment=149907:20131205_140859.jpg] It's not the perfect paint job but i'm very happy as it's my first go and i'm usually sh*t at stuff like this. [/quote] Looks much much better than my first attempt! This is looking very good. By the way, don't worry too much about the plywood - I had an Epiphone Les Paul Junior 6 string which, when I pimped it, realised was plywood. One of the best sounding guitars I've ever owned! Andy

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1386448136' post='2300339'] That looks gorgeous! I am now looking at my RBX370 and twitching.....(....flame maple.....transparent red lacquer.......) I need to lie down now. [/quote] Funny you should mention that combination... This was a full build I did recently for our band's bassist (yes - I know it's a 6-string but he's a bit odd like that). This one is actually a maple top rather than veneer, but for a basic flat-top, veneer comes out just as well. I used simple Permanent Red calligraphy ink for the stain and then, again, trusty Ronseal. I did the same for a myrtle veneer a while back for a friend. Go for it! After all, the worst that can happen is that you end up having to throw the bass away and take up knitting instead

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1386442250' post='2300249'] Don't usually like such finishes, but that looks the business. [/quote] Thanks. Probably 50% of the guitaring population are left totally cold by basses and guitars that look like a fancy bit of furniture. I have no problem with that at all. Andy

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1386442023' post='2300245'] That's lovely Andy, what finish did you put on it ? [/quote] Nowadays, I just use good old Ronseal Hardglaze polyurethane varnish, thinned with White Spirits 30% and applied with a microfibre cloth @ £2 for 3 from Homebase

Veneer, by the way, was off ebay. Not sure which supplier this one was from but I've used most of the regulars and most are fine (just make sure the piece is big enough including a bit of spare for positioning / trimming) Andy

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1386436138' post='2300135'] How did you do the veneer, iron on or glue? Can you tell me where you sourced the veneer too (I'm thinking of tarting up one of mine). EDIT: How rude am I? Cracking job you've done there sir [/quote] I coated veneer and body with standard PVA, let it dry and then ironed on. Here are some shots of the stages: 1) Marked out veneer Foam roller, evo-stick wood glue, water spray at the ready Rolled a full but thin layer onto veneer. Sprayed other side to even out the expansion of the veneer. Applied similar coat of glue to body top. Let touch dry (20-30 minutes) Ironed veneer onto top, starting at middle and working outwards. Ironed veneer over arm relief edge, then down the arm relief area. Ran iron particularly around outside edge to ensure a good joint where I would subsequently trim off the off-cuts. Trimmed with Bic disposable knife (sharp but more rigid than a scalpel) using body as the 'template'. Once trimmed, went over edge again with iron. Great thing is - provided there is no area without glue, you can re-iron at any time. It remelts and regrips. And thanks... yes, it has come out quite well Andy

Hi I posted a step-by-step on another forum on this - happy to pop it on here if anyone is interested. It's a veneer job I have done on a formerly metallic green Yamaha RBX270F fretless, presently on fleabay with reasonable interest so far. The veneer is unstained myrtle - fascinating figuring...just like an photograph of the inside of someone's lungs! In progress: And finished: There's a decent amount of interest of fleabay with 20+ watchers - but we all know that means nowt! It expires tomorrow evening - I'll let you know if it sells... Andy

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1385288624' post='2286361'] That is just gorgeous! Any more info on the pickups/sound? [/quote] It has Tonerider Classic IV's in it. Chosen, I have to say, in preference to Burstbucker Pros that Pete (who it was for) was perfectly happy to pay for. I fitted some Toneriders into a friend's cheapo Les Paul, and it sounded better (by his own admission) than his genuine Gibson Les Paul Custom. Based on this, I suggested to Pete that paying less than 1/2 the cost of Gibsons for something that sounded just as good was possibly a shrewd move! I've got some clips here on Soundcloud - forgive my rubbish playing: [url="https://soundcloud.com/andy-rogers-6/sg-clean-neck-neck-bridge"]https://soundcloud.com/andy-rogers-6/sg-clean-neck-neck-bridge[/url] [url="https://soundcloud.com/andy-rogers-6/burl-maple-sg-dirty-neck-neck"]https://soundcloud.com/andy-rogers-6/burl-maple-sg-dirty-neck-neck[/url] Thanks for the encouraging feedback, folks Andy

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1385155251' post='2285232'] Nice, like that little unstained stripe around the edge [/quote] Thanks - it worked quite well. Just masked a thin strip with a car self-stick 'go-faster-stripe' from Halfords when I was inking the top.

This is my latest build. It's a thru-neck SG built for our old-gits-band's bassist, Pete. Mahogany back, Burl Maple top, Mahogany/Walnut/Mahogany neck, Ebony fingerboard and Ebony headstock plate with mother of pearl inlay. The colour is red calligraphy ink. P/Ups are Tonerider Classic IV's. Passed it across to Pete a couple of weeks ago - he's well chuffed with it. Thanks for looking:

[quote name='redbandit599' timestamp='1384333394' post='2275261'] My guitarist mate has just told me he's got a tele on the way. Doesn't look any smaller to me! But then as long as he's happy. Seems to be a few others that are interested in this thread so thanks for contributing ideas (some even made me fancy a skinny stringer.) Jason [/quote] Well that was a bit of a surprise!!!! , Just how big we're the other ones he was looking at?? Were they guitars or double basses? :-)

Incidentally, this is what it looked like stripped down at the back. Decent bit of wood for a sub-£200 bass that was intended to be covered up with paint...

[quote name='Rubbersoul' timestamp='1380830942' post='2231366'] Is it worth it and if so what would you recommend? [/quote] Hi Yes - definitely. The GSR200 is a great bass and should do you nicely for many a gig. The thing about good manufacturers who sell under their own brand from entry level to professional, is that they can't afford to sell a dud...the danger of that tainting the reputation of their more expensive models is too great. Therefore often the entry models are simply down-spec'd but with the same quality of build as the better models. As such, you can often get to mid range performance just by upping the harware, p/ups, etc.. The wood they use is sometimes lighter than their upper range (I used to feel the slight vibration of the strings through the body on my GSR200) but again, good quality. This is what I did to mine... As it happens, this time I left all the hardware and p/ups as stock. Eventually, I sold it to a Nepalese Buddhist who played bass in a Heavy Metal band...it has to be said that's a bit of a niche market Andy

This is looking great. Splendid choice of neck...

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1380312690' post='2223806'] Yep, that sounds way too high to me. How low is the nut cut? Fretless basses can have the strings actually touching the 'board at the nut.... it's all about the relief! [/quote] Yes - and +1 to this

Have a look at the Warwick 'Just a Nut' It's cheap and micro-adjustable. For the Jack Bruce Special tribute I built, I set the strings [b]just[/b] touching the fretboard.

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1380224462' post='2222618'] What I was thinking was when I do get moved and settled I might indeed get another neck.. and do a new build entirely! I've got an idea to go completely in the opposite direction from the La Cab, and do one with loads of bling! Consider my re-profiling not proceeding, but if anyone has had it done, do tell? [/quote] I've re-profiled necks a number of times, especially my own. If the neck doesn't feel right, it niggles me and I find I have to do something about it. Saying that, all the disasters you talked about at the beginning can happen but, done properly, most rarely do. The main reason for this is that usually, it is more subtle changes that make the difference. The biggest challenge is matching the finish colour...pretty near impossible unless you get an experienced builder involved and, as the others say, it would then be as cheap to buy a new neck. However, it is the back of the neck that gets altered and does it really matter if there is a slight shade difference? The breakthrough problem is only going to happen if you REALLY slim the neck down...and by then it would be also unstable. Bear in mind that the truss rod, etc, is going to be in exactly the same place for whatever profile the supplier supplies - so as long as you are not going outside the dimensions already offered, then it is exceptionally unlikely to happen. The easiest fix to get rid of the 'chunky' feel is to take some material off either side rather than the actual depth, turning it into a soft 'V' profile. This will, in my personal experience, do almost nothing to impact adversely two of the issues you quote - breakthough, instability. It is, incidentally, a great profile shape that has moved out of fashion for totally inexplicable reasons. However, having said all the above, if you want the neck to look as pristine and even-coloured as when first received in the post, like the others say, probably easiest to buy a new neck and flog this one. Hope this helps

The body looks great. Bodes well for a corker :-) Andy

Looks really, really good :-)

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1377211064' post='2184975'] Nearly down to all the wood. Just got the top face to do. Will i have to sand it with a fine sandpaper before i spray a primer? Just ordered this bridge for it. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/schaller_3d5_b.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/schaller_3d5_b.htm[/url] [/quote] Yes - I sand it first with coarse (c 80 grit) then wet it with a squeezed out cloth - this reveals the scrapes and dings. Repeat until all the scrapes and dings are gone, then sand progressively down to around 400 grit. It should then prime well and flaw-free.

This is looking really smart. These kind of refurbish are a lot of work but often produce very nice results. Andy

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1375914531' post='2167510'] Sorry, it completely slipped my mind. The switch I linked has 4 terminals, 3 in a row and one on the edge of the case. I've labelled them like so: 1 = neck pickup hot 2 = output from switch (goes to volume pot) 3 = bridge pickup ground 4 = neck pickup ground AND bridge pickup hot Hope that helps, and sorry for not doing this when I said I would. [/quote] I don't know this switch, but I think the normal config would have the bridge hot at 3 and bridge ground at 4. This should avoid the bridge signal cancelling out the neck signal in the middle switch position.

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1374168860' post='2146100'] I was just wondering. Does it matter how far behind the saddle the pins are? [/quote] Hi Myke It makes a difference to the bridge 'break angle' - the angle between the horizontal string in front of the saddle and the string end behind it. This in turn affects the down force on the saddle and therefore affects directly the transmission of vibrations to the soundboard. The general rule is that the pins are close to the saddle, but this means filing relief slots in front of the pins to prevent kinking the string ends. Do a google or YouTube search on acoustic bridges and you will find loads of photos and articles on this. Andy

By the way, ref good woods for bending, etc, I can recommend walnut, I am told mahogany is also good but I understand that rosewood can be a pig. There's some decent summaries here: [url="http://www.guitarnation.com/articles/calkin.htm"]http://www.guitarnation.com/articles/calkin.htm[/url] Andy