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My first build - with pics!


CookPassBabtridge
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Hi All – I wanted to share my first build with you fine folk!

 

I’ve been doing a guitar building evening course for a couple of years now – a few hours a week hence the slow progress. I actually have another bass nearing completion, but this one is the output of an intensive week-long course I did last last summer (have spent my evening class time since finishing it). I could probably write a small and very boring book about my experience of the build process but instead I’ll just share the specs and my key lessons learned, in case of any use/interest to anyone thinking about getting in to luthiery.

 

Specs:

•    Swamp ash body
•    Maple neck
•    Rosewood fretboard
•    Schaller hardware
•    Sims super quad pickup with passive electronics

 

Top 3 learning points for a first build:

 

  • Keep it simple. Sounds obvious but it’s easy to get excited and carried away with the design. I tried an original body shape and a wood veneer and pearloid logo on the headstock. They look pretty decent but they added a large chunk of time to the build. I made some mistakes with the veneer and just ended up staining it black anyway. Start with an existing template (e.g. J or P bass) and go from there. The main purpose of the first build will be learning all the basic woodworking techniques, so focus on that rather than funky design ideas. Try those once your confidence and experience increases a bit.
  • Don’t blow your budget. It’s very easy to be tempted to buy a really nice looking piece of quilt maple for a top, or some high-end pickups. Materials and hardware aint cheap and before long it can get quite expensive. The first build isn’t going to be perfect so don’t go overboard with the extras. Save them for later - in hindsight I got overexcited with those Sims pickups and should have opted for something more cost-effective.  Cheap and functional is what I’d recommend. A guy in my class made a P Bass the same time as me and fitted some Wilkinson pickups to it – they sounded great.
  • Take your time. You’ll be really keen to get your first build finished and in your hands ASAP but it is a long and tricky process. My patience was tested quite a few times by the mistakes I made, and quite a few of them could have been avoided if I’d just done things a little slower and steadier. So don’t rush, the next build will go much quicker!

 

There are quite a few things I’d change design-wise for another build (smaller, sharper body, wider headstock so there’s more distance between the strings at the tuners, cheaper pickups/hardware etc.), but nonetheless I’m quite pleased – the bass sounds decent and provides a good benchmark for the future. Hopefully there will be a few more before too long!

 

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Edited by CookPassBabtridge
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Looks great, especially as it's your first attempt!
My first (and so far only) build was designed around an Aria neck that I bought locally, with body wood coming free from work (apart from a few quid going into the staff tea & coffee fund)

It's still around in MK somewhere, and it resurfaces from time to time at local jam nights.

 

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11 hours ago, Alien said:

Looks great, especially as it's your first attempt!
My first (and so far only) build was designed around an Aria neck that I bought locally, with body wood coming free from work (apart from a few quid going into the staff tea & coffee fund)

It's still around in MK somewhere, and it resurfaces from time to time at local jam nights.

 


Thanks, love that story! I think that’s the ultimate aim for me, to get to a stage where I can sell a few builds. Perhaps as a side hustle. I certainly plan to make a good few more, and won’t have the space for them at home if nothing else 😂

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5 hours ago, CookPassBabtridge said:


Thanks, love that story! I think that’s the ultimate aim for me, to get to a stage where I can sell a few builds. Perhaps as a side hustle. I certainly plan to make a good few more, and won’t have the space for them at home if nothing else 😂

You'll plan to make and sell but if your anything like me you'll make one and then convince yourself that its not good enough to sell just so you can keep it for yourself! 😂

 

You've done a great job on your first build! 👍🏻

Edited by Jimothey
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5 hours ago, Jimothey said:

You'll plan to make and sell but if your anything like me you'll make one and then convince yourself that its not good enough to sell just so you can keep it for yourself! 😂

 

You've done a great job on your first build! 👍🏻


Thanks! Haha, that is definitely the case with this one, I doubt very much that it will be going anywhere.

 

My second build isn’t too far off being complete, let’s see what I decide to do with that 😂

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I've almost finished 2 guitars (a firecaster and a tele 🤫) I don't really play guitar but I'm finding reasons to keep them but I need to sell them to pay for some more bits for some other projects for a few basses I'm building which are the P-rick, Fenderbird, another corvette style build 'The Chevette' and a MM P bass build which I need to sell a couple of them also! 😭

 

Building is a slippery slope before I started 3 years ago I had 2 basses now I've got 12..... 👍🏻 

Edited by Jimothey
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15 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I've almost finished 2 guitars (a firecaster and a tele 🤫) I don't really play guitar but I'm finding reasons to keep them but I need to sell them to pay for some more bits for some other projects for a few basses I'm building which are the P-rick, Fenderbird, another corvette style build 'The Chevette' and a MM P bass build which I need to sell a couple of them also! 😭

 

Building is a slippery slope before I started 3 years ago I had 2 basses now I've got 12..... 👍🏻 


Nice, at my current rate I think it’ll take me a few years to get 12 done 😂 I look forward to pictorial evidence of all of these projects, the P-Ric in particular sounds rather fascinating! 

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22 minutes ago, CookPassBabtridge said:


Nice, at my current rate I think it’ll take me a few years to get 12 done 😂 I look forward to pictorial evidence of all of these projects, the P-Ric in particular sounds rather fascinating! 

The two guitars are on guitarchat and all the others except the Mm P bass as I havent started a new build thread for it as yet? Are in the Build Diaries section....... 👍🏻 

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20 hours ago, Jimothey said:

The two guitars are on guitarchat and all the others except the Mm P bass as I havent started a new build thread for it as yet? Are in the Build Diaries section....... 👍🏻 


Cool I’ve just checked them out, that P-Ric in particular looks 👌🏻

Edited by CookPassBabtridge
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