HazBeen

Many have seen my 5 string build last year. Originally I planned it to be fretted, with 2 EMG MMCS pickups. As the project progressed, I decided to make it a fretless with 1 MM pup. Then the Wenge fretboard turned to not be hard enough, so I took off the fretboard and turned it into an ebony fretboard lined fretless. 

I have since found that my two 4 string fretless basses are all I need, so I thought let’s have some fun.

So I added the 2nd pickup, replaced the single saddle bridge with a Schaller I had laying around. I did this so I can use the single saddle bridge for my upcoming multi scale 5, and fretted the thing. Since I had holes in the back from the single saddle bridge, I doweled them, and then created a battery cavity.

I created a solid integrated finger ramp by routing out the cavity a little larger and creating a wenge insert between the pickups.

Result as per the below. It plays and sounds great..... and I can now move on to my next build 😂

Been playing around with the head stock and the “neck flare”. Think this will be roughly what I al going for.

You can see the wider part of the neck starts around fret 14. The lighter line shows the body shape under the neck. You can see how I have really good access way up the register this way.

I also makes sense to (I did later, see final pics) to let the neck heel follow the slant of the pickups. Getting quite excited about this build. Will make a start on it, in a week or so.

1 hour ago, Si600 said:

Out of interest, how do you mark .382 of a mm to cut it?

You don’t ... when I cut my slots I generally use a slot template, pretty accurate but not .382mm accurate. If you stay within 1mm or so, you are fine. A bass or guitar is approximately in tune, never totally.

2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

You are absolutely right, Jez...      Great thought! 

It would make it 33.036", that is, less than a mm longer.  

That is exactly what I did to measure the fan on my new 33-35” 5 build. I have a slotting template that is 35 and 34”, used that on the B and A string and the 35 less 1 fret on the G to get the correct fan. The difference was 0.5mm on the 1st fret and pretty much zero on the 24th. Well within the margin of error.

So if you do not want to slot yourself, get a 35” 24 fret board. Cut off the first (well don’t forget the nut!) and the last and you have a 33” 22 fret fretboard. Presto!

Very cool!

1 hour ago, Chopthebass said:

I’m experimenting using the Shaper to create a headstock logo. I used a 0.5mm bit and infilled with blue resin. It turned out super crisp! 

Gorgeous!

Fantastic result, well worth 💃🕺!

You get all the fun projects, last thing I got to build for someone was a finger ramp 😂

7 hours ago, Hellzero said:

For those interested in Shaper Origin, here it is : https://store-eu.shapertools.com/products/shaper-origin-workstation?_ga=2.253097807.751694472.1614938791-481565625.1614938791

 

As an alternative to CNC price isn’t ridiculous, but I will stick with my 2 Tritons and Makita palm router just for now. There is no way I could get my mrs to approve 🤑

I

44 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Don't suppose you have any photos of it "the right way up"??

Here we go...

 

iPads and Basschat upload don’t mix well .... that and I’m lazy

In case you are interested. Body shape I am happy with and will keep as is.

Neck dimensions, same.

Headstock and tuner positions, still under review.

I am going to be a bit creative on the bolt-on approach. My mini bass gave me an idea (which as later turned out I appear to have nicked off Claas guitars).

Where the neck meets the body, I will extend the width of the neck by 2 cm. That enable me to bolt the body to the extended neck part, which in turn means I will have pretty much full access to the entire back of the neck up to the 24th fret both top and bottom strings.

Operation turn this lump of timber into a 5 string multi-scale coming to a bass forum near you soon ...... 😎

6 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Wow!  I love that.  The contrast in colours in the body coordinates with the contrasts in neck colours beautifully.

Great result @HazBeen. 

Cheers mate, and on to the next 😂

I stuck flats on, definitely the way to go with a super shorty (imo). Great little bass this thing.

To compare size, my 34” fretless and the 27” side by side.

And (bar some tweaking) done. Not perfect by any means (well the neck carve is ) but pretty happy with this.

4 coats on neck/body and pickup cover ...... and I have run out. I have ordered new finishing oil (much like Tru-OIl the stuff I use), but since 4 coats is ample for protection only  I will let dry and then do 1 coat of Lemon Oil. I don’t want high gloss.

The burgundy/purple or whatever I ended up with the finishing oil just gives such a wonderful deep brown/burgundy colour. I really like it.

2nd coat on body, 4th on neck.

So neat this, I truly am amazed by this Origin thing.

On 27/02/2021 at 19:07, Chopthebass said:

Wondering whether to keep it natural or stain darker. Here it is wetted

Keep as is, lovely wood.

Getting there! Lovely job.

First coat on the body.... man it is looking nice. Will snap pics after 2nd coat tonight.

3 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

It’s not that I like purple as such, I was just curious (and doubting my colour vision)

I had blue and red stain left, I hand blended so if honest purple was a guess, ie I knew it would be some sort of purple, but had no clue exactly what. The burgundy I ended up with I will gladly take.

A few things worth noting:

• this entire bass was almost entirely built from stuff laying around, just the nut, trussrod and frets were bought
• when putting oil on fretboard two darker lines developed between the 4th and 5th. fret. Almost like they are imperfections in the wood, they didn’t show when sanding. I played around with sanding them out, but that would cause me to sand the entire fretboard again. Since this one is just a fun bass for me I am not bothering. Character and all.
• i almost never grain fill, as I like the look of just the wood. There are some lovely surface fissures that should look pretty cool once oiled.
• had some minor tear out when I drilled 4 holes in my pickup/ramp. Needs a little touch up. My pillar drill is a heap of poo. I hand drilled the others, no issues. Should be fine, but just annoying when tools are not doing as they are told.