JPJ

I suffer from mild eczema and get it on my fingers especially in winter time. I use Germolene New Skin quite a bit to seal the keens and to get me through gigs. Works really well for me and has a mild anethstetic effect as well (after the stinging and swearing mentioned above). I tend to build up two or three coats before the first set and add another two layers at half time. Keep a towel handy and dry your hands between songs and it'll last a set easily.

Steve, All the very best with the move. Good luck for the future in NZ and keep us all posted on progress on the otherside of the world. Sorry we never got a chance to meet up. All the best, Kev (aka JPJ)

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='490713' date='May 17 2009, 05:52 PM']More importantly... how does it feel? Good action? Are those the optima gold strings? EDIT- doh! Just saw string packets![/quote] Yep Optima Golds'. The previous owner of the donor bass left a brand new set in the pocket of the gig bag and it would be just rude not to use them As to feel, well I was really really surprised. I whacked the strings on, tuned her to concert pitch and had a little play and the action was incredibly low but rattle free, the bass sat nice on my leg with very little neck dive and she sounded nice a bright acoustically which bodes well for the amplified tone. All in all, I dont think she'll need much fettling to get her exactly how I like it.

[b]Episdode VI - Attack of the clowns[/b] Well, it doesnt look like much progress but basically, I've made a wooden control cavity cover like this: Fitted the neck and bridge and strung her up to check clearances and alignments like this: And drilled and machined for the controls themselves like this: Then I've carried on with the sanding, getting down as far as 400 grit (only 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000 to go before I can apply the stain). Next week will be sanding, sanding, sanding and more sanding so there wont be anymore photo updates until the stain is on.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='488900' date='May 15 2009, 02:07 PM']A finish tease? Ha ha... Maybe! My next bass is going to be quite different... for that reason. I want a different finish to the norm! Or maybe... something like the attached? Foam brushes? What's wrong with a sponge?! What are you doing your final polish with? By hand or have you got a polishing wheel?[/quote] Foam brushes work really well with water based lacquers and really help easy the final sanding stage. Polishing will be with a handheld electric mop polisher. I've quite a bit experience with one of these from polishing boats so I am happy to use one on the bass, but only after the lacquer has had a good month to fully cure out.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='488762' date='May 15 2009, 12:19 PM']Then again, if you are feeling REALLY brave, you could lightly burst the edges...[/quote] You sir, are a finish tease of the highest order! I have been conducting a few tests this week on some offcuts and have found that by hitting the maple with a coat of the black, and then sanding back and hitting it again, you get a similar effect to the one in your photo and it stops the black looking purple. The whole bass will be black, and the swamp ash hit with two coats of dye looks stunning when wetted. I have abandoned the faux binding and radiused the edge of the body as the sharper edge allowing for the binding just didnt feel comfortable to me. My supply of fine grade wet'n'dry arrived today along with a new varnish brush and some foam brushes, so I hope to have at least one colour coat on the body by the end of the weekend.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='488787' date='May 15 2009, 12:39 PM']Yes, but what I'm wondering is what [i]significant[/i] difference the thin cap of wood that the frets are seated into make to the overall sound of the bass.[/quote] Same can be said of maple caps on bodies, but the truth is it has an affect. From my various attempts at the dark art of luthiery, I can confirm that a musical instrument is the sum of its parts and that each one of those parts affects the tone of the instrument, albeit not in equal proportion. This is why I'm baffled why people add layers to the make up of a body just for aesthetic purposes such as a dark veneer between the top and the body wood. It's hard enough trying to predict what it will sound like using two woods let alone three or more.

And also keep a look out for a Phil Jones Bass Bass Buddy preamp. Slightly larger than a pedal such as the sansamp/MXR options but smaller than a 19" rack mount. Nice warm clean sound with the best 'one knob' compressor imho. Occassionally available for not very much money at all considering the quality. No valve but a nice warm clean sound (I'll stop now as I'm repeating myself!)

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='479695' date='May 5 2009, 09:30 AM']Good for you! Can't wait to see the staining process - I think its great when you are applying the stain and it's all wet - you get a real understanding for what the finishing thing is going to look like. Have you decided on clear coats yet? Polyester? Are you doing it? If so, what are you using?[/quote] Well on the advice of a trusted friend who has produced some stunning pieces using this combination, I am going with: 1) Rustin's Ebony wood dye 2) Rustin's natural grain filler (which will be thinned with the ebony wood dye) 3) Chestnut acrylic sanding sealer 4) Chestnut acrylic lacquer I've just bought a whole load of fine wet'n'dry papers along with foam and natural bristle soft lacquer brushes from Axminster, that site should be added to the list of banned sites as I always spend a fortune when I go on there

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='486711' date='May 13 2009, 10:34 AM'][attachment=25107:DSC01884.JPG] Cute huh? Plays like a dream too.[/quote] Er I dont wish to come over as some sort of pedantic tw@t, but isnt that a guitar Pleased to hear that the bass is back in your hands. Is all the midi stuff sorted out on the bass then?

Wow this is one tasty looking build. I'm really loving that top and I hope thats going to get a suitably deep high gloss finish too? I think that body shape should work really well too. Novel enough to stand out but practical enough for a gigging workhorse. I have this dream of a ten string (2 courses of five) and I think it would work really well with that body shape as the elongated top horn would help compensate for all the tuner hardware. Nice build, looking forward to seeing more of this one.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='484876' date='May 11 2009, 10:33 AM']use a bit bit of metal and stick a laminate of wood on top. (It's about time you had a little metal work involved in this project )[/quote] I'm liking your thinking there! (and it would give me an excuse to use my second favourite power tool " the power file ") [quote name='EBS_freak' post='484876' date='May 11 2009, 10:33 AM']So, when does the ink get splashed???[/quote] Well I've just realised I need to drill for the edge mounted jack socket, and then providing the sanding goes well next weekend, there could be ink on the beast by Sunday night. I have prepared a few test pieces of swamp ash & maple to test various mixes of the black dye + sanding sealer + grain filler + Lacquer on before I start on the real thing.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='484877' date='May 11 2009, 10:34 AM']Another query (I know, I know...) How come you want a scratch plate? It seems a shame to have one at all with that pretty top... Don't you think that a clear scratch plate is like putting a condom over your sofa?![/quote] LMAO, that one 'caused a coffee/keyboard incident The reason for the scratchplate is I've been amazed by the amount of scratches on my Overwater's scratchplate from my finger nails. I thought that a clear perspex guard would protect the finish against this whilst being easily replaceable.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='484132' date='May 10 2009, 02:07 AM']Cool - black cover plate aswell then? Painted wood? Or black perspex?[/quote] Mmm I hadn't thought of doing a wood cover plate until you mentioned it, I'll have to check and see whether their is a big enough piece of the swamp ash left to laminate up a wooden cover plate, otherwise the smoked Perspex might be the answer, although I'll have to tidy the original wiring quite a bit if I go down the perspex route.

[quote name='gilmour' post='484749' date='May 11 2009, 01:55 AM']This is a great diary, I'm hooked. Keep up the good work. I've had ideas f doing something similar myself, but have none of the required skills. Are you going to go with a scratch plate? Also have you thought about putting a matching cap on the graphite headstock?[/quote] Thanks for the kind words, I am really enjoying this build and I am pleased so many others on here are as well. Scratchplate wise, I'm thinking of going with a MM four string shaped scratchplate in clear Perspex so as not to hide the lovely maple top. I did think of laminating the headstock, but decided against it as I love the 'technical' look of the graphite weave.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='484117' date='May 10 2009, 12:42 AM']Nice, nice, nice. How did you go about rounding the edges? Take a router round it presumably? And how exactly did you sand the comfort "belly" - that looks to be a pretty good job... very smooth. Good choice of battery box! Just a thought - what are you doing about the back? Are you going to paint it, stain it, leave it natural? Still the best build thread [/quote] Cheers for the support mate, I rounded the edges over with a 1/2" round over bit in the router, and I used the belt sander for the comfort contour. The double battery box was necessity as I want to run the preamp at 18v. I'll be finishing the back and sides in black as well. I've dropped the idea of the faux binding as I fancy the whole 'non more black' look.

[b]Episdode V[/b] - Return of the bass Jedi Today I started by trimming the maple back to the swamp ash and rounding over all the edges. Then I sanded in the comfort 'belly' route on the back of the body Then I routed the edge of the control cavity to recess the cover plate Then I fitted the neck tight into the neck pocket Then I did about four hours of sanding working down through the grades to DIY fine grade. To finish this episode, here's a gratuitous wet maple shot Next will be about another four hours of sanding, before staining, sealing, grain filling and then finally lacquering.