Jabba_the_gut

I like the EMG preamps and they are really easy to install and very compact. Just get some new knobs though - the EMG ones look a bit cheap and would take away from a lovely build! Cheers

Looking really nice and not too far to homie!! Are you planning to use an EMG preamp with the pickups?

Nice! How about a black and white checked scratch plate or black scratch plate and white cover for the neck pickup....

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19686-guitar-shop-101-how-to-shim-a-bolt-on-neck

If the issue is the strings being too high at the bridge then you add a shim to the neck end of the pocket. If the strings are too low then add a shim to the body end of the pocket. The shim just changes the angle it meets the body and will either raise or lower the strings at the bridge. StewMac sell angled shins https://www.stewmac.com/tonewoods/electric-guitar-bodies-and-necks-and-wood/electric-guitar-necks/stewmac-neck-shims-for-guitar.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=2020-09-gp&pref_currency=P&shipcalc=UK&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxuf3u4XX6wIVUe3tCh3LSA52EAQYASABEgJnyPD_BwE if you just don’t like the neck being high in the pocket, then it’s router time.....

I would either make a template to cut the pocket deeper using a router or I would use a shim. Using a wedge shaped shim that tapers to virtually nothing would probably work. The thick end of the shim would be at the neck end of the neck pocket which would angle the neck into the body so the strings would be lower at the bridge. You can just try this by putting some strips of cardboard in the pocket at the neck end. I’d guess that something like two strips of a cereal packet would be about the thickness. Otherwise, I’d make a template to route the pocket as there is no support for the router on the lower edge. Cheers

Next task was to sort a neck template for this. I used the same method as usual to centre the neck on the template by using two straight pieces of wood and measured the distances to the centre line. I used an old template to cut the heel curve out of a scrap of MDF and used that to complete the template. Cut the bulk out then trimmed with a router to make a neat pocket. After making the pocket template I them made another template for the outline of the body. This template was used to draw the outline of the body onto the wood and then to use as the routing template once the bulk was cut away using a bandsaw. The template was tacked onto the body blank using a couple of small tacks where the neck pocket will be and where the bridge will sit to stop it moving when trimming. The two tack holes will then not be visible on the finished bass. I trimmed the body in a couple of passes and this is where I'm at now: You can see in the picture below how the body looks where it has been made from three pieces of wood. I'm really chuffed with how good the match is between the piece I had lying around and used for the centre section with the wood that makes the wings that @Frank Blank gave to me. I've no idea what the wood is though - I'll have to try and look it up. Next job will be to cut the neck pocket and to sort the template to route the control cavity and the pickup cavity,

It's a bit of a slow build this one but I've done some work on the neck for this. There have been a couple of issues but they got sorted along the way - the main one being a router bit moving when I was removing the excess in the depth of the headstock. I had to cut a slice from an old offcut from the neck and rectify this and it turned out barely visible and will be under the veneer anyway. I thought it might please @TheGreek so I decided the headstock would look nice with a matching veneer to the body! I've never had a bass of this shape before but it is really growing on me and I'm really looking forward to the finished bass. I've also put a veneer between the fretboard and the neck so this follows the veneer on the headstock. Next task will be to sort the template for cutting the neck pocket and control cavity. I've also cut some sycamore that I'll use for the binding. I've had a go at bending it just using the steam from the kettle and I think it should work though I'll still be trying it on a test piece first!

Or possibly a Dremel with a flexi shaft and a mini drum sander. The flexi shaft being a smaller diameter than the Dremel lets you get in a bit more square than just a Dremel on its own (if that makes sense!).

Here's a diagram from the StewMac site for neck rod. The full detail is at https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/online-resources/learn-about-truss-rod-installation-and-repair/working-with-carbon-fiber-reinforcement-materials.html# Cheers

One place on eBay selling graphite rods: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carbon-Fibre-Neck-Rod-4mm-x-7mm-x-620mm-for-Bass-guitar/293584983770 I've bought truss rods off eBay and from places like ToneTech luthier suppliers and have all been pretty decent to be honest. Personally, I like this style of truss rod: https://tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/guitar-parts/truss-rods/truss-rod-2-way-adjustable-bass-4595.html Cheers

Cheers for all the comments. The switch will be for some form of coil switching - it's a four wire pickup ( Retrovibe mudbucker) so will allow for series or parallel humbucker. If I can, I'll also wire for a single coil option probably in the neck position. I've generally built active basses but after the passive mini-bass I just finished with coil switching, I've heard how much variation you can get so I'll head the same way with this one. I'm leaning towards not having a scratch plate as the flame is growing on me! I will cut the scratch plate to size but not drill the screw holes and then I can decide at the time. I like the idea of a magnetically fitted plate - maybe one for the future as I would need to install the magnets prior to doing the veneer. As you can get neo magnet discs that are only 0.5mm thick that really could be an option. I want to put some form of binding on this as I think it will look pretty decent but also I haven't done it before so would like to give it a go. I'm thinking this will need a bit of practice on some scrap first!!

It's been a little while since I did anything to this but whilst I continue playing my mini bass instead of finishing off completely, I decided to get on with a couple of jobs on this. FIrstly, I needed to decide on what the front of this should look like. I opted for the flamed maple veneer so I can also do a matching headstock - this build is also about re-using and the maple veneer can from my dad who had this knocking around for years so sort of fits into this as it wasn't bought specifically for this build and was potentially destined for the bin as there are a few cracks in it. I cut the cracked sections away which left me just enough width for the top. I then glued the two pieces of veneer together along the straight line I just cut. I know this sounds a bit odd as the veneer is only 0.6mm thick but I wanted to do this to give me a singe sheet to glue onto the body. I glued along the edge of the veneer and held them with masking tape until dry. Net up I sanded the top of the body flat ready to accept the veneer and drew the centre line. Using a gloss paint roller and wood glue I put an even coat on both the bbody and veneer them stuck them together, holding them in place with plenty of clamps!! So this is how the tope now looks - not perfectly book matched but is fine for this project. I'm planning on having a black scratch plate on this, only because I got given one and I want to re-use that too!! Here's a mack-up of how that might look: But I also tried it without the scratch plate and that looks kind of nice too!! Decision, decisions,...

I've got a 12" Eminence speaker if anyone can make use of it. The part number is missing but a guy at Eminence identified it for me. Before you get too excited it isn't designed for bass but for our twiddly, high pitched, look-at-me guitar hero cousins.......😉 Joking apart, it looks like a decent speaker and I've got the basic specification details for it. It s a 4ohm speak and has a pmax of 150w according to Eminence who advised these were fitted to Marshall MG series guitar combos. I was thinking of having a go at making a cab but I have too many other projects on the go and need to clear some space. I don't really want to post it at this time as I don't have anything to pack it in or the time to sort it for posting. It can be collected from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire Cheers

I knew I’d come to the right place for sympathy!!

Struggling now - need to take this to pieces to finish it off but having too much fun playing it!!

I've completed the wiring - this is passive with volume and tone, a series-single-parallel switch and a off-dim-bright switch for the side dots on the fretboard. It's not quite finished yet - I still have to dress the frets and spray a final coat of lacquer on the neck but I wanted to assemble everything to make sure the string height etc would be okay and no more sanding was required. Couldn't resist putting a set pf strings on and giving it a go - I'm really liking the Bart pickup from my first impressions. So here's the headed mini basses:

Same here. It’s a great event and the work put in to host it is really appreciated.

I heard the rule of thumb forgot drying was 1 year per inch thickness. @Si600have a look at the film 'Felled' that is on Amazon - you'll probably enjoy it!!

If Frank doesn't want his pudding, can I have it please?.. Seriously though, quite understand your position and it's a shame you won't be able to make it. Stay safe and see you sometime in the near future. Cheers

Oh, and the build is looking lovely by the way!! Interesting instrument - this will definitely need some sound files when it is done. Cheers!

Er, sorry Andy..........I've been buying all my Gotoh tuners, fret slot files and a few other bits from them for a while and I've found them to be absolutely first class. Bad me for not mentioning it.

I'm also quite looking forward to trying this bass as I have never played a bass with Bartolini pickups - most things I've done have used different types of active EMGs. I'm really curious as to how this bass will sound being passive and having a coil split switch. Just need to get it finished!!!

Frets are in and ready to fill the slot ends and dress the frets. I'm also going to get the electric bits sorted - they shouldn't be too bad as there is no preamp on this build. I've tried the LEDs and will connect them to a switch for off/dim/bright positions - I'm pleased with how white LEDs look on this. So this is where I'm at currently. Both of these basses came from the same relatively small slab of beech - there wasn't much waste from this slab at all which is quite pleasing. If I had made a bass with a normal shape/size I would have only got one bass from it. I'm on the look out for another slab of spalted beech for future projects.....