HazBeen

Have to admit, that is impressive (of sorts)

Still not entirely sure what I will be doing, but I have decided I will be keeping the zebrano for another project. This body needs to stay “light”, because the Status neck is black and I like the contrast. Still toying with just thinning or might put on a maple cap, or even just an ash or poplar cap.

Spoilt for choice

Not fully decided, but I am leaning towards chambering and making it thinner. Lighter is better for me. And I happen to have 6.5mm thick book-matched Zebrano in bass dimensions I was intending to use on the next build.... ash and zebrano always looks good together.

I am not sure, never had a Smith. But there certainly are many basses that are slimmer than the 4.4cm (1.75”) Leo came up with, so would not be surprised at all. The main thing is to ensure you have enough meat for the neck to bolt on to (or set in). Which to me suggests 3.75cm is close to the slimmest you can go. Although an actually skilled builder like @Andyjr1515 of @Jabba_the_gut would know better. I am just pretending

Not really, although it certainly is not a slim body. 4.4cm is standard Fender thickness, which is what I would end up with after sanding and would be okay with if the weight was around 1.7/1.8. Now I would end up at 2.1/2.2. My target total weight is 4 kg, so whilst the original plan was to keep it super simpel. I will happily put in the extra effort to get it “perfect”. I can indeed take some thickness off and if I add some “hollows” in the body all will be just as I want it.

Only a brief update. I rounded the body, looks perfect, and I was very happy for 5 minutes. Until I weighed it......... 2.4kg. Whilst I still will lose a few hundred grams with arm/ belly contour, cavity and neck pocket, I will end up with a 4.4-4.5kg-ish bass. Not what I am looking for. So, the plan is to hollow out part of the body and lose roughly 5mm in overall thickness (am at 4.7cm now). So off to order some top wood and build a jig so I can route the current body to desired thickness. Added a few pics of the rounded body, just because I can.

It will be marked v1, but me thinks it was the top one (so towards the centre).

Thinking about it, I think 2 are for the OD, 2 for the preamp. If memory serves me well, the 2 closest to the input jack are for the OD and the 2 in the middle are for the pre. I have a v1 (ultra low noise) in the first of the 2 pre slots and normal ones in all others. Works well enough

I like Tung Sols a lot, have them in my BB as well. Loud, round and clean. That said, 1 of the valves is for the overdrive circuit. You could try some hi-gain options.

I also switch from 4 to 5 and back, depending on situation/need/requirement. Just takes some practice and all is well soon enough.

Crisis averted by some sanding, it is back to looking amazing and I am on speaking terms with my router again

It happens Regardless it looks amazing.

Very lovely indeed! Question, why did you decide to place the pickup as you did? Or is it false perspective?

Cut and routed the body today. Pretty happy with it, although my router did take a little chunk out of the wood (nothing I cannot fix with Wood dust/glue though). I both love and hate routers.... Still, most scary part turned out okay. Next steps: sanding, roundovers and contour carving (my Shinto is ready for some action )

I have to admit that selling my PJ5 was stupid as .... I would tend to agree with them being right up there.