Andyjr1515

OK - I can now turn my attention to the top. This is how is looks so far: Forgive the glue lines - this side still has to be scraped. And no, @fleabag - I can't just leave it like this, however much you like purple This is just loosely laid on the heel but is a good fit and should work OK: The nib in front of the original neck heel will be carved to slim it as it moves towards the neck centre Whether the neck skunk stripe lines up quite like this once it's hard bolted, I don't know...it will be what it will be. But this is properly slotted in the neck pocket so, you never know. So, as I say, the front nib will be carved slimmer as it approaches the neck. As will - as far as strength will allow - the treble side of the heel. I'm determined not to rush this one. Each step needs a period to look, think and sometimes re-think. But I'm happy with it so far. Later today I'm going to work out the best positioning of the top to maximise the use of the amazing figuring and then joint and glue together the bookmatched blanks.

That's pretty much how I do it too. I drill the corners to the pickup lug and corner radii, forstner out the bulk up to the pickup outline, tidy up the sides with a chisel, then just use a router (using a short bearing - guided bit) to flatten the bottom. I basically hate routers.

No problem. Let us know how you get on.

As long as there are three pins, then any of the barrel sockets will do. In terms of pins, they often vary in design but the convention is that the longest one is the earth, the shortest one is the tip (normally attach the hot output to this) and the middle length one is the ring (normally attach the battery lead to this). If the earth pin is too long, it can be shortened with clippers or pliers - as long as there's enough length to solder the earth onto, it will be fine.

Hi Barrel jacks are a bit notorious for failing. The stereo version of these from Axesrus are said to be Ibanez-like: https://www.axesrus.co.uk/W-S-P-Barrel-Jack-Socket-p/wsp-r1.htm But personally, I would get a Switchcraft one from Allparts uk https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/1-4-inch-long-threaded-barrel-input-jack-switchcraft-152b-stereo The jack does need to be earthed - although sometimes makers use the control chamber shielding for that but it is prone to failure Andy

My first thought is, indeed, the pot. It isn't very often that you would physically feel any difference when the track has worn so it's not really a guide. Very unlikely to be the capacitor. Pots are cheap to replace (even the good quality ones) so I would start there.

Absolutely no live pigeons involved. Just the cat.

It's alright...the next door neighbours won't miss it...

No - just most of the day with some needle files and sandpaper. Trouble is, purpleheart is as hard as rock! (and smells like poo) As I was carving, I decided to take the pigeon's beak off the purpleheart - it looks better and will aid the upper fret playability. I'll post the slight mod tomorrow...because it's being glued to the back at this very moment

I'll say it before anyone else does - Yes...it looks like a pigeon This is the carve almost done. 1mm still to go until it's completely flush with the purpleheart, ensuring that the heel will seat fully once it's glued to the Sapele back: So far, it's straight, in line and gapless... ...still time, of course, to f*** it up!

Great combination...

Wow - those are in great condition.

The area for the neck heel base has now been cut out of the purpleheart so that the neck can seat - in a sort of normal way - to the Sapele back: Once the front edge has been carved to mirror the neck carve, the neck should drop down into the pocket and seat properly: It's probably going to be easier to do this before I glue the purpleheart to the back. Then the walnut will be a similar process. Dunno...but there's half a chance this might work! Can you see, by the way, how the purpleheart is already darkening - and this is just with air exposure (it's been in the cellar so there's been no light) It will end up a completely uniform colour.

The purpleheart laths are glued and trimmed to rough shape. You can see the lath that was on the top of the pile and got to the light! The light and finish application will darken the edges significantly, but you can see the sort of contrast there will be by just dampening it: I've also straightened up the neck against the centre-line and worked out where the heel sits flat on the back wood: This area will be cut out completely before I glue the purpleheart to the back - forward of it will be the more tricky carve job to wrap round the neck and neck/heel transition

Looks good. The trouble with routers is that it is so, so easy to completely wreck things like this. I would generally do the same as you except I would use a microplane rasp to take it 'to the line' and then sand the rasp marks off for the final finish. Nowadays, I always look to see if there is a decent alternative to using a router first. I like your extra steps of putting the strung up bass into varying temperature places - very thorough!

Excellent. One of those rulers is on my list too. I've used the backtooth blades once when they were out of stock of plain backed ones. Quite useful if you do a lot of cuts where, because of size or shape, you need to reverse the wood to back out from where you have just cut half way through so that you can then come in from the other end to finish the cut. It makes the problem of pulling the blade out of its guide bearings less of an issue.

I reckon that joint will hold just fine...

Well, it's all looking pretty sound work so far

Looks an effective metallic. What paint have you used @Sidlanir ?

That's looking really good, @Jimothey Great job!

Great project, @BassTool ! That body certainly was rent asunder!

Indeed But I come from Wolverhampton so I'll still probably call them clamps (not because that's what they're called in W'ton but more like that's what folks from W'ton are like! )

It's actually quite a bit more purple than that in real life! This was in the cellar with flash. Third piece gluing at the moment.

The purpleheart I'm using is the inner neck splice timber from David Dyke. Even though it is narrow, I went for that because I know that it is the colour and consistency that @fleabag is looking for. Wider pieces of purpleheart can sometimes start getting close to the bark transition area which is a totally different colour (very light - a bit like yew). So this morning I levelled the joining edges with the Bailey plane of the pieces I will be using and have started to join them together and will then clamp the resulting sheet to the back. Here are the first two laths being joined together. The vertical clamps and cauls are in place to keep everything flat as the sash clamps do the work on the joint itself:

The only trouble is that in the 8 years since I did this one, I've never seen another piece of walnut veneer the right size with this same pattern! I sold to the bass to a Nepalese Buddhist who played in a heavy metal band and was 'drawn spiritually' to it (really). Admittedly a niche market...