Andyjr1515

[quote name='threedaymonk' timestamp='1484399752' post='3215204'] [url="https://vpsplumbing.co.uk/product/ever-build-expanding-foam/"]This kind of stuff as used by plumbers?[/url] [/quote] No - I was thinking more the kind of soft foam plastic/rubber you get in packaging. I know they use that in anechoic chambers but I've probably dreamt it ref guitar cavities. Anyway - onto the stripping. For poly, I use heatgun and decent scraper - and safety glasses and respirator! When you see it like this, it looks easy to get off: It is NOT easy to get off! I'm pleased with this so far, though. No burning and hardly any splinters come away... I've done the back too and half of one of the sides. Still a lot of work before I can get that veneer on!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1484394012' post='3215145'] It'll be an interesting addition to the tonewood discussion to see if the bass sounds different with less bulk in the body. If body wood does resonate at all, it will surely resonate more if a lot of the mass has been removed? Personally my belief is neck construction has more influence on sound than body wood. [/quote] Yes - I was wondering the same thing, Grangur...and yes I also think it is predominately the neck that affects things. I still have this niggling memory, though, of someone filling chambers with echo-deadening foam. May have dreamt it or it may be nothing to do with guitars and basses....

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1484387460' post='3215067'] You've taken a lot of material away from around the neck pocket, how much is too much? [/quote] The bulk of the strength requirement is the pocket floor which is resisting the string pull and acting as the friction clamp with the neck to also prevent the neck moving. The sides of the pocket contribute more about position than strength (think of the gaps you see on many fenders, etc). In reality, I could have gone thinner than this but you get into the laws of diminishing returns...

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1484347548' post='3214939'] Fill the chambers with helium - nice and light and handy for any falsetto work [/quote] Now there's a thought...

There's one here, Harry https://www.electromusic.co.uk/Gibson-Midtown-Bass-Pelham-Blue-pre-owned.html The model that Gibson brought out most recently was a Midtown range but it was discontinued a few years ago. Should be some on the second hand market like the above, though. Andy

[quote name='J3ster' timestamp='1484324234' post='3214732'] Fill it with beads so it doubles up as maracas [/quote] [quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1484324765' post='3214739'] Fill it with bees so it doubles up as a honey dispenser. S.P. [/quote] Actually, I was thinking of filling it with light foam....have I dreamt that somewhere??

[quote name='Rikki_Sixx' timestamp='1484320490' post='3214677'] Didn't Andy build a Thunderbird-style bass? I've been trying to find it, his builds are fascinating and I love the TB shape! [/quote] I'm very flattered by this thread, folks, although I don't think it is seemly for me to generally post on it! But to answer your question, Rikki, no, not a Thunderbird-style. And now I shall fade back into the ether...

...and the varnishing has officially started! First coat on the back...: The 'playing' part of the neck will be tru-oil 'slurry and buffed', producing a silky smooth but very organic feel. Colour-wise, they will match the same tone (the oil will darken the maple in the same way the varnish has) but the playing length will be satin, changing to gloss for the neck-through section.

Thanks, folks. Always very much appreciated...as is the guidance you all also give when I'm heading towards a precipice

Covers cut and fitted. They will be glued once I've done the main stripping of the poly:

I should be able to do the covers today. I won't glue them in because I will do the stripping first, but at least get them ready to fit. I tidied up the chambers and took a little bit more out of the bottoms. I won't rout past the forstner pilot holes because I want it to feel and sound solid rather than semi-acoustic. For the chamber rebate I have this diddy rebate cutter: And here it is ready to cut and fit the covers: Next job is creating the accurate paper templates to trace onto the basswood and cut out the covers. I just sellotape some heavy gauge paper on the top and score round the edge with my thumbnail:

I still have the rebate to rout (cutter arrived today) but looked around for some suitable material to cover the chambers. I got hold of this basswood sheet that is perfect, light and strong. Also, big enough! All being well, I should be able to cut the rebates tomorrow and maybe even the covers

[quote name='aDx' timestamp='1484235660' post='3213827'] wow! I am VERY interested in this!! lol [/quote]

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1484240300' post='3213905'] [URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [/quote] Three Snoopys That's praise indeed!

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1484240207' post='3213904'] That looks good enough to eat. S.P. [/quote] Yes - it's got a white chocolate vienetta look about it

Yes - I think this is going to be fine....

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1484219647' post='3213597'] I do actually think a light solid colour accentuates the complex shape on this, which is nice! [/quote] Thanks! And yes I agree. I've got a good feeling about this all round The colour will also add more contrast to the reddish rosewood of the fingerboard - that kind of rosewood was again a specific request from Nic The good news is that I've done quite a bit of the flattening of the cream this morning and it's gone well. It's flattened down past the orange-peel and held its colour. On my test sample I also checked that any sanding breakthough would invisibly patch and also that it was compatible with the clear I'm going to use - and the answer there was yes and yes! I'm always cautious with this sorts of things, but I'm certainly planning to start the clear coats this weekend if all goes well.

Yes - I like the cream too

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1484162352' post='3213212'] No it has the original preamp! I'm just thinking of replacing it,as it will have a parametric mid eq as well as the vintage voiced ray 2 band. [/quote] Ah....OK. Well I think to make both pickups parallel rather than series should be very straightforward. Of the four conductor wires for each pickup, I'm pretty sure it should just need two of them swopping around. A local guitar tech should be able to sort it easily enough and it shouldn't need any additional switches, etc..

Is it fully passive, then? (ie no powered pre-amp?)

Forgive the rubbish artificial light photos. The good news is that the colour is good, the colour saturation is good and a scratch test on the test sample says that the adhesion, in spite of the orange peeling, is good. The bad news is that the orange-peeling does have to be dealt with. The body is going to be varnished so the surface finish isn't critical, provided there are no lumps and bumps (or orange peel!) Tomorrow it will be cured enough to have a go at flattening...

For anyone confused by the above discussion, this is the cutout I need to be careful not to inadvertently cut into : ...anyway, got to my target 5lbs. Pretty similar to a semi-acoustic!: I will stick at this in terms of chambers. Next I will take a little more out of the bottom with a bearing router bit, and that should compensate for the covers I will be putting on the top

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1484135859' post='3212891'] Bit of a shame to lose that grain (But I've a massive thing for Ash woodgrain). I'd say, as long as you're careful, you can get those walls of the chambers down to half that thickness in most places and still have enough strength - it's your call. I get that the roundovers and belly/arm cutouts are 3D and you need to hold it to know. If you go digging out more I'd look at reinforcing the walls of the cavaties (to get long grain strength where there is a lot of runout) rather than keeping it equally thick all around. Then again, it depends on how close to the edge (yes (Yes) pun intended!) you want to go with the veneer - you want to be able to hide the plugs you use to cap the cavities! I've no doubt it'll turn out lovely. If it were mine I'd have the cavities at the rear, of course - but each to their own! [/quote] Many wise words here. I will be taking more out of the sides and the bottom of the existing cavities when I rout the chambers. I've got a 3mm rebate router on the way, so the rebate can actually be quite slim allowing me to get quite close to the sides. Having said that, there will be covers on so weight wise they will offset some of that. The next big area will indeed be further back - should be able to rough that out this afternoon. However, I don't want to take too much out at the rear if the balance is likely to be affected because as we all know, a neck heavy bass feels heavier than a heavy bass! Strength wise, I have no concerns - Tom's African Bass taught me that the body itself does very little indeed to the functional strength... The veneer needs to cover all the covers (if you see what I mean), but will go all the way to the rounded edges so still a way to go My target weight is 5lbs for the body....should be able to get close

I've just deleted my previous post because, like you, I hadn't realised the early Stingrays were series. Someone else will know for sure but, based on me working on Paul_S's Sterling5, I would have thought the easier thing would be to simply switch them both to parallel like the more modern rays. I suspect that's just a matter of swopping round a couple of the pickup conductors and should be also fully reversible. You wouldn't want one series and one parallel because the output difference between the two would be massive...

To anyone who has never done this, it will probably come as a surprise that this (don't worry - just rough cut at the moment with a forstner): ...takes out less than 3/4lb. In fact, just 10 oz. It is now sitting at 5lb 12oz so almost certainly I will need to be using the large chamber opportunity just below the arm-relief cutaway. Even then, there is a restriction due to the relief cut out at the back. But that will be tomorrow - because it is a lot easier to take away material than put it back, I will be reassembling the basic components and check the balance before I take any more out. It should be fine but with these types of job it is a case always of check three times, cut once!