SpondonBassed

Light gauge strings sound good with the right pickups. You will get more bend than Beckham too.

Mmm yes. Stealthy as a Killer Whale. Heeheehee. It does look good though. If it had concealed pick ups or a piezo bridge it would keep those clean lines. With only the strings to come between the bass and the onlooker, it'd have an intriguing darkness about it. May I christen it The Orca Bass?

I started recording myself again for the first time in over thirty years. It's well worth doing. I was lucky to get a heavily discounted pocket Zoom recorder during the Maplin sales prior to their closure. It's got lots of storage potential even in the higher formats and it is a handy field recorder. I had also been using a disabled smart 'phone (it's now a dedicated recording device) to video myself and assess my posture. The sound was okay on that too. It's so easy compared to when I used four track cassettes that I'd strongly recommend it to anyone, regardless of experience. You can develop bad habits and this will help identify them before they become a burden.

Are you a giant Saved? That looks (almost) manageable in your hands. I'm not so sure my stature would cope as well. Those light gauge strings look like they aren't going to be hard on the fretting fingers. Are you staying with those gauges?

Heretic! Burn him, burn him. (I'd go with the black pickguard)

@Christinecommented on the way the curved blade of a spokeshave is the exception to the hollow ground ethos that is universal with planes, chisels and the like. She says, and I hope she will put me right on this, a convex ground edge works better in this situation and allows more control of the cutting angle of the spokeshave because you can pivot on the curved region of the blade. The few times that I tried it, I found it difficult. I hadn't had the benefit of Christine's knowledge. I haven't got the knack yet because it felt that the blade was somehow wrong for the job. In the light of Christine's explanation, it makes sense and I will work with the curve next time rather than struggle because of it.

That's an interesting comment. I neither look forward to nor enjoy the little mishaps and let-downs that accompany most builds. They do happen and you could say that it is almost an inevitable part of every build. The interesting thing is that they happen at all levels of skill and experience. Without them though, we'd learn a lot less from the experiences of our fellows who face these challenges. The successful completion of each build diary is the goal. The contrast between the lows and the highs of a build gives each story a dynamic. Those who intend to build or who have had their own plans take a swerve due to unforeseen circumstances find out how their contemporaries work around stuff as it occurs. The solutions are the silver that lines those darker clouds. I think Honza has had his share of those on this build but he's not one to let that get in the way. It is rare to see comments like "The assembly was straight forward everything went together just right." as we've recently seen in @JohnDaBass's build - Relic 51 & 3/4s Tele-P. That's cool too. It means that the builder can get onto the next build sooner. (No pressure John, heeheehee).

Welcome TripleB67.

Welcome Billy. Good to see someone hit the ground running, so to speak. It's a great question for a topic all of its own in the General Discussion part of the forum where more people will see it.

I especially like your metalwork Saved. The instrument as a whole looks great! I'd love to see a clip of it on YT or similar.

I can't advise you as to pickguard vs no pickguard nor cuff vs no cuff because I don't have an eye for these. It is good to see a build go together well though and that's what I really like. I am especially tickled by the notion of the 3D printed part coming into the mix. Well done to both members involved!

I had one of those last year. I didn't ask him to teach me, he just sort of took it upon himself to change everything about the way I played. I'd only asked to go around to his gaff to record his set for me to practice with at home so that I'd have a start on accompanying him on an Open Mic night or two. It turned into lessons and I never got my recording in the end. Both of us were therefore wasting our time. Thankfully he bailed and I didn't have to blow him out as a result. He meant well but had some very rigid ideas. I feel you.

They look like a better idea than the plain fingertip extensions. How are you getting on with them?

Some teachers try to mould you into their image of what is good and proper in a given subject. Others listen to what you say and then work with what they have in front of them. It sounds like you got the former when you needed the latter. Hard luck. Keep trying though. There are lots of good teachers who don't automatically make you feel like you are back in short trousers again.

There is a pleasing asymmetry to it whilst maintaining the strings in line as you say. The photo angle above captures it from an angle that shows off the parallel mounting of the E, A, G and B string tuners

It's good work but I suppose it can be seasonal. I'm a hobby bassist only. It's been keeping me out of trouble since I came back to it. I'd had thirty years break after I quit the band in my early twenties. It's great when I get an opportunity to play ensemble but I am not looking to gig regularly. Good to hear you got your music. I enjoyed the film version of LSoH. Break legs as they say.

Welcome Sam.

I think we're all with you on that Andy. Take a deep breath... and relax. You've made some superlative instruments to date. I really LOVE your headstock. The tuner alignment is what's caught my eye. I haven't seen that anywhere else. Is it original? It's bl**dy good!

I know what to call it now: If you had a barrow, you'd never set it down lad. Heeheehee. I don't mean that in a bad way, relax. It's admirable to see someone who has the tools and the time to experiment in this way.

Me too. (If it's the one I think it is)

Has anyone else got a dentist like this? Welcome to the forum Mikey. Are you a pit bassist then?

The Beano has changed since I last read it.

Slapping? I thought that was the sound of udders and teats flapping about. I'll go and have another listen. Thanks for putting me right.

That's something worth remembering. I'd hate to have an accident with a genuine classic bass sometime down the line.

Why do you consider it a bad habit?