mixingwithtom Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Looking amazing Andy !! (some more scary photos as well!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazed Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Wow very creative solutions! I'm well impressed. The organic smooth lozenge looking body is perfect with that chocolatey cocobolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) Thanks folks! So - to the headstock. All along, Tom had been asking if a cocobolo plate would be possible on the top AND the bottom of the headstock. Again with an eye of the practicalities and functionality, I was fine with a top plate but really wasn't sure about a bottom plate. The problem is that the maximum depth of the headstock is determined by the height of the tuners to allow enough post to be above the fixing nut for the string windings. I was also still concerned about strength and the probable propensity for this one to neck dive. From an aesthetic point of view, I wasn't sure how a bottom plate could segue into the volute, rising from the bottom of the headstock to the neck. The options for the shape of the headstock could be more flexible. Again, the positions of the tuners are restricted to a certain degree by the need to keep the string runs straight wherever possible, but the specific shape was less critical. I put forward some more or less conventional - but admittedly a little dull - design thoughts Tom put forward some very unconventional - but admittedly much more exciting - alternatives We firmed up on one of Tom's designs and boy am I glad we did! This was Tom's concept: It looked SO MUCH better than any of my own designs and - if the cutout could be angled, top to bottom - simply cried out for a bottom plate as well as a top one... But how was I going to do that, with the volute pulling away from the back of the headstock? It really was another one of these one-step-at-a-time situations. First cut out the outline and see what we had at the back: This was what we then had at the back: OK - so what if I extended the headstock flat area through part of the volute rise? A bit like this: OK - now I have a bit of continuity for the plate, all four tuners on the same level and still have retained the strength of the volute. Time for cocobolo plates, epoxy and clamps! Repeat after me..."you can't have too many clamps!" Add my moniker 3 mother of pearl inlaid swifts.... ...and here's the back... ...route an extra swift into some leftover maple for a trussrod cover, add the tuners and the nut: Love it! Well done, Tom. Excellent demonstration of vision Edited May 24, 2015 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scojack Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Can't believe how well this all going (considering )......brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 [quote name='scojack' timestamp='1432503387' post='2782184'] Can't believe how well this all going (considering )......brilliant [/quote] Thanks, scojack . Nor can I, to be honest....I had hoped for the best but feared the worst.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Final two bits - apart from the final finished shaping of the neck profile to Tom's ideal - was the side markers and the straplocks. Tom opted for the small blue Luminlays positioned at each of the odd fretting positions with double dots on the 11th and 13th but no 12th. The 3mm holes were drilled: ...and the luminlays installed: The straplocks had been another major concern - what about neck dive and how were they going to be able to be fitted to such a thin top horn. Lady Luck provided a solution to the former, and Tom provided a solution to the latter Against ALL of the odds - ultra-slim body, long neck, relatively long headstock, standard tuners - the neck dive is almost none existant. With a slippy strap and hands-off unsupported it starts to dip, but with a normal strap and just the weight of the normal right-hand arm position it sits just fine. So the good news was the top horn straplock could be put in the standard place...but how? Tom's suggestion of the Dunlop recessed straplocks was perfect. Being recessed, there was now plenty of support for the ferrules in spite of the negligible thickness of the horn...perfect So - apart from the final neck fitting - it was finished and ready to be strung up. Tom will be bringing his favoured strings, but to ensure it all held together and played OK, I fitted it with the only strings I had handy that were long enough - some bronze acoustics. Next post, shortly, will publish some finished shots. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Before passing this across, Tom and I need to meet and I will:[list] [*]position the neck 'thumbrest' to Tom's natural rest postition [*]scrape, sand and finish the neck to his preferred thickness and profile shape [*]fit his preferred strings and final set up [*]record Tom playing it! I've recorded ME playing it (albeit with the borrowed acoustic strings) but, trust me, that does the bass no favours at all [/list] In the meantime, you'll have to trust me that it plays and sounds just fine, but you can judge for yourselves whether it looks as great as I think it does I'll post some shots and clips when Tom has taken it over, but in the meantime, thanks once more for your interest and very encouraging comments Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) Holy heckmachines, that's a classy headstock, front and back. Excellent. edit: woah, good timing! Finished pics just as I commented. This is a bizarre, fascinating, brilliant thread. Thanks for posting. Edited May 25, 2015 by alittlebitrobot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Lovely looking (almost) finished bass, brilliant for something that started out as being unusable for its purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Excellent work Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 It's not really to my taste but that's a pretty incredible job you've done there Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Wow! You have turned a coffee table into a beautiful functioning instrument! My congrats on this build. Q:Would an endpin jack socket been at all feasible for connecting a cable instead of the jack mount on the front? Just my 2 cents....:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 [quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1432568852' post='2782761'] Q:Would an endpin jack socket been at all feasible for connecting a cable instead of the jack mount on the front? Just my 2 cents....:-) [/quote] Tom was quite keen to use a Neutrik (I suspect from experience of jacks coming out or failing in important concerts / recordings?). For pure aesthetics, an end-pin al l'acoustic would have worked very well indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Very inventive well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul j h Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 That looks great,not to my taste but excellent work. I think a dark wood inlayed swift in the truss rod cover would have looked cool and as a contrast to the MOP ones further up the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul j h Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 That looks great,not to my taste but excellent work. I think a dark wood inlayed swift in the truss rod cover would have looked cool and as a contrast to the MOP ones further up the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Some magnificent and mind-boggling alchemy going on there, Andy - turning a totally impractical lump of thin wood into the owner's dream bass. I don't know how you did it - thinking outside the box doesn't seem to cover it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I have often fancied a REALLY thin bass. Now I know it is possible. Uh oh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I'm really loving this, the cap on the back of the headstock is just beautifully done, I'm now wondering if I can afford to ask you to build me a bass! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 [quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1432640284' post='2783427'] I'm really loving this, the cap on the back of the headstock is just beautifully done, I'm now wondering if I can afford to ask you to build me a bass! Matt [/quote] You can always afford to ask . Mind you, the answer might depend on how just crazy a bit of wood you have in YOUR mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) the real problem is that I don't actually have space at the moment for another bass, and in reality the spec that seems to creep into my mind ends up exactly the same as my Letts 5 string! Maybe in a year or so if he gigs pick up and I need another 5 string as a backup (unless you fancy building a 24"scale solidbody bass uke in the shape of a doublecut Les Paul junior?) Matt Edited May 27, 2015 by Matt P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 [quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1432718071' post='2784150'] Maybe in a year or so if he gigs pick up and I need another 5 string as a backup (unless you fancy building a 24"scale solidbody bass uke in the shape of a doublecut Les Paul junior?) Matt [/quote] Now you're talking, Matt...just whittling the mahogany as we speak! Ever tried a Bigsby on a bass uke? Don't worry, I can always burn it off if you don't like it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Rotten Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Oh my! That is beautiful! Given that it is difficult to get a unique headstock design without it looking weird or peculiar you guys just nailed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I'm not joking about the les paul uke bass, there are strings available that will go to 26" scale and I've always wanted a double cut les paul, I'm still skint though, maybe if I manage to get a few things sold then i'll give you a shout. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1432804178' post='2785074'] I'm not joking about the les paul uke bass, there are strings available that will go to 26" scale and I've always wanted a double cut les paul, I'm still skint though, maybe if I manage to get a few things sold then i'll give you a shout. Matt [/quote] Sounds like fun PM any time Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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