Cosmicrain

Mark's custom build 32" scale Zoot bass ZB-1000, is almost finished. Here I have just applied two coats of clear sealer to his very special "Roasted flame maple & Purple heart" neck. I think the top coats when applied will at depth to the flame.

No worries Mark, It's a pleasure to work on it. Mike.

More work done to the custom "roasted Maple/Purple heart" neck for Marks Zoot ZB-1000 custom build. Mark asked me to do a soft 'V' profile at the nut end of the neck running into a flattened 'C' profile at the heal end. Sort of like a vintage Wal feel at the nut end morphing into a modern 'C' at the body end. I have now done the basic shaping to achieve this, and I'm pleased to report that it all went swimmingly well, a good result all round.

The neck is now done and just waiting for final fitting of the small brass adjusters that go in the adjustable brass top nut, and the string retainer. Oh, and in real life the headstock is the same colour as the fingerboard, I think it was the fluorescent light above causing it to look slightly darker.

I finally got the double battery box blocked up and filled in with a piece of swamp ash off cut and topped with polyester filler. I have given the back of the bass some black polyester finish. The back of the body is now sanded flat and ready to have it's final hi-gloss black coating. It's going to look great with the book-matched front that Joe picked from my stock of exotic tops.

When Matt visited my workshop, he decided to go for a sunburst type finish and he also decided to give the bass a retro vintage look with a chrome control plate and Tort' scratch plate. Well today I finished the base colours and sealer coats. I now only have the top clear polyester coats to do and then a flat and polish to finish the paint job. Here's how the sunburst colours went.

As I recently brought another new CNC earlier this year to help with my Zoot bass business, I was thinking (and only thinking) of doing a very small run of light weight Purple-Chili cabs to use up my stock of ultralite 12mm & 15mm ply etc that was/is left over from my Purple-Chili cab/amp building days. As I said, only thinking at the moment.

Yes, I'm also pleased with the way the fingerboard has taken up the oil finish. Against the Gold frets I think it looks fab.

Fret work done.

Gold fret wire..................... Jescar FW55090 EVO Mark was looking for something different this time, so he asked me to fit some EVO gold frets.

Well today I had a delivery from Finland. A brilliant hand made pair of Aria SB-1000 pickups, and a delivery of Jascar gold fret wire. One of the pickups is for Marks Zoot ZB-1000 custom build (as is the gold fret wire), the other pickup is to go into my stock in-case anyone else facies a Zoot with an Aria flavour.

I try my best Mark. That's all I can do matey....

A couple more pic's, this time from the bass side of the neck.

The headstock has now been reduced and radius-ed up to the top nut position. I have also, using two different radius blocks (24" & 16") given the fingerboard a compounded radius. It's now ready for a thin clear sealer coat on the fingerboard and then the fretwork begins.

The custom made 5 string T.bird pickups have arrived. Big thanks to Mike Rose for making these little beauties, Note the non standard 4 core custom wiring.

Here's a few pictures of the black edge binding and white side dots being fitted to the neck. All I need to do now is the fingerboard radius and fretting job, and that part of the neck/fingerboard is done.

I had a chance this morning to fit the block inlays. Here they are being fitted and glued.

Been busy with my CNC, programming and cutting Matt's black block inlays. Note the small tabs to stop them flying across the workshop. In all a good job.

Delivery today from Carl (Prostheta) of 2 X BB noise killer pre's 2 X harnesses and 2 X jacks. Many thanks Carl for your quick service from Finland. I'm looking forward to making the Varitone switch/s to marry up with these. One set is for Marks bass (as being discussed here) and the other set is a spare set for me to play with in the workshop (possibly to make another Zoot Bass ZB1000.

Yes, so far this has been a great bass to build.

Unfortunately he is still saying Paypal only, and he has a banner on his website home page also saying no new orders until October. Oh well, we will wait and see what happens..

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

I think it's going to be a great bass, and a very interesting build.

Welcome, and enjoy the site. Also Essex.

Hi, and thanks for mentioning the bass that was for sale on eBay earlier this week. This particular bass was in fact a bass I built as a demo/stock bass and was not a commissioned bass. Regards, Mike.