Maude

As aluminium expands with heat more readily than steel do you think it will cause the fretlines to be felt more in hotter weather? Or is it probably not enough to be worried about? Just thinking out loud really. They do look lovely though.

You can wire a four wire (or five, makes no difference) humbucker in to give you bridge side single coil, both coils in series, both coils in parallel and neck side single coil with a four position rotary switch, or push/pull volume and tone controls. I did this on a Stingray copy.

Thanks Andy, time to do some test pieces. 🙂👍

Thanks folks. I'm going to do a couple of test pieces as I just need to get it done, and I don't want to be redoing the big piece if something doesn't work. I'm going to try just lacquering the bare wood first as quite often that will darken it in the same way that my white spirit test did. Some woods darken a lot, others barely at all, I'll see what happens. If that doesn't have a satisfactory result I try a sepia calligraphy ink and see how that goes. @Andyjr1515, thanks (as always) for the advice. If I were to slurry and buff, do you think the differing shades of wood would be an issue? Would the slurry of darker wood and Tru-oil stain the lighter areas? I'd only be doing the slurry to grain fill as the finish will be 2k lacquer whatever happens. I know the lacquer will work well with wood and be completely waterproof, so no risk in the bathroom. I don't know if you saw but this was calligraphy ink then lacquer on a Kay that I did, this finish is what I'm aiming for (not the colour though).

She's Not There - UK Subs (The Zombies are dead 😉)

Lazy Sunday Afternoon - Small Faces

That's an absolute belter!! Lovely. 😎👍

Get Off of My Cloud - Stones

From what I understand, as long as it is a drying oil (polymerising) then solvent based lacquer will be fine, once the oil is fully cured. I've never tried it though. This was my first plan as I have a few gallons of solvent based 2k acrylic polyurethane lacquer knocking around at home, as you do. 😁 What's the easiest, most foolproof oil I can use. There seemed to be a favourite on here but I can't remember what it was now. I'll have to do some more digging.

Ooh look, a Fodera. 😁 I'll just add, although I've said it many times before, I love walnut. 🙂👍

The reason I want to lacquer it is that it will end up with water being sat on it, being in a bathroom. I think any oil finish will end up with white marks where the water has sat. Or it will go sticky with the high humidity. These worries might be unjustified, I don't know. It's just very easy for me to give it a good few coats of automotive lacquer to make it completely waterproof. The more I look at it the more I think I should just bring the natural colour out with an oil that dries hard and then lacquer. I guess an oil will be similar to the pictures with white spirit on. I know who's done a lot of home oil finishing, calling @Andyjr1515. 😁

Attack of the double posts. 🙂👍

Update time, but sadly only on the bathroom counter, not a bass body. I cut, shaped and sanded the counter top today. The wood has been sat outside but undercover since I got it. It seems OK to make my counter top with but time will tell. I'm not overly worried if it warps slightly or splits a little as it's supposed to be on the rustic side anyway. I've PVA'd the freshly cut ends to limit rapid moisture loss and hopefully prevent any further splitting. The main slab has a rather large split from one end limiting it's use for a bass body, I'll see what I can salvage, but the salvageable part doesn't have great spalting. Hey ho, it was bought for the counter top so so be it. What I'd like to know from all you good lutheiry folks is what's recommended for adding a little colour. I'm not sure exactly what I want and I'll be doing a couple of test pieces with offcuts, but I'd like to just buy one product and get on with it. I'll explain with pictures. This is just the dry bare wood, no photo editing so a fairly good representation of true colour. Then this is it with white spirit wiped over it. The colour is much better with white spirit on it, but I think I'd like it slightly darker, more like the heartwood (?) strip in the centre beside the sink in the last picture. The problem is that whatever I put on that darkens it will also darken all the lighter areas, and I like the contrast. I've used calligraphy inks before and they work well. I could use a sepia ink and 'colour in' the darker areas, leaving the lighter parts. How successful that would be, whole knows. One for a test peice. Another option is to just oil it and hope it darkens enough but leaves a good contrast. If oiled, would using a slurry and buff method cause the slurry from the darker areas to taint the lighter areas? Are there tinted oils? Whatever I apply to darken the colour needs to be compatible with being overpainted in 2k poly lacquer. Any ideas folks? 🙂👍

Three that immediately spring to mind are Gabe Nelson (Cake), Stuart Morrow (New Model Army) and Billy Gould (Faith No More). Stuart Morrow is absolutely fantastic.

I think the forum has a 'sales portal'. I entered it not long after joining. A magical place full of basses where willpower, restraint and financial self-control get left outside. Ahhhh sales portal... My love for you will never die. 😍

When The Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin

Dandy - The Kinks

I really shouldn't get drawn in... but... would you care to point out where anyone (apart from the post before yours that was in jest) has even hinted that they have no time for short scales. I have several short scales, and medium and long. I just don't see any need for a separate sub forum in sales. No frothing or getting hot under the collar here, just an answer to the question posed. Apologies if it wasn't the answer you wanted to see.

Geordie in Wonderland - The Wildhearts

In the bin where it bloody belongs! 😁

I want a Tuba subforum. 😐

Pull Up To The Bumper - Grace Jones

Personally I can't see there's any need. If you do then where do you stop? Are short scales any more different and popular than say, five strings? If not then do we end up with separate four, five, six, eight and twelve string sections, short scale, long scale, medium scale, traditional style, modern style, active, passive, painted, natural wood, fancy 'coffee table' wood, blah blah blah? Where do you draw the line?

The Riverboat Song - Ocean Colour Scene

Nothing saucy. 🤫 😄 The Yamaha BB Peter Hook signature. A rare and magnificent bass. 😉