Andyjr1515

Yes, Jez....I've had to go back on the drugs to cope with the stress of it all. Must be costing the NHS a fortune.

No - we're going with a satin Osmo. If it works OK on some test pieces, Mike wants to try the Osmo 3011 which I used on TheGreek's Psilos bass, designed to minimise the darkening of the wood when the finish is applied.

The back glued on nicely. Final thing before trimming the edges is to double check that the neck is completely in line - when you've got a bookmatched line going all the way down the body, that becomes important! Then the trim. Under duress, I resorted to using the router. I HATE routers but there are times when other ways just take too darned long. Here it is trimmed: In this shot, you can see why I'm experimenting with super-slim designs . This is actually pretty standard body thickness for a Gibson or Fender (in fact, a touch slimmer). The Fender 5-way only just fits in this depth (which I suspect determined the thickness in the first place)! : Once I've carved the top to make it look pretty much like the Precision Lyte, I'll be talking to Mike about going a little more creative on the back which will take a bit more weight out too...

Yes, I will be, but for shielding rather than anything else. The walnut, although relatively brittle, is actually very stable (thank goodness! ).

OK - that went OK. The chamber base is now thin enough at the 5-way switch for it to work properly and the walnut seems stable enough even that thin (c 3.5mm). So, now I've run out of excuses to avoid doing it, the top and back are - at this very moment - being glued and clamped. Fingers crossed for the morning!

So far so good. Just doing the delicate work of thinning down the top underneath the control chamber to allow the controls to come through enough (especially the 5-way switch which is really designed for fitting on a pickguard. If I can do that without breaking through, there are relatively few 'oh well, that onto the bonfire and start again' tasks left. There are always some, of course....

Controls chamber and cable routing slot cut in the back: And the method of securing the pickups decided and incorporated: They will be fitted a bit like upside down dog-ear P90's - firm against the top. Height will be adjusted at set-up with spacers and the appropriate length screws to ensure no breakthough. Because of the full access to the pickups though the rear hatch, the heights can be easily adjusted subsequently if necessary. Plenty of height available if necessary:

This is going to look (and play) spectacular (and spectacularly well)

I'll line everything up with the grain, but broadly this is where I've agreed with Mike that the controls and 5-way switch will be going: Next step, now that's decided, is cutting the hole in the back to suit, finishing off any internal work that can't be done once the top is glued, then glue the top By the weekend, we should have a body ready for the final carves

If ever you wanted proof that wenge is porous, here it is That's just the titebond that's squeezed through the 2mm wenge veneer. Good job I anticipated that and protected the clamping caul with clingfilm! That's two of the four main weight reduction steps taken. The swimming pool in the middle (ignore the wavy scrollsaw line that will be straightened up) will be the magnetic-hatched access to fit the lipstick pickups from the back: There will be a similar hole cut for the control chamber in the lower main bout, once I've worked out how big and where it needs to be. That will also take weight out. More weight will come out from the back relief carve marked in felt tip above.

Tomorrow is going to be about more wood cutting...so today has been about making sure I'm going to cut in the right place! The main thing about routing weight reduction or access voids and cutting chambers out of backs and tops is that you've always got to think 'what's on the other side?'. Like: The bridge fixing A paunch-relief carve Horn cutaway carves Although most of tomorrow's cutting and routing is going to be on the back, I mark some of these things on the back of the bass top to see where everything is going to lie and so I don't get any clashes: The main weight relief will come from: A large swimming pool hole in the back from where the pickups will be inserted and which will be covered by a thin plate of sapele The hole that will become the control chamber, also covered with a sapele plate A part-depth rout in the upper rear bout, which will become a weight relief chamber and will be invisible from top or back The back-relief carve I can't take any weight out by reducing the thickness, because the depth of the Fender 5-way switch actually dictates a minimum body depth of 45mm to house it - if you've ever wondered why 'traditional' guitars are as thick (and therefore often as heavy) as they were and often still are. As a comparison, I design to 25mm depth wherever I can (and therefore don't ordinarily use Fender 5-way switches ). That reduces, by more than a third, the body weight before you even start chambering! The thickness also makes for a very deep heel. I've got some thoughts on that I'll bounce off Mike when I've developed them a bit further

I think Squier basses are great. Well done

I think you stated 'genuine Fender'. There a lot of 'licenced by' suppliers and others who are producing very sound products but far fewer suppliers selling what claim to be genuine Fender. These say they do - http://shop.absolute-guitars.co.uk/fender-usa-precision-bass-body-modern-bridge-black-4450-p.asp Still worth double checking. The other suggestions* above I'm sure are fine but I'm also pretty sure aren't genuine Fender * I tell a lie - Richtone do appear to sell genuine fender bodies and necks but I think only have stratocaster bodies on their web site

And I'm the daft pink torpedo who's building it !

Bit of a lull while I needed the workbench to sort some of the remaining jobs on the 6-string electric, but we're back on it. 2mm wenge demarcation veneer has been glued to the sapele for the back: ...and the sapele/wenge sandwich has been cut oversize ready - once the internals have been sorted - for gluing the top and using that as the template for the router trimming of the back ( that's an Andyjr1515 approach - most luthiers would not recommend doing it that way so please don't assume that's the way to do it! It's probably not ). So next job - getting the internal routs and chambers sorted

Yes - I think the thread's fu had it

Holy numero toos! That's some filter Anyway, enough of that....lets get back to talking about just how procreation exercisingly fabulous my latest build is

Ok that's weird. The auto correct spelt the right word and it was on a different device. Is this a site quirk? Can someone else type c o c k l e s (without the spaces) and see what posts?

C o c k l e s

Auto correct never ceases to bemuse me...but this one seemed worth keeping. The word typed was 'pink torpedoles'. Yes - quite!

Thanks, folks . I think Tim will be pleased with it

Asked her out? Apparently, she's promised herself to one of those nasty guitar players. Shocking....

This isn't a shot of the Alembic-esque - but it is related. And it should warm the pink torpedoles of @scrumpymike 's heart: It's his veneer going on his Lyte back, because I've got the bench back....BECAUSE I'VE FINISHED THE ELECTRIC! Here are some finished shots: There are a couple of tidy-up jobs to do (but none that need the workbench, Mike ) including adding the hatch to chamber contact strips to those that notice such things (and centreing and gluing the nut for those that notice those things too) but this is pretty much how it looks I've done some sound clips - I'll post those shortly. As always, thanks very much indeed for your interest, support, comments and suggestions along the way

Yes - I will drop them a line with some polite suggestions of small changes that would make things a lot easier for their other customers. It is a stunning bit of kit in most other ways. It is also impressive that there is no volume difference between the magnetics and the piezo at all! Never come across that before - very impressive

Armchair pulled up. Popcorn at the ready