Custom 54p Build - My first ever build

[lou24d53]

After a month of needing something new, switching my mind between a Limelight light relic and a Maruszczyk Jake custom design, I've eventually switched track completely and thought, sod it, I'd like to build something myself.

I have always loved the simple, classic look of the Fender 54P design, but I'm going away from the vintage bridge and covers, as I do really like the more modern take on it, a la Mike Lull 54P...so this will be my inspiration...and hopefully I'll end up with one of my own for less than half the price...!!

I want a darker wood body, natural Tru-Oil finish, and I'm currently undecided whether to go with a Guitar Build 1 piece swamp ash, or a 2 piece walnut (Kgs?!) body.

After my thread yesterday on import tax and duty (as I was stupidly considering buying from the US just to avoid finishing myself!), I've aleady bought the neck, Allparts Tele-Bass, unfinished maple, which I'm planning on tinting and finishing with Tru-Oil...might be a few weeks before it's here though, 2 week back order...🙄

Hipshot B Style Bridge, chrome, 19mm

Hipshot Ultralite Clover tuners, chrome

Lindy Fralin 51'P Split Single Coil Pup

Pickguard...black or white...?!

Controls, volume pot and I'm going to throw in a ToneStyler Bass Ten

Nervously looking forward to my first ever build...or is it construction when you buy the parts...?!

Edited April 26, 2019 by lou24d53

[hooky_lowdown]

Will be interested in your build, lots of quality parts.

I've read good things about Nash 51 P's. If you have a dark body then you want to contrast it, so an off white or cream pickguard would be my choice.

[lou24d53]

Thanks. I have budgeted for quality parts as it's one I'm planning already on keeping, so didn't want to get the look I'm after then scrimp on the hardware and accessories. I'll check out those Nash 51's too...need to make choice early as I want the pickguard to match the colour choice of nut I go for.

[Rikki_Sixx]

For a brief moment I thought this was a build for £0.54 - now that would be impressive!

Looking forward to seeing this progress, I'd like to do a build like this myself.

[lou24d53]

Someone's been shopping the last few days.............................................

• Allparts Replacement neck for Tele-Bass - sold maple - no finish
• Lindy Fralin '51 P Bass, Split Single Coil
• Stellertone, Tonestyler Bass Ten
• Hipshot Ultralite Y Tuners, Shiny Chrome, 1/2" / 13mm
• Hipshot B-Style Bridge, Aluminium, Chrome, 19mm spacing – FM2 American Deluxe String Thru
• Hipshot String Ferrules, Chrome
• Hipshot String Tree, Chrome
• Allparts Tele-Bass Control Cover, Chrome
• Allparts Tele Jack Plate, Chrome
• Allparts Neck Bushings, Chrome
• Fender Neck Screws, Chrome
• Schaller Classic Strap Locks, Chrome
• Sonik Domed Control Knobs, Chrome
• Tru-Oil
• 220 Grit Sandpaper
• Copper Sheilding Tape
• 0000 Steel Wool

Only really leaves the Guitar Build body to purchase......and a pickguard......possibly......if I decide one is going to actually go on it......but I'll leave that until much later in the day to decide once I see it nearing completion......

Body-wise, I reckon I'm now going for the 2-piece Walnut body, which although (at least based on the stock bodies for sale on the Guitar Build website) appears to come in approx. 0.5Kg heavier than the single piece Swamp Ash, I have a preference for a darker body to contrast with the maple neck......oh, which I've also since decided I'm also not now planning on going for the vintage tint......again, purely for contrast reasons......

Edited September 25, 2019 by lou24d53

[Cuzzie]

This is looking good and will Sound amazing - probably your best choice there is that tonestyler - it really is phenomenal.

A lot of those components are like stuff I have merged across builds. 

Remember weight is always a thing and grain is important in a bass  so I would go for the best looking grain you can with a natural finish.

So far as which body, there are plenty of ways to darken a swamp ash body cheaply and easily some of which I have tried and would be happy to share.

Tru oil / gun oil is great stuff .

with sandpaper it’s always good to start from 100 and then gravitate through last 220 to even 400 or beyond if you can bear it, it will give you a more even finish on the bass.

Also are you doing a Matt or shiny finish, both achievable with Tru oil, but to help it go further you can dilute the oil with mineral/white spirits and wet sand it in as you go!

loads to think of!

[lou24d53]

Thanks for the advice Cuzzie.

Finish-wise, I'm not too sure exactly what I'm after just now if I'm honest, I don't want it matte necessarily, but I'm not sure I want a highly polished, glass-like finish either...somewhere in between I guess, but I suppose I'll know myself when it's in progress...although that said, it was the thread below which definitely pointed me in the direction of tru-oil as a finish...so we may end up heading that way... 

I'm always open to hearing from those who've done it before, so please feel free to offer tips and advice as you see fit.

I'm particularly interested in those in relation to the darkening of the Swamp Ash body as the lighter weight body definitely appeals...I just thought I would be more likely to get the darker tone I'm after if I was to start with a naturally darker wood.

 Colour-wise, in terms of darkness, I was thinking along the lines of the attached (stock Google photo!)

Definitely without the purple strings though! 

[Cuzzie]

This is a good one for using gun/Tru oil from Matt through to a polish

https://youtu.be/PKMzNfd-mXQ

Although you may not want this colour the principle is good for a stain and pop the wood grain

 

I am testing a couple stains before a build - dark brown and amber, watering them and mixing them

 

Then i used some if that rub n buff combining a couple to see what I can get with a little shimmer-apologies for lame commentary

[Cuzzie]

 

did this with swamp ash

[Cuzzie]

 

straight Tru oil to a Matt finish - about 4 coats no buffing

[lou24d53]

Superb Cuzzie, I'm at work just now - albeit it sneaking on here! - but I'll definitely get a watch / read over these later...top man!

[Cuzzie]

That P bass had gentle blow torch just to pop the grain a little.

BTW I am no means an expert, just enthusiastic and experimenting!

But I will say for an aged look and dirt cheap - tea is very very good!

Edited May 1, 2019 by Cuzzie

[Cuzzie]

One thing I will say is that if you are getting blanks and you need holes in the neck drilling, don’t mess about - you have 1 shot for a good hole - get some clamps and a pillar drill, or get a mate/tradesman to do this exactly with a pillar drill.

I had to do various holes for neck and tuners and countersink a Status graphite neck for another bass I did - you cannot slip up with them and it was invaluable

[Cuzzie]

Also does your body blank have the position for the bridge and grounding wire already drilled?

If not here is a useful thing I found to help find out where you need to place it.

 

Bridge placement 34”

 

for reference this is for a 34" scale 4-string bass:

 

* if you want to protect the finish from scratches/nicks, not is the time to cover it with something like blue painting tape or similar

 

* insert the neck into the neck pocket and clamp it into place. be careful not to squash your frets with the clamp and clamping fressure

 

* using a long straight edge, draw a line from the neck to the body butt for each side of the neck. accurately measure from the last fret position about 3" on each line. do this again for a reference measurement that is near the butt end of the body

 

* accurately connect each pair of measurements to their counterpart on the other line

 

* accurately measure the center point of each connecting line, and then draw a line thru these two points - extend the line from the end of the neck to the butt end of the body. if you were accurate in all of your steps so far, you now have an accurate reference of where the centerline of the neck passes thru the body. this is critical for your strings to be aligned on the neck properly

 

* measure from the nut back 34" to obtain your theoretical 34" scale reference. accurately draw a line perpendicular to the centerline thru this point. extend the line several inches on each side of centerline

 

* determine the forward most travel of your bridge's saddles, move it back 1/16", and measure the distance from the string witness point on the saddle to the front edge of the bridge. draw a line parallel to the scale reference line (towards the neck side of the line) this same distance. you now have the front edge aligned for the bridge.

 

* measure the width of the bridge and draw a pair of lines parallel to the centerline that each are half the bridge with away. now you have your bridge aligned side-side

 

I know this seems like a lot of work, but it's really not that difficult. it's critical to measure and draw accurately, as any slop will easily be seen every time you look at the bass.

 

it's also important to note that the strings will always intonate longer than the 34" scale, not less, and thicker strings will intonate farther than thinner strings. because of this, only the G string will be relatively close to 34" ... the others may be as much as 34-3/8" from nut to witness point

[lou24d53]

Thankfully it does...I'm going for a Guitar Build custom bass body, so you can spec that up however you want.

I'm pretty relaxed about tackling the whole finishing aspect of this project, but anything which involves in any way cutting or reshaping of wood, I'd rather pay someone who knows what they are doing to sort that part out...!

[Cuzzie]

It will be fine I am sure - it’s just to make sure you are wary of what can happen if you hand drill, you may have a steady hand!

If you are near Bristol - I have a pillar drill and clamps you can come and do it!

[lou24d53]

As kind as your offer is, thankfully Wishaw is significantly far enough away from Bristol that I don't reckon I'll be tempted to take you up on that...!! :-) :-) 

[Cuzzie]

Ha! No worries, someone may pop up

[lou24d53]

An update to announce there's been no update since my last posts...well, other than I've had various components already delivered with some still on order awaiting delivery...

HOWEVER...main point of post...I may need recommendations on replacement Tele necks if anyone can advise...

I ordered an Allparts TBMO Bass Neck on 25th April, with the website saying there was a two week back order...however it still hasn't arrived and I can't say I overly enamored with Allparts general lack of response to my emails enquiring about it..."I will try and get an ETA for you..." then no response with me doing all the asking...

So, if no suitable response forthcoming, may be a cancel, refund and look elsewhere...

[lou24d53]

So the neck eventually arrived a week or so ago and I'm gearing up to "eventually" now getting started...!!

My starting plan is to Tru-Oil the neck, and as I'm planning on a darker(ish) Walnut finished body, I'm actually liking the contrast of the 'raw', natural light colour of the maple, so I'm not really planning on staining or darkening the neck to any great degree other than that to which the Tru-Oil will bring as it is applied...which I'll call when I'm happy during the application process.

I've also got myself a custom decal^* made from Rothko & Frost, which quite clearly states "Waterslide decals are not compatible with Tru-Oil or other oil/brush on finishes"...!! - however...I've also read that Tru-Oil, once cured, can be sprayed over with Nitro.

The plan for now is to Tru-Oil the neck, once desired colour and finish has been reached and allowing time for the Tru-Oil to cure, I'm then thinking masking off the neck and underside of the headstock and spraying a couple of coats of clear Nitro over the front of the headstock only, purely to give the decal a base to adhere to, then apply decal and a further two three coats of clear Nitro over the top.

I've read online the about the very high standard of finish from a Tru-Oil neck, so I'd be reluctant to completely coat the entire neck and head with Nitro if at all possible.  

As a bass build virgin, does that all seem logical a plan so far...?! 

 

*The "A.L." is my wee boy's initials and the serial number is his date of birth...I know, so obvious and cheesy...!  

[Cuzzie]

Sounds a plan Batman

[SpondonBassed]

On 18/06/2019 at 11:57, lou24d53 said:

The plan for now is to Tru-Oil the neck, once desired colour and finish has been reached and allowing time for the Tru-Oil to cure, I'm then thinking masking off the neck and underside of the headstock and spraying a couple of coats of clear Nitro over the front of the headstock only, purely to give the decal a base to adhere to, then apply decal and a further two three coats of clear Nitro over the top.

@Andyjr1515 applied his decal to our Jag bass that he'd modified.  It was self adhesive and it got four light wipes of Osmo oil (as I recall).  Perhaps he'd be able to save you the extra step of nitro coating with some advice?

Edited June 19, 2019 by SpondonBassed

[Andyjr1515]

9 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

@Andyjr1515 applied his decal to our Jag bass that he'd modified.  It was self adhesive and it got four light wipes of Osmo oil (as I recall).  Perhaps he'd be able to save you the extra step of nitro coating with some advice?

Hi

Personally, I would go simpler, assuming it's a normal decal and that it doesn't specifically exclude tru-oil (which would be very surprising - tru-oil is exceptionally unreactive)...

  If I was using Tru-oil for the neck, personally I would also use tru-oil for the headstock too.  It will take a number of coats to soak into the wood and start to build to a shine, but once that's done, the decal should adhere perfectly well.

Once the decal is on and dried, a few new coats of tru-oil, allowed to dry between each coat, will seal the decal perfectly well.

[lou24d53]

Thanks guys, it was this attached PDF where I specifically read about Tru-Oil.

It's my first experience using waterslide decals, (well, since my horrendously bad attempt at Airfix models 30+ years ago!) so I'm nervous enough as it is about tackling them!

1518364846CLS002-CLS-Waterslide-Decals-Application-Instructions.pdf

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, lou24d53 said:

Thanks guys, it was this attached PDF where I specifically read about Tru-Oil.

It's my first experience using waterslide decals, (well, since my horrendously bad attempt at Airfix models 30+ years ago!) so I'm nervous enough as it is about tackling them!

1518364846CLS002-CLS-Waterslide-Decals-Application-Instructions.pdf 400.52 kB · 1 download

Ah - Ok.  In which case your original plan is a good one