Andyjr1515

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1485290976' post='3222885'] Aha so now we know what our artisan looks like. [/quote] This is the police mug shot just after the swat squad raided for crimes against Harley Bentons....

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1485283823' post='3222807'] Great achievement! When are you starting a saxophone build thread? [/quote] I would be absolutly fine taking one to pieces...but after that, hmmmm...tricky!

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1485276471' post='3222731'] Shame the original photo didn't work Andy, and that was such a fancy-looking camera too! By the way, I don't think you were wearing that jumper either. [/quote] Good job it wan't a cardigan! We got some decent shots from Josh, but just not the 'all the guitars and basses' one. This is an array: The 'in ear monitors' in our case are all hearing aids! Here Chris is singing from the heart... Pete looking all black and white on the EB3-ish.... Paul probably wondering how he can get the dial up to 15 and yours truly is wondering if he's picked up the right sax...

[quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1485276753' post='3222735'] cool idea - remind me a little of the Steve Morse musicman signature guitar [/quote] Thanks! Before I order the black tuners, I needed to know if we were going to need lightweight ones because of the amount of weight I'd taken out. But no, with the total assembled bass now at just under 9lbs (8lb 14 oz without the pickguard), this is how it sits with a slippy narrow strap: That'll do me. I'll be ordering some black Y tuners tomorrow

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1478564685' post='3170005'] Got the opportunity to play this at tonight's band practice . It sounds great in full band context. The Model One is a cracking pickup....I noticed Pete only used one of the six settings on the rotary (no surprise, it was the 'neck only') and when I got to play, I never got past that setting either. At the gig on 10th Dec, it will be a bit special because I will have built every guitar and bass used in the band . The fully tally will be the lead guitarists tele and spare, the vocalist's dreadnought acoustic, Pete's EB3 bass and SG six string, my own own design six string. Must remember to get someone to take a photo [/quote] Well typically, the gig photo didn't come out properly so, by the stunning innovation of camera technology, we were able to recreate the event at practice last night . Here are the old gits (otherwise known as the Grey White Band, which is, as you may have noticed, based on hair colour....well those who have any hair (The Grey White and Baldy Band doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way even if it is, technically, more accurate ): The guitars and basses (all built or abused by yours truly), from the left:[list] [*]Bitsa telecaster based around a genuine Fender neck [*]Squier strat with fancy veneer and more pickup options than were wise to let loose on Paul, the lead guitarist [*]Me holding a fun-competition build from TheFretboard forum - "take a £90 kit and do something interesting with it". This has now been my main gigging guitar for the past 2 years! [*]Pete's EB-3ish scratchbuilt bass [*]Pete holding his scratch built SG-ish 6 string (when he plays this, I get to play the bass ) [*]Chris's scratchbuilt dreadnought acoustic [/list] Well, something for the grandkids to take the piss out of. Well, OK, no grandkids yet - so you lot will have to do it in the meantime

I've mocked up a few pickguard / no pickguard options in Photoshop to see what they look like. To be honest, the pickup ring and separate control plate option, although exposing more of the figuring, didn't look right so I looked at a major trimming option of the existing pickguard and bounced a few designs off Harry. We've opted for something like this. I like the contrast and it makes everything look like it's supposed to be there: I'm going to mock-up the whole thing later today to check the balance, weight, etc, and then decide on tuner and bridge options (probably going for black) and then cut the guard over the next couple of days...

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1485118268' post='3221334'] Bloody hell...amazing! [/quote] To be honest doing it this way will never match a professional spray job (and I always pre-warn owners that that is the case) but particularly once polished it comes up pretty good considering you could do it in a spare bedroom...

Thanks folks The flattening went well and I did the first attempt at the 'final coat' on the back this morning. I reckon that will do, ready for polishing in a couple of weeks time: The top and sides are also flattened and, with luck, they will go as well in the morning for the 'final' thin coat...

I like that VERY much

Thanks, everybody. Well chuffed with it so far

We actually have a bit of daylight so before the final flattening and wipe coat, this is how it's looking in the daylight: In real life it's a bit creamier than these shots look. Also the playing area of the neck is presently completely unfinished. Once it's been 'slurry and buffed' it will darken to a tone very similar to the varnished section albeit satin rather than gloss.

This is coming on nicely. I do like that contrast with the maple neck: The little sunflower emblem (a personal request from Harry) will press into an exact fit cutaway - just resting here so it doesn't get stuck! I've got to think through that neck pickup rout - it's oversize under the pickguard. I used to be able to get Jazz pickup rings but they seen to no longer exist - anyone know? I suppose I can always make one... The back is just stained Ash but's come up fine:

[quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1485015083' post='3220433'] This will be fabulous - translucent red is my favourite finish. Just got this but I do prefer the gloss top-coat. [/quote] Oooo... now that looks nice

The headstock will have a couple of swifts and an emblem important to Harry. Normal stuff that many of you will have seen on previous threads: Jeweller's saw to cut out the Mother of Pearl: A trace round the inlays in pencil and then rout with the dremel and precision router base: And tested for fit before epoxying in. The edges will be tidied up with the final sand and stain: In the meantime, I've sanding-sealed the back of the body and given it the first coat of varnish: It's all starting to come together...

No point in posting another shot because it will look just like the others BUT the final main coats of varnish on the body are complete. When that's dry (probably tomorrow) I will flatten with 800 grit used wet to remove any ripples, dust buggies and bubble craters. Then I will wipe or brush on what should be the final gloss surface. Sometimes this needs to be repeated a couple of times! That will need a couple of weeks to cure before final polishing, but is fully handle-able within days so I can get on and finish off the rest of the stuff during that time. So ETA for finishing....about two weeks

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1484932688' post='3219868'] As a rule I'm not a fan of red basses but I do like this. The grain and the burst look fantastic... [/quote] [quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1484942842' post='3219964'] Loving the matching headstock Andy. Superb! [/quote] Thanks folks I reckon the contrast with the maple fretboard will be very pleasing. I'll do a mockup once the main coats are on

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1484939501' post='3219930'] Crivens.... Andy, stop giving me ideas!!! [/quote] He lives!!' And there I've been, sitting at the workbench just drumming my fingers, waiting for that order that's going to consign all my money worries to history!

First sealing coat of varnish on the body: And veneer and stain on the headstock:

Thanks, folks Main thing is that Harry's pleased with it

I know you're all going to say 'but that looks absolutely the same as the last one!' and yes, it does. But it's actually had another coat of varnish It's slow because I'm having to do one side at a time. With a bolt-on neck, you bolt the body onto a beam of wood and bung it in the vice to coat all four sides at one time. You can't do that with a neck-through... It will probably have a couple more coats of clear (so 3-4 days) and then I'll flatten it and try to do the final thin wipe-on coats. Still a bit to do after that (finish on neck and headstock, tidy up the fretboard, install the electrics, etc) but that can be done while the final coat is drying enough for the final polish. I think we are beginning to see daylight

Thanks, folks! This is the burst shading - aimed at emphasising the starburst within the figuring. Forgive the poor light...: The figuring will enhance as the varnish coats go on, but I think it is enhanced by the stain also:

I know this is a bit of a Marmite issue, but I LOVE this... I'm putting a subtle burst into it, but this is the base stain:

Great stuff . Well done. Very satisfying, isn't it

It's tomorrow, Si600 Many of you will have seen me do this before, but basically, this is my veneering kit: I actually use an old R/C modelling heatshrink iron but a standard domestic iron will do just as well I always take an impression of the screw holes, etc, so I can find them again once it's veneered: The PVA is applied to both the body and the veneer and allowed to dry. The little spritzer is to give the back a light mist of water to counteract the bending. Here is one of the halves drying: ...and then it's ironed on, starting with the centre-line and making sure it doesn't drift: I cut some of the chambers before I add the second half. Makes it easier to find them. I iron round the edges to make sure, when it's trimmed that they are well glued. Note that, as long as the bend is in one axis only (like the arm-relief), the veneer bends quite readily: And here it is, rough trimmed and waiting sanding and smoothing out of the join-line, etc:

With the re-coat of the cream done, the gloss coats are now being put on. Not much to see, but for the record (the horizontal lines are reflections):