SpondonBassed Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 4 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: I'm going to have to invest in a proper router table as this should make the difference in terms of everything be more solid for this kind of work. Crikey Jez. Your workmanship is blindingly good so far. If that's what you can do with just an MDF table, your next project is going to be magnificent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 I’ve got a cast iron router table top and aluminium slider for a table. If you’re interested jez, message me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Not done much more but I have fitted threaded inserts into the neck and roughly assembled one of them. I've put some string on it and left it overnight to make sure there' no slippage of the strings and it will stay in tune and so far, it looks like it will. I'll probably finish this one off before I move onto the other just so I can learn any lessons first!! Need to start shaping the neck next. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Is that two strings per clamp Jez? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 4 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said: Is that two strings per clamp Jez? It is. These things have a grub screw per string then a clamp per two strings. Seems to work okay though I do prefer double ball end strings as they are a lot less fuss, but not an option for this build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) Another piccy - you can see the clamps better on this one, Edited June 29, 2018 by Jabba_the_gut 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) 16 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: It is. These things have a grub screw per string then a clamp per two strings. Seems to work okay though I do prefer double ball end strings as they are a lot less fuss, but not an option for this build. Thanks. That's reassuring. The two stage retention system inspires more confidence than either stage on its own. It's hard enough to get a decent range of DBEs to choose from in standard scale length and even more difficult to get a set of five. So far, I've not needed to put a clamping mod on either of my paddle basses but lots of folk do. I'd favour your clamping arrangement over one grub screw per string if it came to. PS: It's all come together well. Although unfinished, it looks nicely proportioned Edited June 30, 2018 by SpondonBassed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 That is really nice, Jez. You do a great job of making basses with real style. I raise my hat to you, Sir. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 54 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Not done much more but I have fitted threaded inserts into the neck and roughly assembled one of them. I've put some string on it and left it overnight to make sure there' no slippage of the strings and it will stay in tune and so far, it looks like it will. I'll probably finish this one off before I move onto the other just so I can learn any lessons first!! Need to start shaping the neck next. Looks great, Jez. I would be very surprised if you get any slippage. There is none on Mick's Psilos bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Looks beautiful jez, you’ve beat me on this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Coming on a treat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) Thanks for all the positive comments - I hope it carries on going well!! I've done the neck shaping this evening - good old Shinzo rasp!! The neck is obviously a completely different shape to a normal neck being headless, short and single cut and I have tried this before so I was expecting a few issues but it all went smoothly. I had to make a couple of rough jigs to route along the join with the body with a round bit. I did this as I wanted the join from the back of the neck to the body to be nicely rounded (this might make sense when looking at the picture of the neck on it's own).I modified the round cutter like a template cutter by fitting a guiding bearing on the shaft. It only needed a channel a couple of mm deep so I cut that first then changed to a normal template cutter, made another jig then removed a couple of mm from the back of the neck leaving me a level surface to start cutting from. After a bit of rasping and sanding I ended up with this (note the threaded inserts for bolting the neck on with allen headed bolts): And fitted to the body this is how it now looks (note the previous scars on the bench work top where I cut a bit too deep with a router in the past...) Next job is lots of sanding of the body..... Edited June 29, 2018 by Jabba_the_gut 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 I did, however, forget to fit the fret dots before I radiused the fretboard which will make it a bit trickier to get them nicely aligned. Doh!! Just being a bit over-eager in getting the neck shaping done..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Like this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 9 hours ago, TheGreek said: Like this.... Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 That neck is a piece of art just by itself. I love the engineering. Normally such clean lines can only be achieved by putting a block of metal into a five axis CNC milling machine and relying on software. It's a credit to your correct use of hand and machine tools in combination. I like the thread inserts too. They contribute greatly to the sense that this is a soundly made instrument. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said: That neck is a piece of art just by itself. I love the engineering. Normally such clean lines can only be achieved by putting a block of metal into a five axis CNC milling machine and relying on software. It's a credit to your correct use of hand and machine tools in combination. I like the thread inserts too. They contribute greatly to the sense that this is a soundly made instrument. ^^^ wot he said 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 See, you fellas with an engineering background approve of the skill involved in manufacturing this...me, I only think about the aesthetics...my loss, I suppose. Keep up the good work Jezz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, TheGreek said: See, you fellas with an engineering background approve of the skill involved in manufacturing this...me, I only think about the aesthetics...my loss, I suppose. Keep up the good work Jezz. I am not sure about you being at a loss. If you feel that way, fair enough. Do bear this in mind though; Although I'd love to appreciate things for what they are without looking under the bonnet, so to speak, it is just not in my nature. I envy the ability to not question what makes it tick. Don't ever change Mick. We wouldn't have the sense of balance that we currently enjoy without the purely aesthetic viewpoint. Edited June 30, 2018 by SpondonBassed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkleygit Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Always had a thing for a headless bass, 30" scale sounds tempting. The Fretless is going down a storm by the way, this looks just as good will be interesting to hear how that scale length sounds, keep up the good work, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 Well engineered + beautiful aesthetics = gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 1 hour ago, Norris said: Well engineered + beautiful aesthetics = gorgeous! Totally agree looks amazing!! 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 Met up with another BCer today who DOESN'T follow the build threads....couldn't imagine that...they say there's nothing queer as folk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 31 minutes ago, TheGreek said: Met up with another BCer today who DOESN'T follow the build threads....couldn't imagine that...they say there's nothing queer as folk. I hope you drove him out of town with torches and pitchforks!! 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honza992 Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 (edited) On 29/06/2018 at 22:31, Jabba_the_gut said: Thanks for all the positive comments - I hope it carries on going well!! I've done the neck shaping this evening - good old Shinzo rasp!! The neck is obviously a completely different shape to a normal neck being headless, short and single cut and I have tried this before so I was expecting a few issues but it all went smoothly. I had to make a couple of rough jigs to route along the join with the body with a round bit. I did this as I wanted the join from the back of the neck to the body to be nicely rounded (this might make sense when looking at the picture of the neck on it's own).I modified the round cutter like a template cutter by fitting a guiding bearing on the shaft. It only needed a channel a couple of mm deep so I cut that first then changed to a normal template cutter, made another jig then removed a couple of mm from the back of the neck leaving me a level surface to start cutting from. After a bit of rasping and sanding I ended up with this (note the threaded inserts for bolting the neck on with allen headed bolts): And fitted to the body this is how it now looks (note the previous scars on the bench work top where I cut a bit too deep with a router in the past...) Next job is lots of sanding of the body..... Wow these are great. Thanks so much for posting your process in detail. Could I ask you for a bit more detail about your neck joint routing method. It's something I've tried to do, but it was only when I tried it out on scrap that I realised the radius of the router bit was far too large - for the bit to cut flush with the body, the radius of the bit needs to be equal to (or less than) the depth of cut.... Am I right that you used a small radius bit (2mm?) with a bearing that runs along the body to cut a channel all the way along the neck part of the join, then used a flat cutter to bring the thickness of the neck down to that level? You don't have any pictures of you actually doing it by any chance? Your neck joins are the best I've seen. The trouble with inspirational threads like these is that they are...inspirational. Another technique to try and another guitar to build. So thanks for that🙄 😁 Edited July 2, 2018 by honza992 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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