tremblap

thanks for the props, I'll send picture when I see the luthier in Montreal in April! p

OK some more pictures! in this first one you can see the four stages of the bridge CNC [attachment=71729:SAM_0010.JPG] the leftmost is the 'powder 3d print' of the 1st generation of CADs, the one that Pierre saw in Montreal and proposed improvements on. the second is the 'plastic 3d print' of the improved CADs, which was ready for production the third is the aluminium 'draft' CNC that was testing the mechanical process the fourth is the steel 'draft' with other problems in the mechanical process. In other words, we are on our way! This second picture shows the 'plastic 3d print' of the wagon that will hold a RMC piezo (with one on it!) [attachment=71732:SAM_0036.JPG] Finally this third picture is to show the 'system' in action... you can see the threading in the wagon to allow the adjustment screw. [attachment=71731:SAM_0032.JPG] I spoke to Pierre, the wood is ready to cut... I decided to go with 2 Villex pickups with the variable mid. This instrument will be awesome! pa

The great thing is that Huddersfield has a research centre in ultra-precision CNC control. The person I met (Simon) needed a fun project to learn a new piece of software... he has been amazing on the project, and I (being a musician) was completely flabbergasted by the computer models, the 3d printers (one with powder, one with plastic) that allowed us to improve the design before cutting metal. Pierre has had some clever ideas when he saw the powder printing, I left it with him so he should send me pictures soon for here to share... and I'll take picture of the second printing (3d) in the new year and will post them here too. I know the bass would sound great anyway, Pierre is a world-class luthier. Actually, every bass player who tried one my basses he made were totally impressed... and I never tried a bass that I would have swapped for one of mine... But this project is just so exciting... now I'll go practice to be worthy of his instruments! In the meantime, a couple of picture of the guy's shop, in Montreal. [url="http://www.djangomontreal.com/doc/PierrePhotos.htm"]http://www.djangomontreal.com/doc/PierrePhotos.htm[/url] pa

btw those who worry about their tax money: please consider that 1) the average academic in this country works 56hours a week for a 37 hours contract (and as I 'young' academic I am seriously above that!) 2) we are underpaid on any international standard (apart from the French ;-) 3) this country is planing cuts beyond anything that makes sense despite the downhill in international rankings... 4) the list can go on and on... No worries, I was not too offended ;-) p

OK I'm still waiting for Pierre (the luthier) to send the pictures of the wood and the 3d printing of the 1st generation, but here are the CAD of the 2nd generation. The piezo wagon are now small enough to fit in the wholes so we can change the bridge to different metals (alu, steel, bronze are planed) so we can test how it affects the sound without resoldering! I also decided to go for Villex pickups with their passive mid-sweep... it should be great! Comments/questions welcome. p === [attachment=66925:guitar_b...ndered_8.jpg] [attachment=66926:guitar_b...ck_shiny.jpg] [attachment=66927:guitar_b...ed_black.jpg]

35" is there for 2 reasons 1) the only way I ever heard a good B 2) don't want to mess with my left hand technique for intonations on the 2 fretless(es) now 6string is there for only one reason: i am not a fusion guy (i.e. solo guitarist frustrated) but I am a bass guitarist coming from classical guitar long ago and I hate changing position! I go for the reach! String puller and bridge separated should kill some of the resonance, flatwounds should help the thomp a little... very small frets is another hypothesis. Set neck will probably eat a little resonance too (though Pierre is very well renown for the sustain, which might be counter productive... but his intonation on the fret job is just unheard of!) We are going for hollow body, made of curly spruce. I actually met the guy who cut the tree, it is quite impressive so much passion with so much muscles around it ;-) Barto P4 and RMC, with a dual jack option for independant paths. I am more than open to talk, suggestions, stuff. I can post pictures of wood, plans, as we go... the project is already 3 year old but the wood was too humid, the bridge needed to be design (and Pierre being ridiculously popular the delays are quite long!) We are in the final stretch: the wood is dry, the neck is glued with the fingerboard (one piece sugar maple, cut 20+ years ago, dried and seasoned with love)... the plastic bridge is in the mail between England (where I live now) and Montréal (where Pierre is based) for the luthier approval... I'll keep you guys posted if there is any more interest. pa