Andyjr1515

This is VERY exciting. It looks top drawer!

And for completeness, I didn't think it was thermal shock. None of us know, but like @EssentialTension speculates, it is my guess that it had a drop-shock in transport. From the photo I don't think it is serious - trust me, a structural failure of the skunk stripe is much more dramatic. Looks to me more like a split in the lacquer and that indicates a one off handling shock (couriers don't generally place large, heavy boxes...they do tend to handle them 'robustly') While there's no knowing whether this was exacerbated by the strings being slackened or not, nowadays, based on a bad experience I had shipping a bass overseas, I personally go for either strings AND truss rod slackened or strings AND trussrod at normal tension. Reason that I don't just slacken the strings only is an unproven and personal concern that the backward bend is stressing the neck into a shape it doesn't usually sit at, with the fret slots opened up slightly and the trussrod exerting quite high stresses at the two ends and middle. My fear is that with a 'robust' handling drop, this combination could be the straw that breaks the camels back. Certainly, in the case of my bad experience - and based on other evidence pretty sure triggered by a drop - with the trussrod at full tension and the strings slackened, the 'hump' of the tensioned trussrod split the fretboard /neck joint in the middle of the neck and loosened 4-5 frets. I've always meant to ask here what other folks do. This thread sort of does that

Number 2 catches my eye...

I think we've all spent time and money trying to get 'the edge' only to find out that we already had it That said, I am surprised. For 6-string electrics I rate Tonerider very highly - and more because they do sound very warm. I don't have any experience with their bass pickups. I am surprised they are ceramic magnets...

I use a set of feeler gauges (couple of £'s from Halfords). I set the feeler gauges at the height I don't want to cut lower than and lay them against the nut on the fretboard. I then file down to the metal and know I'm not going to overdo it. The feeler gauges are tough so the file will slide across them if you get right down to them. Ideally, the slot wants to be angled slightly down towards the pegs but level is OK. Just avoid it sloping down towards the fretboard as that can change the intonation and/or create a sitar-like buzz.

^ my thought too. The reason that the note sharpens is because you are, effectively, bending the string, albeit vertically rather than horizontally. This is usually at the upper frets, 12th and above, because the string is progressively higher off the fret the further up the scale you go and therefore the amount you are bending the string is more. If, on the other hand, you are going sharp on the lower frets, then you must be bending the string (vertically) quite a bit down near the nut. And yet, normally, the string would be pretty close to the fret at those lower fret positions. And that means that your nut slot is still too high as, normally, you would not be having to press down on the string very far before it gets to the fret - and certainly not enough to audibly sharpen the note. Might be wrong, but that's where I'd look first.

Nice carve on that

A bit like the Bert Weedon book for 6-string guitarists, this was very much a beginners bible for bass playing when most people learnt by copying what someone else down the road who happened to have one did. But it did come out 50 years ago. And 50 years ago, the recommended way to start a diesel truck in icy weather, was to take off the air filter, soak a rag in paraffin, set light to it and bung it next to the air intake while you turned the starter motor. No longer the recommended way.... And 50 years ago it would have been quite difficult to find out even what the tuning notes were, let alone how to set it up to play well! So it was actually an important book even if the general understanding of what works and why have moved on a bit. But you never know...not setting it up with a 1/4" action might be why I'm so s**t at bass!!!!

What specific problem are you trying to solve / advantage are you trying to obtain @jebroad ?

Worth drawing it out full-size and seeing where things would end up. Based on where your bridge is drawn at the moment, can't see why it wouldn't be possible - and you don't have to go crazy skewed to give a tangible advantage.

Attendance & Gear List: 1. @Frank Blank‘s Partially Acoustic Corner - Godin A4, Rob Allen Mouse, ACG Harlot SC, Ibanez SRC6, QSC K12.2, Helix Stomp, HX Edit. 2. @Rich's Garden Of Delights - Shuker custom 5, Tanglewood acoustic 4, EBS Neo 2x12 & probable new amp (tbc) - both basses strung with nickel Elixirs. Possibly some FS stuff, details tbc once it hits the paid Marketplace. 3. @wrinkleygit, Jabba’s Semi Hollow Fretless, ‘72 Gibson EB0, SWR Working Mans 10 combo & 1x10 ext cab & a set of h’phones. Both basses strung with Labella flats 4. @scrumpymike Setting aside a bunch of FS stuff to give SW Bashers first shot and minimise packing and shipping work/costs. Unless cash flow dictates earlier sale, this will include: a couple of BF cabs (either SC Gen 3s or Two10s, to be decided); BF One10; Maruszczyk Elwood 30" scale; Spector Bantam if still unsold (already posted FS); Eden WT550 if still unsold (already posted FS); Ampeg PF800. 'Keepers' also on display will be: the other pair of BF cabs; my no. 1 gig bass 'Rascal Mervyn-Lyte; 'Rascal Lyte Mkll - provided I can decide what it's going to be in time for AndyJr to build it; my no 1 gig amp (Subway 800+); my old no 1 gig amp (Genzler Magellan 800). All of which will hopefully bring forward the day when Mrs Scrumpy can finally join her old man in retirement 😁 5. @Pea Turgh My Frankenstein Jazzguarman(!) strung with D’Addario XL Chrome flats. My black bitsa (same strings). Probably my Peterson combo which I’ll flit between selling and not selling (still). 6. @stevie Ibanex SR1200-VNF, Ashdown RM500, BCbass 112, plus some other bass cab developments (probably) 7. @yorks5stringer Gretsch Electromatic, Markbass CMD101 Micro Marcus Miller 8. @Andyjr1515 Not yet sure what I will be bringing except my athletic physique and chiselled good looks (and if you believe that.... ) 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

1. @Frank Blank’s (mostly) Acoustic Corner - Godin A4, fretless Rob Allen Mouse, ACG Harlot SC, Ibanez SRC6. QSC K12.2, Helix Stomp. 2. @jebroad Dingwall, Squire silver jazz, schecter fiver, ashdown 8x10, whatever heads I can dig out 3. @Len_derby . Swift Lite bass. A couple of raffle prizes 4. @Andyjr1515 No idea what I'll be bringing bass-wise, but I'll definitely be bringing me (and maybe @Len_derby and maybe @SpondonBassed ?) 5. y. @Teebs Hinnocent 7. @Stub Mandrel's (Naughty Jama Corner) - Fender Flea bass, Fender performer plus surprise guest bass(es), Trace Elliot GP11 Mk. 11 1110 Combo, Joyo XVI

Yes, I opted not to have the pole pieces coming through too. Too scary. If the top is thin, you should be fine and, as I say, 6.8 ohms is in 'respectable' territory. I'm really impressed with what you are doing with this project...

Likewise. Resistance does affect the volume, though. 6.8 ohms sounds very respectable for a home wound You will, in any event, need to allow the pickup to sit as high in the cover as you can because the wood thickness, although sonically invisible, nevertheless still forms part of the string to pole gap. In one of the covers I did, I had to scoop more out of the insides to be able to raise the pup a touch more to prevent the top of the cover being too close to the string.

As others have said, it's what suits you and your style of play that matters. In absolute terms also, though, it's not a bad action IMHO. In mm, yours is 1.98mm (G) up to 3mm (E) at 17th. When I set up a bass, at 17th I would generally start at 2.4mm (G) up to 2.7mm (E) and then tweak it down to suit the player. Most players ask me to leave it as it is...

Excellent job! What resistance are you getting?

You won't need bracing. Watching this build with interest.

Lovely job

From years of battling with trying to get Stratocaster pickguards to fit, I now know that step one is to take and impression of the carved chambers! : Then you can mark up the pickguard where the wires have to run: Note the dogs b******s CTS push pull Hmmm....more about that shortly Oh... and note the super detailed genuine Fender wiring diagram Hmmm...more about that later... Here's the finished wire-job: Well...before assembling it, finding out the error in the Fender wiring diagram and the fact that the top quality CTS pot is, in fact, duff. The pushpull works a treat, but the pot itself is shot! On full, crackle, off kind of shot. No matter - it will be a 1/2hr job to swop round when I get the replacement. But - aside from having to swop the pot out, here we have it: Like all my stuff...not perfect. But certainly pretty And the pickup combinations? Bridge Bridge+middle Middle Neck+middle Neck Neck+bridge Neck+middle+bridge That should distract @scrumpymike enough while the rest of his band is trying to get through their repertoire

Forgive me, I think you had too many words in that post. I've corrected it

Beautiful job. Nice insert jig too

At the bottom of page4 of my thread of scrumpymike's rascal conversion, there is detail how I go about it if it is of any help...

Looks good. And walnut is a wonderful wood to use. You'll love it.

I'll never be able to look at Mary Poppins in the same way now I know that!

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