Andyjr1515

Got visitors over the next few days so I've tried to make some decent progress while I can. Basically I've done all of the machining I need to do before gluing the wings and top onto the neck: As you can see, the control chamber and cable run to it from the pickup position; the pickup cutout in the walnut top, the 'semi' chamber under the teardrop f-hole; the truss-rod slot. Final thing I have to do before anything gets glued is cut the neck plan-view shape. I'll do that once I've checked the positioning of everything...again....!

Sounds a very good way of making sure. I'll bear that method in mind in case I ever get asked to do one...

Now we're talking! Excellent - it's come out pretty well! I like the colour - much more defined than I think I expected. And, presumably, if your nails get too long you can file them down during the gig? Seriously, though - well done! That was a bigger challenge than I would normally want to take on and it's worked. How 'stuck' is the glitter?

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1487594559' post='3240982'] Ahhhhh gosh yeah, was getting all mixed up with fret spacing. Mea culpa! Don't panic! LOL What threw me was the board looks wider on the right so I'd imagined that was the body end! [/quote] Actually, it's a poor photo - the wide angle lens has made the left hand side look narrower - it's actually a rectangle at the moment. I've tried a fret at the far end where I've got a bit of spare and it took it very well (I thought with it being so hard, it might have been brittle...) . Radiusing it is going to be a joy, though

Phew!

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1487582255' post='3240812'] This is going to be a lefty? [/quote] I hope not! What have you seen that I haven't?

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1487524267' post='3240445'] And if it ain't right.... Lined fretless anyone? [/quote] Ah...but first I turn it round and do it better on the other side. And if that isn't right, then the mosaic look, then the....

Well, with the normal warning that these threads are always simply about how I personally go about things and never that this is the way you [i]should[/i] go about things, I'm into totally new territory: multi-scale and hand-cut fret slots First thing I did was get everything out into good light! I then clamped a ruler to the fretboard to the workbench, at the angle that the strings will run at and starting at the angled nut position: Then a double-check, triple-check, quadruple-check measure against the treble scale and a sharp tap with a hardened metal point: Then ditto for the bass string run. Then clamping with a squared piece of wood, that has been cut at a height to allow 3mm blade exposure, using the saw's blade clamp strip to prevent the blade to cut too deep: Then gentle sawing against the wood block until the slot was formed, then hard sawing to depth. And yes, blablas, you were right...this is my exercise for the week sorted! And, if I've got everything correct...this should be a 26" to 25" fanned set of slots!: Only time will tell...

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1487436781' post='3239818'] ... or even some of my boring ones.... [/quote] Yours are ALWAYS interesting, Paul

[quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1487432146' post='3239775'] i'm loving this build, the more i see of your work the more i want to commission a build from you. This body shape is rather nice as well, can imagine it as a 5 string 34" bass, if i ever have some money for another bass i think you might get an email! Matt [/quote] Always happy to talk through interesting projects

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1487432789' post='3239782'] Your fingerboard looks almost like it came from the same piece of rough lumber as mine did a few years back. Cutting fret slots in snakewood is a tough job, it's seriously hard (harder than ebony!), when I cut the slots in my board the saw tended to clog up, minimized it a bit by putting candle-wax on the saw. The block method you mention is how I always cut my fret slots. [/quote] Very useful tip - thanks, blablas

Fretboard has now been trimmed and squared up ready to hand-cut the slots: Because it is multi-scale, some of the frets will be angles. As such, I will just use a perpendicular block as a blade guide, clamped to the fretboard and bench and a fine-bladed japanese pull-saw. It will take a lot longer and much more care than using a fret-cutting jig, but jigs are generally not capable of cutting angles. The snakewood is a good few inches longer than I need, so I'll be doing a few trial cuts first to make sure the method is going to work OK.

I ran the mahogany sections through the thicknesser to get rid of the saw chatter and then cut the sections, slightly oversize: With these kinds of top, I usually use the top as the routing template for the mahogany sections underneath once they are glued up and in place The next task is probably the fretboard. I build these things slightly unconventionally and will be cutting a notch in the neck so the wings and body section of the neck become the flat surface for the top to be glued onto. However, the notch will be angled slightly to accommodate the neck angle, and the neck angle needed depends on the height of the fretted fretboard... One of these days I will build conventionally...I'm sure it must be more straightforward...

Another yes here. If you remember at all 'Toms African Build', the body wood was so thin there wasn't any room for pots so the pickup's directly wired to the jack. It sounds great.

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1487369952' post='3239433'] Oh I don't know, Rob Allen, Rick Turner, Bolin and a few others have all done ok with piezos. [/quote] At bass pitch, I may well be quite incorrect (not an unusual situation ). However, this will be tuned at guitar pitch. I have three 6 string electrics with piezos - two with ghost systems and one an acoustic shadow system, and all three are limited on piezo only. I found the same with a Carvin hybrid semi acoustic I had for a while. On the other hand, adding the piezo blended with the other pickups is great. This piccolo is probably a bit small to try to fit both into. I'm probably wrong here too....

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1487355979' post='3239306'] Exciting stuff. Would a piezo work on a bass like this? [/quote] I did consider it...but in the end, I'm just not convinced about piezos in their present stage of development. Mixed with a magnetic pickup they are stupendous but, and maybe this is just me, by themselves they always seem just a tad disappointing. Am I the only one who thinks that?

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1487356236' post='3239311'] The position of the 'hidden' jack socket is just inspired. Well done. Chris Squire would have gladly played this one. [/quote] Thanks, sblueplanet. Means a lot

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1487327593' post='3238948'] Looks fantastic. Congratulations, Andy for another superb example of your craftmanship, and Nic for getting the bass you've always wanted! Glad its met your expectations otherwise i may have felt a little responsible [/quote] Thanks, Kert ...and yes, we both blame you

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1487262889' post='3238486'] Cheers Andy. We'll see what's happening nearer the time. [/quote] No probs - I'll save you a seat just in case

Got some time yesterday evening and this afternoon to start the build proper. The neck wood arrived from David Dyke - some wonderfully grained plain maple and a centre mahogany splice. Before I cut that, I needed to work out where the body was going to sit in relation to the neck. I've firmed up on a 26" to 25" multi-scale at 24 frets. This is basically how it will fit: I will make one adjustment - this version has the 'vertical' fret at the 12th fret and this makes the angle at the nut quite marked. Because I have plenty of space at the bridge end (Black Dog individual bridges) I will probably bias the steeper angles towards the bridge and have the angle at the nut less acute. Having worked out the basic positions, I was able to cut the side profiles of the neck splices. Here are basically the components: ...and it's NEVER too early to do a mock-up! Now that's what I call wings! I'm sure Pete will get used to them! The ebony faceplate was just because I had it there handy. I haven't decided out yet whether I go faceplate or not, and if so, what wood. I'll see what it looks like when the fretboard and neck have been slimmed, etc..

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1484808912' post='3218556'] Noted. Please give me an update when you can confirm? [/quote] Hi Only just caught up with the thread. I'll probably be taking Neil (Len_Derby) and between us we'll have a decent number of basses but there still should be a seat left if Dave_the_bass can't make it

I will be very interested in your conclusions and thoughts using piezos - there's another project in the pipeline....

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1486816507' post='3234737'] Well, traffic wasn't too bad on the way home. Given that I was feeling pretty happy it wouldn't have made any difference. It may have looked strange to some to see me sitting in the boot of my estate car playing a strange shape bass in the freezing cold with with a very light bit of snow falling. Had a cuppa and chat with Andy before heading off. What a genuinely nice guy. Got back to Cardiff and took it to my practice room to let it aclimatise until evening jam session (normal Friday night) Back to the bass. I have watched this grow for just over three months and really enjoyed the build thread. Would it live up to my expectation? Well emphatically YES. Friday jam is usually just over an hour or so before going for a beer. Last night it was was well over two hours. I didn't even do my normal thing of playing at least a couple of my basses. Didn't even pick up my Ric. I let my guitarist have a play and had to prize it off him to get it back. The weight and balance are perfect for me, both sitting and on the strap. The feel of the neck is sublime and the set up is spot on. The tonal variations obtainable are immense. Pups are Dimarzio Model on and a MM clone (with higher output than MM) Electrics are V-T for each pup with micro switches giving Single, series and parallel on each, It can go from deep smooth to hard punch with variations in between, I'm sure I haven't found all permutations yet. Ordering a custom bass is quite a step of faith, even from a well known luthier but after playing Kerts Single cut I was convinced to give Andy a try. I wasn't sure he would go for it when I sent the pictures of what I wanted. Glad to say he did. A few others had turned me down. Andy even supplied all the relevant hex keys and a UV torch to activate the luminlay fret markers. These are great. As you may guess I am very pleased I did and I am overjoyed with the result. Not only do I have a bass that I have wanted for a long time, it has surpassed expectation and has a story to go with it. This build diary. I am happy to belong to an exclusive group who can say this. Needless to say if you have a desire for a custom, dream bass then Anyjr1515 is your man. In a few months time I will organise the next Cardiff S Wales Bass Bash, where this and Kerts bass will be there. Big public thanks to Andy. And here's another happy feller. [url="http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zps0php1uvr.jpg.html"][/url][url="http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zps0php1uvr.jpg.html"][/url][url="http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zps0php1uvr.jpg.html"][/url][url="http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zps0php1uvr.jpg.html"][/url][url="http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zps0php1uvr.jpg.html"][/url][url="http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zps0php1uvr.jpg.html"][/url] [/quote] Hi, Nic I am utterly delighted it has met your expectations. Your face was a picture when I opened the case to reveal it yesterday It was a great build - not without its challenges but it was immensely satisfying to be able to finally produce what I had hoped that you were looking for, and to see your reaction when you picked it up yesterday and started noodling in the arctic blast In future, I'll have to rate my builds in terms of how many Snoopys I get. This one...a 6 Snoopy build...wow Andy

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1486744244' post='3234327'] Can you post a link for the pickup you are intending to use? All the SD Cool Rails I can find say they have a mid-scoop which IMO isn't that useful on a bass. BTW that top looks fantastic! [/quote] Thanks! Ref the pickup, yes, the cool rails is heavily mid-scooped. The reason it's a contender, remembering that this is a guitar scale and pitch, is that, delving into the dark forums of the jazz guitar world, the cool rails comes out frequently as a very strong contender for the neck position in the standard 'volume high, tone at 2 or 3' settings of the Jazz fraternity, especially when matched with flatwound Jazz strings. Rails might be useful too because the string spacing will be 'unconventional'. I haven't ordered any yet but they are definitely in the possibles list...

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1486729658' post='3234151'] I love the headstock. Really classy. [/quote] Thanks, rOB I've just got back from meeting Nic part way for the handover. He was very pleased with the look and the feel of it. He'll probably still be stuck in motorway traffic. So here am I, pacing up and down like an expectant father waiting to see if he's as happy with it once he's plugged it in !