Andyjr1515

[quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1496050585' post='3308333'] i thought that my Letts singlecut had a groove on the bass side but I just had a look and it's flat at neck depth all the way to 24th fret low B then curves out to full body depth, it's not bothered me as it's got a really flat squarish profile (that I love) Matt [/quote] Yes, Matt - it's this that I'm talking about. It isn't a big issue - and for a good player it is probably irrelevant. Just like a properly trained classical guitarist, a good player's thumb will NEVER stray either side of the centre of the neck. So the fact that the neck is flat the other side of the centre line really isn't a problem. Trouble is I, for one, am a sloppy player ...and often my thumb is half wrapped round straying towards the bass side. Normally that isn't a problem because by the time your thumb hits the body, you are already at the 21st fret or higher. However, because on a long-top-horned single-cut your thumb gets to the body as early as the 13th or 14th fret, then - if you are a sloppy player like me - you have to twist your hand slightly in the middle of your riff each time you are on notes above, say, the 15th. With my approach of carrying on the neck profile beyond the centre line over the length from 14th fret onwards, it shouldn't feel any different to a double cut bass. I've just tried it...and it doesn't It is subtle though. There is more shaping to do, particularly at the body / neck join, but this already has 75% of that feature carved into it - and you would be hard-pressed to see it: For completeness, although to most it will look pretty much the same as it did before (just some of the edges rounder and smoother), here it is at present from the front: ...and the neck profile coming up nicely. This is the neck matched against the template of Mick's favourite player: All basses have their own 'feel', but hopefully this will have a pleasing familiarity for Mick when he finally gets to play it Thanks for the input and ongoing encouragement, folks

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1496015201' post='3308148'] I've got a vague recollection of seeing an ACG like that, but could be mistaken. It can be hard to discern 3d carves from only 2d images. [/quote] I'll see if I can find some more pics. Mick has sent me photos of the backs of a variety of single cut basses (including an ACG) and, as you say, it's quite difficult to see exactly what's going on... but they all looked flat to me on the bass side of the neck itself. But maybe not. Dunno. Anyway, it's of no great consequence....it would be nice, though, to have a 'new' feature - at least for a while before everyone copies it I'm very pleased with how the carve is coming along. Probably no point in posting many shots now until it's all done and properly rounded but it's starting to look like the image I had in my head I'm out of action building-wise next week, but am hoping for all the main body and neck carve to be completed this week.

I think I've confused everyone, but Mick has given me the go ahead to do what I wanted to do Now - I'm going at this very, very slowly so that I can see clearly when it's just right. The profiles, taken form Mick's favourite playing bass will eventually be this: BUT single cuts have an issue. That is, what do you do for the stretch from where the top horn joins the body to where the bottom cutaway joins the body. If we take this shot: 10th fret is easy. From the left hand side:[list] [*]Profile curves from the left hand fretboard edge towards the highest (mid) point then curves back down the other side towards the righthand fretboard edge [/list] But at, say the 18th...pretty much ALL single cut basses I've seen go:[list] [*]Profile curves from the left hand side towards the highest (mid) point, then stay flat until it smacks into the body. Some builders then just have a ridge. Others curve the transition to the full body depth [/list] Mine (and in this shot you can JUST see the curve starting to form) goes:[list] [*]Profile curves from the left hand fretboard edge towards the highest (mid) point then curves back down the other side enough to feel like a normal neck and then the body carve gently takes over back the other way [/list] Now, I may be completely wrong, but I think that is 100% Andyjr1515. I'm sure someone will tell me if it isn't

That's enough hard work for today. The width and depth is to finished dimensions and some of the bulk from the haunches removed. Time to sharpen the tools and cut out some profile templates from Mick's measurements and have a beer before the footer. For this build, it will be simply what Mick prefers, but for my future reference - to all you experienced single cut players....I will be putting to Mick that, instead of merging the neck into the full body thickness here: ...that I increase the top horn concavity a touch and do a semi-neck profile as far as the lower neck/body join point. Bit like this: Does any other single-cut manufacturer do that? I can't say I've ever seen anyone do it... Also, do you reckon it would enhance the playing experience?

I've been keeping a tab on the weight, by the way. Presently, including the fretboard and trussrod, it's sitting at 6lb 1oz. The headless tuner block is 1 lb 1oz and the magnetic coils are 3 oz. With there being still a fair bit of neck to shave off, but the headstock to be added to, I reckon it will finish at touch under 7 1/2lbs Not bad for a solid-body....

Hi again Not sure from the above if you've fully sorted the standard intonation / bridge position yet? If not, you need to remember that everything affects everything and that any stringed instrument is a collection of compromises held together by enthusiasm and hope! Put simply, as the others say, no note is going to ring right if the bridge isn't properly positioned - so get this right first if it isn't already. The nut will not create a flattened note, however badly it might have been cut...

This is probably where Mick has to look away.... And before you ask - yes, spokeshaving rock maple and ebony is VERY hard work! I normally knock off a neck carve in a day, but this will take longer. Single-cuts also have some especially interesting foibles....

Great - everything appears to be in the right place: LOADS of shaping still to do on the body - especially some of the edges that Mick wants softer radii on. But the key thing is that neck carving can commence very soon. I got Mick to send me some profile impressions from his favourite playing bass so that I can at least replicate the 'type' of feel to it. The contrasting veneer (I think Jabba_the_gut does this one some of his) between the neck and the fretboard should add a little extra quality to the look of the finished neck: It's going to start looking like a proper bass soon

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1495805683' post='3306765'] Wouldn't it be easier to fret the FB before attaching it to the body? Better support laying on a table for you to hammer on and easier to move around. [/quote] I've tried it both ways. The trouble is, that if the frets are in - due to the HUGE forces you end up putting onto the fretboard to clamp it to the neck, it is very easy to distort and loosen the fitted frets. On balance, my preference is to fret last. With a profiled and padded neck support (Crimson do a decent one) it is fairly straightforward. The other change I'm thinking about is pressing the frets in this time. I'll have a ponder on that. Anyway - a bit academic on this one, because, having thought, etc, etc, there was nothing left to do except glue and clamp the fretboard: I have 3/4" marine ply cauls at the back and am using radius blocks as cauls on the top all the way down. Where the neck will be fretted, the radius blocks are tighter radius (10" to 14") than the fretboard which should apply more pressure to the edges, where I need a completely gap-free result. There are literally tonnes of pressure on this clamping, hence my reservation about fretting first.... This glue-job is critical - the clamps will stay there until the morning

[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1495789420' post='3306555'] If the difference between the impedance of each adjacent coil is the same across all of them, wouldn't you still get full humbucking if the centre two were polarised one way and the outer two polarised the other? [/quote] Happily, I can trust that Martin will have done whatever necessary for the intended result. Which is another way of saying, I have absolutely no idea (but I'm sure BigRedX and Martin do) What I do know a bit more about, though, is cutting the holes for the 'it's all magic to me' electrics. My experiments in the very early design phase of this project - taking my fretless bass and doing VERY odd things to the height of the pickups and slugs led me to the conclusion that the slugs have to be close enough to the strings, but to be honest, the coils need to be too. As such, knowing I've got 3-4mm gap between the string and top of the fretboard here, I knew that an added 5-7mm of fretboard was going to be too much. So from the start, it was planned to do something like this: The change from a standard pickup to the individual coils has made this op less scary....but scary it is nevertheless I have created coil chambers in the fretboard of 3 to 4mm - and then an additional slug chamber, to allow adjustment to balance the strings, of a further 2mm: So now I'm going to sit and think and look and think and measure and think and look again and think.....because I [i]think[/i] this is now the time to be attaching the fretboard. And all of that pause for thought is because, to paraphrase the supermarket cliche, "Once it's on... it's on!"

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1495733472' post='3306251'] If all the coils are different impedances in order to balance the string volume will it be completely humbucking? [/quote] No - but it's only a tweak

[quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1495726306' post='3306176'] how will the coils be wired - series or parallel? [/quote] series with opposite magnet poles on two of them (bit like a deconstructed humbucker)

This is the black fretboard demarcation veneer. 2m length arrived in a box 17cm square cross section all rolled up - and it's 0.6mm thick and real wood. Amazing stuff is veneer! Take off the tape holding the bundle rolled up and here you go: and here is a length of it, between two full length cauls, being glued to the back of the fretboard. I know it's only 0.6mm thick, but remember the mantra, folks "You can never have too many clamps!!!!!" 12 heavy ones, in this case:

Truss rod and cap fitted

[quote name='stearstree1304' timestamp='1495723800' post='3306157'] And its bank holiday weekend too - loads of time to get that lot done!!!! [/quote] Ooooh....never crossed my mind

OK - to some very exciting stuff! The pickup coils have arrived! : Martin Herrick's done a great, great job After a detailed phone discussion and a view of how I will position them, Martin suggested that the windings were progressively increased to balance out the volumes of each string. The poles are also adjustable from the bottom so I will be able to mount them and then fine-tune the cross-string balance : I'll change the earth strap arrangement slightly to allow the coils to be truly separated and all connected wires to be in the bottom shallow chamber but I couldn't be more pleased . Also arrived is John East's tiny MPM02 mixer/pre-amp. Fitting this into the control chamber should be a doddle! : ALSO arrived is some black veneer that will be able to be used to provide a classy witness line between the fretboard and neck. So what that means, my loyal thread followers, is that I now can:[list] [*]Fit the truss rod [*]Glue the witness line veneer to the back of the fretboard [*]Carefully cut the circular chambers in the fretboard back to allow the maximum height of the pickup coils and adjustable slugs to be achieved [*]Glue on the fretboard [*]Carve the neck [*]Fret the fretboard [/list] Watch this space

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. There is the final knockout and unique headstock in progress, very close to the mock up but with just some further evolutionary changes. I won't be revealing it until it starts looking like it will when it's finished. And it isn't going to look like anyone else's... But you're all going to have to wait!

Well this is VERY exciting. Just received the Martin Herrick pickup coils...and they look the absolute dogs whatsits I'll post some pics when I've finished a few domestic chores.....

....and the body profile is based on a Bausch+Lomb Ultra: Trust me, fellas, when this is finished, this isn't going to look like any Ritter or ACG or Alpha or anything else you've ever seen. Mind you, once any of those excellent builders have seen this one in its finished state, you might see clones of [b]this[/b] popping up in [b]their[/b] catalogues in a couple of years time

I have a mockup of the headstock in the white sycamore which makes it look quite different. There are also some subtle changes we've been bouncing around...and, of course, the whole thing will be radiused like the body .... and I've just had an Andyjr1515 inspiration moment! Now, admittedly, the latter might be just wind... Anyway, suffice to say that there are things being tweaked and nudged that will make the finished thing have a look quite of its own. It is Mick's and my own ambition, if we get this right, to be getting the other suppliers copying our designs not the other way round Still, bit of a bummer that Mick didn't want the Fender shape....I think that would have added a certain je ne sais quoi

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1495573024' post='3305035'] You've derailed your own thread. That's our job! [/quote] You should see me tripping over my own feet... It's an art form

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1495549694' post='3304683'] Don't get me wrong - I only ever play the big letter given the choice! [/quote] [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1495549938' post='3304684'] But IME the 5th is what makes it sound so good. If was going to loose a note in a chord it would always be the 3rd because it nearly always sounds out of tune to me, but in this case it's already been replaced by much sweeter sus 4th. [/quote] Now look what I've done

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1495542436' post='3304574'] aha, so invisible to radar? [/quote] Yup - Mick will be able to hit the audience with a G9sus4 when they are least expecting it...

Here's a closer shot:

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1495540068' post='3304540'] The beauty of the design is really starting to come through - look at how soft all the surfaces are beginning to look. I just hope that I don't get too precious about it and this doesn't become too beautiful to play. Keep on doing what your doing, Andy.. [/quote] The pickup coil hatch is done and the coils are on their way. Probably shouldn't go for magnetic catches on this one - they are very strong and can feasibly affect the pickup magnets. Not worth the risk... This is the headstock shape we've agreed on. It will be in sycamore, radiused and rounded like the body and probably with a few swifts flying around....