Andyjr1515

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1372951855' post='2132074'] In a previous life I played in a synth band that had no backline. Everything went directly into the PA. Getting to gigs was easy and the FoH sound was always good (if a little quiet compared with bands that had drums and guitar amps) but on stage it was always a struggle getting mix where the singers could hear well enough to tell if they were in tune and everyone could actually hear the drum machine and sequenced parts to play in time with them. Then we acquired a pair of our own wedge monitors and a power amp. Using those on stage for the instruments and leaving the main PA foldback for the vocals and suddenly we could hear everything properly and performing on stage became so much easier. That taught me a lot about how to get a decent sound on stage that allows the musicians to be comfortable. [/quote] There's a lot here I would agree with. Clearly, personal experience, but for what its worth: We put everything through our own PA (small / medium venues 400 max) except the drums that has its own amp for the electric kit or acoustic if the stage is big enough. Our FOH is MILES better than any other band we have played with (and they all say 'we must give that a go') because it avoids the 'deafness creep'of each player turning up to hear themselves and also to 'cut through the mix' - a joke really when they have their own 50 watts right behind them...exactly whose mix are they trying to cut through . To the audience, this ends up as just a b****y ear-wrecking white-crackling noise. BUT and it is a BIG BUT - monitoring is a problem. We have a couple of wedge monitors and our main vocalist also takes an aux monitor off the PA into a single earpiece to hear himself and his own instruments. The rest of us have a general band mix through the wedges. This is then the problem area - getting the wedges loud enough without ending up with feedback. We are investigating in-ear but individual mixes are v expensive. The cheap step is to have in-ear with the general mix which MAY be good enough. I'll let you know. Anyway, back to the FOH - we get asked back to venues because 'your sound is so good' (and that's not to do with the quality of our playing ) and we can absolutely control the volume with a balanced mix from unobtrusive background for people who've come to talk to each other, through to venues where people just want to dance to a wall of sound. I'm sure many of you will disagree with this approach but, what the hell... Andy

[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1372891926' post='2131442'] first and last for me, it gives you a clear picture of relief at around frets 7-9. I find the relationship between relief and string height really changes the whole feel of my basses for better and worse. [/quote] Yes - I certainly agree with the last bit . It affects the feel much more than just string height...especially on a fretless

1st and 16th looking for just perceptible movement at 8th fret - same as on a 6 string

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1370891260' post='2107063'] Probably cheaper to buy a Squier VMJ Jaguar than have the routing work done, get a custom scratch plate made and buy another pickup. [/quote] Then, when you've done that, pop a bit of veneer on and hey presto...the black Squier looks like this [attachment=137047:IMG_1502.JPG] Andy

Well, my background was always 6-strings, and then tenor and alto sax - all of which I generally play in our old-gits' band (oh, and also the bongos. Everyone laughs at my bongos but they're the only ones I've got and I'm quietly proud of them ). BUT, as a band we swop around quite a lot and our bassist fancies himself as a lead player (he's pretty good, though we don't tell him that). During those numbers, I get to play his fretless bass and I JUST LOVE playing it. The tenor sax just takes the edge, but playing the bass beats all the other instruments hands down. Could not explain why and I'd never played one before a couple of years ago but it is just great to play bass. This is the bass, by the way...I built it for him based on the fabulous Jack Bruce Thumb 4. It came out well [attachment=137045:IMG_2562smenh.jpg] [attachment=137046:IMG_2563smenh.jpg] Andy

[quote name='GeeCee' timestamp='1366138772' post='2048902'] Looks like burr camphor or madrone to me. [/quote] Never thought of those two - I'll have a look when I get back to Old Blighty tonight :-)

[quote name='mike 110' timestamp='1365630728' post='2042220'] That is a thing of beauty , well done mate ! [/quote] Thanks, Mike Andy

[quote name='artisan' timestamp='1365175987' post='2036413'] My god that is beautiful you clever clever person you .) [/quote] Flattery will get you absolutely everywhere Thanks. It is being used in anger tomorrow by Pete, our old-gits-band's bassist, at his daughter's wedding where we are the evening act - no pressure, then... Andy

Well spotted and researched. Great job

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1364053367' post='2021424'] Not Burr Walnut? [/quote] No - I've done a few veneer jobs in burr walnut but that is quite different. This one was described on fleabay as 'Exotic Hardwood veneer'. Hopefully not the last slice of the last tree of the last species!

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1363973263' post='2020419'] That is a magnificent piece of work! [/quote] Why thank you, kind sir (takes a long, low bow) It is a bit of a favourite. The weird thing is that it took about 1/20th of the time of my Jack Bruce Fretless tribute (see elsewhere in Gear Porn & Build Diaries), but to my eyes, looks just as impressive. Much of it, however, is to do with the magnificent piece of veneer - which I have NEVER been able to find anything close since. I can't even find out what it is. This is its natural (varnished) colour so it is close to Amboyna - but Amboyna has a very distinctive smell which this one didn't. If anyone out there knows what it is (or has something similar) pleeeease let me know In the meantime, thanks again, Big Stu Andy

Oooooo - that looks nice

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1363118125' post='2008886'] Beautiful looking bass. I have a Warwick Thumb BO 4 lefty and was contemplating a 5 string NT fretless. Have you ever built a lefty? Is it the exact same process? [/quote] Hi Although I've never built one, the process is identical. The nut would need to be popped on the other way round and the bridge would either need to be a lefty version or a bit of careful filing, etc and a bit of imagination with the control chamber cover, but the basic construction would be identical.

[quote name='yepmop' timestamp='1363120036' post='2008929'] Top quality finish, well done, what does it play like? [/quote] I'm pleased to say it plays superbly well. In terms of the neck, I think there was lots of beginners luck involved! For the neck profile, I took templates from the customers existing favourite fretted Yamaha so it has a very similar feel. I spent a lot of time making sure the fretboard was really flat and the Warwick adjustable nut meant easy to get all four strings JUST touching the fretboard. Lots of adjustment on the bridge too - I am really impressed with the Warwick hardware and its very reasonable pricing. The pups sound great and the SD preamp gives it all tonal variations our bassist needs. Proof of the pudding is that every time our band plays, our bassist comments how nice it is to play...and usually he's a right misery :-) I'm the band's reserve bassist and, although fretless is not my forte, it feels great.

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1363119056' post='2008912'] Amazing to follow. How many hours approx was the build? [/quote]. I'm not sure but I started it in October during a weeks holiday (maybe 20hours?) then it was any spare time I had during otherwise busy (and dry) weekends finishing it in mid December. Probably around 50 hours all in - could have that completely wrong! Andy

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1362159328' post='1996652'] I look forward to your future builds, the sky would be the limit for you if you actually had a workshop...and didnt need to use a patio table as a workbench lol. Kudos! [/quote] My wife would say that the rest of the house IS my workshop A very angry lady and I have no idea what I could have possible done wrong

By the way - thanks to all for the nice feedback. The mate who I made the fretless for gave me his Yamaha entry-level fretless as a bonus. I am going to reshape the neck profile and put on a starburst burr walnut veneer . When I get round to it, I'll post the build. Veneering is the quickest and cheapest way of making a so-so bass lookFABULOUS !

Hi White Cloud Yes -for 'unconventional', read 'crazy' ! The same mate has now asked me to do my take an an SG 6 string, despite my open declaration that he could get a real Gibson SG for cheaper than I could build him one :-). The weird thing is that I reckon (it will be mahogany with.a.burl.maple.cap, stained with red calligraphy ink) that the same construction method will give a much better thru neck stability than the 'stub' method of the original...so I'm going to do it again! Funny old world... Thanks for the feedback Andy

Build Diary is finished in the other section if anyone's interested. Thanks for the nice feedback Andy

Final furlong I did a trial fit of the p/ups and hardware, and also the ebony fingerboard and headstock, to make sure everything was in the right place: The body carves were completed top and bottom. I used a combination of router, block plane, rasp file, scraper and sanding blocks to get the final shape. It was b****y hard work! The timbers started to come up nicely, though: Probably hardest of all was getting the fretboard down from c 10mm to 5mm and keep it flat and straight. I used the trust router again and then a long flat sanding beam with some 60 grit, progressing down to 400. I used a curved sanding block to get the 20" radius. The headstock plate was then marked out with paper cut-outs of my swifts moniker. I should have worked out where the strings were going to go, mind you... I used a jewellers saw to cut out the Mother of Pearl and a Dremel router attachment to route out the slots. The holes for the tuners were also drilled out. Next was the control chamber, routed to fit the Warwick easy-access control chamber cover assembly. Note the cut through into the bridge and pup chambers - made access to the wires and earthing simple! Last was the final finishing of the headstock. Note the not-perfectly positioned swifts! : Final bit was to set in some Mother of Pearl fret markers: A bit of waxing (Caretakers Beeswax) and wiring / assembly and...... .....FINISHED!!!!!! Thanks for watching and for your encouraging comments - you're all sweeties Andy

Thanks JimBob

Next job was gluing the neck - again using Original Titebond Next - while the back and top were still flat - was to do the bridge and pup routings: Finally, I was able to get to the body shaping - it has a real curve (perfect for nestling the beer belly in ). I started with a router and then just used a surform and scrapers: Thanks for looking!

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1360604520' post='1973205'] Started out life as a natural body with aged tint, as much as I loved the look of this I had to move it on as it was sooooo darn heavy. [attachment=127306:P1010903 low.jpg] [attachment=127307:P1010908 low.jpg] [/quote] Oooooo - that's nice....

Ibanez GSR200 before: ...and after:

Home design, home build. Back is mahogany, top is Yew. Neck is a 'restyled headstock' (OK - sawn-off ) strat 'v' profile. Bareknuckle pups with SD switch options in the Pup rings and optional mid coil through a push-push tone. Lovely to play and can sound from acoustic to hard rock. Andy