Andyjr1515

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1486228472' post='3230200'] If you bring it to Mids bass bash I'll let you play mine if you let me play yours... [/quote] By then, it will be it in beautiful Wales. ...but you'll be able to play my Bubinga fretless: and, if I can lever it out of Pete's grasp, his EB3ish: Fair swop?

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1486228774' post='3230206'] So its here and its fantastic. What a great day. Thank you Andy!!! [/quote] Great! (and phew! ) Let us all know what you think to it - good or bad. And any issues at all - and I mean at all - just let me know and it will be sorted

[quote name='aDx' timestamp='1486228377' post='3230199'] good... really good! As is the other build [/quote] Thanks Yup - that one's almost ready to pass across

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1486225213' post='3230171'] That looks absolutely awesome, beautiful work Andy.....Did I miss something re strap buttons though, cos I don't see any. [/quote] One of the 'bits and pieces' still to do

And - apart from some polishing, tidying up and set up tasks, it's done Lots of sonic variation from single coil to deep thump. And, marmite or not, it looks absolutely beautiful. I'll do the arty-farty shots once it's been polished, but here are some to be going on with - a sunny day so you can actually see the colour for a change!!! Forgive the self-indulgence Got to tweak the angle of the jack holder to get the Smoothhound to fit square, but this is basically how it will fit:

Gosh, Jez - that's flipping beautiful! Lovely, lovely job

Electrics 3/4 done: Just got to wire up the pots to the micro-switches - best to do that after a night's sleep!

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1486154956' post='3229755'] Top top job. [/quote] Thanks, owen

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1486140502' post='3229609'] Picking her up tomorrow. Cannae wait [/quote] It's all ready

[quote name='samhay' timestamp='1486067661' post='3229043'] >I then remembered the copper I use for shielding. With a small offcut, I soldered a tab to the earth wire: That's how I've always done it, but I also fold the tape over the wire to make a little pocket. I wasn't convinced when I started reading this thread, but like others, I have come around. You have done good work sir. [/quote] Thanks, samhay

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1486052058' post='3228851'] Amazing .....just amazing! [/quote] Thanks, White Cloud. And thanks for the frequent words of encouragement- means a lot. That goes for all the rest of you too

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1486052988' post='3228859'] Wow. Very nice. I have to admit when I first saw the body shape I wasnt convinced but now its together it looks laaavvly. Makes me want you to do some work for me... wait [/quote] Wait until Saturday. I think your Red Devil is going to blow your socks off when you see it in real life. One of the best transformation jobs I think I've done

[quote name='ROConnell' timestamp='1486055805' post='3228897'] OH WOW! Simply beautiful, it's not just a bass, it's a piece of art. Brilliant way of doing the magnets, such innovation sir. [/quote] Thanks I confess I'm pleased with the magnets thing - I'm a bit of a duffer when it comes to positional accuracy so to work something out that actually does the job is both a surprise and a personal triumph

[quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1486048323' post='3228802'] wow!!! may be your best work yet [/quote] Well, as you often hear mothers say of their children, "They are all my favourites in their own particular ways"

Final mock-up before I fit the electrics. After that I'm pretty sure it's just the strap buttons and a final tweak of the frets and action

Talking of magnets, I'm also attaching the control chamber cover with magnets. I don't know how other folk do this, including the positioning, but for what it's worth, this how I do it. The magnets come in a stick, all stuck to each other [list] [*]I drill a hole just a tad less than the depth of two magnets [*]I pop a tiny drop of thick cyano (I use Gorilla) onto the bottom of one of the magnets and push it firmly to the bottom of the hole [*]After I'm pretty sure it's set, I open out the edges of the hole a little with a sharp knife: [/list] [list] [*]Then I drop a second magnet in and pop a drop of cyano onto the top: [/list] [list] [*]Then I carefully position the cover in the right place - the cyano has about 20 seconds working time. The cyano sets, attaching the second magnet to the cover and, when you lift the cover off, the second magnet should come with it!: [/list] [list] [*]Repeat for the other holes (I used 4 for this one) and the magnets literally suck the cover onto the back, perfectly lined up every time. Well, much better lined up than if I'd tried to measure and drill locating pegs, which I'm rubbish at! : [/list]

Not done this before, but I've attached the trussrod cover with a neo magnet. Works well :

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1486025302' post='3228546'] Hi Andy, do you have a link to the string retainer you used for this bass? My HB-50 arrived yesterday and the fitted tree isn't fit for purpose. Neither are the tuners but the Wilkinsons are sitting ready to be fitted - unclear whether they'll need ground down like these at the minute. Might get a way with a light filling going by initial investigations! [/quote] Hi, Bigwan Harry tracked this down for me to use - it's a Northwest Guitars product and is basically a Hipshot clone: [url="http://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/hipshot-style-string-retainer-string-tree-for-electric-bass-guitars/"]http://www.northwest...c-bass-guitars/[/url] The only thing I would suggest is that you consider some better screws (or maybe even go BA nuts and bolts all the way through like Ibanez). Because it is holding down three strings, there seems to me to be a hell of a lot of force bearing down on two not-overly-long and very thin screws. With a tiny pilot hole and much care, it is actually doing the job, but it must be on the very edge of its design capability. The tree itself, though, seems to be very good quality.

I'm going to leave it overnight fully strung, but now with the nut and neck relief correctly set, the action gets pretty much down to the level where I personally would play. Having said that, two of the saddles are at the bottom of adjustment. There is plenty of break angle if the slots need filing down a touch but I won't do that until I know what action height Nic normally prefers. I had a little flash of inspiration, by the way, when it came to earthing the bridge. Normally, you basically splay out the wire under the bridge, or hammer a little dent for it to sit in but I always worry that either it may not give good electrical contact, or at the other end of the scale, may prevent the bridge from completely screwing down flat against the body. I then remembered the copper I use for shielding. With a small offcut, I soldered a tab to the earth wire: Then fed the wire through to the chamber, bending the very thin copper flat against the body: Result is excellent earth, very strong and with no tone-sucking lumpy bits under the bridge

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1485968285' post='3228129'] Love the headstock.. The truss rod cover just oozes class. [/quote] Thanks, Mick

[quote name='W1_Pro' timestamp='1485960468' post='3228033'] Looking really classy there Andy. [/quote] Thanks, Stuart Now....this is where I have to urge Nic to keep hanging onto his patience because [b]"Nic - there actually still is a fair bit to do!" [/b] And the temptation to throw patience to the wind and just blast to the end is with me too...but softly, softly catchee monkey ...but this is admittedly very exciting: Nothing has bent Nothing has broken Nothing has twisted Here's the top end closer up: ...and here's the body closer up: Of course it's a bit like the first fitting of a made-to-measure suit (or so wealthy people tell me who have experienced such things). Now it's about getting the action height right and that may even need sinking the bridge a touch - I won't know for sure until the nut and neck relief is adjusted. Then there's the electrics and securing the hatches and finishing off the slurry and buffing of the neck....hmmm...well it shouldn't be [b]too[/b] long....

Another few jobs off the finish list. Final levelling and polishing of the frets, oil slurry and buff of the fretboard, slurry and buff (first of a few) of the neck and headstock varnishing. This is what the headstock is starting to look like: And the pre-hardware overall look: This afternoon will be the last crossed-fingers bit - fitting the bridge and tuners and stringing it up under full tension for the first time

[quote name='Lorne' timestamp='1485891471' post='3227580'] The Bridge on the N.J. (Nagoya Japan) Series Wave bass is from 1983/4 the Mockingbird above is obviousley from 1985 and after and would have had this Gotoh made bridge on it [URL=http://s169.photobucket.com/user/share6_album/media/1985%20bridge_zpsounx5b9s.jpg.html][IMG]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/share6_album/1985%20bridge_zpsounx5b9s.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Also the tuners on the Mockingbird are later additions, they would have originally been Gotoh made tuners with "R" backplates I might have one or 2 USA made B.C.Riches [URL=http://s169.photobucket.com/user/share6_album/media/ST_zpsme85ye8c.jpg.html][IMG]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/share6_album/ST_zpsme85ye8c.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s169.photobucket.com/user/share6_album/media/Wave_zps4cwtllt1.jpg.html][IMG]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/share6_album/Wave_zps4cwtllt1.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The Wave bass ($$ bills) I built myself, it does not have a serial # even though I have pictures and serial #'s of over 14,000 B.C.Riches :-) [/quote] Very useful info ref the bridge and wow! What a collection!

[quote name='AdamWoodBass' timestamp='1485884424' post='3227498'] This is stunning, excellent work! [/quote] Thanks!

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1485877962' post='3227435'] How did you find the Wilkinsion bridge Andy. I have had trouble with other bridges without grooves/guides for the grub screw and although I have been tempted by the Wilks, something always held me back. [/quote] I think it's absolutely fine. It's a mid to light mass design but looks nice and seems to be very well made