JPJ

[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.

[quote name='JPJ' post='479981' date='May 5 2009, 03:21 PM']Dont they have to be on the piss in comparison to the thru neck? For the string spacing to be wider at the bridge than at the nut, the strings naturally splay out towards the bridge. With a conventional bridge, you hardly notice but on a five string, the B and the G are not at exactly ninety degrees to the saddle. However, the relative size of the string verses the saddle and the short'ish length of string after the saddle, mask the effect. With the single bridge pieces, Ibanez have probably aligned the bridge to the string hence the outer ones looking slightly off in relation to the edge of the through neck.[/quote] Hmmm, just had a look at the picture of the six stringer and these just look generally on the piss. Could it be an access thing, when you have to fit six of them side by side?

Dont they have to be on the piss in comparison to the thru neck? For the string spacing to be wider at the bridge than at the nut, the strings naturally splay out towards the bridge. With a conventional bridge, you hardly notice but on a five string, the B and the G are not at exactly ninety degrees to the saddle. However, the relative size of the string verses the saddle and the short'ish length of string after the saddle, mask the effect. With the single bridge pieces, Ibanez have probably aligned the bridge to the string hence the outer ones looking slightly off in relation to the edge of the through neck.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='479678' date='May 5 2009, 09:05 AM']Result! I'm so glad that maple top worked out for you! (Still hoping I can persuade you to go Tiger Eye...) Yes/No?![/quote] That's very pretty but just a bit too pretty for my tastes I've promised myself a black translucent finish and that's what it's going to be (especially as I've already bought the black grain filler and stain )

[quote name='rockpig' post='479451' date='May 4 2009, 09:54 PM']here are some pictures I have been taking to document the build of the second bass I have made for myself. Started last august been slow progress job gets in the way too much. Just thought I'd share and maybe encourage others to have a crack at knocking one up themselves. the instrument will have a redwood back and front with black walnut body wings and a three piece neck through made of maple and mahogany[/quote] Nice body shape and that headstock looks tasty too. Just a hint of Rickenbacker in the body shape, cant wait to see this one develop.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='478976' date='May 4 2009, 01:23 PM']Nice one Kev! Looking at the last couple of pics I am a bit concerned that you are preparing to tune the bass up already... [/quote] Just checking the natural frequency

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='478713' date='May 4 2009, 12:43 AM']Ha! you didn't think I'd spot this but I have. Liking a Warwick Gibbo/Walesque design is the thin end of the 'wedge', when I call round to yours tomorrow I'll bring a variety of 'W' designs and we'll see if you 'crack'! [/quote] Must resist temptation, must resist.............. Alternatively, I could strap on one of your dimunitive W basses and catch sight of myself in the mirror, that should do the trick Unless I'm mistaken the JB model looks like it has a slightly more conventional body size, so I might just get away with it. Don't tell me you have one of these as well?

[b]RESULT[/b] Just took the clamps off and the maple cap is fine. Its bent over the swamp ash beautifully. I'm well chuffed!

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='478742' date='May 4 2009, 03:32 AM']Hopefully the wood is OK... quick question - how did you go about bending the maple? Presumably there was a little steaming action?! - or at least some sort of heat roller...? (ie you didn't bend the wood with just the wedges did you? STILL one of my favourite threads!![/quote] I opted to soak the top of the maple with boiling water, it was amazing how flexible the maple became, so I'm hoping the crack was the MDF not the maple!

[b]Episode IV[/b] A new hope Today, I made another template and routed out for the control cavity and the battery box. As these were routed from the rear side, I had to use double sided tape to hold the template in place, which is my least favourite method. However, the tape held and there were no expensive slips of the router to report. Then I got me long drill bits out and drilled for the pickup, earth and battery wires. Then, I roughed out the shape of the bass on the maple cap with a jigsaw and covered the top of the body in glue. Then I positioned the top, clamped the maple top between a piece of bass shaped MDF, the maple top, the bass body and then another bass shaped piece of MDF to make a nice sandwich and then clamped the whole thing using bar clamps C clamps G clamps and quick grip clamps. In fact, every clamp I own big enough to clamp the sandwich. Then I bent the maple cap over the front comfort contour using wooden wedges. At one point, whilst tapping in the wedges there was an awful crack. I'm hoping it was the MDF delaminating (as can be seen in the photos) but it could be that the maple has cracked, I wont know for sure until tomorrow when the clamps come off Next step will be to get the clamps off, trim the cap to the final body shape and then start the sanding process.

[quote name='LeftyJ' post='475011' date='Apr 29 2009, 01:05 PM']How about that Warwick Jack Bruce Cream Reunion bass? Lookwise it's somewhere inbetween an EB-0 and a Wal mk I. Tonewise it leans more towards the Gibson but with that typical bright, punchy Warwick edge. [/quote] Dont tell Warwickhunt, but I'd really really like one of those. If only they'd do a five string fretless version for less than the price of a house.......

[quote name='mc2' post='477369' date='May 1 2009, 10:16 PM']-- like a giant bass piston.[/quote] ooh err missus gimblet, that thrusting you can feel is my isobaric bass piston I think secretly, we all need a giant bass piston