Andyjr1515

Well, I'm definitely on the home straight at last with this. The final finish treatment is drying on the neck, the body is done so it's shielding and wiring, fitting the pickup and cover, and fitting the hardware, then final assembly. @fleabag will be fitting his preferred strings, strap buttons and doing the final set-up. If I have the right coloured screws in my bits box, my bit should be finished by the end of the weekend.

Ref talks / demos, I have two thoughts if there is an interest: Either: A talk through my journey towards lighter-weight instruments, including some of the design and construction considerations and practicalities. I (and @Len_derby) can bring along a number of instruments that people can try 'on the strap' including Kert's Camphor single cut bass (weight lightened conventionally), and then illustrating my present construction approach Pete's piccolo bass (& my almost identical electric guitar) and @Len_derby 's full-scale Swift Lite bass. or A repeat of the veneering demo Doing both is probably a touch too much Andyjr1515 for one session! What do you reckon? Andy

@fleabag wanted some specific designs of decals for the headstock. I followed up a link that @BassTool put on his recent thread for Rob at GuitarDecals.co.uk. Superb! Best decals I've ever used - super, super, super thin and including whites! Still have to do the overcoating of finish on them, but this is how they look at the moment:

+1 on this! Great find and link, @BassTool ! Best decals I've ever used, including white ones, and ridiculously good value for 3 of each of two designs at £15 total. Wow - they are super, super, super thin. Never come across anything like it. Good comms with Rob and fast turnaround too.

Nicely done, whatever! Great job Andy

Any in-process shots of how you went about this? It's not actually an easy thing to do well - this looks a decent job

My goodness! Unbelievable!

New one on me too! Thanks for the link

We haven't talked through yet but happy to do a demo of something - or maybe a talk through my experiments with lightweight builds - if wanted. Are you sorted now ref transport?

OK - hauling it all back... Two or three jobs ticked off the 'to do' list. Because the final finish coats will go on shortly, it's time to fix anything that needs sanding or fettling on the body. One of these was to tidy up the fit of the pickup chamber that was still a bit uneven. That's now pretty even all the way round: I then bolted the neck on to check the neck angle and also mark the fixing position of the bridge. Neck angle is pretty much spot on so I could then position the bridge. Pretty normal stuff. First was winding the G saddle to its forward position and popping a bit of masking tape, 90 degrees to the body join line at the position corresponding to the scale length at the G saddle. Then popping a couple of strings through either side of the bridge and clamping them loosely at the nut. I used a guitar capo for this: Then it was a case of moving the bridge left or right along the scale length masking tape line to ensure the E and G were equidistant from the edges of the neck: Then popping a couple of pieces of masking tape to record that position in case the bridge got knocked, and then centre-holing the positions of the screws ready to drill the pilot holes: And that leaves 12 to-do's to do!

I was with it until the pots went in! Do they still work?? Other than that slight worry, the rest of it is very impressive. Your methods are producing some very natural looking ageing.

And, for the sake of completeness, the third knob:

Those are going to look mighty pretty when they are finished

The third knob is in the clamp gluing but I thought I'd take a photo of the other two in place and in better light: By the way, the horizontal line in the walnut is a natural fissue emanating from the knot you can just see round the corner. It's treated and stable. There's still a lot to do, but I've got to the 'still to do' list stage (presently 14 items and falling) which is always a good sign Andy

Correct - it has a sealing coat but not the final

Back to knobs, two done (haven't put the MoP dot on yet) and one to go. Same method as last time: I use the 6mm i.d. grub-screw inserts sourced from Thonk: Then, having cut the walnut and purpleheart to thickness, first drill the clearance recess in the walnut: Then, without moving the wood or the press-drill, drill a 9.5mm hole: Then use a 25mm plug cutter to cut the knob bottom out: Same plug cutter to cut out a top disc of purpleheart: Glue the top disc to the back. Drill the side hole for access to the grubscrew. Carefully drive in the splined insert and we have a coordinating knob: What do you reckon?

Certainly a european spruce acoustic top. I think I've used it on walnut and mahogany too.

I agree absolutely with @Manton Customs above. Most of the time with 'brickbat' necks it is the shape either side of the central spline that makes most of the difference to the feel and playability. I regularly reshape necks for my own basses and guitars to take them from a 'U' shape, to a 'C' shape and, for my personal preference towards a soft 'V' shape. Also, when I do full builds, although I start with templates, etc, I finalise the final feel of the neck by subtly reshaping the sides either side of the spline by taking a little off, 'air-guitar; playing and then so on until it feels right. So, reiterating @Manton Customs points and adding a few of mine: Be aware any mod like this will destroy the re-sale value of the bass, however much of an improvement it makes. ONLY do it if it is an absolute keeper or has other factors that have already dented severely the value. I think most Arias have a light stain on the neck? If so, bear in mind that you are unlikely to be able to match this colour. Investigate the sticky thread here of basschatters willing to help other basschatters. It is not really something for someone with no experience to do. But, if you are going to do it anyway... Never ever use a router I would say never even use other tools like spokeshaves, etc - they are far too harsh and can take too much of the wrong material off too easily I use nothing more than the humble cheap cabinet scraper. Because this is a 'one off', just buy a cheap set and throw away (recycle) once blunt or when the jobs done: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carbon-Steel-Cabinet-Scraper-Set-x-2-Rectangular-Scrapers-1-x-Goose-Neck-W8014/113128438340?epid=1475244966&hash=item1a56fafa44:g:e9cAAOSwzlFbPKmu (you can get similar from such as Homebase B&Q etc) The scrapers take tiny, tiny shavings. Means you can creep up very gradually on the shape you want. I personally hold the bass, while sitting down, holding it like a back to front cello. Personally, I do this when the bass is fully strung up so I can turn it round and play it at regular intervals and really feel if I'm getting there. I take long light strokes along the whole length of the neck. I sometimes need to do extra strokes closer to the nut where the curve is often tightened I am scraping away some of the curve between the fretboard /neck joint to the spline - without scraping away the fretboard side OR the spline itself When I have a shape I am happy with, I smooth it off with sandpaper and then refinish So yes, it can be done, but I think the general advice would normally be to sell the bass and buy something that suits better. Hope this helps

Hi, @honza992 ! Sorry for the delay in reponse. I've used it a couple of times and yes, it works, but it is not my favourite. It's easy enough to do: basically, separate the egg white, take out the stringy bits, break it up a bit with a fork and then either just brush it on, or better, slurry it on, then let it dry fully. Then either repeat, or just sand down with very fine paper. What I like about it is that it doesn't tint the wood. What I don't like about it is that it is VERY wet. And that means it raises the grain....and that sometimes makes things worse.

I reckon back both horses. I'll do some walnut/purpleheart knobs but suggest you also see what it looks like with the gold ones when you get the bass home - and no problem if you choose to fit those instead. When you see it in real life you'll see what I mean...

Hmmm....sitting here looking at the body and bridge...well, those knobs could look very good....

What, swifts AND ducks??? Great idea!

Hmmm...or how about walnut AND purple ?

Oh dear. Here we go.

The body probably has one more coat of finish to do and the neck is having its finish applied to seal in the stains and make sure @fleabag doesn't end up with a very funny coloured fretting hand While that's going on, @fleabag and I have been agreeing the decals he wants on the headstock and I've started sorting the electrics. Clearly, the first task is sorting out the pots and switches on the control plate: And I can't believe we'll get through without a torrent of suggestions, but we also have to talk about knobs.