Rexel Matador

It's all good - the guitar is important. After all, if the guitar hadn't been invented, it would have been impossible for us to go on to realise that it had two strings too many and was a few inches too short, correct said errors and invent the bass.

Looking forward to seeing it unfold.

I'm making one at the moment - I'll let you know!

I know it would work in theory. I was just wondering if anyone had an idea of if/how it would affect the tone. I would just go ahead and try it if pickup winding wasn't such a tedious process!

What would happen if you wound a humbucker like this - in two squares instead of two lines. Would it make any difference at all?

.

6 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

You wound your own PUPs didn't you?

Did you make sure the magnets in each PUP were opposite polarity? One north up, one north down?

Check they are as it is part of the humbucking effect.

I did indeed. Now I've reworked the shielding, it's definitely improved.

35 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Ref the sound - try wiring the two pickups in series.  It can often transform the sound a bass and should need only a couple or so of resolders...

It has a series parallel switch already. Parallel mode isn't doing much for me but I might find a use for it one day!

Since my earlier posts I've re-done the shielding and the fret dressing, both of which have improved matters greatly. And as far as the sound goes, I'm used to p pickups so I think it was just a matter of figuring out the new amp settings I needed. They need a little more help from the eq controls - far too middy with everything flat, but I've got it sounding pretty good now.

2 minutes ago, durhamboy said:

OK, not suggesting that you should aim to fool yourself, but this is a unique design with some experimental features. Consider it more of a prototype (it often takes a lot of tweaking, or several attempts to refine a new model) and take all the positives from it you can and all the things you regard as failings are things to learn from.

Yes, you should be proud, but also recognize that realizing the shortcomings of the build is important. It means you have a critical eye and approach. Which means your builds and skills should improve.  

Thanks, I really needed and appreciated that 🙂 You're absolutely right of course, it's all part of the ongoing experiment that this bass-building rabbit-hole is and always will be!

I have learned so much from this project and there are aspects of it that are miles better than my earlier builds.

Just now, Pea Turgh said:

Looks awesome!  What don’t you like about it then?

Despite endless measuring and checking the strings weren't aligned correctly. As I couldn't really move the neck pocket, I had to move the bridge. You'll see it now I've pointed it out.

Secondly, the homemade pickups don't sound great (to be expected, I suppose, but I was lulled into a false sense of security/hubris, having made a P-Bass pickup that actually sounded quite good - beginners luck perhaps.

Also it's a bit buzzy - I have read everything there is to read about shielding, grounding etc, but it really seems to be something of a crapshoot for me - sometimes they turn out absolutely fine!

It's a strange feeling - I should be very proud of what I've achieved (and in a way, I am) - this is only the fourth bass I've built - but as you can imagine, I was really hoping to be happier with what I found when I plugged it in 😆

Ok, no more wonky stick, it's done. It's a lovely looking thing but I bit off way more than I could chew with this one. I'm going back to basics for the next one for two reasons - a) to get a real sense of my progress since the first one and b) because I actually need another solid giggable bass!

Just now, Stub Mandrel said:

I'll be glad when the neck replaces that wonky stick 🙂

Me too!

The loud end is all hooked up. One volume and a series/parallel switch for the pickups. I was originally just going to wire them in series like one big humbucker, but I decided this was a neater way to do it and also gives me another tone to play with - which can't be bad as I have no idea what it's going to sound like as yet. I plugged it in just to make sure it actually makes noise and it does, so that's something!

Edit: I've only just noticed that the grain on the back follows the curve of the lower bout. I'd love to say that was deliberate, but it's a happy accident!

Finally got that second pickup wound and couldn't resist a test fitting. We're getting there!

A bit more finish on the neck, fret job (yawn), nut, wiring, strap buttons, set up, play!

And everything else this guy plays

6 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

When I was much younger there was a cork self adhesive thumb rest...

Now there's is this : https://m.thomann.de/gb/kala_u_bass_thumbrests.htm

Good lord that is an expensive blob of plastic!

I use the TU3 in the first position on my pedal board and have no issues with it, even tuning as low as Bb - so it sounds to me like yours is faulty. Do you know anyone else who has one that you could try to see if you get the same result?

21 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

You are right and ... wrong. When the OP started the thread, this Ibanez range wasn't available and the EHB's were firstly advertised with much noise as fan(ned) frets basses... Even if the range also covers regular fretted basses, of course. 

Ah I see - that all makes sense - it didn't occur to me that the original question predated the release.

The Ibanez EHB range seems to fit the bill with regard to the original post - a range of full body headless basses around the £1000 mark.

I was surprised no-one had mentioned it so apologies if a) someone already has and I didn't spot it or b) I have misunderstood what the OP is after 😆

Although I now realise that's immaterial because were talking about coherence within a given instrument

7 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

Have no regrets.

Your design style is evolving into something more coherent, that's all.  With a couple more under your belt you will have a well refined instrument.

Perhaps, although the next one I have planned is completely different 😆

1 hour ago, durhamboy said:

Very pretty. I especially like the sound holes mirroring the headstock.

Thank you! Yeah, I really wish I'd thought that through and made them match a bit better - ie made the sound holes a bit more rounded (or the headstock holes a bit sharper, for that matter). Next time perhaps 

Starting to oil the body and neck. The walnut is coming alive!

1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

Enjoying Concierto very much, cheers.

I'm glad to hear it - I discovered it by accident a long time ago. The opening track is one of my favourite songs of all time, jazz or otherwise.

My girlfriend used to have it set as the alarm on her phone, and despite having been wrenched awake to those opening notes every weekday for about three months, I'm still not tired of it. That slide Carter does in the opening bar is just perfect.

I always loved Pithecanthropus Erectus by Charles Mingus. I'm no Jazz expert but it always seemed to me that you could really feel the effect of the bass player being the band leader - it has a certain stomp to it.

Not a bass player led album, but Ron Carter's bass playing on Jim Hall's Concierto is a delight.

Neck is sanded and fretted. The first attempt at fretting was a bit of a disaster and led to me having to plane down the fretboard (necessitating a redo of the inlays as well) and start again. It all seems ok now and has left me with a slightly shallower neck profile which is a bonus.

I usually do the logo with a branding iron but as this wood will finish up quite dark it's not ideal, so instead, I forced the branding iron into the wood with a vice, making an indent, and put silver leaf in it. It's not perfect but I'm pretty happy with it for an experiment.

I'm now using epoxy putty to try and make an accurate neck pocket template. I've attempted this once before and it worked pretty well, so it should be fine.

I still need to wind that second pickup, but it's getting there!

The build is plodding along, life permitting - here is a mock up of sorts - the woodwork is basically done except the neck pocket and lots and lots of sanding. The pickup covers and knob have finish on them already, so hopefully the fretboard will pretty much match them in the end.

The neck is only very roughly carved, but I'll probably get it done this weekend

Same goes for the headstock

I only had white side dot sticks. I could have bought black ones, but I still had a bunch of walnut plugs so...

I'd hoped they'd match the neck a bit better, but it remains to be seen how it looks once it's sanded and finished. I'm sure it'll look cool, colour match or otherwise. All in all, it's coming together. I just have to wind the second pickup and wait for payday so I can buy all the remaining hardware (tuners, strap locks, neck ferrules and of course, strings)