donslow

2 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

A bit like my Vantage:

That is nice! Unfortunately for me, fretless isn’t really my bag, tried it, liked it a little but not enough to warrant keeping a fretless in the ranks

46 minutes ago, Richard R said:

https://bassgears.com/collections/biarnel/products/biarnel-prassi-neroneronero

I prefer yours though.

Thankyou boss, That is nice though! Quite like the no fret markers thing it has!

36 minutes ago, Si600 said:

Black tapewounds. You'd never find them though 😉

Ha ha a challenge I sense...

On 21/06/2020 at 19:20, Si600 said:

Black fret markers on a black fretboard.

Toying with the idea of a set of either green or pink DR strings...

On 21/06/2020 at 19:20, Si600 said:

Black fret markers on a black fretboard.

Ebonising the fretboard you say?!

this could be an idea....

PM’d

Hey all I’ve just built a bass from parts, put it al together and I’ve got buzzing and same notes on several frets up and down the neck, think I’m in need of a fret level but I’ve no idea how to do it myself.

is there anyone In the Essex area(s) that might be able to have a look for me at all?

many thanks in advance

1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

That looks absolutely beautiful.  Good choice with the colour - really adds something on this one

It was a pleasure to work on and you've taken it to a whole new level after that  

Black screws for pickups and nail varnish on the pole pieces next I reckon

1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

And the strings all line up!  

I must mention to MrsAndyjr1515 that I can SOMETIMES put things together straight... 

Perfectly so if I may add?!

2 hours ago, donslow said:

It’s fair to say I’m not a patient man by any stretch of the imagination...

...So I’ve been putting her together as she is now...few more setup tweaks, find some new knobs and put the truss rod cover back on...pleased as punch!

Can’t plug her in yet, little ones decided they wanted to sleep the gits!!!

anyway, her she is pre-proper finishing...

thank you @Andyjr1515 for the sterling filling/routing work and anyone else that has given advice to help me finish technically, my first bass build (please excuse the wayward cat fluff in the the pictures)

now to finish my ‘51 slab precision build...onwards and upwards as they say...

7 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

As the owner of a bass that was originally matt black, I can confirm that it will eventually buff up to a semi-gloss with playing.

I’m a fan of matte finishes anyway so know exactly what you mean

It’s fair to say I’m not a patient man by any stretch of the imagination...

Currently toying with idea of going for a flat / matte finish instead of a gloss

hmmm...

Thankyou sir! Couldn’t have done it without your expertise

So...

Lockdown = boredom

I fancy a new plaything...time for a reassessment of the basses and guitars I actually use...

It dawned on me that I rarely pick up my Highway One precision bass in favour of my Ibanez because, no matter how long I’ve had it, and regardless of the change from precision neck to jazz neck, it has always felt a bit of a chore to play! 

How can I get that glorious p sound from an Ibanez but still keep the Ibanez?! Lightbulb moment...What if could put a p pickup in the Ibanez?! Surely it’d sound close enough?!

A few messages to the BC collective later I had a “yeah, I could do that” for our very own luthier wizard @Andyjr1515

Highway One up on the classifieds...SOLD!

SR300 disassembled

SD Quarter Pound PJ pickup set ordered

Ordered new loom from @KiOgon

Body and pups in the post on their way for Andy to do his thing, separate thread for the work here

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/434728-small-job-for-a-basschatter/

Meanwhile I started the prep on the neck for painting

Neck sanded flat and taken back to bare wood, primer on, and painting begins...

Had a few issues with my spraying area but once again, the clever souls of this very forum came to the rescue

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/432737-painting-issue-help/

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/434263-have-i-just-fluffed-it-truss-rod-content/

Issues overcome and we’re back on track!

Painting of the neck is completed and now I’m just running around the house like a big kid at Christmas waiting for the body and pickups to get back to me...

Body is here!! Really happy with the work carried out!
Masking up...
Filling of chips...

More sanding...

More priming...

More sanding...

More priming...

Ready for paint...4 days of rain forecast! Nadgers!

Suns out for a couple of days! with advice heeded, first and second coats go on! Looking good! Third coat of paint followed by a forth and I think I’m done here for now...

Most pleased with the results so far! 

New lesson learnt...lay the body/neck/whatever flat when painting, I found, for me anyway, I get a much more even cover without all the drip marks

Currently letting the parts hang and dry/cure for a few days whilst I wait for micro mesh and polishing compound to turn up in the post...standby folks, this is where it’s all going to go wrong...

So, I’ve painted a couple of bodies and a neck with nitro (One just paint, one paint and clear tinted lacquer) which are currently drying/curing...

I’m after getting a nice glossy finish. As I understand it, I need to sand flat with 1200 wet and dry, it’s the next bit I’m getting a bit confuddled with...

how do I get a glossy finish?!

increasingly worried about getting “run through” so a fairly hesitant to use an abrasive compound/polish, first time doing this really so a little nervous to say the least,
can anyone suggest any tips/advice  or recommend any products to use to get a glossy finish?!

many thanks in advance

4 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Now we can look forward to a continuation thread from @donslow.

 

Look at  me being Mr Passive/Aggresive. Certainly not my intention - just hopeful.

Ha ha I’ve got two basses and (whispers) a Stratocaster?!?!? Build on the go at the minute so will be adding to the build diaries with two topics when they’re all done...

1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

And all done, packed up ready to return

Here was the final result:

 

So, to a few household tasks, and then on to the guitar bouzouki. 

 

And to preempt your question - I've got no idea  

Looks amazing! Thankyou again @Andyjr1515

Looks amazing @Andyjr1515,  can’t thank you enough for the sterling work

8 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

If passive how are you wiring?

Vol / Blend / Tone?

250k AT / 500k MN / 250k Lin No Load?

(Been reading on here, Bourns Site and Farnell Catalogue - Thinking of outing the PHAT 2...)

I had considered plugging the holes and doing just that, I had a chat with @KiOgon in regards to looms and he suggested

”I suggest a 2 volume and 2 tone setup with 0.1uF on the P pup and .047uF on the J, gives you a wide spread of tones and versatile blending”

so I got him busy on making that, as luck would have it, had “a drawer full” of alpha mini pots which also saves me having to drill the holes to a bigger size

so as it stands, neck is painted, wiring loom is on its way, @Andyjr1515 is sorting the body for me, the paint is standing by for the body when I get it back!

will definately post Finished results when it’s all ready to go again

I’m going to use the existing hardware for now but considering a change to either black or gold (neck is and body will be black)
 

I’ve found someone that makes foil stick on headstock decals/badges so a direct replacement to what was on there, if I go gold hardware, the decal will match, any other colour will either be matte silver or “chromed silver”, again, undecided currently...

Wow! So many things to think of that wouldn’t have even crossed my mind! 
looking really good so far!

I have sent you a PM regarding the battery box hole

I have a Roswell ‘51 precision pickup up for grabs

pickup is for spares or repair, being a heavy handed goon I tried installing it and the bottom plate has come away snapping the coil windings in the process

cover the postage and it’s yours...

Thankyou again @Andyjr1515 looking great already, looking forward to seeing it progress to completion

16 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Was is manchesterguitartech you used in the first place, @donslow?

If so, then either of the two colours would be fine (if I was going to add the tinted clear, I would personally go for the desert sand) and they could be sprayed directly over this, using this as your primer.  The manchesterguitartech paints are good quality and their solids would, I'm pretty sure, cover the shadings after only a couple of coats.

If the original is another brand, then yes - sand it fully off first, just in case there are compatibility problems, and use a primer coat, preferably white.

The original paint was from northwest guitars, I’m led to believe It’s much the same paint and that there should be no incompatibility issues, new paint arriving tomorrow so we shall see :-s

Unsure about pickguard at the minute, quite like the plain was of it but then a pickguard also adds a little something, want to get the finish sorted and then decide on the guard really