Andyjr1515

A few hiccups in the progress on this, I'm afraid, (found out what 2.5tonnes of Range Rover does to a Toyota Corolla if its driver decides to see what it's like driving on the wrong side of the road and you have the audacity not to be able to get out of the way in time . Also found out how useless and incapable the AA is on all fronts after at least 3 full days on the phone listening to their 'your call is important to us' messages!) but have been back on it the last couple of days. And so...final shaping done. Here it is after a decent amount of 'air bass playing' using my Fender-sized neck pocket test body: Final finished sanding is planned for this morning in the Derbyshire sunshine (as much to see any swirls or aberrations than my desire to get out of the cellar) Then staining will begin, aiming for this kind of vibe: I'm sure it will take a few goes! But it will still be easier than trying to get any accurate answers or, god forbid, action from the AA

OK - an update. I think this is going to be OK. @bass_dinger sent the neck to me arriving yesterday...very nicely packaged and I had an initial look when it arrived and yes, the rod would only move 1/8 turn max...hmmm, but it did turn. Also, the 5mm Allen key in my set (not all sets are equal ) seems a fairly snug fit with no indication of slipping even when tackling the immoveable force. A torch-light inspection showed it to be a two-way rod with the adjuster end block just visible. So this morning, out came my WD40 can with its long probe. I don't use WD-40 much, but as a screw releaser it has its uses. I squirted the WD-40 down past the adjuster to the screw block and left it around 15 minutes and then started seeing if it would loosen. And yes it did! I turned it a few times until I could measure a tangible bow with my levelling beam. I then started tightening back to where it had been jammed (and where the neck was pretty level without string tension) and gave it a bit more welly...and it turned past its previous limit. A few more 1/8 turns clockwise and I now have the level of back bow that would typically start with on a new build just before adding a set of strings. So I think that the truss rod is probably OK and fretboard will not need removing. I'll squirt a touch more WD 40 in and repeat the process, but I think this is going to be fine

That was my first port of call but confess I only looked at bass body blanks in their catalogue rather than ring them up. Nothing in the bass section but just just seen that they do have it in guitar sizes...and generally DD will cut special sizes! Oh well, never mind....

Yes - exactly that. Phew

And that means it's ready to return. MrsAndyjr1515 will be delighted there will be at least one less bass in the house Mind you, I haven't mentioned to her about @Happy Jack 's forthcoming build yet.

I did find a quirk (I wonder if it had always been wired wrong...) Once I'd worked out which set of 4 contacts belonged to which of the three outputs, I realised that the choke was connected to...nothing. The contact next to it (no trace of solder on it so it had never been connected there) put the coil into the mudbucker circuit which the wiring diagram confirms it should do. I moved the choke wire round one and hey presto it works! That said, there's not a lot of difference, but there is now at least a tangible tone change to the other three positions.

Oooo...I have a soft spot for Arias! Nice bass

Well, I love this bridge, @briansbrew Babicz sell the 5/16"-24 imperial sized screws separately but that was going to be either a ship-from-USA jobee or a 4-8 weeks one from UK (which probably involved the same process plus a margin ) So I bought some 5/16-24 cap-head stainless screws from Accu that arrived in less than 24 hours Looks good: ...and works brilliantly well. So - frets have been levelled and recrowned, bridge replaced, tone choke replaced. Still got to do the final tweak of action height and intonation but almost ready to go back. I say almost, because the tone with the choke engaged (admittedly through a guitar amp) really doesn't sound much different to the mudbucker on its own. Might be the amp I'm using but I'll double check that I've not done or missed something daft. But, barring that, it will be back with its owner shortly

On its way Thanks again for the input, folks

Fyne's can get some to me Thanks again to @3below for the lead and also to your great suggestions of alternatives So, like Cinderella being able to go to the ball, @Happy Jack shall have paulownia in his build

The one that @MichaelDean flagged in the classifieds has just arrived (thanks again @MichaelDean for flagging it and to @briansbrew for a slick and pleasant transaction ). I've ordered some imperial threaded bolts but can try it out with the original bolts. It looks great!

Hi @BigRedX Just measured it. The circuit matches exactly the 1973 Series 2 circuit and the owner confirms that it is original wiring (looks like a plumber has done it...Gibson, don't you just love 'em ). Based on that, it is a part no. 70-442 and it is measuring 1.557H. I de-soldered the coil to measure it to avoid any possibility of the rest of the circuit affecting it. Andy

Great - thanks. I'll see if Fyne's can sort me out and, if not, I'll drop Mike a line. Thanks again for the lead

Not overly difficult, depending on the piece as @Bassfinger says. The bass body I did the veneering demo with at the last Bassbash that you ran before moving to Germany if I remember rightly, @Si600, that is Paulownia and pores-wise isn't much different to Alder. It is very soft, though and you have to be careful clamping, etc.. I have some thoughts in terms of making it more resistant to dinks in use which I will experiment with.

That's great - thanks! I've just emailed the Fyne Boat Kit folks that @3below suggested above to see if they can cut to the size I'm after (they generally use narrower pieces) but if there is no joy there, I'll see if that chap still has some It's going to be a spray-painted body (it's the one for @Happy Jack ) and so I could use multiple narrower strips at a push. Thanks, folks! Andy

The ipaulownia web site is the one that is not replying to any of my enquiries... ...BUT the Fyne Boat Kits looks just the kiddy!! Great - many thanks @3below - I'll contact them

Well, I was wrong on one assumption - it is basically an E Asia and N America species. And yes, it is also known in some regions as Kiri - but no timber suppliers seem to use that name other than a few in Australia where they are starting to use it for boats. It maybe it is an 'emerging' product as it is very light and, by all accounts, is a very effective CO2 absorber. Maybe all the folks round the world in the know are buying it up and no one here has caught on yet.

Hmm...I don't think so, but maybe. Good thought anyway I'll check on the Wood Database

It's a strange thing. Paulownia is becoming a timber of choice for an increasing number of the major builders for their lightweight ranges, it is easy to get cheapo bass and guitar bodies made from it, likewise chefs chopping boards, it is sustainable and, so I understand, it actually improves the soil quality that it's grown on. So you would have thought it would be possible to get hold of some. But no-one seems to sell it, except sent from Australia or China - and I'm pretty certain it isn't an Australian or Chinese timber. There is a Portuguese (or was it Italian) site that purports to only sell that particular timber but they aren't replying even to their own online enquiry form on their website. Anyone know of anywhere I can get some in UK or Europe?

Remarkable. Speechless (a first)

I have two and I don't even really play bass!!!

Yes...but while that is correct, that is also what is different between the commercial-quality (and in this respect, Switchcraft are broadly in that camp) and more general consumer quality. The point is that spring steel shouldn't lose its spring. So if it does, it is not good spring steel...and neither is it if you can bend the contacts closer - good spring steel would just spring apart again So yes - just before a gig with nowhere else to go - then it is definitely a get-out-of-jail card. But if it's lost its spring once, it will lose it again.

I love Yamahas...guitars, basses, saxophones - but their jack sockets aren't the most long-lasting. It isn't the plate - it's the socket itself. Some Yamahas are fitted with barrel jacks...and, as your luthier rightly says, they are a bit of a design compromise. They look like this : The design is flawed, but te best of a bad bunch are the ones made by Switchcraft...so if you have to have a like for like replacement, ask for Switchcraft to be fitted. Much more reliable are this type of socket, which is, I think what your luthier has adapted and fitted to your TRB: ...and this is probably also fitted (or the stereo equivalent) to your Nathan East. Again, the 'industry standard' for these is Switchcraft (and we're only talking a few £'s each). Honestly, a Switchcraft jack like this should last you out. Other makes last between 1 and 10 years max... In my experience, the ones Yamaha fit (and in all other aspects, I love them) are towards the lower end of that range. So, the jackplate itself on tbe Natan East is fine. But get someone to fit you a Switchcraft jack onto it and I don't think you'll have any more issues.

To be honest, the HB-JB75 headstock is pretty close to a 50's Fender other than the 'beak' they have added to avoid getting into difficult commercial cloning territory. So you could certainly round that off as long as you don't add a Fender decal. A 20 minute job with a sanding block just round the edge and a few coats of clear varnish would do it. But is it worth it?

I just hate sanding full stop...