Andyjr1515

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1453916299' post='2964218'] Think we need to arrange a meet-up Andy. 😛 Ahem, strap-pegs, cough cough. [/quote] Sounds like a pint of Pedigree at the Joiners might be in order...

A close up shot of the rough-machined and chiselled underside of the rear pickup cover isn't the most glamorous of viewpoints, BUT the significance is that pretty much the last thing a builder does is: ....[b]put the label on!!!![/b] It's finished I'll post the arty-farty shots when there's a bit of light tomorrow. Kert's picking it up in a couple of weeks. That gives me 14 days to show it off to my family, friends, acquaintances, general passers-by and complete strangers... Here's a couple of shots to be getting on with: Andy

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1453889343' post='2963751'] It looks like the Ultimate Compound is a Burnishing Cream and it gets really good reviews for cars. The wax also gets good reviews, expensive but when I see your results, it is worth it. Can also use the excess on the Car 😎 [/quote] Not certain you need the wax, but I always use it for the final sparkle. Going to use both in the next couple of days for Kert's camphor single cut build. It's within a gnats whisker of being complete

[quote name='synthaside' timestamp='1453739685' post='2962317'] I'm running a great sounding set of black nylon tape wounds on my acoustic bass , http://www.daddario.com/DADProductFamily.Page?ActiveID=3768&familyid=20&sid=d2ff4991-393a-443e-8863-aeeb13aea87e Really helps against the loud finger movement noise that this sort of instrument can be prone too , and helps gives me that acoustic thump i'm looking for from my Aria AMB ... You can still dig in to get a more modern sound too if i raise the mid and treble when plugged in, but most of the time this instruments for lazy desk based jamming . [/quote] +1 on these. Transformed the sound on mine. Couldn't do with the clatter of the bronze round wounds and the amplified sound is also greatly improved.

I've just fitted DiMarzios for the first time on Kert's camphor single cut build, with the Seymour Duncan 2 band EQ for passive pickups. The combination is stunning, from old style 50s thump to Entwistle and slap. An added bonus is that the J is noiseless too!

...and I think this is the carnauba wax I use for the final sparkle. It smells great, by the way http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meguiars-Deep-Crystal-Step-Carnauba/dp/B00078XL2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453845474&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+carnauba+wax

Hi Chienmortbb No - it's this one: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds/meguiars-ultimate-compound/prod_554.html I also use their carnuba wax. I'll find a link for that one too in a sec

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1453831157' post='2963242'] Don't go to any trouble. I've got a lovely high end OM style acoustic & I was just curious as to how yours sounded. [/quote] If the link works, there are a couple of simple unplugged recording clips on my web site page below They were recorded on a little zoom pocket recorder so no great shakes but will give you an idea . http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/swift%20iv%20acoustic.htm

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1453822943' post='2963137'] Nice work! I'd love to hear that Om you built, do you have any sound clips? [/quote] I do have somewhere. They may be a bit rubbish....if so I'll record a few more.

Chienmortbb's post has reminded me...any further pics, cameltoe?

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1453741530' post='2962341'] This looks awesome! I've always fancied having a go at one of those kits that Martin do, but not worked up the courage to have a go. Maybe one day! Good luck with this one [/quote] I think the Martin (and Stewmac ) kits are a great way to go! If I was starting again, that's what I would do for starters. This OM was my first (and only other) acoustic build and I am still utterly delighted with it - but WHAT a steep learning curve!!!!!!:

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1453719741' post='2962012'] Looking good so far! I haven't seen that style of mould construction before - are you working from a particular method or is it something you've come up with? I have accumulated wood and bits for a mandolin build, but not quite got around to getting started on it yet, so I will be going through some of these same processes. [/quote] It's Andyjr1515 you're talking about, so [b]of course [/b]I've stolen it from somewhere else It seemed to me a lot quicker and easier than the more traditiional block-built things. Just a few sheets of jig-sawn ply and a dozen cuts or so of some 1 1/2"x 2" timber and job's done. Does the job too as far as I can tell (having never used the other type).

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1453719572' post='2962009'] Oh... and... er... I can't do that [b]at all[/b], but if I could've done it, I could've done it a lot better! [/quote] ...and I would've too if I could've

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1453709903' post='2961913'] I'll pop a summary thread of the progress so far later today in 'Other Instruments' [/quote] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277619-dreadnought-acoustic-build/"]Dreadnought Acoustic build thread is here[/url] for anyone interested

Hi I posted a pic of a build I've started now that the Camphor Single Cut bass is nearing completion. It's a 6 string Dreadnought Acoustic being built as a surprise gift from our old-gits-band to our old-gits-band's even older git vocalist on a 'special' birthday in July. I won't do a detailed build thread but, if anyone's interested, will post progress shots as I go along. This is the progress so far: First - and essential - task is building the body 'mould'. You can see the lacewood back pieces here too before slimming and joining: Next, thicknessing the lacewood back and spruce top to 2mm and 2.9mm respecitvely and joining. The mahogany/walnut/mahogany splices for the neck are also in this shot: Next the thicknessing of the side lacewood - again down to sub 2mm: Last year I invested in an electrical bending iron. Compared with my previous gas blowlamp into scaffolding tube self-destruction kit, it's LUXURY : Here are the sides bent and drying in the mould. They are hand bent to shape but then clamped in the mould to help prevent 'relaxing' back straight as they dry: Mahogany heel block and tail block added to the trimmed sides and slotted kerfing added to both sides: Top is finish sanded and then the soundhole rosette and purfling slots routed: Then the soundhole cut out: The top is dished to a 25' radius. The braces are cut and sanded to that radius relative to their respective positions in a carved-out radius dish made from MDF: The braces are positioned, glued and pressed down on the back of the top into the radius dish in a 'go-bar' rig, made from chipboard and threaded rods/wingnuts using fibreglass and dowel rods: Result is one subtly dished top and braces ready for shape carving and the dark art of 'tap' tuning.... That's it so far. I'll post pics as I progress Andy

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1453653594' post='2961424'] Please post the dreadnought too Andy. Hopefully I will learn more on there. [/quote] I'll pop a summary thread of the progress so far later today in 'Other Instruments'

[quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1453653749' post='2961427'] Sorry to hear that. I'm assuming it's a 74 Gibson SG, which means Nitro. So it sounds like a reaction with the Dunlop stuff. There is Silicone in the Dunlop 65, which is not good for Nitro. Can you post pics? I'm pretty sure I've used Autosol on Nitro before, as well as the Meguiars Ultimate I mentioned earlier. This (Ultimate) is more mild in terms of abrasive so I usually use this on Nitro (nitro is generally softer than Poly). [/quote] +1 I've also used Meguiers Ultimate Compound with good results on nitro

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1453650091' post='2961380'] Not getting tired of looking at this. Supreme skills On show here Andy. Look forward to seeing that dreadnought completed too. [/quote] Thanks!!! The main thing is that Kert hasn't got tired of looking at it yet, either! I have high hopes of the dreadnought (top braces are now fitted!!), but it won't be quite as eye-popping as this camphor has turned out to be! If anyone is interested, I can post a summary build thread on 'Other Instruments'?

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1453647595' post='2961340'] Looking great Andy...I'm sure that Kert must be itching to get hold of it. [/quote]I think that might be an understatement

Thanks everybody - it's great boost Next challenge has been those pickup covers. The challenge was to get them, obviously, well clear of the strings, but also - especially for the P cover - well clear of picking fingertips, nails or picks. Visually - as well as the practicalities, I was aiming also for a stepped look. There clearly is an option to raise the slugs to maximum and poke them out of carefully drilled holes in the covers. However, for starters, I wanted to try to maintain the flat look (there will, of course, be fixing screws at some stage) as much as possible. Nevertheless, things are so tight here that ever a teeny bit of slug screw jiggery pokery was worth doing. I [i]very [/i]gingerly chiselled and sanded slots for the slugs to within 1mm of breakthough: You can see the ebony here - it is sub 1mm Then, having agreed with Kert that balance was the aim rather than volume, I did a load of trials of pickup heights, using my Squier VM P-J Jag (see avatar) as the comparison. Can sing the praises here of the Seymour Duncan STC-2P EQ. Although I have always been pleased with the SD-designed pups in the Jag...there simply is no comparison with what was coming out of the relatively modest DiMarzios fitted to Kert's bass. It is like a completely different instrument! Quieter than the Jag at neutral settings because of the significantly different pickup heights but this beastie has a HUGE range - even at neutral EQ. Add the treble or bass boost and you really can get from 50's smoky blues-bar thump to Entwistle with the twist of a knob. The pull-up 'slap' setting adds yet another dimension (interestingly, I think the 'slap' setting is less slap than the normal setting, but it's definitely a different tone set. What ever sound Kert is looking for, I have no doubt he will be able to find it and thousands more . Volume-wise at the lowest pickup heights I was comfortable with (sort of academic because you can just raise the volume at the amp) versus my Jag - tangibly quieter with no boost, about the same with bass boost only, louder with bass boost and treble boost. By the way, the DiMarzios were picked after a lot of internet review and user opinion searching. They're basic to look at, but they sound great. Also - a big plus - the Jazz single is, in-fact, a stacked humbucker, so is noiseless Our house has crazy dimmer switches all over the place and my bubinga fretless which (used to) have the same EQ but with SD Jazz p/ups buzzes like crazy when the lights are switched on. I didn't hear anything with Kert's Anyway - to cut an EXTREMELY long story short, this is how low I've been able to get the covers: Thanks for looking and your great feedback Andy

Just north of Derby. I can help out with most things except spray jobs. Do stuff mainly as a hobby so for fellow BCers, happy to do small jobs for free or just the cost of the bits, low rates for medium jobs and a mere kings ransom for the bigger ones

And we have SOUND I fitted the pickups and EQ this afternoon / evening. Almost stymied at one point - the Seymour Duncan treble tone control from the EQ set from Thomann is faulty!!!! To make sure that the process of getting Thomann to exchange the unit didn't hold up anything, I've taken the EQ out of my bubinga fretless and put that in the camphor build instead. I'm not using the fretless much at the moment so can afford to lose the use of it for a couple of weeks while Thomann do their stuff and it's hardly been used since I finished it late last year, so the pots are pretty much "as new". I have to do some volume comparisons with my passive P-J Jag tomorrow as I lower the pickups to the absolute minimum, but WOW - it sounds good. I can't of course compare with the bubinga, having ripped out its innards, but I reckon it sounds BETTER. And the bubinga fretless sounded great. I'm well chuffed. Going downstairs for a beer and a sit down..... Still got a fair bit of finishing off to do but I can see completion happening very soon

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1452786548' post='2953516'] Did some refining of the headstock design. Placed the tuners closer together and added a lower wing to the headstock, looks more balanced to me now and now it can be put in a guitar hanger, given the body shape it probably won't fit a guitar stand. [/quote] Yes - like this a lot more. Love the 'been there, done that' headless, by the way...

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1453390179' post='2959070'] It's alright, I suppose... ;-) [/quote] Thanks, Bryan By the way, did the finish on your green Westone ever drop down from high gloss - or was that just another example of "builder's bulls**t"?

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1453468289' post='2959755'] This is easily your best work yet (in my humble opinion). If this sounds as good as it looks you will have one very satisfied customer I am sure. and several VERY jealous ones! [/quote] I think your humble opinion is quite correct, Chris Indeed, I'm not at all sure I can top this. As you say, fingers crossed that it also sounds OK. Based on yesterday's try-out, I certainly think it should play OK Jealous customers (as well as satisfied ones) is, of course, a mission