mikebass456

Have been getting into Massive Wagons, courtesy of Planet Rock, and been listening to the tracks from the new Deep Purple CD due out soon. Throw My Bones current favourite.......

Managed to gig with the new YYZ pedal just before lockdown hit - it got some very favourable comments at half time.........

Just pulled the trigger and ordered an Alden ES Les Paul style bass from Freestyle music. Always wanted the Gibson version, but prohibitively expensive and a bit too precious to gig with. Will let you know how it measures up when it arrives ...........

Great job! Have done a couple myself, and they're trickier than they look to get right.........😀👍

Yep - using the angle cut jig to keep everything nice and steady - as it was a uke bass, the cut depth was about 60mm (2 1/2"?) I normally use baking parchment for the non-stick aspect, but had run out after a sudden need for fruit cake the previous week.........😜

Neck scarf joints cut, and another jig made to hold the joint securely while being glued.......

Been a while - these are the neck and body blanks being glued up. Using Tite Bond rather than normal PVA here. Also, the neck blank is due to be split down the middle, to allow me to make 2 necks side by side (just in case the first one goes a bit awry.........) Time to get on with the next set of jigs for gluing the scarf joint and putting the radius onto the fingerboard.

Cheers - I'll try and follow up tomorrow!😉

I've had it since 2013, bought from Bass Gear in Wokingham. It's got a great tone and bottom end, so whoever put it together did a cracking job!

Just throwing it out there, to see if I can find out something more about it. 😐

I'm trying to find out more information about a second-hand bass I bought around 2013. Attached couple of pictures of my relic 58 precision, which I bought from Bass Gear, which were taken from the website prior to buying. I seem to remember that part of the description mentioned that it was built from all genuine fender parts, and used by a 'named' player to replace their original 58 precision(s) from going out on the road. I've always wondered about its precise (no pun intended) origins, especially as its got the most amazing precision tone and sound I've ever got from precisions! Its lately been getting more attention regarding its sound, and back-story from other players, so I'm wondering if anyone can shed more light as to its pedigree?

American basses and British amplification - a recognised winning combination!😁

Got the templates cut out ok ready for the router work later on. Spending ages on getting all the detail and slight lumps out of the edges was well worth it at this stage, so there was no extra 'shaping' required once the body and neck blanks had been cut out. Pile of wood ready for gluing together - beech and an old hardwood plinth/shelf (still not sure if its mahogany or not.....)

Cover Band Bingo must have most of them listed......😂😂

I sometimes open the case just to have a quick sniff - theres something about the smell of US basses......it was the same with the G&L USA 5 string blueburst I used to have as well😎

I bought a 3 band Stingray off e-bay a few years ago - paid about £800 for it including original case. The only downside to it was it was a sort of sparkly red/black burst - candy apple I think it was referred to..... Anyway, I took it across to Jon Shuker in Derbyshire not long afterwards to have it resprayed gloss black, and it just looks the business now! Its got a matt black scratchplate (with white side laminate), rosewood fingerboard and chrome hardware and is so smooth and fast to play. It doesn't come out to play as often as I would like (especially at the moment), but has got the full stingray range of sounds and tones! My dream bass would be a natural body/maple fingerboard classic 5 string stingray, but they seem to be so far and few around.............

One of the main parts of the preparation for the build was the making of various jigs for some of the processes. This one was to cut the scarf joint angle in the neck blank - Pinterest was found to be a very rich source of inspiration and ideas for every step of the build, especially for the jigs and formers/templates etc.........

To be fully authentic, it would also need to take the skin off the back of my thumb against the inside the chrome surround of the bridge pickup...... I may have incorporated a little artistic licence in my interpretation of the style.......😉

So, here's how it all started. Having played Kala acoustic U-basses for a few years, I decided that I would try and build a solid-bodied version to the same short scale and with the same 'rubber' strings. Being also in posession of a full size ricky, this was to be my inspiration and starting point. Bear in mind that this is all retrospective, as the build was completed last year, but I thought I'd put the pictures and thought/build process up in case it proves inspiring or helpful to anyone else...... As such, I'll trickle the pictures and info in when I have a few minutes here and there, rather than just dump the whole lot on in one go (its not like I'm particularly busy currently.......)

Good idea! I'll get onto it tomorrow morning............cheers!😃👍

Jumping about a bit here, both the body and neck blanks gluing up ready for next stage.

How it all began..............with some strips of beech and and old hardwood shelf

Same here, except that I've only got about 9 feet by 9 feet to work in, so theres no room for expansion! Love the build photos - used to follow a chap on Instagram who made similar instruments a couple of years ago. Now I've got more time on my hands, I've pulled together the build pics I took during the making of the Ricky inspired uke bass I posted earlier. I'll drip feed them out rather than bang them all on one after the other - after all, its not a patch on the works of art you're crafting there fella!

You've probably looked into this already, but just in case......can't you get your last employer to take you back on and furlough you on 80% of what you were being paid? Doesn't cost them anything as they get it from the Govt anyway.........fingers crossed for you on the UC and jobsearch - hope the latter option works for you though!😉👍

My drive home from gigs usually sees more deer than badgers.....equally likely to potentially take the shine off the end of the evening for both me and bambi.........