Jabba_the_gut Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) This is something I have been messing with over the past month – still very much work in progress but just a bit of fun whilst I sort out what I am doing with another bass build that has been ongoing for far too long! I picked up an old hardwood front door off Freecycle that I was looking to see if I could repair and replace my current front door. Once it had thoroughly dried out over summer I could see it was going to be scrap. Rather than take it to the tip, I broke it down to see if there would be enough wood to make a bass! There aren’t any pieces long enough to avoid dowels etc used in the door construction to make a neck but there was enough wood to make a couple of simple bodies. The main frame sections of the door were cut up then planed to shape in order to make two four piece bodies. I’m not sure what the wood is – it’s not the best in the world but should be adequate for a couple of simple bodies that can use some of the bits of old hardware I have acquired over the past few years. I also acquired another piece of hardwood from my dad which I think was a bit of an old shelf or desk – might be Sapele but not sure. It’s a pretty hard piece of wood and straight grained so should be good for a neck. There’s a few holes from screw and nails in it but I should be able to work around these. Edited December 30, 2015 by Jabba_the_gut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 There was enough wood for two bodies so I’m thinking a passive PJ bass for one of them to use some Fender MIM pickups I have in my ‘bit’ box. With the second body, I was hoping to make an electro acoustic (think recycled version of a Rob Allen bass...) using the two larger panels from the door as the top of the bass but one of the two panels was such a poor piece of wood that idea has been abandoned for the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) I had a strip of wenge from an old floorboard I was given and a scrap strip of some other hardwood which contrasted nicely with the bit of neck wood. The neck was cut down the centre line and the three strips added. The whole lot was then glued and clamped. Edited December 30, 2015 by Jabba_the_gut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 Once dried this was then planed to make it nice and level – turned quite nicely I think. I have an old ebony fret board blank I’m thinking of using with this but I’m waiting to see if I can get hold of some recycled wood first just so I can say the whole bass I made from recycled wood. It does look nice on the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 I’m probably going to have a go at a scarf joint on this neck as that is something that I haven’t tried before and would be going to try on something that doesn’t matter too much. I’m also thinking of making this 32” scale just to see how I like that. No ideas as yet as to what finish I’ll use on the body. I might use oil if it looks okay once sanded or I might try a solid colour – a little way off from that at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) Brilliant! I'm following this with interest and hoping for more builds like it. I'm convinced people regularly throw away wood that's more than good enough to make a good solid-body guitar. I'd love to do this but I'm renting a tiny house so I can't just keep all the nice stuff I see in skips and at the dump Edited December 30, 2015 by alittlebitrobot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Fantastic work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Subscribed, this sort of build really floats my boat...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Love threads like this . They are looking great! As for wenge used as a floorboard...new one on me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Great thread and excellent use of recycled wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 (edited) The top I'm using for build #4 on here was from another wenge floor board that I was given. Cut it down and got it planed to the right thickness. The grain on that board is lovely. I'm sure there is more wood like it out there that would otherwise go to waste. Edited December 31, 2015 by Jabba_the_gut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Excellent work. I've often eyed up old mahogany furniture with a view to recycling it into a guitar. You can buy it really cheaply as it doesn't seem to be in fashion theae days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Great use of scrap wood. Word of advice, only ever do a scarf joint in the winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 When it's finished are you gonna play through some Doors covers on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 [quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1451663187' post='2942208'] Great use of scrap wood. Word of advice, only ever do a scarf joint in the winter! [/quote] Why, please? Unless it's a scarf pun, I suppose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 [quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1451556002' post='2941423'] Great thread and excellent use of recycled wood. [/quote] This Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted January 1, 2016 Author Share Posted January 1, 2016 [quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1451680847' post='2942475'] When it's finished are you gonna play through some Doors covers on it? [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted January 1, 2016 Author Share Posted January 1, 2016 I've now glued and trimmed one of the bodies - the other has been glued and is currently clamped. As to be expected with using recycled wood, there are areas of the wood where the previous use can be identified. On this body I tried to work around the original doweled joints of the door but was about 5mm out on one of them. I've had to create my own dowel from scrap to plug the hole thie left. Would have preferred it not to be there but I'm not overly bothered. I will either finish it in a solid colour or just leave it - the idea is for this be to a useable, practical bass rather than a show bass. I'm also thinking of making a scratchplate for this bass something like the shap below. I've only modified plates before so would be good to try making one from a blank sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Oh my! I think if you go solid colour (or a translucent finish) - A natural wood scratch plate would look smashing. Or maybe a matching stained wood plate. Kinda along these lines: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Thanks for that - another option! I'll have a look at a natural scratchplate as that is something I can make from recycled wood though I might buy some plastic sheet just based on colour. I've rough cut the second body and trimmed the dowel on the first one - looks quite acceptable I've weighed the bodies - both come in at 1.95kg so are reasonably light by my reckoning. Just a shame that it's back to work tomorrow to slow this down a bit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Amazing project!!! Love it. Of all the things to make a bass from, I'd never think of a second hand, too-knackered-to-use front door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 Not managed to do too much more recently but I found an old bit of sheet brass just big enough to make a control plate. Will try to see if I can get it chromed somewhere as I think it would look quite nice. Need to find something for the scratchplate now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 This maybe gives a better idea of what I am thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I absolutely adore recycling projects....these basses are going to be fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I like this build very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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