Elwray Basses - First Bolt-on 4 string

[Christine]

2 hours ago, Marcoelwray said:

I don't like the fact of bending the string hard like on some Ritter's ...

This way makes more sense to me, but hard to get a perfect finish on that..

That is just drilled perpendicular to the body top and the slots milled in but you could do that with needle files too

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Ok, thanks, I didn't saw it that way, but guess you're right! I think I will the same visual technique as the picture, but I'll drill holes towards the bottom of the bass.

Meanwhile (there is a dimension problem in the wood for the body so I have to wait my supplier to come back from Madagascar...), I rounded a side of the neck, new technique: big rasp then 180 directly, long but satisfying.

I adjusted the nut, made a truss rod cover, made a smooth fretboard ending.

Ah yes ; I knew it but reminder:

DON'T USE YOUR DRESSER AS A PLANER BARE HANDS ! I'm an idiot.

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by Marcoelwray

[Christine]

13 hours ago, Marcoelwray said:

Ah yes ; I knew it but reminder:

DON'T USE YOUR DRESSER AS A PLANER BARE HANDS ! I'm an idiot.

 

Hopefully you have no real harm done, mine have had a hard time over the years as can be seen

[Andyjr1515]

48 minutes ago, Christine said:

Hopefully you have no real harm done, mine have had a hard time over the years as can be seen

Ouch!

[Guest Marcoelwray]

I was lucky, I have to admit...

[Christine]

Just be aware, it only takes one little bit of carelessness. The day after I did that we looked inside the planer and found 11 slices of fingernail, we calculated the whole event took about 1/20th of a second. 14 years later it still hurts, machines have no conscience!

[SpondonBassed]

4 hours ago, Christine said:

Just be aware, it only takes one little bit of carelessness. The day after I did that we looked inside the planer and found 11 slices of fingernail, we calculated the whole event took about 1/20th of a second. 14 years later it still hurts, machines have no conscience!

Sorry to pick up on this Marco but I have to ask @Christine; is that your fretting or plucking hand?  I can't work out which or even if all four fingers in that image are from the same hand.  It looks like the index and ring fingers from both hands to me.

Thanks for the warning both.

[Guest Marcoelwray]

41 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

Sorry to pick up on this Marco but I have to ask @Christine; is that your fretting or plucking hand?  I can't work out which or even if all four fingers in that image are from the same hand.  It looks like the index and ring fingers from both hands to me.

Thanks for the warning both.

Plucking ... Fortunately, it'll be ok for me playing. But we are never careful enough...

[Christine]

15 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

Sorry to pick up on this Marco but I have to ask @Christine; is that your fretting or plucking hand?  I can't work out which or even if all four fingers in that image are from the same hand.  It looks like the index and ring fingers from both hands to me.

Thanks for the warning both.

It's both my index fingers in the picture., I'm not that badly deformed The badly cut finger is the index on my left/fretting hand, I use a plastic fingertip made from Polymorph and leather to play with

[rollie 55]

21 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Ouch!

ouch 😦

Spoiler

 

 

[rollie 55]

8 minutes ago, Christine said:

It's both my index fingers in the picture., I'm not that badly deformed The badly cut finger is the index on my left/fretting hand, I use a plastic fingertip made from Polymorph and leather to play with

i can feel the pain

[rollie 55]

On 30/12/2018 at 21:47, Marcoelwray said:

Ok, thanks, I didn't saw it that way, but guess you're right! I think I will the same visual technique as the picture, but I'll drill holes towards the bottom of the bass.

Meanwhile (there is a dimension problem in the wood for the body so I have to wait my supplier to come back from Madagascar...), I rounded a side of the neck, new technique: big rasp then 180 directly, long but satisfying.

I adjusted the nut, made a truss rod cover, made a smooth fretboard ending.

Ah yes ; I knew it but reminder:

DON'T USE YOUR DRESSER AS A PLANER BARE HANDS ! I'm an idiot.

ouch

[rollie 55]

On 31/12/2018 at 13:18, Christine said:

Just be aware, it only takes one little bit of carelessness. The day after I did that we looked inside the planer and found 11 slices of fingernail, we calculated the whole event took about 1/20th of a second. 14 years later it still hurts, machines have no conscience!

all in the love of bass 

[Guest Marcoelwray]

1 hour ago, rollie 55 said:

all in the love of bass (making)

To me there's a huge gap between bass making and playing. But I have no words to describe it.

[SpondonBassed]

12 minutes ago, Marcoelwray said:

To me there's a huge gap between bass making and playing. But I have no words to describe it.

I might be able to help.  A sufficiently large gap is sometimes referred to as a chasm.

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Now I really need my missing maple.... It's time to start the body!

This is the most slim neck profile I've ever done... Ibanezish profiled.... 

[Maude]

I don't comment much in 'Build Diaries' but I have to say we're spoilt with the level of craftsmenship on here. There really are some amazing luthiers showing their work which I love to see, so thank you. 

Now let's see those wooden machineheads 😀

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Mock-up... Can't wait. Fokin missin maple! 

[Guest Marcoelwray]

I'm learning patience and detailing, as my wood supplier just came back from Madagascar (already asked him for the maple, poor guy....)

So I worked mainly on smoothing surfaces;

I extended the maple fretlines to the side, instead of dot inlays

I also adjusted the top, now the cutaway is matching the fretboard ending (not yet perfectly)

And worked on the headstock, unfortunately I didn't picture it yet but I carved the back of the head as I wanted to give some life to the whole instrument (machine heads placement is odd but calculated to have strings aligned)

Now I really could use the missing wood because body carving (especially neck/body joint) take a lot of time! Looking for a new router too.

[Andyjr1515]

10 hours ago, Marcoelwray said:

I'm learning patience and detailing, as my wood supplier just came back from Madagascar (already asked him for the maple, poor guy....)

So I worked mainly on smoothing surfaces;

I extended the maple fretlines to the side, instead of dot inlays

I also adjusted the top, now the cutaway is matching the fretboard ending (not yet perfectly)

And worked on the headstock, unfortunately I didn't picture it yet but I carved the back of the head as I wanted to give some life to the whole instrument (machine heads placement is odd but calculated to have strings aligned)

Now I really could use the missing wood because body carving (especially neck/body joint) take a lot of time! Looking for a new router too.

What routers are on your shortlist?

EDIT...just seen your other thread.  Ignore the question

Edited January 7, 2019 by Andyjr1515

[Guest Marcoelwray]

@Maude

From there, they are all the same

first oiling, then sanding 320 and reoil, and mount on machine heads....

[Maude]

I love them @Marcoelwray

It's the little features like that that make a bass special.

[Andyjr1515]

20 hours ago, Marcoelwray said:

@Maude

From there, they are all the same

first oiling, then sanding 320 and reoil, and mount on machine heads....

I agree with @Maude. They are beautiful

[Guest Marcoelwray]

If every little piece is beautiful, does it make the bass beautiful ? 😂😂

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Now, I can go on... Finally.