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Short Scale 'Thing' (23" scale Headless 4 string)


Jabba_the_gut

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Started making the templates for this. I've made the main body and neck templates for. I need to make one template for the routing of the neck pocket, bridge pockets and control cavity and another template for the control cavity cover. Once that is done, I can choose the wood I'm going to use and start building!!

PNQ91wZ.jpg?2

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Just finished making the final templates for this so won't be too long before I get building. There are quite a few templates for this build - I haven't included the pickup cut out as that will be done later when the pickup choice is finalised (or I build more than one with different pickups....).

So here's the template set for this build all made from mdf

mYI4L43.jpg?1

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On 05/04/2018 at 17:44, Jabba_the_gut said:

... 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. ...

My experience of that hardware is that this 'headstock' string anchor will not take a roundwound or flatwould B string. The T-bars clamp the strings behind the zero fret, but after that each string is bent through 90 degrees to be clamped by a grub screw. Thick strings don't bend like that.

One option is to drill out the string anchor so that each string passes through the hole where the grub screw was, and then use a separate anchor block to clamp them, as used in the conversion of double ball end headless basses. Alternatively, you can cut away most of the metal which holds the grub screws, leaving enough of a slope or a lip to retain the new string anchor, and proceed as above.

David

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On 28/04/2018 at 21:19, Mottlefeeder said:

My experience of that hardware is that this 'headstock' string anchor will not take a roundwound or flatwould B string. The T-bars clamp the strings behind the zero fret, but after that each string is bent through 90 degrees to be clamped by a grub screw. Thick strings don't bend like that.

One option is to drill out the string anchor so that each string passes through the hole where the grub screw was, and then use a separate anchor block to clamp them, as used in the conversion of double ball end headless basses. Alternatively, you can cut away most of the metal which holds the grub screws, leaving enough of a slope or a lip to retain the new string anchor, and proceed as above.

David

Hi David, 

Cheers for the details. The headstock clamp was the next thing on my list to look at to see if it would work as I'd like or if another solution is required!! I anticipated that this may be awkward and require some modification so I bought a spare headstock part but your advise will save me trying some things out.

Cheers

Edited by Jabba_the_gut
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I’ve made some modifications to the headstock clamp (and considered the experience Mottlefeeder) to something that feels like it should work!!

I’ll make a test rig to try this before to see if this works prior to cutting the neck for this part. Then if I need to do something different, at least I won’t need to remake a neck.

The headstock clamp looks like it is made out of some kind of alloy and is soft in comparison to steel so will need to be careful no to strip any threads....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Started cutting and gluing!! I'm going to try to make 2 or 3 of these to try a few different things.

First off is a sapele body, wenge veneer and maple top. The maple should look quite good when oiled (I'm hoping!!)

hsIh3pZ.jpg

Glued up sandwiches....

RnsKhrz.jpg

To make running wires through the body easier, I drill holes before gluing the two halves together. I then insert a straw in the hole to prevent any glue clogging it up when the halves are joined. To ensure I don't drill too far into the body, I draw the rough direction of the hole then mark the length with masking tape on the drill.

O87yUiy.jpg

6xZfDs6.jpg

The side have then been joined

h4GrihI.jpg

Then the outline of the bass is rough cut ready for routing

63OdjCP.jpg

lD6RLaZ.jpg

Edited by Jabba_the_gut
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  • 2 weeks later...

Not done that much on these (as I'm building four basses at the same time at the moment  - two of these short things and two more semi hollow basses) but have glued on the burl and joined the two halves . On the basis that I'm quite slow at building anyway, this could take a while!!

Think the top of this short thing should look quite nice when it is oiled. It needed quite a but of filling so some sanding dust and wood glue mix was used to fill the holes.

ivgyqA1.jpg?1

ipzK0xD.jpg?1

1HMm7Lo.jpg?3

This is what the layers look like from the side so these should look nice once the body edges have been rounded over.

XzmTzFQ.jpg?1

Next step is to cut this to shape and trip it with the router. After that, the various pockets can be routed.

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14 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said:

Not done that much on these (as I'm building four basses at the same time at the moment  - two of these short things and two more semi hollow basses) but have glued on the burl and joined the two halves . On the basis that I'm quite slow at building anyway, this could take a while!!

Think the top of this short thing should look quite nice when it is oiled. It needed quite a but of filling so some sanding dust and wood glue mix was used to fill the holes.

ivgyqA1.jpg?1

ipzK0xD.jpg?1

1HMm7Lo.jpg?3

This is what the layers look like from the side so these should look nice once the body edges have been rounded over.

XzmTzFQ.jpg?1

Next step is to cut this to shape and trip it with the router. After that, the various pockets can be routed.

That's going to look predictably perfect, Jez.  :D

What wood dust did you use?  I have to do something similar on @Len_derby 's poplar burl top...

Edited by Andyjr1515
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6 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

That's going to look predictably perfect, Jez.  :D

What wood dust did you use?  I have to do something similar on @Len_derby 's poplar burl top...

I hadn't tried this before but I used dust from the burl top mixed into a small quantity of Cascamite glue. Seems ok so far.  

I do like the look of poplar - be interested to see how you get on with it.

Cheers

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This is how these two look at the moment.

BmZVxc3.jpg

MVA22TP.jpg

Quite a lot of the dark wood will be removed from the burl top when the routing is done for the bridge. I'm hoping the layers will look nice when the edges are rounded - I'll use the offcuts to try a couple of different cutters with different radii. But that will have to happen after I earn garage time after doing more DIY.....

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have been doing quite a few bits and pieces and progress should increase soon! I have started making a neck for another bass, which I wanted to do so I could use the offcuts for the neck on one of these two. In the meantime I have routed the control cavity and battery compartment. I decided to try recessing the top of the battery box to see if it looks a better, which I think it will. It's not decided what pickups or electronics I'll use yet but the bodies have been drilled for wires so they should cater for a few options.

OQPK2kr.jpg

This is the neck for the other bass - I'll use the two side offcuts for one of these two headless things..

BDxKXns.jpg?4

Edited by Jabba_the_gut
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I've also drilled the neck mounting bolt holes. As the neck is so short and there is going to be a radius on the top horn down the centre of the neck, I'm going to try using cap head bolts rather than neck ferrules as they are a smaller diameter.

AUOE0zL.jpg

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