AgentCooper Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) First teaser image as this project could take a while for various reasons. It all started with a pre Christmas purchase of a Neck I'm not even able to use on this project. So a potential cheap but fun build has become something well....not cheap Already sold a bass to part fund it ! A Luthier I am not so a bit of help will be sought from the better half for any accurate woodwork but the finishing will be mine to do, and all while wearing an Organic Solvent dual chamber Respirator Let's call it a Pre CBS Jazz Pastiche. Certainly not historically correct but I want something that plays like butter, sounds good, feels nice and looks good. Yeah we'll see Some nice components already here, few more ordered and hopefully pulling the pin on the Machine heads tonight (despite already having some nice JV (Gotoh FB3N?) and Gotoh GB2N's lying around. Again scope creep, I am lusting after some Gotoh GBR640N Res-o-lites Big bits so far: WD Music 9.5" radius unfinished Jazz Neck told you it wasn't right , Maple with Rosewood and 20 Medium Jumbo Frets (appears to be from Japan). Awesome quality and now to be fitted with a Fender fake bone nut (as American Standard/Deluxe which has 7¼" radius underside to match the neck slot preshaping. Only needs shortening by 1.5mm Guitar Build (Lincoln) 3 Piece Swamp Ash body - Lovely 2.1kg piece of wood, may need a bit of work to open up control cavity slightly, and the neck pocket (though that depends if I go for correct 5/8" depth or leave it 9/16" to allow minimal action), and....if I go that way, drilling for Bridge ground wire. Most exciting is Mojo Pickups from this fair County commissioned for some Pre CBS spec (but 8/8.6K Ohm) scatterwound Formvar 42 wired pickups. Super value such that I'm having a VVT harness from Marc too and will save my cheap CTS Pots and Orange drop for a Squier rewire. May consider a Stackpot harness too at later date. So first discussion point.... Colour. I'm not going matching headstock though not averse to the idea. I bought a White '62 pattern scratchplate but mainly as a template. Will likely go Red Tortoise shell. Body is good enough to take a barely White Blond finish (even though 3 piece). Take a look at Rebel relic site (Yum!). Daphne or Sonic Blue also appeal (over clear not white and I may eventually Relic it). Again inspiration from Music Zoo's recent Daphne Blue Custom Shop Jazz sale (though that looked like Alder). Your thoughts on colour? [attachment=182074:IMG_8465s.jpg] Edited January 26, 2015 by AgentCooper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Some colours that jump to mind are, Sea Foam Green, Burgundy Mist or Shoreline Gold. I look forward to seeing this come together, I've accumulated a box of mostly Madison aged parts that will eventually become a bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Well done for spotting the Madison bits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Don't know whether I'd trust myself with a metallic . Shoreline Gold and Sea Foam Green would definitely merit matching Headstock and look great with the white scratchplate and Rosewood neck. Hmm... ? Burgundy mist doesn't do it for me (and is Yorkshire Rhyming Slang for Drunk ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='AgentCooper' timestamp='1422351132' post='2671386'] Burgundy mist doesn't do it for me (and is Yorkshire Rhyming Slang for Drunk ) [/quote] I didn't know that! I'd be even more inclined to do it that colour then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 SONIC BLUE! SONIC BLUE! MATCHING HEADSTOCK! MATCHING HEADSTOCK! RELIC RELIC RELIC RELIC! Can you see where I feel it should be going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Not a clue ? Depends if I want it to look more green with aging or final tint layer (see Manchester Guitar Tech's site)..Hmm Coming round to the matching headstock view though. Relicing will happen eventually as hardware and scratchplate will all be aged. We'll call it 'Closet Classic' initially until I put the first ding in it, then it'll get dragged through hedge forwards and backwards. Air duster, Freezer and Leather Dye crazing techniques all will need mastering on £40 stunt bass first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 [attachment=182280:So far small.jpg] A better piccie tonight, parts coming together Another few quid to disappear tonight to Madisons for a Relic'd Control Plate, maybe a better String Tree and Neck Back Strap buttons (need one for a Tokai too) as my Concrete cleaner experiments failed at the weekend Also on Ebay to Swivel Electronics in Singapore for a Tortoise Shell Scratchplate which I'll flatten and Nitro tint over. Oh and a piece of 1/64" thick brass for the control cavity Ground plate. Machine heads in photo are Squier JV 70's Style but order going in tomorrow for some Gotoh GBR640N Res-o-lite Reverse Wind Pre CBS type (I can't resist). Aiming for 4kg or less total. The JV Tuners and few other parts will be used to pimp an old Korean Squier. Real excitement is awaiting a delivery from my own fair County. Mojo Pickups of Halifax are building me some of their (anything but) standard 8/8.6k Ohm Pre CBS spec beauties (Bobbins were done on Monday). At same time Marc uses Crazyparts.de TVT CTS Pots in his harnesses so going to have a Vol/Vol/Tone loom done and try a 0.033µF Paper in oil Cap. Lush ! Paint decision by the weekend, Reckon that's another £100 once Respirator and sundries factored. Sale of a now unused Camera Lens and Tech21 Cab might soften the blow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 [quote name='AgentCooper' timestamp='1422485817' post='2673412'] Also on Ebay to Swivel Electronics in Singapore for a Tortoise Shell Scratchplate which I'll flatten and Nitro tint over. [/quote] Have you tried this before? does it give a nice aged look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 [quote name='AgentCooper' timestamp='1422485817' post='2673412'] Real excitement is awaiting a delivery from my own fair County. Mojo Pickups of Halifax are building me some of their (anything but) standard 8/8.6k Ohm Pre CBS spec beauties (Bobbins were done on Monday). At same time Marc uses Crazyparts.de TVT CTS Pots in his harnesses so going to have a Vol/Vol/Tone loom done and try a 0.033µF Paper in oil Cap. Lush ! [/quote] Mojo Pickups are certainly the business. I fitted a set of three of their lipstick pickups to a friends Squier Bass VI and they were amazing quality units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 [quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1422533936' post='2673745'] Have you tried this before? does it give a nice aged look? [/quote] Personally, I wouldn't bother with the tinted nitro. Firstly, it could react badly with the modern plastic of the scratch plate and secondly, it will almost certainly flake off in later life. My preferred method of ageing a scratch plate is wire wool to reduce the sheen concentrating hardest on the areas where picks and finger nails would come into contact (above and under the E & A strings just in front of the neck pickup). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 [quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1422544999' post='2673944'] Personally, I wouldn't bother with the tinted nitro. Firstly, it could react badly with the modern plastic of the scratch plate and secondly, it will almost certainly flake off in later life. My preferred method of ageing a scratch plate is wire wool to reduce the sheen concentrating hardest on the areas where picks and finger nails would come into contact (above and under the E & A strings just in front of the neck pickup). [/quote] Have you ever tried soaking it in tea or coffee to get a yellow look to the white bits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Colour settled, all ordered and price of a Thomann bass just in lacquer and sealers. Will see how light tint goes before I decide if to match the headstock. Will be few weeks before in state to get to colour coats so I'll keep it to myself Gotoh Res-o-lites going to take a while to land but got a good deal compared to lottery of customs duties and post office fees. Might start posting some actual build work soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 On the scratchplate front thinking fine scorer down below G string will be all I will use if at all. Will have a play with the no name cheap to see how nitro behaves as I like pickup cover and thumbrest shadowing, and know a man with a viscous UV Cabinet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 A wonderful package of Yorkshire Made Boutique pickups and loom landed yesterday. Photo's later, work of art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted May 17, 2018 Author Share Posted May 17, 2018 So over three years later and desperate to get the herd fit for playing (or the market)..Might actually start pulling this together This became one of four stalled projects Quality celluloid (or part) pickguards are the missing link... Montreux one I got via Thomann was awful. Good sources anyone (not Spitfire £€¥$). Photo's soon (by my standards) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki_Sixx Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 If this thread has been dragged from the grave we need to see the old pics again, they've all disappeared! Where did you get up to? Any colour on the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCooper Posted May 24, 2018 Author Share Posted May 24, 2018 (edited) There are some nitro rattle cans in the garage and awaiting news of fret finishing on one neck by a certain Mr. Shuker. Will upload some Photo's including a story of ineptitude regards another neck so others can learn from this Muppets mistakes Nothing that can't be corrected with a bit of filler and matching headstock colour. Edited May 24, 2018 by AgentCooper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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