Rexel Matador Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Is it neck-through or through-neck? I haven't done one of these in a while. I made a massive mess in the garage building a TV cabinet and couldn't face tidying up for months, but I finally did it and here we are. I'm making a 32" scale bass with a 5 piece wenge/padauk neck and poplar wings. I finally made a radiusing jig - still a lot of sanding needed, but it's made thigs a bit easier and more accurate. I've never glued a pre-radiused fretboard to a neck before - the bike inner tubes worked remarkably well for clamping. And yesterday I just sat in the garden with some sandpaper seeing how shiny I could get this truss rod cover. Next on the agenda: I messed up with these Padauk inlay dots - they weren't deep enough and have just about gone through a couple of them in the shaping of the board. I wasn't sure about them anyway so I'm going to drill them out and try something else. More to follow... 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Oh, this is going to be good. I look forward to more updates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Following Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowB_FTW Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 6 hours ago, Rexel Matador said: I've never glued a pre-radiused fretboard to a neck before - the bike inner tubes worked remarkably well for clamping. Did you just bind the whole neck with inner tubes and no clamps apart from either end? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted July 19, 2023 Author Share Posted July 19, 2023 23 minutes ago, LowB_FTW said: Did you just bind the whole neck with inner tubes and no clamps apart from either end? Mark Yep. You have to pull them nice a nd tight as you wrap, but it worked perfectly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted July 19, 2023 Author Share Posted July 19, 2023 (edited) Bought a brass rod from B&Q on my way home from work. Only sanded to 80 grit so far but I think we're onto a winner. Edited July 19, 2023 by Rexel Matador 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 That neck is going to look and feel gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 Following! 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted July 20, 2023 Author Share Posted July 20, 2023 Body wing templates 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 On 19/07/2023 at 21:40, LowB_FTW said: Did you just bind the whole neck with inner tubes and no clamps apart from either end? On 19/07/2023 at 22:04, Rexel Matador said: Yep. You have to pull them nice a nd tight as you wrap, but it worked perfectly. This is excellent. I have (for no reason I could fathom) kept several old bike inner tubes. Now I know why I have them - they are providential provision for when the fretboard comes off my project guitar in the autumn! 😅 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 Wings! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Clamps? Were there no inner tubes long enough? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDean Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 6 hours ago, Richard R said: Clamps? Were there no inner tubes long enough? It's such a pain getting the right inner tubes for a penny farthing... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 21 hours ago, Rexel Matador said: Wings! Shhh! Dang! Too late. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 I've roughly shaped the body. It's very light, which I was hoping for with this project. Obviously the hardware will add some weight but there's also still a fair bit of wood to be removed - roundover, control cavity, neck and heel carving, etc. I'm away for two weeks so this will be the last update for a while. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted July 29, 2023 Author Share Posted July 29, 2023 On 22/07/2023 at 16:09, Richard R said: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted August 11, 2023 Author Share Posted August 11, 2023 (edited) I've always resisted Stewmac, because they're pricey and ship from the US, but these little treats are going to make my life so much easier this weekend and arrived much faster than I expected. In other news, I made the most idiotic mistake with the fretboard radius. My jig has a perfect 14" radius for the router to run over, but of course the bit hangs down below that, so it's ended up being more like 12, despite me going at it with a 14" inch sanding block. I'm just going to go with it, it seems consistent and level anyway. I tried to take a pic of the reflection on the sanded surface but it didn't really work... As you can see, the 21st fret slot is very close to the end of the board. Another rookie mistake, but I'm learning as I go! Hopefully it will hold when the fret goes in! I've come too far to do anything about it now! Edited August 11, 2023 by Rexel Matador 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 A bit of progress. Frets are in, some finer body outline shaping, pickups and control cavities, tuner holes. I'm never hammering frets in again. Definitely time to invest in a press/caul of some kind. I wanted to route a roundover in the body but I need to wait for the imperial bolts required to attached the router to the table to arrive, so I'll have to wait. Next up, carving the neck, heel, volute, body contour. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 Not sure why I went so all-in on the high fret access. It's not as if I use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloke_zero Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 17 hours ago, Rexel Matador said: Not sure why I went so all-in on the high fret access. It's not as if I use them. That may change when it's easier! I have basses where the better access encourages playing higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 52 minutes ago, bloke_zero said: That may change when it's easier! I have basses where the better access encourages playing higher. Indeed, plus I may end up building a bass for someone else one day, so should probably learn to do things other people like! I've still never made one with more than four strings for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDean Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 How many innertubes did you need to glue the fretboard on? I'm short on clamps, but do have an innertube or two I could cannibalise... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 2 hours ago, MichaelDean said: How many innertubes did you need to glue the fretboard on? I'm short on clamps, but do have an innertube or two I could cannibalise... Two tied together was plenty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted August 20, 2023 Author Share Posted August 20, 2023 Hacking away... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Rexel Matador said: Hacking away... Absolutely flippin' gorgeous! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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