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Andyjr1515

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Everything posted by Andyjr1515

  1. Andyjr1515
    With the fretboard now securely glued to the neck, the next job is to carve the neck profile and volute. Here is how it came out of the clamps: With a reminder that what I describe is never 'this is how it should be done', but instead is a description of 'this is how I did it and why'. [list] [*]The reason I attach the fretboard before fitting the frets? Because there can be subtle shape changes when gluing the neck. Doing it first means that I can then sand the fretboard completely straight and radiused before the frets go on [*]The reason I carve the neck profile after fitting the fretboard? Because it is critical to get an absolutely gap-free join....this means huge clamping force with load-spreading cauls. It is almost impossible to get enough clamping force on a curved neck and very difficult indeed to use cauls. [/list] For the neck carve itself, I sent Nic a profile gauge and some instructions to make me a template of his favourite-feeling bass and the key depths and widths. He sent me this back: Although what a bass ACTUALLY feels like is always unique, the idea is to get a familiarity of feel that the player is immediately comfortable with My next job - hopefully tomorrow - is to cut some stiff plasti-card templates of these shapes and then hand-carve the neck to it's final shape. It's most builders favourite job
  2. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='3below' timestamp='1481567345' post='3193353'] Super quality work as always. How do you rate the Veritas pullshave? It looks really useful and I can envisage archtop carving with it. [/quote] I think it's excellent. I bought it with a mind to a carved top archtop and reckon it will be absolutely perfect for the job. It is very much a roughing out tool though - quite difficult to do accurate fine shaves with it, hence the Ibex.
  3. Andyjr1515
    Tomorrow is going to be full of distractions so I thought I'd crack on today. I have got the profile and thickness measurements of Nic's favourite bass. So first was getting the thickness of the neck right, including the transition between neck and body. I use a pullshave for this kind of work: ...and one of the great revelations in the tools world - the tiny but stunningly effective Ibex plane: This is starting to look right: Truss rod in, cap on and planed down: As a passing nod to Chris Squier's own graphics, I put an 'S' at the end of the fretboard: Then, before tackling the shaping of the neck, this is the time to properly clamp the fretboard. First some location drill holes were put in and a few panel pins to stop the fretboard floating around the neck on top of the wet glue! Then plenty of glue and even more clamps and cauls :
  4. Andyjr1515
    Wow.....that looks really, really good
  5. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='wmsheep' timestamp='1481407243' post='3192153'] Love that headstock design. [/quote] It's an evolution massively enhanced by the input of Tom, Kert and Nic (wwcringe; FuNkShUi; gelfin) Tom pushed for a cut out on his African bass, then Kert and I worked on reflecting the shape of his single cut using the cut out...then this exposed the lamination, and Nic pushed for a further development to reflect the stunning shape of the Mouradian. In the process, I may have stumbled on a 'signature' concept to go with the swifts logo...for which I will, of course claim total credit
  6. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1481474970' post='3192536'] Nothing but praise for Andy - he brought a Yamaha bb604 to my house for me to try out, and it was lovely so I bought it! Top bloke, fantastic bass and he even restrung and set up for me. Pleasure doing business fella. [/quote] Thanks, Chris It was good to meet again - and put the face to the name from the last basschat Midlands Bash! Pete our bassist will also be very pleased it's gone to a good home
  7. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1481450339' post='3192301'] One things for sure - it's not 10% of the quality of the one you made! [/quote] Thanks Sounds a bit odd. Does it make that noise when it's actually soldered or when it's just held against the pot? If it's the latter, then try soldering it and see if it is then OK. If it is noisy when soldered, then I'm as bemused as you are...
  8. Andyjr1515
    Hi folks Sold and gone to a very good home. Thanks, Chris Andy
  9. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1481385170' post='3191947'] Thanks, the rear cover isn't attached to anything other than the body, it's not like a front cover type where the foil acts as an Earth for the pots but it is covered in foil so there must be some reason to do it. Nothing else is connected to it. [/quote] Sorry - when you talked about foil, I assumed it was lining the chamber. Just solder the loose cable to the back of the nearest pot, then
  10. Andyjr1515
    Great to see you there, Neil . Very, very much appreciated
  11. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='jassbass' timestamp='1481367765' post='3191770'] I'm tempted to sell my bass collection jive jazz to fund this,soft spot for yammys [/quote] Don't sell it yet! I've had a number of PMs, so it might not be around long... I'll let you know if the enquiries don't come to anything
  12. Andyjr1515
    At the back, the mahogany wings will be cream, but with the neck, including the tru-section, left in natural colour. That neck and volute is now just shouting to get carved!
  13. Andyjr1515
    Still a bit of final sanding to do, but this is pretty much the shape: It will be stained a bit darker (closer to the shade of the fretboard) and have a central cream stripe and a couple of inlay swifts, and of course the body will be cream too, but shape-wise this is how it's starting to look:
  14. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1481357447' post='3191679'] Being a single black wire and only being long enough to reach the one pot, I thought the same. There is a small mark on the foil of the rear cover that is in range of the wire but I can't think of any reason anything would be connected to that. As it all works ok it has me a bit stumped. [/quote] Almost certainly it is the bridge grounding wire. The foil is usually/should be grounded by the contact with the pot washers to act as a buzz-bucking electrical cage and so can be used as a grounding point also for the other earth wires. I suspect therefore that that's where it's come from. Best to solder it back on if you can (there or to the back of the nearest pot)
  15. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='blisters on my fingers' timestamp='1481317768' post='3191555'] These are really well made and extremely versatile. The controls that need to be are centre detented, so its easy to get back to square one, so to speak. The slightly misnamed mid cut switch can also be used to boost mids over quite a large eq range, so you could have two very different sounds at the flick of a switch. And that's without the good tone shaping available from the rest of the controls. It can also do a good Fendery P or J sound, so if you like it nice and simple that's there as well. Very light bass. Good luck with the sale. [/quote] Thanks for that I've just been setting it up and in the process realised that the strings were shot so fitted a new set of D'Addario Chromes and what you have described is absolutely spot on. I thought my Bubinga fretless had a huge spectrum of sounds, but this Yamaha is in another league.
  16. Andyjr1515
    I cut the headstock wings, complete with a strip of rosewood centre splice, from some of the neck offcuts: Then added a mahogany plate and cut and rough-filed the shape: I'll finish sand it in the daylight when I can see what I'm doing
  17. Andyjr1515
    I just had the wink of approval from Nic on the headstock design. Similar concept to Kert's Camphor single-cut, with the cutaway reflecting the shape of the body: The centre will be painted cream, with mahogany either side, a passing nod to Nic's (now gone?) cream Ric. I've also ordered the remaining bits and pieces, including the DiMarzio Model One and, as it's Christmas, I'm treating Nic to a set of Schaller lightweight tuners. They are not as eye-wateringly expensive as the Hipshot ultra-lights but they are definitely the business in looks and at 50% of the weight of standard ones! Still a huge amount to do, but very pleased with the progress on this.
  18. Andyjr1515
    Interesting concept, Owen. I have no thoughts or ideas to contribute, I'm afraid, but very interested to see how this progresses.
  19. Andyjr1515
    Welcome back,Kert. Can't wait
  20. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='jassbass' timestamp='1481228884' post='3190869'] Nice bargain [/quote] Thanks, jassbass I think it has the potential to make some soul very happy
  21. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1481227632' post='3190855'] Absolutely the most stunning SG guitar I ever saw [/quote] Thanks
  22. Andyjr1515
    [quote name='3below' timestamp='1481231672' post='3190899'] You are left wondering why a certain USA major guitar manufacturing company does not produce items of this quality and appearance (unless they have passed me by). Someone on BC should be getting 'head hunted' by the aforesaid USA guitar company . [/quote] I don't think they'd want to hunt my head, 3below - they'd quickly find its full of marshmallow....
  23. Andyjr1515
    Apologies - in the meantime my original post has been freed up. Ignore this duplicate, it will be deleted! Andy
  24. Andyjr1515
    OK - sussed it. Forgot about the subscription thingy! Here we go again! Each time Pete, our old-gits-band's bassist gets a new build from me, he gives me one of his current basses. This is his 2003 Yamaha BB604, in Wine Red that I am looking for offers in the region of £200, preferably collected from just N of Derby or meeting up to 50 miles radius. It comes with soft gig bag and leather strap / straplocks It has a good spec with the Nathan East styling and NE1-Parametric EQ which give an amazing variety of sounds. It does have some gigging dents in the top, and a small but comprehensive buckle patch in the back, but in most other respects it is in amazing condition. It even still has the detachable 'these knobs do this' card on the controls and the cellophane protector on the control chamber cover! Here it is: Still got the detachable 'knobs guide'! Note also some of the gig dints: The dints on the front are pretty much restricted to the line from the knobs to the lower cutaway - the rest of the top is in very good nick. The 'fluff' on the strings probably means they are a bit used!: The small but comprehensive buckle rash on the back: The rest of the back is in good nick, including the cellophane still on the control chamber cover!: If there's not much interest, it'll probably go onto ebay next Thursday, but if you are interested, drop me a PM with any queries at all Andy
  25. Andyjr1515
    Hi Just tried to post this but got an error. If this posts OK, I'll resubmit the full details Andy
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