Al Heeley

Thats a neat idea, I'm just contemplating the same issue with the 'Baker at the moment. In the past I've got Dot Rods from Small Wonder Music, who also supply various inlays [url="http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/shop/default.asp"]http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/shop/default.asp[/url]? I was just looking for something a bit different. Seems hardly worth it when you only want to order 6 inches of white plastic rod.

I may swap them...

I've got me marshall 150 combo to sell - not one single interested post since crimbo [sniff]

Thx for the encouraging comments, Prose. Of course I remain a garage-based enthusiast builder, but each one I build really extends the knowledge and the practice. Not yet able to give up the day job but its worth a dream ain't it? [quote name='jonthebass' post='401767' date='Feb 6 2009, 09:16 AM']Al, where do you buy the tone wood from please fella?[/quote] Almost exclusively from John Boddy Specialist Timber up in Boroughbridge. Very cold warehouse this time of year but a huge selection of exotic and interesting woods. [quote]The return of the eggs! They've been sadly missing from your RickenBaker build![/quote] I have been aware of the absence of comedy eggs during the 'Baker build. It's a combination of prolific omelette eating in the household together with supply shortages at the village shop brought about by adverse weather conditions. I hoipoe to address this issue shortly after the routing has begun.

I've been requested to bring the fanned fret five and the 'Baker work-in-progress. Will be happy to do that as they all like to be stroked, but I'm a bit in awe of the 'proper builders' that will be present at the bash! I spent some time rewiring the zebra, went for a master tone, master vol, pickup blend, had a big search for a proper blend pot and learnt a lot of geeky stuff about why they never really work very well on passive circuits, the great John East then very kindly sent me a 'proper' blend pot and I also added a series/parallel mini switch. I thought the blend pot thing would be an ideal config for this sort of guitar but found out that its too much of a compromise - much prefer the classic jazz bass controls. Will be switching back to them again at some stage. i may also get round to slimming the neck down a bit more when the 'baker is finished.

One final pic of the front

Pickups finally arrived this afternoon. (GFS Jazz Pro set) Got the body routed for them, lined the ctrl cavity with copper shielding and got her all wired up. She'll be taken thru her paces at tonight's rehersal. Really looking forward to hearing how she sounds. Nice and comfortable playing position, neck could be a little thinner up beyond the 12th fret but on the whole I'm really pleased how this one came together.

Sanding and shaping continues. Small recess routed for bridge. Another 1/4 cm taken off the neck thickness, body/neck join tidied up.

Here she is fretted and position markers fitted. First time fretting for me so a bit nervous but it went smoother than I dared to imagine. No fancy tools just a hammer with a good few folds of cloth over the head, seemed to do the trick quite nicely. Once the bridge position is finalised and the nut filed down, I can add a tiny bit of camber to the neck if I need to, before gluing on the wings. Ctrl cavity now routed plus jack socket and walnut cover fashioned from a left over piece of the neck laminate, routed down to 4mm thick.

End-on, body wings contoured, sanded and Danish-oiled

Grain's starting to come up nice...

Got the wood for the body wings. They had a 30% off sale on american mahogany plus a couple of planks of Zebrano, so this shows them sandwiched together and the rough shape cut out.

Here's some pics of my first neck-thru bass build, a Zebrawood 4-string with Jazz Bass pup config. 34" scale, 4-string 24-fret with a core of maple and walnut. Wenge fretboard from Simo [UK GB forum], wings of the body yet to be decided, but I'll probably end up with mahogany. The body shape will be a slightly scaled-down Warmoth Gecko style. Electrics will be jazz bass or similar pickups using the P-J blend wiring with a simple 3 knobs for master vol, master tone and blend pot from neck to bridge pup.

Is there a chance there is a faulty truss rod in the neck and that would make it a cheap seconds purchase? Have you tried coaxing the neck with muscle power and then backing that up with a general truss rod tightening? Maybe its an old fashioned truss rod type and they havent routed enough of a convex channel fot the rod to sit in so its not bowing as it should when its tightened. i'm speculating. But possibly not accumulating.

Good man, was just about to direect you to this earlier post: (which you probably found...) [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34233"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34233[/url]

I'm quite excited. Wings are glued on to the core now and planed level. Here's a pic showing the walnut back. Starting to look like a bass now

Heh - interesting paradox there - use PVA glue to seal the MDF and stop the PVA, err, glue from soaking in. White wood glue we all know and love is PVA. Dilute it down with 2 parts of water and you can brush it on as a primer/sealer.

Normal scale length for a bass is 34 inches, guitars are 24.5 to 25.5 inches, then you have to add on 6 or 7 inches for the headstock and a few inches for the heel. Average body size is max 14" across and up to 18" long (from the heel to the tip of the upper horn) - these dimensions are very rounh. Most guitar bodies are in the order of 45mm thick. need anything more specific?

I've tidied up my collection of passive switch box schematics and pasted them all together, hopefully these may be of use to people who want to have a bash at wielding a soldering iron and put one of these incredibly useful little boxes together themselves. [b]Passive Switch Wiring[/b] 9V battery powers the LED indicators thru a 2k resistor Uses combinations of 3PDT and DPDT switches X-grounding for noise suppression where appropriate Where not indicated, jackplug earths are grounded out together 1. [b]A/B[/b] switch allows switching between 2 inputs into one output (eg: switch between 2 guitars in a gig without having to unplug) or use in reverse with one input switching between 2 outputs, eg: 1 guitar into either of 2 amps or amp/tuner, or select pedal chain or bypass for example. Can also use as an iin-line mute pedal. 2. [b]A/B/Y[/b] switch allows AND/OR config: one guitar into either amp A OR amp B OR both at same time. Note: Can be used in reverse as A/B box but not recommended for 2 inputs simultaneously into one amp - guitars will interfere and cause hum. 3. [b]A/B+X/Y[/b] switch allows A or B choice on input and X or Y choice on output, for example, choose one of 2 guitars on stage into one of 2 different amps, 1 of 2 guitars into either amp or tuner (will mute amp) 4. [b]A/B/C[/b] switch allows one of 3 guitars into 1 amp or in reverse, 1 input into either of 2 amps or a tuner for example. Switch 1 chooses between A and (B or C). Switch 2 chooses either B or C. 5. [b]Feedback/Loop[/b] switch selects to either bypass or route signal thru an effects box with option to blend some of the 'wet' signal back into the effect loop (level set by 250k pot) or leave it 'one-pass'.

STICKER please - got the all clear from the boss for a day pass. Look forward to seeing you all

I have a marshall Bass State combo 150 (1 x 15) that is currently for sale, 7 band eq, blend between solid state and valve pre-amp. Been gogged for a year. Versatile tone, good workhorse. I have recently upgraded to a bigger rig and need to sell this now.

I see what you mean, the wood is gorgeous but that ctrl plate just leaves it looking unfinished somehow. Needs fretting too.

Go here for a full scale P-bass pickguard template in pdf form. [url="http://www.terrapinisland.com/pdf3/PDF010609-FPB4.pdf"]http://www.terrapinisland.com/pdf3/PDF010609-FPB4.pdf[/url] They have a template for a musicman/OLP as well so you could use that to estimate distance of pickup to bridge.

[quote name='Prosebass' post='399940' date='Feb 4 2009, 01:27 PM']Would be good to see this bass at the Yorkshire Bass Bash if you can make it over to Harrogate.[/quote] Have applied to the wife for a day pass but due to the RickyBaker build there are talks of neglect in the household, which may preclude me from the grand event. If I get the ok I shall definitely come along to meet you all.