Ou7shined Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) We're off on a 10 date UK tour in a couple of weeks and I thought I'd build something eye-catching to take along. I'm going to attempt a spot of relief carving.... which is something I've never done before. I don't have specific tools for this so I'm just gonna see what I can get out of my Dremel. Got a big chuck of Utile earmarked for the job. As it's just a bit of a laugh I'm not going high end with this build and I'm just going to use the odds and sods I have lying around - although knowing me this could all change the more involved I get into the project. For convenience sake I'm thinking of possibly using a pre-built lefty neck I've had knocking about as representation of the bass' [i]sinister[/i] nature... but I have a few 2nd hand factory made necks to choose from and might even go for 2x2 head (I even tried headless but it reeeeally didn't suit it ). Got this horrid looking, mega chunky 70's through body bridge (Hondo I think) that I can't see going in anything else - it looks suitably evil for the job though. Although I've used a P pup in the drawings I have decided to go for obliquely angled J pups in a series humbucker configuration - I have a Status 4000 pup and a stray Bart, both suitably dark, looking for a home. Not planning to go over board on the controls and may just go straight to the jack. I have however found a wee EMG PA2 preamp booster circuit doing nowt in my parts box which may find it's way into the Goat in case I need to pull any face-melters. Oh and there will be one last switch.... for the flashing red LED eyes. As for paint I dunno, maybe a sort of black and gold distressed bronze look. Who knows. The sketch... the development... the drawing... Let the games begin. Edited September 21, 2013 by Ou7shined Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Well I NEED to see this one before you leave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 No rest for the wicked eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommorichards Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 you could probably sell it to tenacious D once youre done with it. You not worried about the gap between the bridge and head (of the demon)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 [quote name='AttitudeCastle' timestamp='1379770449' post='2216609'] Well I NEED to see this one before you leave! [/quote] Deal [quote name='woodyratm' timestamp='1379772167' post='2216630'] No rest for the wicked eh? [/quote] I had my rest last night... no gaming though. [quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1379776822' post='2216681'] you could probably sell it to tenacious D once youre done with it. You not worried about the gap between the bridge and head (of the demon)? [/quote] The Bass of Destiny I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about it (and the upper horn horn too). We'll just have to see how it goes. It might be strong enough or I may have to get creative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 'B'awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 OK here's what I'm starting with... Also I've settled on the neck. The Fender headstock isn't working for me with this design so the 2x2 neck I have was best. Unfortunately it's a 24 fret job and this body is designed specifically for 20/21. The problem being that the 24 fret heel is smaller and in a different place than what I had drawn up the design to fit with. Redesigning the body to fit a 24 fret neck would result in a smaller body and I wasn't prepared to do that. So before I could start work on the body I had to make sure that I could make the neck fit. First off shorten the neck and reform the heel. Tentatively I sawed off what I would need to, not knowing if I was going to hit the trussrod at any point. Not wanting to knacker my expensive luthier saws I went at it with a hacksaw. Dense maple cuts well with a HS. Luckily I didn't find the tr, although I did hit some locator pins. The chunk I removed will be set back in at the other end of the heel. I decided to leave the overhang for now as it will give me more options come the fit. Happy that I can remodel neck I set about routing the body. Owing to the unusual size of the body I couldn't get the whole thing to fit the timber in a oner, so some jiggery pokery had to be done with the vertical horn. This suits me fine as I didn't fancy having the grain running sideways through it leaving it susceptible to impact damage - jointing it in like this I was able to have the grain running end to end thus adding strength. Looks very un-bass-like like this. More tomorrow.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Looks great. And good call on not using the Fender-style neck - the headstock really didn't go (even reversed) IMO. One thing though - have you checked that the upper "horn" isn't going to get in the way of your picking arm? If that was me I'd be making a quick mockup out of something that's easy to cut and ultimately disposable just to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Cheers. It probably will. But like yourself I wear my bass low and with a relatively straight right arm so it shouldn't be too bad. With a crazy design like this there will always be compromises. I'm actually more worried about eviscerating myself on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 This is the most insane thing I've ever seen!! Get in!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 This is giving me the horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 OK been chipping away at it today but I've come in to watch the grand prix... Been busy with the router (all freehand except the pup routs) and also finalised the design of the shortened neck end. It looks more bass-like now Right, that's the clunky stuff out the way, now the hard part - carving the detailed relief work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Amazing. But I can't help worrying about that gap between the bridge horn and the rest of it. I'd be seriously tempted to put some kind of brace in there - just in case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Hey that's why it's crazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 [quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1379870690' post='2217607'] Hey that's why it's crazy [/quote] There's no doubt that it IS crazy, but I have a mental image of that bridge horn snapping off under tension and being catapulted into the drummer's face half way through a gig... ...tell you what, leave it as it is. It'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommorichards Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 did you use a 1/2 curved router bit for the back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 That is impressive Rich, can't wait to see the finished job. Great work as usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 [quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1379872633' post='2217648'] did you use a 1/2 curved router bit for the back? [/quote] Aye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 [quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1379873478' post='2217664'] That is impressive Rich, can't wait to see the finished job. Great work as usual. [/quote] Cheers man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 I reackon if you keep the body thick enough you won't have any problem with the gap between the bridge and the rest of the body. My question is, are you going to carve the details into the body or paint them onto flat surfaces? I'm hoping you'll carve so it really does look like the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 [quote name='henry norton' timestamp='1379874624' post='2217683'] I reackon if you keep the body thick enough you won't have any problem with the gap between the bridge and the rest of the body. My question is, are you going to carve the details into the body or paint them onto flat surfaces? I'm hoping you'll carve so it really does look like the real thing. [/quote] Yup I'm carving... or rather Dremeling I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocketflup Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 L'ovine'g this keep it up, you firking fruitcake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 State of play, end of day 3. Lots of work with rasp, file and chisel followed by a bit of Dremeling to pick out the horn striations (sorry for the crappy pics - it's late) * the dark bit between the horns is a glue and Utile dust mix where I filled back in and re-shaped an area I'd over zealously routed out yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 A quick footnote. I've decided against a string through bridge as (and I'm only surmising here) it may add unnecessary twisting forces to that lonesome horn the bridge will sit on. If I go for a top loader the forces should only be from one direction only... I think. If anyone has info to the contrary please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1379977506' post='2219167'] State of play, end of day 3. [/quote] Frickin' awesome Edited September 24, 2013 by andydye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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