bremen Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I like this story. I've built three Warmoth basses. The fretless was gorgeous from the minute I bolted it together, ebony fingerboard on goncano alves (<---- is that right? looks like the name of some sort of psychedelic plant) that didn't need any finishing as it's an oily wood. The 5 string fretted instrument needed work from a real luthier, who got rid of all the fret buzz and made it really beautifully playable. The 4 string still rattles and buzzes; sometimes I feel it's a part of its character, other times it's annoying so I guess I should get the frets dressed at some point. Agreed that 4+1 looks alot better than 5 in a row on a Fendery headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Looks nice. You're always going to get problems fitting a bass together for the first time. It's just the way things work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 [quote name='EdwardHimself' post='1303350' date='Jul 14 2011, 12:43 PM']Looks nice. You're always going to get problems fitting a bass together for the first time. It's just the way things work.[/quote] Not really. This is Warmoth - the company which claims to do Fender direct replacements etc. I was a little disappointed that my Fender plate did not fit, as it meant that I needed to get the Warmoth one after I had already done all the ordering, postage costs and all that. Now, my first build, that was a whole other story. I bought bits and bobs from all sorts of places and made by all sorts of different companies and everything fit together. It wasn't until years later that I had learned enough to realise how amazingly lucky I was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 (edited) Bass wired up. I haven't played a passive bass in years. The bass sounds great. I had a good play for a bit, but... [quote name='JimBobTTD' post='1279332' date='Jun 23 2011, 09:05 AM']Strings are on the bass going through the body. I don't quite know how, but I put the strings on really badly. I cut them too short and so there are not even a full winding on the posts for most of them.[/quote] ...then the D string started playing up again and will not say tuned at all. I really cannot believe I managed to knacker an entire set of strings. What was I thinking? Was I so tired that my you-are-too-tired-to-be-doing-this senses were closed? I took off the D string and put it on the bridge, but it [i]still [/i]won't stay on the tuner. The E string rattles too and needs a retainer. Anyway, all done except for the string retainers which have now been ordered. I have a set of D'Addario Chromes which I shall put on when the string retainers get here. Then a thorough setup is needed - the nut needs filing, truss rod needs a good tweak, bridge needs adjusting and so on. She's a real looker. Pictures when everything is done and dusted. Edit to add: [quote name='JimBobTTD' post='1107834' date='Jan 30 2011, 09:25 AM']I have a blues project on the horizon [...][/quote] Which, as of Tuesday, is not going to happen. But I shall make another happen! Edited July 14, 2011 by JimBobTTD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 Since my last update, the string retainers have arrived and I have put them on. The headstock now looks like this: ...which was not as easy as I had thought. I used this pic as a reference but found that the Warmoth neck has slightly less space between the nut and the B-string tuner. Never mind. Right now, the bass is back on my bench. I have filed the nut on the B and E strings, but realised that the tools I have are not suitable for the other slots and I really want to do this properly. It is also hight time that I bought a proper set of files, so I did. When they arrive, I'll clean up the B and E slots and do the rest. The truss rod has been adjusted and the bridge saddles likewise. The bass plays really well (nut notwithstanding) and sounds great. It's a shame I had to drill into the beautiful white of the body for the scratchplate, but c'est la vie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Hi This looks really great Although I've never made a Warmoth bass, I have made a W Strat guitar (wash my mouth out with soap and water!) and I am a real, real fan. Fits and hardware, etc are sometimes a pain because - even with a standard make - they are always changing, but the Warmoth craftsmanship is, in my experience, second to none. The W strat is my favourite (and I've owned & tried a few great 'standard' makes and models) I was really tempted to make a Warmoth Bass last time but instead decided to do a conversion. However, this has tempted me sorely... Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Go for it, Andy! Warmoth quality really is great, and this bass is a real player. I also made a Warmoth Strat a while back - rear routed, two EMGs, Floyd...and hated it. It was my fault, really - I should not have gone for the Floyd. I sold it at a tremendous loss and used the cash to buy the body and neck for this bass. Circle of life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 Files are here and the nut is now filed and ready. G string off and flatwound G on; the rest will follow when I get a moment - I am back at work now. All strings are going through the bridge and not the body. It is all so nearly finished...all that is left to do is intonation, string height, relief. Expect pics of finished product in 48 hours or so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 [quote name='JimBobTTD' post='1332508' date='Aug 8 2011, 05:22 PM']Files are here and the nut is now filed and ready. G string off and flatwound G on; the rest will follow when I get a moment - I am back at work now. All strings are going through the bridge and not the body. It is all so nearly finished...all that is left to do is intonation, string height, relief. Expect pics of finished product in 48 hours or so![/quote] Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 And here we go...strings changed to flats (and put on properly ), intonation done, relief done. Before unveiling: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 And after unveiling: The bass sounds great - I'm very happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 That is just BEAUUUUUUUUUUUTIFUL Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biaeothanata-Bassist Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Oh man, why have I only just seen this? This is ridiculously beautiful! You need to do some sound samples pleaaaaase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_lindsay Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Looks Mega!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 [quote name='Biaeothanata-Bassist' timestamp='1382372754' post='2251387'] Oh man, why have I only just seen this? This is ridiculously beautiful! You need to do some sound samples pleaaaaase! [/quote] Your wish is my command! I shall do some when my fretless P project has been completed. [quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1382377614' post='2251469'] Looks Mega!!! [/quote] Thanks! Plays mega too. So well, in fact, that I have had the neck cloned for my P bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Is that a Blythe Doll on the top shelf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Yup - a Blythe and a Pullip. My wife makes jewellery for them and has a shop on Etsy. Are you a fan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 A Pullip! I recognised it but couldn't remember then name. I used to have 6 Blythes. Sold 3 to fund a Zoom B3 and a few other bits and pieces. They sit in a box in the loft theses days. Bass stuff and LPs are my vice these days. Need to clean them up and flog them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biaeothanata-Bassist Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 (edited) [quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1382382972' post='2251579'] Your wish is my command! I shall do some when my fretless P project has been completed. [/quote] Thanks very much JimBob! You should demo them both at once on a youtube video or something, would be nice to hear the tonal range between the two. Gorgeous pair of basses you have there. Edited October 21, 2013 by Biaeothanata-Bassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 [quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1310640545' post='1303362'] Now, my first build, that was a whole other story. I bought bits and bobs from all sorts of places and made by all sorts of different companies and everything fit together. It wasn't until years later that I had learned enough to realise how amazingly lucky I was! [/quote] I have made 2 Warmoths and did this both times.....both fitted together with no problems whatsoever, both fretted with no fret buzz and once the necks had been shimmed they both have played beautifully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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