sblueplanet Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Just amaze-bops!!! I could imagine a headless version of this design looking rather tasty also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 [quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1453408587' post='2959338'] Just amaze-bops!!! I could imagine a headless version of this design looking rather tasty also. [/quote] Before anyone asks - [i]none[/i] of you could afford it... ...I would make absolutely sure none of you could afford it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Amazing build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scojack Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 That's turned out stunning Andy nice one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Looks great. That wood, in that shape & relation (contrasting woods in the pickup covers and the headstock) - under that finish. Beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 It is a beautiful instrument Andy. When you did the Hayman headstock refinish you had Evostik wood adhesive, on this build you are using Titebond. I notice that a lot of luthiers use Titebond. Is there any reason you choose Titebond over the others and which Titebond did you use on the build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1453422248' post='2959479'] It is a beautiful instrument Andy. When you did the Hayman headstock refinish you had Evostik wood adhesive, on this build you are using Titebond. I notice that a lot of luthiers use Titebond. Is there any reason you choose Titebond over the others and which Titebond did you use on the build? [/quote] Thanks, Chienmortbb! It's a case of specific properties for specific jobs. I use Titebond original for most of my builds. There are other good glues about, but this is pretty much the 'standard'. It grabs quickly and dries hard, which makes it easier to sand. It also has good gap filling properties. For longer fiddly jobs, I use the Titebond Extend, that gives 10-15 minutes extra before getting too dry to use. For veneer, ironed on, I need easy to apply thinly, dry quickly but with flexibility and fast and low temperature melt. I find the Evostic version of what is basically standard white PVA ideal. However, for general build, it doesn't grab quite as well and doesn't dry quite as hard or fill gaps quite as fully. Interestingly, Titebond do a 'cold press' veneer glue. Probably thinner but haven't tried it either for cold application or iron on. I'm sure there are valid alternatives for both needs, but it's a case of when you find something that works, there's less incentive to change. Hope this helps Edited January 22, 2016 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 It's beginning to feel like the home straight Last night sorted the nut and shielded the cavities: This morning, electrically connected all the cavities together (easily forgotten!) : Also lowered the bridge a tad and then earthed it. Jack socket has arrived this morning so this afternoon, going to see if / where the electrics are going to fit. After that, I can sort the lowest the pickups can drop to, then how thin the covers can be, then work out how am I going to fix them in place, then 'satin' the neck and then clean up / oil the ebony, and then I think it's done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Sharman Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 This is easily your best work yet (in my humble opinion). If this sounds as good as it looks you will have one very satisfied customer I am sure. and several VERY jealous ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1453468289' post='2959755'] This is easily your best work yet (in my humble opinion). If this sounds as good as it looks you will have one very satisfied customer I am sure. and several VERY jealous ones! [/quote] I think your humble opinion is quite correct, Chris Indeed, I'm not at all sure I can top this. As you say, fingers crossed that it also sounds OK. Based on yesterday's try-out, I certainly think it should play OK Jealous customers (as well as satisfied ones) is, of course, a mission Edited January 22, 2016 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 [quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1453390179' post='2959070'] It's alright, I suppose... ;-) [/quote] Thanks, Bryan By the way, did the finish on your green Westone ever drop down from high gloss - or was that just another example of "builder's bulls**t"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 And we have SOUND I fitted the pickups and EQ this afternoon / evening. Almost stymied at one point - the Seymour Duncan treble tone control from the EQ set from Thomann is faulty!!!! To make sure that the process of getting Thomann to exchange the unit didn't hold up anything, I've taken the EQ out of my bubinga fretless and put that in the camphor build instead. I'm not using the fretless much at the moment so can afford to lose the use of it for a couple of weeks while Thomann do their stuff and it's hardly been used since I finished it late last year, so the pots are pretty much "as new". I have to do some volume comparisons with my passive P-J Jag tomorrow as I lower the pickups to the absolute minimum, but WOW - it sounds good. I can't of course compare with the bubinga, having ripped out its innards, but I reckon it sounds BETTER. And the bubinga fretless sounded great. I'm well chuffed. Going downstairs for a beer and a sit down..... Still got a fair bit of finishing off to do but I can see completion happening very soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Seriously top-notch work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 Thanks everybody - it's great boost Next challenge has been those pickup covers. The challenge was to get them, obviously, well clear of the strings, but also - especially for the P cover - well clear of picking fingertips, nails or picks. Visually - as well as the practicalities, I was aiming also for a stepped look. There clearly is an option to raise the slugs to maximum and poke them out of carefully drilled holes in the covers. However, for starters, I wanted to try to maintain the flat look (there will, of course, be fixing screws at some stage) as much as possible. Nevertheless, things are so tight here that ever a teeny bit of slug screw jiggery pokery was worth doing. I [i]very [/i]gingerly chiselled and sanded slots for the slugs to within 1mm of breakthough: You can see the ebony here - it is sub 1mm Then, having agreed with Kert that balance was the aim rather than volume, I did a load of trials of pickup heights, using my Squier VM P-J Jag (see avatar) as the comparison. Can sing the praises here of the Seymour Duncan STC-2P EQ. Although I have always been pleased with the SD-designed pups in the Jag...there simply is no comparison with what was coming out of the relatively modest DiMarzios fitted to Kert's bass. It is like a completely different instrument! Quieter than the Jag at neutral settings because of the significantly different pickup heights but this beastie has a HUGE range - even at neutral EQ. Add the treble or bass boost and you really can get from 50's smoky blues-bar thump to Entwistle with the twist of a knob. The pull-up 'slap' setting adds yet another dimension (interestingly, I think the 'slap' setting is less slap than the normal setting, but it's definitely a different tone set. What ever sound Kert is looking for, I have no doubt he will be able to find it and thousands more . Volume-wise at the lowest pickup heights I was comfortable with (sort of academic because you can just raise the volume at the amp) versus my Jag - tangibly quieter with no boost, about the same with bass boost only, louder with bass boost and treble boost. By the way, the DiMarzios were picked after a lot of internet review and user opinion searching. They're basic to look at, but they sound great. Also - a big plus - the Jazz single is, in-fact, a stacked humbucker, so is noiseless Our house has crazy dimmer switches all over the place and my bubinga fretless which (used to) have the same EQ but with SD Jazz p/ups buzzes like crazy when the lights are switched on. I didn't hear anything with Kert's Anyway - to cut an EXTREMELY long story short, this is how low I've been able to get the covers: Thanks for looking and your great feedback Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Looking great Andy...I'm sure that Kert must be itching to get hold of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1453647595' post='2961340'] Looking great Andy...I'm sure that Kert must be itching to get hold of it. [/quote]I think that might be an understatement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Not getting tired of looking at this. Supreme skills On show here Andy. Look forward to seeing that dreadnought completed too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) [quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1453650091' post='2961380'] Not getting tired of looking at this. Supreme skills On show here Andy. Look forward to seeing that dreadnought completed too. [/quote] Thanks!!! The main thing is that Kert hasn't got tired of looking at it yet, either! I have high hopes of the dreadnought (top braces are now fitted!!), but it won't be quite as eye-popping as this camphor has turned out to be! If anyone is interested, I can post a summary build thread on 'Other Instruments'? Edited January 24, 2016 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Please post the dreadnought too Andy. Hopefully I will learn more on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 It's been a relatively short wait for a custom instrument, but you're right, can't wait to get my hands on it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 [quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1453653594' post='2961424'] Please post the dreadnought too Andy. Hopefully I will learn more on there. [/quote] I'll pop a summary thread of the progress so far later today in 'Other Instruments' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1453709903' post='2961913'] I'll pop a summary thread of the progress so far later today in 'Other Instruments' [/quote] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277619-dreadnought-acoustic-build/"]Dreadnought Acoustic build thread is here[/url] for anyone interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 A close up shot of the rough-machined and chiselled underside of the rear pickup cover isn't the most glamorous of viewpoints, BUT the significance is that pretty much the last thing a builder does is: ....[b]put the label on!!!![/b] It's finished I'll post the arty-farty shots when there's a bit of light tomorrow. Kert's picking it up in a couple of weeks. That gives me 14 days to show it off to my family, friends, acquaintances, general passers-by and complete strangers... Here's a couple of shots to be getting on with: Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Think we need to arrange a meet-up Andy. 😛 Ahem, strap-pegs, cough cough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastav Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Very nice work, thats one eye-catching bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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