Jabba_the_gut Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) After seeing Ped's Wingbass at a bass bash last year which I really liked, Bastav's Wingnut and Jebroad's 20" scale bass I'm thinking of building something very short scale too. I work away a lot for work and it would be nice to have something to play in the evening when I'm stopping at hotels but it would need to take up only a little space in the car boot. I've got one of the cheapy headless bridges in my box of stuff and a spare MM style pickup so I've made the following scribble. The bass would be 23" scale so that should be good for BEAD tuning or EADG using the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set. No idea about woods or finish yet, this is just an idea at the moment. Edited April 15, 2018 by Jabba_the_gut 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Another great build to follow! Looks great, wish I had the skills to try something like this! Watching with interest! FYI one of the things that makes he Wingbass feel small and neat is the fact that the hardware is sunk into the body and it uses mini control knobs etc. That means the fretboard is very close in height to the body, and you can also get a super low action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 3 minutes ago, ped said: Another great build to follow! Looks great, wish I had the skills to try something like this! Watching with interest! FYI one of the things that makes he Wingbass feel small and neat us he fact that the hardware is sunk into the body and it uses mini control knobs etc. That means the fretboard is very close in height to the body, and you can also get a super low action. Thanks Ped. I'll have a good dig around the Wingbass website for ideas!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Let me know if you want any detailed pics or measurements, although mine is 17” scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 I really like your initial sketch...let me know when the bass is up for sale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 I recognize that body shape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) But that does look like a beautiful neck joint Edited April 5, 2018 by jebroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 It's going to be a little while before I get to build this but I couldn't help myself looking at ideas of how it could look. So I cut an outline and put it over various bits of wood I have: Ash Wenge Walnut Maple Spalted beech Map I actually quite like the map one!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Walnut all the way! Si 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) I agree with sibob Walnut especially as it has some lighter sapwood in it....... But saying that looking again the Wenge looks lovely too..... Edited April 5, 2018 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 15 minutes ago, Jimothey said: I agree with sibob Walnut especially as it has some lighter sapwood in it....... But saying that looking again the Wenge looks lovely too..... Cheers Si and Jimothey. The wenge is actually a reclaimed floorboard - I can't imagine what the house was like that it came from!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 7 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Cheers Si and Jimothey. The wenge is actually a reclaimed floorboard - I can't imagine what the house was like that it came from!! A very expensive one by the sounds of it!! where did you get it from and do they have anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 I have a whole decking area made from Purpleheart.... when we move house I'm tempted to whip a few boards up and take them with me.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naxos10 Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 I like the spalted beech option, the black hardware just seems to blend with the wood better for me.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 11 hours ago, RichardH said: I have a whole decking area made from Purpleheart.... when we move house I'm tempted to whip a few boards up and take them with me.... I may beat you to it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 On 06/04/2018 at 00:08, Jimothey said: A very expensive one by the sounds of it!! where did you get it from and do they have anymore? Unfortunately not! I had two planks, one flat sawn (which I cut into two 8mm thick pieces for bass tops) and one quarter sawn piece which I haven't used yet. On 06/04/2018 at 08:14, RichardH said: I have a whole decking area made from Purpleheart.... when we move house I'm tempted to whip a few boards up and take them with me.... Crikey! Did you buy the house off Prince?..... I've got a purpleheart fretboard I might use on this (depending on which body wood I use). Haven't tried it before but could be interesting. I bumped into a tree surgeon neighbour of mine today who had some fresh cut planks of sequoia (redwood) on his truck. Looked very nice - might have to get some off him and put it to one side to dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 All of them look pretty good, but that is indeed a lovely piece of walnut! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 12 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Crikey! Did you buy the house off Prince?..... No - we had it installed. Here it is fairly soon after installation (with a diddy 1x8 cab I knocked together) ...it has dulled down and gone silver/grey now though. Bloody heavy stuff! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 Still haven't had chance to sort the templates for this yet but I bought some sapele today!! I have the truss rod, fretboard and the neck wood. The neck is probably going to be a 7 piece laminate just to look pretty!! Unfortunately work and house DIY are slowing this down....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 Possible woods for the neck.....but may change!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 15, 2018 Share Posted April 15, 2018 What's the wood either side of the middle splice, Jez? The whole assembly looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 Cheers Andy. The two greyish looking strips are actually maple I believe it. It looks more like some kind of burr I think; they are actually a couple of 1" offcut strips from a top. It's only clamped at the moment, just trying a couple of ideas so may well change....got a variety of offcut strips that might be good for this nice, short neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 They almost look like mother of pearl at first glance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Im favouring the spalted look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 On 4/16/2018 at 08:01, RichardH said: They almost look like mother of pearl at first glance! That's what I thought it was... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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