Andyjr1515

Hi jonnythenotes As Grangur says, it needs the continuity checking. Basically something is randomly disconnecting or shorting, maybe within one of the pots but more likely one of the external wires or connections. It's a straightforward job. I'm just north of Derby and very happy to take a look for nowt. Fixing this kind of stuff, providing it is done properly, is expected and will not reduce the value - certainly not as much as the alternative of selling something as a 'non-runner'. PM me and we can arrange you coming to me or me coming to Lichfield. Andy

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1481034395' post='3189158'] Thanks! Just had a look at the TI web site and the strings I used were [url=http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/sites/default/files/catalogue/ti_e_guitar_folder_06_13sc.pdf]Infeld Superalloys set IN111[/url] from which I used the 20, 30, 42 52 strings - all wound. [/quote]That's great, BigRedX. Thanks

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1481019813' post='3188951'] I used to own the Manne Mandobass which is a piccolo bass with a 26" scale. [IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/Bass/ManneMandobass.jpg[/IMG] I strung mine with a bottom 4 strings from a set of TI heavy (with a wound G) guitar strings. [/quote] Great info - thanks . Nice looking instrument

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1481018672' post='3188935'] I haven't worked that out yet, Stuart. Generally, a piccolo bass is full length and has thinner strings to pitch up the octave. This will have a 25" scale. It might be a couple of standard upper strings (the D and G) and a couple of the lower piccolo strings. I should be able to work it out ref target a string tension but it probably will end up being trial and error. Also not certain whether to fan fret it either. Building won't start before the end of the year so plenty of time yet [/quote] The other thing I must check (and I should know!) - is a bass one octave lower than a 6 string? If so, is a piccolo bass the same pitch as a baritone guitar? In which case the answer will be ... Baritone strings I'll check when I get chance.

[quote name='W1_Pro' timestamp='1481015547' post='3188899'] What sort of strings are you planning to put on this Andy? [/quote] I haven't worked that out yet, Stuart. Generally, a piccolo bass is full length and has thinner strings to pitch up the octave. This will have a 25" scale. It might be a couple of standard upper strings (the D and G) and a couple of the lower piccolo strings. I should be able to work it out ref target a string tension but it probably will end up being trial and error. Also not certain whether to fan fret it either. Building won't start before the end of the year so plenty of time yet

[quote name='NickA' timestamp='1480887270' post='3187910'] I shall try to come along. Will bring my Wal and Warwick and hope to try some amps out in return. Double basses too? or is this a purely electric bash? [/quote] I would have thought a Double Bass would be most welcome

Yup - I'll be there too [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]1. Si600 - GK rig (house rig) Fender P V so GrammeFriday can get GAS all over again![/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]2. Tauzero - One or two SEI's or an Ash[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]3. T-Web[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]4. Ashweb[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]5. Len_derby[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]6. Markstuk[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]7. ChunkyMunky - Musicman Bongo 5HH, Genz Benz Shuttle 12.0 and other bits.[/font][/color] 8. Jabba_the_gut - Some home build basses 9. Andyjr1515

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1480886425' post='3187893'] Another great build Andy! I'd love to see more of this SG six stringer [/quote] Hi, Evil_Undead - good to hear from you It was one of my first fretted full builds and again, done for Pete our band's bassist. He actually plays 6-stringers beautifully and I now gig with him as an occasional spin off from the 5-piece band, him on this and me vocals and sax. In fact we did a paid gig last Monday! And I'm pleased to say the guitar is still playing and sounding well It is mahogany back, figured maple top, mahogany/walnut/mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and headplate and fitted with a pair of ToneRider Alnico Classic IV's (best humbuckers out there IMHO). Here's a couple more shots:

[u]Now[/u] it's starting to look like a bass Here's the back - the neck carve will take the slim-down between the body and the neck diagonally between the two mahogany join points at the respective cutaways:

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1480863810' post='3187622'] Seems like lots of progress in a short time...will Santa be delivering this for Xmas?? [/quote] No - I'm afraid not, Mick. The build is going well but the finishing generally takes a while - a lot of waiting rather than doing, but best not to be rushed. I always allow 4 weeks after physical completion. Could be mid to end of Jan, though...

..and now the top is ready to be glued Now, I'm sure there's a mantra for this bit.....oh yes, I remember: "[i]You can never have too many clamps!!!" [/i]

The fretboard has tidied up nicely: Before the top can go on, I had to rout the cable runs, weight relieving holes and cut the slot for the wireless Tx, and also check that nothing clashes with each other: I will cut some corresponding weight relief chambers at the back of the top to maximise weight reduction and then it's pretty much time to glue it on!

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1480852993' post='3187518'] Andy, my Yamaha BEX hollow-body (the orange one I took to the bass bash) has a piezo under the bridge. Feel free to have a poke around on it if you'd like to look closely into the installation. [/quote] Great - thanks, Neil It's a way off needing to sort that yet, but good to know I can have a look when the time comes Andy

[quote name='samhay' timestamp='1480701207' post='3186608'] I was bound to have one of those one day. If you go that route, you may have to rethink the passive aspect too. [/quote] You see, I like to think I bring the best out of people A preamp would be no problem

[quote name='samhay' timestamp='1480700306' post='3186601'] That top is too nice to put a pickup in. Seeing as it is semi, semi acoustic, why not go piezo? You could be Derby's Rob Allen. [/quote] Actually, that is a splendid idea

Yes - me again, I'm afraid. Like the proverbial bad penny.... I try and do the full builds one at time - especially if they are for other people. It makes the progress more sure and I don't end up getting distracted and then forgetting important stuff ("Oh...yes...mmmm....[b]five [/b]string...mmmm. What, do I have a problem? No, no, of course not. Yes, we did discuss that. Yes - five string, of course it's going to be a five string. Oh, by the way...as we are talking about your build, I was wondering - have you seen the talk about the advantages of really, REALLY tight string spacing. Oh yes...ALL the forward thinking players are going that way....") What I do do, though, is start getting my thoughts together and start getting bits together for the next build during the times I'm waiting for glue to dry or components to arrive on the prevailing build. I reckon there's a couple of months to go for Nic's Mouradian-style. A few more weeks building and then at least 4 for the finishing. So it is time to at least start getting my thoughts together for the next project Which is going to be for Pete again - yes THAT Pete - our old gits band's bassist (ref the Jack Bruce Thumb style fretless from a year or so back and the Jack Bruce EB-3ish just finished). But this time [i]it has nothing to do with Jack Bruce!!! [/i] Quite a shock, really. So nothing much will happen on this thread over the rest of 2016, but for early 2017 the plan is: [list] [*]Piccolo bass - not a full size bass with piccolo strings, but a physically small bass...probably around 25" scale length maximum [*]Possibly fan fretted [*]Chambered and modern f hole - a semi, semi-acoustic [*]Walnut top [*]Mahogany back [*]Not sure what for the neck yet [*]Single P-bass p/up, passive [*]24 frets [*]Snakewood fretboard [/list] While the glue on Nic's Mouradian has been setting, I've done a few sketches and now drawn it out and checked the size against some walnut I already had. It will be something like this: The fretboard will use a piece of snakewood I bought relatively cheap a few years back (it is normally very very expensive, but this piece was not big enough for a full size instrument): More in a couple of months Andy

[quote name='Pastor' timestamp='1480696898' post='3186557'] Routing with a 0.8mm bit? Nuff said really!! [/quote] It's a ...uh hum... short one. Well, broken to be more precise . Very useful, though, now it's short enough not to break again - if I'm careful

..and the dots too:

Out comes the Dremel and precision router base. I rough out with a 1.5mm bit and tidy up / get into the sharp ends with a 0.8mm. Here it is at the roughed-out stage: and ready to epoxy: I had some cocobolo sanding dust I could mix into the epoxy as an invisible gap filler: ...and in they go. Even though it's 30min epoxy, I'll leave it until tomorrow before sanding down, otherwise it tends to clog up the sandpaper which could dig into the, essentially finish-sanded, fingerboard:

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1480611866' post='3185866'] Looking good! Love my swifts! They've had lots of positive comments [/quote] Thanks, Kert

I'm going to wait until I've got some better light before I start the delicate process of routing the fretboard to accept the two swifts. In the meantime, the back panels are stuck on well enough to handle. These are the main components of the build: Before the top goes on, I will be routing the cable runs, weight-relieving chambers, etc, and then the top will go on like this, ready for the final body trimming and shaping: Starting to look like a bass....

For those of you who have seen my other builds, same MO - jeweller's saw and hi-tech MDF cutting rig : ...and that age-old question 'How many needle files does it take to change a light-bulb?':

Nic asked if it was possible to put some of my logo swifts onto the fretboard. However, we didn't want to go 'all PRS' on it, and decided that swifts on the 12th and dots on the others would be cool. I popped a couple of my swift paper templates on and laid some dots on to see if it was going to look alright : I think that looks pretty cool While the glue on the second back wing is curing, I'll get the jeweller's saw out and start a bit of pearl cutting!

First back wing on, second one will be glued later today. This view probably shows how and where the top will slot in. The end of the fretboard will be flush with the top.

The wings are going on! First I have dry-clamped the top in its final position - clearly the wings, as they have been pre-cut need to be absolutely lined up with these. To stop the top inadvertently gluing itself on, I have covered it with cling film: Then the first wing is clamped vertically down onto the top (which itself is on the level workbench) and horizontally to form a tight, gap-free glue joint with the neck: While that's drying, I'm going to cut out a couple of 'swifts' which will act as the 12th-fret markers As always, thanks for looking and for your encouragement