JohnH89

7 minutes ago, rwillett said:

A number of printer issues has slowed down printing the outside components but it's progressing.

 

Big shoutout to @JohnH89 who has been exceptionally helpful as I struggle through some of the setup. He's been utterly brilliant.

 

The neck is still being setup, am printing another neck shim to try and get things in the right place. I'm also doing the three remaining components, bottom left (control panel), top right and top middle. These aren't that important but give you somewhere to rest your hand

 

 

In deference to @tauzero I have added three strap buttons to the bottom of the bass as well. One in the middle and one either side. I can easily blank any of them off.

 

 

Added in two pickups, these are what I had to hand, though I can use Thunderbird pickups, jazz pickups or probably most others. Not soldered them yet as I need a control panel and thats still printing.

 

I might just have it done for the bass bash.

 

Rob

Glad to see its all coming together mate . I am now back in the land of the internet so will be able to offer (un)helpful comments where appropriate . Its nice to see the neck and hardware in its new incarnation . Keep up the good work .

Somewhere near a P bass position will work for a single pickup . A few mm , or even cm will not hurt . Nearer neck will be darker , nearer bridge will have more treble . There really is no right or wrong . Just get them in and play it and see . Its amazing how much can be done with minor eq changes and right hand position .

57 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

I popped fresh batteries in to give it another go and I dunno what it is, maybe the choice of EQ points for the active preamp but it just doesn’t work for me.

 

Even in passive mode anything other than full tone goes from really bright to mud almost instantly.

 

Of all my basses it’s the one I really struggle to get a range of sounds I like from. I do love the one sound I can get out of it with everything on though. 

TBF , I Iove a thick dubby sound . The 734a works for me for any songs I play . It really is the go to bass for me . It will do pretty anything that I want it to do . 

1 hour ago, MrDinsdale said:

Interesting, the 1024x was darker?

 

Currently torn between the 424x/1024x as I love the metal control plate.

 

I love my 734A but the preamp is a waste of space. Perhaps I can try and swap bodies with a 434 😂

The preamp is far from a waste of space IMO . And its not a lot of space to be fair . You can flick a switch and run it passive . Not sure what is to be gained by a body swap 🤔

Great work dude . The offer of the headless neck is still there when/if you get round to it . The idea that you can make such a thing of beauty , but reckon that a neck would be a step to far is alien to me , but  everyone has their areas of expertise i suppose . I wouldn't have a scooby where to even start with 3D printing . 

No need to be too wary of chinese necks . Who is the seller ? . I've bought a couple over the years and after a bit of finishing they have been fine . Both of the last two have had fingerboards removed and replaced with homemade fretless ones . I do think that you may be a bit tight for 18mm spacing with that neck but would not hurt to have a measure .

To be fair , I wouldn't leave until I've been paid . I'm not easy to say no to , and can be a proper pain in the arse if necessary . 😁

I had them make a slab P bass body some years ago out of baseball bat ash . It weighs a ton , which I expected and have no problem with . Great work from them and a lovely piece of wood . All perfectly as specced and playing it still with a DIY fretless neck conversion . Go for it 😁

Lemmy ! How very dare you .  😁 . Not a bass player as much as  rhythm guitarist who played the bass . Legend

Looking good . Just an idea for you . Lose the choc blocks and get yourself some wago connectors from screwfix or the like . So much quicker and easier if you are changing things around

12 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I beg to disagree.  

Dave

I have to disagree with your disagreement . 😆

I know what I agree on . Can't speak for the rest of you .......😁

Shim at bridge end of neck pocket . Business card or similar . 1/2 in or so wide and full width of pocket . Don't be led down the rabbit hole of full pocket shims , angled shims or horror stories of ski jump necks . Seriously , this has been done for years by major manufacturers with no ill effects . 

9 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Is there are a particular make/model of Irish bouzouki you'd recommend for someone starting out? It's something I've been thinking about getting too, so was interested when this thread popped up!

McNeela or Ozark will get you in the ballpark . Decent instruments .

Personally I'd go for the Irish bouzouki . Longer scale length sounds better to my ear . Both are beautiful sounding instruments . The only place I can think of to try them out would be a branch of Hobgoblin music . I don't know if you have one reasonably local . 

Please take his tools away .

7 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

Basschat is coming pretty close to being dead to me. 

 

Almost every thread turns into a pointless bitch fest which has little or nothing to do with the original post. 

 

It's all getting rather tedious. 

And yet you still feel the need to post . That is my contribution to the 'bitchfest' .😁

I have a very good idea what mine would say 😁 . But not in polite company .

Another vote for Scottish power . Taking incompetence to another level . But favourite of all is an energy company called BES . Criminally dishonest . Failed to honour a contract that put me out of business. I won't go into details here . Customer service was like trying to reason with a seagull . May they all rot in hell .

No pressure mate . Let me know when/if you get round to it .👍

If you ever are tempted to go for a headless , message me as I have a Nova headless bridge and headpiece that is no longer being used . It is a marvellous design by a member on here @Andre_Passini. I am happy to donate to the right cause . There may even be a neck in it for you ....

The bass is looking spot on by the way . 😀

Amazon . Hate them with a passion for a whole lot of reasons I won't go into here . And as its a bass forum , Sterling . Never , ever again . 

Hipshots that I have used have a hole in the middle . Just cut string 4in or two tuners past the one you want , bend the last 1/2 at 90 degrees , insert in hole , tune to pitch . I may be missing something ................

5 hours ago, rwillett said:

Thanks very much, keep hold of the vaneer for the moment. I'm going to focus on getting it built and working. Fripperies such as veneer backed headstocks are way down the list. It will work and sound fine without the walnet backing or I hope it will.

 

Agreed . I don't have enough to do a whole headstock left anyway . Lets get on with the proof of concept idea first . Crack on mate . I'm waiting with bated breath ....

Here is the guy I bought it from  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183424553423?var=691735066632

When the time comes ....

I'd come up and do it for ya but I'm at the other end of the country mate . I'll have a look and see if I have any of the walnut veneer left . If I have I'll send it up . 😁 . It will be my small contribution to your most excellent project . When I needed bushes for some hipshot ultralites , I used some carbon fibre tubing . I was lucky that I found some with the right ID/OD .

Bison wax is expensive but I have it in the workshop . Furniture wax / beeswax or something similar is fine .

I am sure that you could print a laminate in plastic , already shaped and with holes for the machine heads . Or even with the reducing bushes as part of it . Glue , clamp , job done . Even put a logo of your choice on the back of the headstock . Just a thought .