7string Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Great to see some progress. The facings are really unusual with the mix of curl & birdseye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 Jon mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the facing with the kiwi had been sent away for laser cutting. No more photos yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Waiting for a custom build is painful. However, it is worth the wait. Hang in there, CK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wotnwhy Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 laser cutting?? what and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 [quote name='wotnwhy' post='163221' date='Mar 25 2008, 04:00 PM']laser cutting?? what and why?[/quote] For the kiwi inlay Its funny, I'm now wondering whether I should have asked for a radiussed top like on Warwick and Spector basses, I do particularly like how the pickups and strings project out from the body because playing is a little easier with my 'straight' thumbs. Its probably a little late for that now, but might ask about it for the workhorse bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 New pics at last! Taken by myself on Friday while Jon was teaching me how to refret my guitar neck. [attachment=8068:Picture_472.jpg][attachment=8069:Picture_473.jpg] Its roughly shaped and already feels great for ergonomics, although it seems a little heavier than Johngh's. Perhaps because of the heavy mahogany body wings? You can see the chambering in the top wing already. The bass has matching control cavity covers cut from the rear facing for the back and the electric blue LED's are fully functional too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 the neck is lookin lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Dunno if you are using ABM bridge bits but it looks like they are back in business again [url="http://buildingtheergonomicguitar.com/2008/02/abm-back-in-business.html"]http://buildingtheergonomicguitar.com/2008...n-business.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 I've asked Jon for the mono rail units - same as used by Status. Are they made by ABM? I've also asked him where the onboard tuner is going! (Can't see any allowance for it in the top horn yet - hope it hasn't been forgotten!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted April 27, 2008 Author Share Posted April 27, 2008 Jon came back and said the tuner hadn't been forgotten but he was thinking about where to put it still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johngh Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Its starting to look like a bass now CK, looks very much like mine as well. How much longer now till its finished ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted April 28, 2008 Author Share Posted April 28, 2008 [quote name='Johngh' post='186876' date='Apr 27 2008, 11:22 PM']Its starting to look like a bass now CK, looks very much like mine as well. How much longer now till its finished ?[/quote] It was inspired by yours John! No idea on the completion date unfortunately. Jon's working on 32 other orders in various stages of completion as well apparently. Rob's in there giving him a hand but they don't seem to be panicking much. Its taken 6 weeks already just for the laser cutting people to come back and say they needed a .gif of the kiwi to cut the right shaped hole! Also the original kiwi that I made was too curved and thin to be sanded flush to the body. So I've left some paua shell with Jon to be water cut to the right shape. At the moment, the waiting time has been 6 months but there's a bit more to do with mine than most other basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 Update: Apparently the kiwi inlay is in and looks good, so the top will be going on shortly. Jon says the bass is likely to be finished in the next 4 weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='239290' date='Jul 14 2008, 04:49 PM']Update: Apparently the kiwi inlay is in and looks good, so the top will be going on shortly. Jon says the bass is likely to be finished in the next 4 weeks! [/quote] 4 weeks He told me that his build time was 12 - 20 weeks when I put down my deposit... on the 6th November... that makes it 37 weeks by my count! To say I can't wait to get my hands on it is an understatement! Jon's a great guy to deal with, but his timing estimates leave a bit to be desired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 [quote name='Bigwan' post='246232' date='Jul 23 2008, 04:39 PM'] 4 weeks He told me that his build time was 12 - 20 weeks when I put down my deposit... on the 6th November... that makes it 37 weeks by my count! To say I can't wait to get my hands on it is an understatement! Jon's a great guy to deal with, but his timing estimates leave a bit to be desired![/quote] I think I commissioned my bass around the same time as you did. Jon told me 5 months, but this was before he got flooded, and before he had to move workshop. It also took about 3 months to get the inlay sorted. Draw your own conclusions, but its not untypical for luthiers to work to their own timelines and completely undermine any assurances they've given beforehand. For my other little headless project in partnership with Jon, I'm minimising Jon's input as much as possible (while also making sure he's still sweet). If any of you have bolt on bodies made in the future, chances are they will been rough shaped on Jon's CNC machine, based on the programme of instructions I will be preparing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 [quote name='Bigwan' post='246232' date='Jul 23 2008, 04:39 PM'] 4 weeks He told me that his build time was 12 - 20 weeks when I put down my deposit... on the 6th November... that makes it 37 weeks by my count! To say I can't wait to get my hands on it is an understatement! Jon's a great guy to deal with, but his timing estimates leave a bit to be desired![/quote] I must apologise, as apparently I sent him a fair amount of work this year ;o) In March he had 20 basses on the go!!!! Which is shooting myself in the foot, as it means my own bass has encountered a few delays too! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 [quote name='dood' post='246852' date='Jul 24 2008, 01:44 PM']I must apologise, as apparently I sent him a fair amount of work this year ;o) In March he had 20 basses on the go!!!! Which is shooting myself in the foot, as it means my own bass has encountered a few delays too![/quote] He's also recieved a lot of business from a bass teacher in Leeds who keeps putting his students onto Jon for instruments! I'm off up to see him on Saturday anyway, apparently the top is going onto the bass today (complete with inlay) and the neck should be carved by the time I get to the workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Which bass teacher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 OK update: Jon didn't managed to carve the neck before I got there today. However he was working through the weekend to get on top of the orders before he went on holiday to Canterbury next week. He hopes to have a number of instruments ready for finishing when he gets back. So here's the bass, without the carved neck but with the top and kiwi inlaid and the edges of the body have been pin routered. He said the redwood was pretty difficult to work into the drop top because it was so brittle and it kept tearing when it was being routed. Loads of it left from the slab I had too. Speaking of which Jon will be selling off some of his quilted, flamed and burl maple on his site very soon and there's a new shuker body shape currently in production. It reminds me a little of an Alembic Rogue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmonster Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 looks good CK, Starting to come together now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 Yeah, I think the advice on this thread to go with the birdseye maple fingerboard was spot on , I think the flamed maple would have been too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 That's looking amazing dude! You've got me GASing hard for a headless bass now! I've always fancied one, and even more so now that I can't fit my current bass in my boot, so I can't go for a pre or post rehearsal pint without taking it with me! New headless bass or a new car?... Reckon I'd have more fun with the bass. [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='259053' date='Aug 9 2008, 10:05 PM']... there's a new shuker body shape currently in production. It reminds me a little of an Alembic Rogue.[/quote] I don't suppose the new shape looks anything like this? [attachment=11840:Shuker_B...On_Tweak.jpg] Cheers, Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 [quote name='eude' post='259138' date='Aug 10 2008, 09:26 AM']That's looking amazing dude! You've got me GASing hard for a headless bass now! I've always fancied one, and even more so now that I can't fit my current bass in my boot, so I can't go for a pre or post rehearsal pint without taking it with me! New headless bass or a new car?... Reckon I'd have more fun with the bass.[/quote] Heheh, I got gas from Johngh's bass, catching innit? [quote name='eude' post='259138' date='Aug 10 2008, 09:26 AM']I don't suppose the new shape looks anything like this? [attachment=11840:Shuker_B...On_Tweak.jpg][/quote] Its the same shape as the bass now on the home page of his website... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johngh Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='259146' date='Aug 10 2008, 10:12 AM']Heheh, I got gas from Johngh's bass, catching innit? [/quote] And I got GAS from Dood's "Doodle" Its a bit like a family tree of basses this innit ! The Bass looks like its gonna be stunning CK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Last time I spoke with him a couple of weeks ago it was supposed to be getting sprayed last week. I can't wait to see what the top looks like wet - it should very dark and chocolatey. That reminds me, I called him at lunchtime for an update and he wasn't in. I'll give him another call now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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