Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 A few months ago, I commissioned Overwater to build me a contemporary five-string version of their classic Original Series bass from the 1980s. My plan is to ultimately own a fretted/fretless pair with largely identical specs, but for now I'll just be having the fretless built. This build has been a long time coming. I first visited Overwater in the summer of 2001. Aside from having a thoroughly enjoyable day, I was suitably impressed by the quality of their instruments, particularly a recent four-string Original Series they had in stock at the time (see photos below). Unusually, this particular bass had a two-a-side Progress series headstock, as opposed to the Fender-style headstock featured on the earlier models. Aside from its striking looks, it played with incredible ease and had a tone to die for. Through one thing and another, I didn't buy that particular bass, but I've never forgotten it, so now – after twelve years – I'm finally going to have one – eventually two – built to my own specifications. I should add that, in the intervening years, I've come to know the guys at Overwater very well, and owned two of their basses: a fretted six-string Progress III Deluxe I had built in 2006, and a largely matching fretless I bought second-hand a few years later. Both basses were superb, but a serious bout of RSI that started in 2011 and lasted the best part of a year made it difficult and painful for me to play a six-string, especially with 18mm string spacing and an extended scale. Consequently, both my Progresses have since been moved on to happy new owners, and I have opted for something that will be safer and easier for me to play with my injuries and the resulting physical limitations. After having toyed with various ideas, I played a one-of-a-kind Overwater 'Proception' owned by another customer, whom I met at the Overwater London Bass Day last year. A five-string with more ergonomic specifications (incl. 17mm string spacing and a 34" scale), this bass felt perfect in my hands. Moreover, despite its standard scale length, it had a huge-sounding B-string, most likely due to the use of wenge as instead of maple as the principal neck wood. Following the Overwater event, I adopted the Proception's specs as a blueprint and set about putting the specs for a new bass down on paper, the most obvious difference being the Original Series body. Whilst a smaller body might have been a more ergonomic choice, I was very much set on the Original Series shape, so to limit any additional weight, the body will have a three-piece back, as opposed to full-thickness neck laminates running right the way through. [b][u]Specs[/u]:[/b] [b]Model:[/b] Original Series through-neck [b]No. of strings:[/b] 5 [b]String spacing:[/b] 43mm at nut (9mm/10mm) / 17mm at bridge [b]Neck woods:[/b] wenge with ash stringers [b]Fingerboard:[/b] unlined fretless ebony (side dots only) [b]Headstock:[/b] Progress series [b]Body: [/b]bookmatched flamed ash top / 3-piece walnut back [b]Electronics:[/b] Scott Devine signature circuit [b]Pickups: [/b]custom-made rounded ebony covers (like on '80s Original Series basses) fitted with standard Overwater 'innards' [b]Pickup placement:[/b] TBD, but close together near the bridge [b]Hardware:[/b] black [b]Bridge:[/b] individual saddles and through-body stringing [b]Machine heads:[/b] Gotoh, with Hipshot Xtender key on B-string I will post more photos as the build progresses, but for now here are some photos of the template and the black four-string Original Series that inspired the build (see attachments). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Martin Lee, who is building the bass, has got off to a flying start with it. The photos below show the construction of the neck in stages. Edited July 30, 2013 by Kees_SoS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 See the photo for the roughly shaped neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk7 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Lovely! This takes me back, ha ha. Glad you've got the build started Kees, can't wait to see the progress. Martin has made a good start. RK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Cheers, Robin! Your bass is something else, so I have every confidence mine will be just as impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Ooh, this looks like it could be a seriously gorgeous bass in the making! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1375126613' post='2157064'] Ooh, this looks like it could be a seriously gorgeous bass in the making! [/quote] That's the plan. Given all the time and thought that's gone into the specs, I'm confident it will be something seriously special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1375126613' post='2157064'] Ooh, this looks like it could be a seriously gorgeous bass in the making! [/quote] I actually remember Martin mentioning you a while ago. Didn't you also have a fretless built with some of the same flamed ash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Kees, I'll be watching this build with great interest. I've always liked the original series shape but have never been too keen on the headstock shape. Pure genius to mate the original body with the progress headstock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) [quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1375129577' post='2157118'] Kees, I'll be watching this build with great interest. I've always liked the original series shape but have never been too keen on the headstock shape. Pure genius to mate the original body with the progress headstock! [/quote] Thanks! Had I not seen that one black bass, I may never have thought of going for that combination. I know Chris still prefers the Fender-style headstock, but I think the Progress headstock makes the bass look a bit more compact, particularly on a five-string. I only know of two Original Series basses with a Progress headstock: the black one and a wine red one with the same specs I saw on eBay a few years ago. Off topic, didn't we discuss fretless MM Sabres a while back? Edited July 29, 2013 by Kees_SoS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) Had a chat with Martin this afternoon and decided not to go with a three-piece back after all. He said the difference in weight would be minimal, and that retaining the full thickness of the wenge running through the body would give the bass a bit more 'honk'. It will also look great! Not long after, Martin glued the walnut body wings on (see photo below). Edited July 30, 2013 by Kees_SoS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk7 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Good call! Show that neck off. You will now need a rotating stand, like mine! ha ha. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 [quote name='rk7' timestamp='1375188585' post='2157835'] Good call! Show that neck off. You will now need a rotating stand, like mine! ha ha. R [/quote] Hmmm. Tempting ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 The build is progressing really quickly, so I've posted some more photos below:[list] [*]Back of the body with visible neck laminates (see also the maple veneer either side of the neck laminates, a great suggestion Martin made this afternoon) [*]Bookmatched flamed ash ready for marking out and glueing [*]Bookmatched flamed ash marked out and ready for glueing [/list] I'm particularly pleased with the flaming on the ash; it looks exactly as I envisaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian maclaughlin Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 [s]I like the progress headstock, it will make finding a case easyer, I have had a problem getting a new case for mine because of the length.[/s] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian maclaughlin Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I dont know were that line came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 [quote name='ian maclaughlin' timestamp='1375255926' post='2158781'] [s]I like the progress headstock, it will make finding a case easyer, I have had a problem getting a new case for mine because of the length.[/s] [/quote] With it being a 34" scale, if we're lucky it should fit in a standard Hiscox case (like the one in the photo at the start of the thread). Otherwise, I'll have to have a custom flightcase made. Warwick also do a gigbag that will fit it, so I'll also buy one of those at some point. You're measurements came in really handy for the pickups, BTW, so thanks again for those. I may also go with the same pickup spacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 [quote name='ian maclaughlin' timestamp='1375256021' post='2158784'] I dont know were that line came from. [/quote] Indeed strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Pickup placement roughly marked out. (Thanks for the measurements, Ian!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk7 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 That Flamed Ash is wonderful. Nice choice Kees! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 [quote name='Kees_SoS' timestamp='1375127769' post='2157086'] I actually remember Martin mentioning you a while ago. Didn't you also have a fretless built with some of the same flamed ash? [/quote] Yes, that's right! I'll find a photo once I am on a regular computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1375277522' post='2159141'] Yes, that's right! I'll find a photo once I am on a regular computer. [/quote] Thanks! Looking forward to seeing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 [quote name='rk7' timestamp='1375277109' post='2159131'] That Flamed Ash is wonderful. Nice choice Kees! R [/quote] Martin said it should come out even nicer when he's evened it out. It's was a piece they already had in stock and, conveniently, exactly what I wanted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Bookmatched top glueing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kees_SoS Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 Body radiused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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