Jabba_the_gut

I then set about rounding the edges which is where it nearly went wrong. Luckily the error was where the arm contour was going to be so no harm was done (note to self about check the plunger lock next time....). I rounded all round the bass and did a bit of rough sanding which is as far as I have got. Here's a few pictures of where I'm up to. I might be going to the SE Bass Bash tomorrow - if so I might take this along.

I left the clamps in place for an hour then removed them, cleared the excess glue and re-clamped. Several hours after that, I removed the clamps and did some rough sanding to level the logo with the headstock. Needs the sanding finishing but I'm pleased with how it has turned out.

The next job I tackled was to inlay the logo I made. I haven't tried this before so it was a little trial and error working out how to mark the out line. I put some masking tape on the headstock and clamped the logo in place. I then used a fine scalpel to define the outline, then removed the logo shaped tape leaving me a neatly defined edge to work to. There's probably and easier but this worked for me! I used a Dremel with a burr fitted to remove the wood where the logo was to go. Took quite a few goes of cutting a little, check, cut a little more check but got there in the end! I glued the logo in then clamped it in place.

So more routing today - and a close shave where I missed locking the plunger because I'm not too familiar with my new router! Luckily it was when I was just starting and was where the arm shaping was going to be so no harm done - would have been a different story it if had been anywhere else on the body and I'd be writing a post about how I need to make a new body..... I started off by thicknessing a leftover piece of spalted beech to use for the control cavity cover. I made a couple of templates, one in mdf and another in Perspex. The mdf one is used for making the cover, the Perspex one is used for drilling the holes in the cover. I put the Perspex template in place on the body and mark where the holes will be. I made the cover slightly undersized so I could put a black trim round it - I also countersunk the holes a little deeper so I could line those as well. I did this on the short scale bass I made recently and it looked really nice so I thought I'd do it again on this one as it is using the same woods (the line on the body at the bottom left is just where the body still needs sanding).

Lots of little bits and bobs to get done. I thinned the fretboard a little so have had to re-cut the nut slot and reshape a little. I've also drilled the holes for the machine heads so I could ensure everything lined up before drilling the holes for the string anchor points. I ran some string in place of the strings and used some making tape to hold it together whilst I checked it. I have to say, I'm really pleased how this is looking. I've also completed some other little jobs; drilled the holes for the bushings for the neck screws, routed the control cover recess and drilled the holes for the string anchors. I've also started roughly rounding the edges - still lots to do!!

I'm using the same woods on my current build and will use the same finish. Hopefully it will turn out as nice! Thanks for all the positive comments - very much appreciated. Cheers Jez

[quote name='honza992' timestamp='1497209103' post='3316580'] This looks really great. Very clean precise work. Do you mind if I ask what finishing oil you used, and what technique you used to apply it? I'm finding finishing a nightmare.... [/quote] Cheers Honza. The finish on this was Osmo oil (can't remember which one off the top of my head but I'll find out and let you know). No technique as such; wipe it on, leave for a few minutes, wipe it off, leave to dry, light sand with very fine paper and repeat. This is the first time I had used it and I'm really pleased with how it turned out and how easy it was to use. The only thing to consider is that is does darken the wood a bit but that was fine for this build. Cheers Jez

Really liking this build! I know what you mean regarding the pickup vs clean lines. I guess ultimately you could fit a jazz pickup later if you decide you want more than the piezo offers. Cheers

Thanks. I'm really enjoying those build - just not getting the time on it I'd like! I'm going to stick with using LaBella black nylon tapewounds on this. I bought a used set off here a while back and really like the feel of them, so I bought a new set to use on this build. Hopefully they will sound nice!

Cheers Andy. Just wanting to get these little jobs sorted as I'm itching to get on with shaping the body and neck!!

Next job is to sort the string anchors then I can get on with shaping the body. I'm waiting to sort the string anchors before I start the shaping as I want to use the square edge at the rear of the bass as a datum.

I've also settled on going fretless for this bass. It will be easy at a later date to re-cut the slots if I decide to change it to fretted. I looked at the neck at this point and decided that the fret board was a little too thick. I cut the fret slots a bit deeper to allow me to remove a couple of mm from the face of the board but to still keep the fret lines. I glued some maple veneer into the fret slots and once dry, sanded back. I then ran the neck through the thicknesser. This left a few small shallow chips but nothing that cant be filled with a little ebony dust - they would probably go anyway when I radius the fretboard.

Always a fiddly job with potential to go very wrong - making the bridge!! I've made a few piezo bridges for other basses before and learnt a few lessons along the way about how best to use the router (one of the bridges got smashed to bits when the router snagged it). I think this bridge was a little trickier as it is smaller but also the slot for the piezo element is 8mm wide, so patience was required. I also only have one piece of ebony that matches the fretboard so really needed to get this right first time. Firstly, I made a simple jig to cut a slot for the piezo. Nothing more complicated that a board with a large hole in the middle to hold the work piece, and some straight pieces of wood around the edge to act as a guide. I used an 8mm router bit in my Triton router. It really makes a difference with the Triton router as it has a depth adjuster dial on the top allowing small depth of cut changes. By doing this a few times I cut a neat slot in the ebony exactly the right size. I then drilled and countersunk two holes where it will be mounted on the bass. Next I made a template from 8mm MDF for the shape of the bridge. This template will be screwed on to of the ebony and cut to shape with a short template cutter a little bit at a time so it doesn't snag. I then reversed the template and ebony so the ebony was on top and used another router bit to round the edges. Then a bit of sanding with progressively finer paper and a quick wipe over with some oil. The Shadow piezo element fits snuggly in the bridge - I'm really pleased how this has turned out.

I believe Andy used one of the Osmo oils for Micks bass - I think he mentioned which one in the build thread. Got a feeling it was the 3044 one. I also seem to recall that there was some form of whitener in it which might not be what you want if you have any darker woods in your build. Best speak to Andy around this one.

[quote name='honza992' timestamp='1504549755' post='3365628'] Are you sticking with the EDAG stringing you have in the mock up? [/quote] Absolutely. I like the idea of alternative tuning.....honest....!!!! I'd completely forgotten about that. I'd stuck the strings down then noticed but it was fine for what I was doing in terms of checking the position of the string silk. Doh!

So that's where it's at currently. Work is now going to interrupt again until next weekend when hopefully, I'll get the chance to have a go at the bridge.

I've cut the neck pocket. Again, nearly another fault - luckily I spotted it before it caused a problem. I have one template cutter (a cheap one) and I think the shaft is marginally smaller than it is supposed to be. After using it for a little while, it starts to creep cutting deeper and deeper....that cutter is now in the bin. I used one of my other Trend cutters and no such problem with that. The neck was a little tight but nothing a little sanding wouldn't sort. Not the best photo, but this is what the overall bass looks like at the moment. This photo gives a better idea of the wood colours.

I've also made a neck pocket template using MDF (8mm thick I think) to suit the new neck shape - quite pleased how these have fitted together.

I cut the neck roughly to shape with a bandsaw (I have the tiniest bandsaw and it is starting to shows signs of not quite being up to the job - I think the rubber on the wheels is wearing as sometimes the blade slips a little; it is probably time to start considering something a little newer and a bit more substantial. Dear Father Christmas....). I finished shaping the outline using my template and a router with a template cutter. This proved to be a bit of a pain - the route snatched as I crossed the grain and took a chunk off the headstock. This has glued back together very well; I've tried cutting a test piece using a slightly different method to make sure I don't do this again!! But that's how we learn - trial and error (nearly a quite expensive error!). I've gone for a different shaped headstock to my previous basses and am looking at adding a different logo - I quite like the look of this so far.

I've made a new neck template to suit, slotted a piece of ebony for the fretboard and fitted a truss rod. I used the fret calculator tool on the StewMac site to work out the fret positions. I cut the ebony roughly to shape before slotting as I wanted to keep a small piece to make a matching bridge from. There was enough to allow me one attempt at making the bridge - that will come later. For slotting the fretboard, it really is a case of measure, measure again, measure again, make sure then cut - it is all to easy to make a little mistake in the measurement that would cause real problems!! You can see a printout of the StewMac measurements that was well used.

It's been a little while since I last posted but I have got a few things done - wish this work malarkey would stop getting in the way of this project!! I've settled on this being 32" scale so I purchased a set of La Bella Black Nylon Tape wound strings. I wanted the strings in hand before I started cutting anything or finalising the templates as I wanted to be sure where the silk would be to ensure that the bridge and nut would be in the right place. The reason for wanting to check this is that this design has slightly different lengths from where the string is anchored to the nut. I could have relied on the details on the La Bella website but I much prefer to have the parts in front of me so I can see how it goes together. After sizing up the strings, the design has ended up at 800mm scale, so just slightly shy of 32".

I like that!

Absolutely. This printer complained about 'incorrect print head fitted' even though it was the one that has always been there! With a new print head costing as much as a new printer and no guarantee it wouldn't happen again, not much choice but to bin it. Utterly wrong.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1502215208' post='3350061'] I hope I'll have enough room on BC for the remainder of the photos of this build. I've had to delete all of my previous images. [/quote] Try using something like Imgur for your pictures - you just include the link in your post and you can add as many pictures as you like!!