Spoombung

Okay, due to popular demand: More tomorrow...

[quote name='steve-soar' post='494545' date='May 21 2009, 06:30 PM']Come on Kev, you can't do this to us, get those pics posted.[/quote] I'll give you the old version for now: Looks a bit like it ...only not as hardboardy.

Okay, the first thing I should say is [b]I HAVE THE NEW BASS IN MY POSSESSION! [/b] But as the light is fading fast and I'd rather wait 'till tomorrow to take some proper shots and give some first impressions of the instrument ....[i]and [/i]I'm too busy playing it anyway...and the kids are howling for their Tesco pizza and cucumber slices....I thought I'd bring you the promised pictures of Mike soldering away with his iron and shielding the inside cavity instead. You all love this stuff (I'm told!) You can tell I'm running close to my Flickr limit because I'm having to compile all the shots in one frame. Gotta leave some space for the money shots tomorrow. More copper sheilding for you, lads and lasses:

I've got the short scale. Nice neck and pretty good sound. The plywood body is a bit of a block and the bridge is quite a poor design. The white tape surrounding the body peeled away within a couple of weeks from purchase. It's nice and light. Cheap and cheerful.

There was a young fellow on this forum who did that course and I seem to remember he spent over a grand on the materials.

[quote name='Sean.Robinson' post='491755' date='May 18 2009, 07:22 PM']Hi, thanks for the link to those videos, a few easy things in there i didnt think to use before, heres the mock up of my shuker i got out of it anyhow [attachment=25493:Mock_up.jpg] sorry its not much help to the OP [/quote] That's extraordinary work. Those videos are excellent.

[quote name='paul h' post='491614' date='May 18 2009, 05:25 PM']Hey presto. It's even better if you use the path tool.[/quote] Thanks, that's handy info. Yeah, that's how I do it anyway - I guess I didn't realise its called a 'layer mask'. Or maybe it isn't?

[quote name='paul h' post='491535' date='May 18 2009, 04:31 PM']One minute into the video...use layer masks people!!!! P.[/quote] I've used Photoshop for years but never understood what a sodding 'layer mask' was. Now I have a feeling I'd have all those lost hours back if I did...

The [i]definative [/i]guide for bass mock-ups with Photoshop: [b]Part 1[/b] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlESs90Ltc4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlESs90Ltc4[/url] [b]Part 2[/b] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjZAs64_hbY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjZAs64_hbY[/url]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='490012' date='May 16 2009, 06:20 PM']Is there a thread for Mike's basses in the porn section? If not who's gonna start one?[/quote] ...I wonder what the hell we'd call it...?

...I'm glad it's not just me who's confused, then!

Another pic from Mike at pest control: and this is the silver [i]Iceni[/i] logo being transferred on the back of the headstock: To be honest, I don't really understand if it's a [i]Zoot[/i] bass or an [i]Iceni [/i]bass or even an [i]Iceni Zoot[/i] bass. I've always found that one of the most unclear aspects of the Mike's operation. Anyway, I'll just have to seek clarification from the main man when I see him on Thursday.

Well, thanks for all the nice comments, guys, but the inevitable has happened: Mike rang me to say the bridge won't be in the workshop 'till Monday (there's been a cock-up at customs with UPS) so I'll have to postpone my trip to Essex 'till Thursday next week - the next time I'm free ... so it should hopefully be ready for my birthday. In the meantime he's promised to send me pics of the neck and electronics being fitted - so no doubt he will be posing with a soldering iron for your entertainment at some point.

[quote name='Prosebass' post='488188' date='May 14 2009, 07:22 PM']Looks like the build photos were photo-shopped as I suspected all along...... [/quote] Come to think of it, I have no actual evidence that a wooden bass exists...

[quote name='steve-soar' post='488172' date='May 14 2009, 07:01 PM']Outstanding work, Private Hopper, outstanding. (Said in the voice of the Drill Sergeant from "Full Metal Jacket"). [/quote] Sir, yes Sir!!!

[quote name='crez5150' post='488164' date='May 14 2009, 06:50 PM']I was up with Mike today...... see the neck to that bass..... ultra narrow...... you really like your necks that narrow??[/quote] Well I really can't see any reason for big spaces between the strings at the top of the neck. You've obviously seen more of my bass than I've seen of it! Do you really like 5 string basses??

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='487792' date='May 14 2009, 12:41 PM']I built a guitar in a day once. I'll have to put some pictures up.[/quote] So did I:

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='487791' date='May 14 2009, 12:40 PM']Go Mike! He IS da man [/quote] ...That's right, that's right! Encourage him all you can!

Well the deadline for completion is [b]TOMORROW [/b](the 15th)! ...[i]aaaand[/i] it's touch and go whether he can make it or not! We're running close to the wire, to say the least. In a desparate effort to meet the deadline the missing bridge has now been ordered via Fedex but [i]still [/i]hasn't arrived yet (as I type)! Oh, it's so exciting I can hardly contain myself. It's like a Bruce Willis movie! Anyway, Mike has sent me some [i]heroic [/i]action shots of him spraying the body with sealer - that's the stuff that goes on before the oil and wax. I hope it's dried by the time I get there tomorrow... come to think of it, it would be nice if it had some fecking strings on it.

Phwoar!

Only these have significance for me which probably says something about my age: [b]Fender Precision[/b]: beer, fags, pub rock, crap nights out [b]Rickenbacker[/b]: Prog [b]Wal[/b]: New Romo, eye make up [b]Fodera[/b]: Americans, bad haircuts, trade shows, [b]Ritter[/b]: Fabergé eggs

Colin Hodgkinson was a big influence on me. Fantastic, underated bassist

Have you looked at Sanberg basses?

...or buy a Stingray, even? It seems to me you can get exactly what you want by making a few changes to the hardware of a standard Fender or Musicman (as Finbar suggests) or you could order the Shuker, pay three times as much and sit back and wait for a year and a half twiddling your fingers. I'd give it another think if I were you...

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='483633' date='May 9 2009, 11:43 AM']I dont like Fenders so yes![/quote] Well...that is a Fender... for all intents and purposes, isn't it? It's the same shape and basic design. It's only my opinion, but custom builds are especially useful for designs you can't buy in the shops and special requirements, ie, non-standard body shapes, non-standard necks and so on. What you have there appears to be something you could obtain instantly (not a year and a half later) from a shop like GAK at more or less a half/third of the price of a custom build. I'm not saying don't do it - of course, go ahead with it if you want. It's a free country afterall!