Andyjr1515

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/288555-custom-semi-acoustic-modifications/"]Thread started on the semi-acoustic here[/url] for anyone who might be interested. It's a challenging brief which I'm very excited about

The first job has been to fully understand how the bass has been constructed and take copious measurements. There are some really skillful features in the construction - the carve of the top and bottom solid walnut body panels is stunning, inside and out. However, the long-scale and forward positioning of the bridge is problematic, putting the farthest end of the fretboard literally out of reach for shorta***s like me Mrs Andyjr1515 wasn't in this morning so you'll have to use your imagination with some bad small mirror shots Here it is hanging on the strap on its present strap pins. ...and here's where my fully outstretched arm gets me (I'm 5'7" so not crazily off the median scale): Clearly, moving the bridge back is impossible because then the neck would need to be shortened. Actually, not impossible but highly, highly risky (removal of fretboard; cut, shorten and scarf neck; rejoin; replace truss rod; reglue fretboard). But what about strap pin positions? Here's where the pin is at the moment: Strap pins in this position can be problematic and this one certainly is. I un-hitched the front strap lock and tried a number of positions - practical and impractical - to feel what happened to the CofG, the pull and the settling position of the body. I concluded that a position that [i]might [/i]work was like where a number of acoustics have theirs - at the bottom side of the neck heel: But before I drill a hole in this beautiful piece of wood, could I be a bit more sure? Enter a heavily modified high-tech strap simulation rig (otherwise known as a piece of string): ...and now where do my short arms reach?: Massive difference. Certainly worth a small drill-hole to try it out for real. I'll let you know how it goes

I'm very excited about this project. The challenge is, can a wonderful-but-challenging custom-built semi be turned into / turned back into a fully playable and satisfying bass? It is a stunning bass commissioned a number of years ago by W1_Pro (Stuart) of basschat from what is clearly a master builder but which had some design challenges and has since developed some mechanical issues. Here it is: It has some notable features:[list] [*]The body is fully carved walnut - top and bottom [*]The neck (34") and centre block are one continuous piece of timber, tip to toe [*]It has a double battery compartment in the back although is wired for standard passive at the moment [*]It's quite weighty - 10lbs + [/list] However, there are some real challenges that make it presently pretty unplayable:[list] [*]The bridge, when the strings are fitted, sits high and at a steep angle [*]The sit on the strap is very uncomfortable, neck heavy and makes it extremely difficult to reach the first couple of frets [*]The tonal palette is limited [/list] I have agreed with Stuart that we will tackle the issues in a logical sequence, tackling basic playability and functionality first and then, as we deem each stage successful and worth the cost / risk, move further up the wish list. So, first thing to tackle is that positioning on the strap!

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1468780459' post='3093284'] That is a pretty piece of mahogany - not seen such a stripy piece before! Silly question, will it be quite as noticeable when all the carving and varnishing is finished? [/quote] I slightly misread the question, Mykesbass . No - I think most, though not all, of the grain pattern will be indistinct once it's cherry red. Mind you, you never know - it's one of the things that makes this crazy hobby exciting

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1468780459' post='3093284'] That is a pretty piece of mahogany - not seen such a stripy piece before! Silly question, will it be quite as noticeable when all the carving and varnishing is finished? [/quote] Happily, Pete - the mate I'm building this for - isn't a purist. He does want me to go for a cherry red, but beyond that he is happy for me to add as much or as little AJR craziness as I like. One of the reasons I'm going for the infamous three point bridge is that it's one of the few focal points that give a nod to JB's original (or ONE of his originals at least ) and therefore leaves me a bit more freedom to go wayward in other areas... Many of you will have seen this before, also built for Pete, but this was my interpretation of what a six string electric SG should have been like if only the designers had been as mentally flawed as I am... Not everyone's cup of tea, but Pete likes it

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1468784034' post='3093314'] Currently owning an SG bass and thinking a long scale version would be rather nice I have given some thought to the neck dive issue. My thoughts were move the bridge as far back as possible and possibly lengthen the body slightly. A few inches gained this way would certainly help with the balance in addition to lightweight tuners etc. Even with the timber cut as shown in the pictures there is some length gain still available. Look forward to seeing the build [/quote] Yes, I agree - a fully rearward bridge is a must. The best example of that is the Cort Curbow - looks and feels like a short scale and is, in fact, the full 34" Interestingly, this is one of the issues faced with the semi-acoustic (ie the other new project just started). The bridge placement and resulting neck placement actually makes it pretty impossible to reach the first fret...

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1468776727' post='3093246'] Looking forward to this, love the design of the EB basses. Are you absolutely sure about utilising the three point bridge though? Worst bit of guitar hardware of all time IMO. [/quote] Yes, I know...but it does add the proper period look. Slightly, OK marginally, more functional than the non intonated earlier bar types, though

With a Les Paul six string refinish out of the way, I'm getting my head round two more projects. The first, more about later, is a lovely custom built semi-acoustic that needs some mods, including bridge, electrics including a powered EQ and a removable back plate. The second, a longer-term project is a long-scale version in the style of one of Jack Bruce's EB3 SGs for our old-gits-band's bassist. This one doesn't need to be finished until November, but I've started to get my head around it, particularly in that his wife is funding it for a significant birthday and wants to know how much financial pain he is sending her way this time! The body will be pretty much per the SG six string I built for him a while back, but all mahogany. And guess what I have got in my shed from a speculative purchase a couple of years ago? : Plenty of time to think through the final spec while I tackle the semi-acoustic but initial thoughts are: Through neck Chambered body Wenge veneer demarcation between top and bottom Lightweight tuners to counteract the long neck / light body Varitone Gibson 3 Point Bridge DiMarzio neck and minihumbucker bridge p/ups Can't wait! These two projects will be the first in my new rudimentary but better than the patio in the rain indoor work area!

I might have mis remembered this, but I think last time I wanted to print full size using a standard printer, I created a PDF file, then scaled it up and then told it to print on A4 with join markers. You end up with loads of sheets of paper, but basically just trim and line up using the join markers and sellotape from the back. Alternative is to get Prontoprint or similar to print it onto A0 paper. Anyone else got any thoughts?

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1468707371' post='3092857'] Saw and played this at the Cardiff Bass BAsh today. Have to say it is awesome. In feel, playability and sound. I think I want one. [/quote]

There are some lovely timbers in this build. Can't wait to see the finished bass

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1468609379' post='3092176'] I get the impression that Danish oil varies between brands, but it doesn't seem to get that sheen on it as readily as Tru-oil does. A further derailment; that walnut guitar in the first post is lovely! I've got a nice plank of walnut leaning in the corner waiting to be something, I just can't decide what yet... [/quote] In my view, walnut was what tru-oil was invented for

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1468603262' post='3092121'] I had a look back over my photos from when I did the Jazzmaster body. I had remembered wrongly - it was a spirit based stain that I used. I didn't try wet sanding until I had several coats on already, as I was also a bit apprehensive of going through the stain. The colour has held just fine, and it hasn't stained any shirts. Here's a pic from several coats in. [/quote] Great stuff

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1468608375' post='3092163'] Those look lovely and might well inspire me to finally get around to a project I've been meaning to do for ages. I have never done anything with oils on wood until very recently, so I know nothing at all about it. The stuff I used was Danish oil, is that anything like Tru-oil? I didn't use the Danish oil on a guitar, but I have got a headless Flying V that has a lovely grain on it. It was originally translucent red, but I stripped it, and after years of being buggered about with (it was purple and silver at one point (at the same time...)) a mate finally painted it banana yellow for me, but it's really badly done, so I want to strip it again and do a proper job of it with something that will show the grain well. The wood is a pale one (don't know what it is) with a nice dark grain. I used the Danish oil on pine and I love the way it came out. [/quote] Danish oil is absolutely fine. Tru-oil, in my personal opinion, is even better. It certainly seems more versatile in terms of the different finishes you can get out of it.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1468434026' post='3090936'] Regarding Diamine ink, I did a series of colour fastness tests. The "Ruby" red was very good and hardly faded at all. I had much more variable results with the four different shades of blue that I tested. I ended up settling on spirit based dye from Rothko and Frost [/quote] Sorry for the delay, I got a bit distracted over the past couple of days. Is it worth outlining your experiments, Norris? For t'others, Norris and I have been comparing notes on another forum on using ink for staining and he has gone about it much more scientifically than me . On my long, long list of 'to do's' is to write to Diamine to find out if they have any fade statistics or categories for the various colours. Personally, I have never had an issue with any type of ink I've used - and with guitars and basses that have been on my sun-soaked bedroom wall for years - but there may be issues with certain colours or certain makers. Anyway - the experiment is more about using tru-oil with whatever stain. The Les Paul above uses Chestnut spirit stain, which is widely thought to be a woodworker's industry standard and that is the one I'll be able to get the real life gigging test results on ref whether the neck leaves a great big stain on the owner's hand once things get hot, sweaty and shreddy

[quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1468423931' post='3090847'] Those guitars look fabulous. When you say "red ink" for a stain... d'you really mean red ink as in: [/quote] I generally use Diamine fountain pen inks because they have a very wide range of colours (you can buy directly off their web site including free samples) but yes, it's pen ink. Some colours are apparently not as colour-fast as others, but I have had no problems whatsoever across quite a wide range of colours.

Hi Just an update on some experiments I've been doing over the last couple of months. The 'tru-oil slurry method' is a well known way of filling, sealing and providing a silky smooth satin and thoroughly organic feeling finish on natural woods. It is well documented elsewhere but in brief you:[list] [*]Seal the wood with a coat or two of tru-oil left overnight to set hard [*]Then wet and dry sand wet - but using Tru-oil not water as the 'wet' - to create a tru-oil/wood slurry, then wipe away the excess slurry before it sets [*]Repeat with finer wet and dry but this time wipe off and buff up almost straight away [*]Repeat once or twice more [/list] ...and over two days max, you end up with a FABULOUS finish: Until I tackled Mick 'TheGreek''s alembicesque bass, I had always assumed you couldn't use this technique for stained and dyed wood, as by definition, you are going to sand and slurry off the top surface and, surely, expose the unstained wood underneath. For Mick's bass, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/283510-thegreeks-mystery-bass-rebuild/"]documented in the build thread here[/url] I tried the slurry method on the body to get that 'old but well cared for' look rather than pristine shiny. It worked well: So I've been doing a bit more experimenting - this time including the necks. I did it with a LP Dual Cut Junior 6 string electric I have been finishing (someone else's build) for my own use. This is using red ink on the mahogany body and neck and the same tru-oil slurry variant I used for Mick's: ...and then, for a pal, I've refinished his un-bound white Gibson LPJ: ...added binding and then used the same technique for an inked maple top, a stained mahogany back and a stained maple neck: Both guitars are waiting bits but should be finished next week. That will mean I can check the final unknown - that is, will the slurry stain on the neck rub off onto the players hand when heavily gigged? The LPJ's owner is a VERY regular gigger, so I will probably find out soon....I'll let you know. By the way, even if it does, it is no problem - tru-oil is very unreactive with the polyurethane varnishes I use and therefore I can always satin varnish it over. Incidentally, the DC Junior is planned to be light gloss and so I have already varnished over the experiment on the body, but left the neck unvarnished: What was obvious was how nice a base it was for sealing / varnishing....I might use that in it's own right as a preferred seal / grain fill approach. If you've done anything similar, let me know - I'd be interested in your experiences

Yes - much too good to hide. It looks great. Super job.

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1467798102' post='3086278'] Anybody for another ? Doing a fretted 5 next ..still deciding on whether sold body or semi-acoustic like this one... Ian [/quote] Oh abso-flippin-lutely !

Stunning! Thats what I call lateral thinking!! Great work

I'm interested in this because of the revelation I gained when building my first acoustic steel-string relating to the black magic of 'tap tuning' a top when you are carving the braces. I've just been doing some checks on my fretted and fretless solid bass guitars. Here I have been listening to the harmonics produced on ONLY the other three strings when I play D. My method was a sharp pluck at each fret of the D string and immediately mute [i]with two fingers to avoid creating a harmonic on the D, [/i]and then listening for a harmonic ringing out from the E, A or G by muting each one in turn until the harmonic, where I can hear one, abruptly stops. Some REALLY interesting results:[list] [*]Up to the 5th fret on D, almost no harmonics induced in the other three stings [*]5th Fret; strong harmonics on both basses, E on f/less and G on fretted [*]6th Fret; no harmonics on either bass [*]7th Fret; harmonic on A string on both basses [*]8th; harmonic on G on fretless; no harmonic on fretted [*]9th; A on fretless; E on fretted [*]10th; E on fretless; no harmonic on fretted [*]11th; A on both [*]12th; G on both [/list] Worth trying the simple test to see if it is simply the other open strings vibrating at a harmonic frequency. If it is the above, it is probably simply the mark of a good bass. It is the body vibration that sets the strings ringing at the various harmonics. Usually the better the 'tone wood' the more it happens. For electric basses and guitars, this effect is rarely strong enough to come through the pickups and hence the one side of the 'tone wood makes no difference' argument. On an acoustic it is fundamental and critical to the tone and clarity. So in summary, if it is this, don't worry on three counts:[list] [*]It means your bass is made out of decent wood [*]The audience aren't going to hear it [*]When you are playing a riff rather than fretting individual notes, the open string is rarely open long enough for this to be heard even if it could be [/list] It's a long shot but I'd be really interested in the results of your further checks....

[quote name='adamg67' timestamp='1467272422' post='3082347'] That's it, yeah, and it's a lot more noticeable when playing acoustically - I should dig my mic out and try recording it that way. It probably seems more obvious to me in the soundcloud clip because I know what it sounds like. It's also more obvious compared to much lower notes than I've got in the clip, if you're playing and you run up to a high D it really sticks out. I think it'll need to go to someone who knows what they're doing, I'm just loathe to spend more money on it. [/quote] Two things - diametrically opposed - occur to me in my random musings:[list] [*]If it is purely acoustic and is indeed resonances through the whole body and neck (which acoustic builders like me would give their back teeth for) and doesn't really come through when fully amplified, I wouldn't worry about it because 'it is a good thing'. Indeed, the same characteristics will be actually enhancing the tone through the amp. [/list][list] [*]The other thought is totally opposite. If it is not the body, then something else is resonating. On 6-string guitars, I quite often get this from the nut to tuner stretch of the string. In fact, I pop a buffer - in the shape of a velcro cable tie - on some of my guitars to stop it happening: [/list] Same thing sometimes happens with jazz tail stocks where there is a length of string between the stop tail and the bridge, and also the springs in a Stratocaster tremolo chamber are notorious for doing the same thing. Is there a long run from the nut to the tuners or do you have a string tree?

I think I can hear what you are describing on the clip, although not totally sure. What I can hear is a reasonable level of resonance that you would hear on, say, a good acoustic 6string. Is it that what you are describing and hearing? Basically a harmonic at the same pitch as the note being played? If you play the bass acoustically, do you still hear it?

[quote name='Jabba_the_gut' timestamp='1467055423' post='3080882'] Cheers for the comments. I'm continuing on with the other half of this build - had a go at a scarf joint for the first time. Not too bad, not perfectly square but will be fine for what I want. Truss rod arrived for this today so this neck will progress a bit over the next week or so (I hope...!) [/quote] One of the things on my 'must get round to doing it' list is building a scarf routing jig. My attempts at scarf joints are a little bit different to "not perfectly square"...and not in a good way This looks pretty fine to me, Jez, dammit!

This has finished as it started, Ian....sublime.....simply sublime