scrumpymike's (a) Rascal

[HowieBass]

Here we go again

Channel 4 should have something like this for a bass/guitar themed 'Grand Designs'!

[FuNkShUi]

That's a great shout Howie!

Class work again Andy.

[FuNkShUi]

How about a "Lets build it together" thread next?

Anyone who's interested can join in, we all get the raw parts we need, and try and build our own basses  en masse

[Jimothey]

2 hours ago, FuNkShUi said:

How about a "Lets build it together" thread next?

Anyone who's interested can join in, we all get the raw parts we need, and try and build our own basses  en masse

That sounds like a good idea but first I think my next thread will need to be “Donations needed please give generously”

[Andyjr1515]

I'll line everything up with the grain, but broadly this is where I've agreed with Mike that the controls and 5-way switch will be going:

 

Next step, now that's decided, is cutting the hole in the back to suit, finishing off any internal work that can't be done once the top is glued, then glue the top

By the weekend, we should have a body ready for the final carves

 

[Andyjr1515]

Controls chamber and cable routing slot cut in the back:

And the method of securing the pickups decided and incorporated:

They will be fitted a bit like upside down dog-ear P90's - firm against the top.  Height will be adjusted at set-up with spacers and the appropriate length screws to ensure no breakthough.   Because of the full access to the pickups though the rear hatch, the heights can be easily adjusted subsequently if necessary.

Plenty of height available if necessary:

 

 

[scrumpymike]

Fantastic!  I've been looking forward to seeing how the lipstick pups look on the walnut - and I think they look gorgeous

[Andyjr1515]

26 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Fantastic!  I've been looking forward to seeing how the lipstick pups look on the walnut - and I think they look gorgeous

So far so good. 

Just doing the delicate work of thinning down the top underneath the control chamber to allow the controls to come through enough (especially the 5-way switch which is really designed for fitting on a pickguard.  If I can do that without breaking through, there are relatively few 'oh well, that onto the bonfire and start again' tasks left.    There are always some, of course....

[scrumpymike]

2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

So far so good. 

Just doing the delicate work of thinning down the top underneath the control chamber to allow the controls to come through enough (especially the 5-way switch which is really designed for fitting on a pickguard.  If I can do that without breaking through, there are relatively few 'oh well, that onto the bonfire and start again' tasks left.    There are always some, of course....

Good luck!  (I think you should take up a less demanding hobby - like brain surgery )

[Andyjr1515]

OK - that went OK.  The chamber base is now thin enough at the 5-way switch for it to work properly and the walnut seems stable enough even that thin (c 3.5mm).

So, now I've run out of excuses to avoid doing it, the top and back are - at this very moment - being glued and clamped.  Fingers crossed for the morning!

[SpondonBassed]

I'm assuming that you will line the chamber with adhesive copper tape. That should offer some stability.

[Andyjr1515]

4 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

I'm assuming that you will line the chamber with adhesive copper tape. That should offer some stability.

Yes, I will be, but for shielding rather than anything else.  The walnut, although relatively brittle, is actually very stable (thank goodness! ).

[discreet]

Will this be finished with Hardglaze?

[Andyjr1515]

The back glued on nicely.  Final thing before trimming the edges is to double check that the neck is completely in line - when you've got a bookmatched line going all the way down the body, that becomes important!

 

Then the trim.  Under duress, I resorted to using the router.  I HATE routers but there are times when other ways just take too darned long.  Here it is trimmed:

 

In this shot, you can see why I'm experimenting with super-slim designs .  This is actually pretty standard body thickness for a Gibson or Fender (in fact, a touch slimmer).  The Fender 5-way only just fits in this depth (which I suspect determined the thickness in the first place)!  :

Once I've carved the top to make it look pretty much like the Precision Lyte, I'll be talking to Mike about going a little more creative on the back which will take a bit more weight out too...

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

10 minutes ago, discreet said:

Will this be finished with Hardglaze?

No - we're going with a satin Osmo.  If it works OK on some test pieces, Mike wants to try the Osmo 3011 which I used on TheGreek's Psilos bass, designed to minimise the darkening of the wood when the finish is applied.

[Norris]

Very nice and clean pup securage. It's looking fantastic

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Norris said:

Very nice and clean pup securage. It's looking fantastic

Thanks, @Norris

Useful to have that swimming pool in the back too...these are relatively heavy timbers...

 

And then the bit I think we both like the best - the start of the carve

 

[TheGreek]

Love the figured grain on this - somebody will get a nice Xmas pressie...

[TheGreek]

The softened curves are an improvement already - when the body is sealed and the grain comes out I expect this to look amazing...

[Norris]

3 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

And then the bit I think we both like the best - the start of the carve

Definitely. I even prefer sanding end grain to lacquering

[scrumpymike]

Dramatic progress there Andy - I'm dead chuffed

[SpondonBassed]

20 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Yes, I will be, but for shielding rather than anything else.  The walnut, although relatively brittle, is actually very stable (thank goodness! ).

I was going to suggest a stronger alternative like heavy duty aluminium tape.  We called it speed tape at work.  That was because the adhesive withstood the drag on aircraft travelling at over 500mph.  It's weatherproof.  I think the equivalent can be found in the public domain where roofers buy their supplies.  I didn't mention in the end since it can't be soldered for electrical bonding.

For strength, should you have any concerns about brittle walnut down the line, I'd sacrifice a further half millimetre thickness from the top and replace it with a piece of 26 gauge (Imperial) stainless steel sheet cut to fit snugly without adhesive.  The pot and switch attachments should stabilise the assembly.  I'd recommend against bonding anything thicker than tape to the walnut because of differential expansion due to changes in temperature.  You can still use copper tape if required.

Nice to see some form emerging.  Looking good.

[Andyjr1515]

Now this is where I have to be creative.

If I was normal in the head, I'd carve it like this, sort the hatches and finish it:

 

But I'm not normal in the head and two things would bug me. 

The first thing goes back to the 1950's.  THAT'S OVER 60 YEARS AGO, FENDER!!!  And because the Fender 5 way switch is 1.5" deep, then this surprisingly deep chamber is still only just deep enough ( and that includes bending the contacts down out of the way for the hatch to fit) :

 

and that gives me the second thing that would bug me.  That means a 1.5" body which, despite the chambers and the carving, will end up pretty much the same weight as the Rascal - and Mike would like it lighter.

So my thoughts are this - but this will take a lot of thought and PM discussion with Mike.  I'm thinking back to the 'wraparound' feel of @TheGreek 's Psilos.

So if the front was slimmed down to more like the pencil line... :

 

The central hatch needs to be flat to get a sit-in cover to fit so one option is to start that slimming from the neck side of the hatch (ref the fine pencil line on the top horn here):

 

Or flat taper from the neck side of the small control chamber

 

Or a really fancy carve from the tailstock end of the central chamber (and remembering there's a hidden weight relief chamber there somewhere! )

If it can be done, this last one has a number of advantages:

• I takes lots of weight out of it exactly where you want to lose it
• It will have that Psilos wrap-around feel (has to be experienced to believe it, eh, Mick?)
• It will still look like a Precision Lyte from the front - but look like anything but from the back

Bet you can't guess which one I'd like to have a go at seeing if it can be done

 

 

 

[SpondonBassed]

You want to do the fancy carve.  I can almost feel your quivering here in Spondon.

Edited December 4, 2017 by SpondonBassed

[TheGreek]

Any way that you can reduce weight has got to be a good thing. I can highly recommend the work Andy did to do this on the Psilos - I've been right to trust his judgement on both the builds he's done for me. You should to...