Jabba_the_gut

Neck sanding done and satin lacquer applied. Really pleased how this is looking....just need to get the rest of it finished!! As a little future experiment, I'm going to make another neck for this or the other shortie but with a scale length of somewhere around 30" just to see how a normal short scale feels on a headless bass. I've quite enjoyed building a couple medium/short scale basses and like the way they feel so I'm curious to what a 30" headless would be like. That's the trouble with this building lark, there's always the next bass and always something else to try!!

I have a spangly new, sealed copy of Geddy Lees Big Beautiful Book of Bass that I'll be adding to the raffle. It is really a rather good book!

A volute is the carved bit at the joint of the neck and headstock. In theory, it adds a bit of thickness to the weak point.

Some of the decent makes of guitar machine heads have string posts of different heights (staggered posts) to better string angles. Haven’t seen anything like that for bass though. I quite like scalloped headstocks and am not particularly bothered by string trees. However, there isn’t a massive choice for these. Hipshot do some of the nicest in terms but aren’t cheap. I keep looking for some simple trees for two strings along the lines of what Wal used to use but can’t find anything like them. Scalloped headstocks are also easier to make i.e. no joining required. I’ve always liked headless basses and they do away with most of these issues........

Very nice!! And a complete contrast from what you started with. Anyway, you don’t have time to read posts on here, you need to get that jazz bass done...😁

@Andyjr1515 Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssss!!!! The original neck fits like a glove on the spalted body. And the old body with the new, shorter neck template looks like it will be nice too! Frank will be pleased...

Time to start looking at a neck transplant...walnut bass ready to strip to refit neck on spalted body. .

This is going to be nice - proper character to that body! Cheers

Really like the look of this! Really nice contrast in the grain. And probably very satisfying use of a blow torch!!! Look forward to seeing this progress. Cheers

That’s a shame but hopefully catch up next year. Cheers

Excited!! Got the card through the door that my headless parcel is here. Just got to find a way to go to collect it from the sorting office ( who don’t have the most flexible opening times...).

I've filed the angles on the edges of the frets using a home made block - basic but does the job! I've filled the fret ends with a mixture of epoxy and ebony dust. This should give a nice finish to the edges of the fretboard. Next task will be to level and polish the frets and then to lacquer the neck.

…. and more sanding! I'm quite pleased with how this is going and the joint between the two halves is looking really nice: I'm now at a point where I need to dismantle the walnut bass so I can transfer the neck to the spalted beech body. I need to do this to ensure the carve on the heel will blend into its new body and so I can get on with making progress on the new short scale neck.

I've decide to take the suggestion made by @TheGreek, @Andyjr1515, @wrinkleygit to use magnets to hold the control cover on. I've used neodymium magnets in the body and in the cover. I have to say, I do like the way this leaves the back of the bass very clean with only the bolt holes for the neck visible. I haven't put a notch in the body to allow this to be removed as it shouldn't need to be taken off but if necessary, a cocktail stick through the jack socket will do the job. Just trying to leave the back as clean as possible. So thanks chaps, a good idea that I will implement on other basses!

That’s a really nice looking job! You must be very pleased. Completely agree - John East is a really helpful chap. Look forward to your next project. Cheers Jez

That does look quite nice! I’m sure someone an make something from that. A nice item and nice idea to offer. Dont you fancy s go at building something yourself??.....

Damn, I wanted two...…...

Sure it is the Osmo 1101 I use- I have tried a couple of types. I haven’t heard of partridge oil - might have a look into that, thanks. If you can’t make the Midlands Bash, the SE Bash later in the year is always worth a visit. Always a good selection of basses there and some interesting folk giving chats. Cheersr

I have been buying a few bits of wood for fretboards recently - one ebony and two ebony-a-like. One of the ebony-a-like pieces I bought I'm really not impressed with - it will be going back!! The other is a piece of Rocklite and that looks very nice (uniform colour and a fine 'grain' to it). I'm in two minds about using it on this short scale neck but I think I'll stick with the real ebony I have already cut. Also, if I change the fretboard, I'll have to make a new bridge to match and I'm quite happy with the one I have already made.

I have been doing a little bit of work on this. but again, mainly sanding so no interesting pictures to post except a pile of dust...... I will be getting on with this over the next few weeks as I want it finished for the Midlands Bass Bash. I might have the neck made for the SW Bass Bash but I don't realistically think the whole bass will be done as I don't want to rush it.

Hi @Soledad, Cheers for message. I'm no authority on finishes, I just use the ones that I'm comfortable using. I have tried quite a few different oils (Danish, Tru-Oil, Tung oil etc.) but I tend to stick with Osmo oils - I've just found them the easiest to work with so use them for most things. I have used Tru-Oil once and didn't like it but that must have been me as everyone else seems to swear by it!! I really ought to try this again at some point. I do occasionally use rattle cans of nitro cellulose (for satin or gloss finishes) or water based lacquers in a spray gun with a compressor. I don't particularly like spraying as it there is more prep and cleaning up and also requires the use of a mask etc, as it isn't generally pleasant stuff. There's also a definite skill to spraying, something I also need more practice at. For fret slots I use a Pax fret saw in a slotting jig these days as most basses I build aren't 34" scale. If I am making a 34" scale bass I may buy a pre-slotted fretboard if I can get it in the wood I want to use. Cheers Jez

Managed to get on with some more work on this today. I have been doing quite a bit on this prior to today but that is just sanding and doesn't make for the most interesting of posts!! I've also been doing quite a bit of work on the Telecaster I'm putting together for a friend of mine (guitar teacher neighbour). I have started sealing the body for spraying and given it a quite coat on the top as this will probably require a fair bit of work to get a really nice finish. Today, I've fretted the neck using a small arbor press and a fret caul. I was quite lucky that a friend who worked at an engineering firm was able to modify the press to accept that caul. I've used this press for fretting all of my basses and I much prefer it to trying to use a hammer - it is much easier and more accurate but it is also more expensive than a hammer... Note the best pictures, I'll take some more tomorrow, but this is where I am currently at: And here it is with the other shorty: I'm also eagerly checking the status of the delivery for the Nova headless bridge I've ordered - really looking forward to that!

I'm hoping to make 2 bodies from this - one natural finish and one painted. The painted one will be where I can't avoid the existing holes in the remaining wood. I was told the wood is quite old so should be pretty good. There's still 6 pieces of this left it - need a bigger car next time!!