Mikey R

[quote name='soopercrip' post='561445' date='Aug 5 2009, 08:23 PM']So, they all need grounding, right?? Or just one?? Andy[/quote] I rekon you have four choices - 1) ground them all, or 2) ground one and use a brass nut, or 3) ground one and use a zero fret, or 4) use pickups that dont require the strings to be grounded, like EMGs It can be a bit tricky to get the screw holes for the bridge pieces placed EXACTLY where you want them, if they are a little off then its really noticable. I drilled mine by hand, but it think it might have been better to make a template from either steel plate, or maybe perspex. EDIT: Forgot to say, remember its safer to not have a string ground - less chance of getting shocked by dodgy stage and desk wiring.

Wow! Break a leg Peter! [quote name='GreeneKing' post='514789' date='Jun 15 2009, 09:37 PM']It's the 1st gig for all 4 of us too but we really are improving. Lead guitard is still a bit of a plonker at times but at least I know everyone else in the band thinks this now which makes it easier [/quote] Thats the role of all Guitards in a gigging band. [sub](joke)[/sub] You should have gone for TMG - Three Musicians and a Guitarist... Disclaimer - my guitarist is also a bassist in his other band.

How much does it weigh? Looks really handy for travelling with!

[quote name='Sercet' post='560547' date='Aug 4 2009, 07:33 PM']Mike, My neck has a few bumps too, but I still like it. Where will you make your next bass? Steve[/quote] Hey Steve, our basses are totally unique - I love that about them. The few very minor problems they have just prove that point. Yours just sounded so nice! Was that a Basslines pickup in yours? I'll be out of the country for a while, but when I get back I'll be looking for a new house with a garage. Its going to be a busy end of the year but Im hoping there will be a bandsaw somewhere in my future!

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='560531' date='Aug 4 2009, 07:18 PM']thats one of the nicest P-basses ive ever seen! lovely piece of work well done[/quote] Thanks! I was having a play after work today, Im just so pleased. The balance is perfect, it looks cool and I can get all of the P-type sounds I need from it. Really good rock bass and I'd suspect it would do some pretty good funk tones too. Theres only three problems, and they are probably very minor but they bug me cos its mine: * The pickup route in the scratchguard is not quite centered in the strings, so Ive had to move the strings over towards the treble side a little. Schaller 2000 bridge made this really easy! I'll eventually make a new scratchguard. * The neck has a few dips and bumps. Its slimmest at the 5th fret but then gets thicker by a very small amount towards the volute. * The HIDEOUS three dots! Im tempted to keep all these imperfections as a reminder not to rush, and plan and measure EVERYTHING! But Im totally hooked on this building thing - Im planning another bass (after Merts of course), same thing but a little different...

Heres the finished bass: Ive attached a recording made this evening. We recorded direct to the EMU soundcard, and used quite a lot of EQ from the presets - pretty nasty! Ive also got the original dry tracks - I'll try and put them up later too.

[quote name='WarPig' post='557069' date='Jul 31 2009, 01:11 PM']Nothing beats a p-bass loaded with a thumper too![/quote] Ive got a new Thumper on mine, cant wait to get it all soldered up! [quote name='Mr.T' post='557080' date='Jul 31 2009, 01:19 PM']I could make one, but not sure how I would get the bevelled edge?[/quote] Rough cut the outline of the scratchguard to within 2mm of the line, then stick it down onto the top of your MDF template using double sided tape. Break out the router and tidy up the outline using a straight cutter, followed but a 45 degree chamfer cutter, lowering the bit in several passes.

Hey Pete, did you get any new photos through?

[quote name='Sercet' post='551024' date='Jul 25 2009, 12:08 PM']And the finished bass... [url="http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/sercet/Bass%20Making/?action=view&current=P7252568.jpg"][/url][url="http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/sercet/Bass%20Making/?action=view&current=P7252569.jpg"][/url][url="http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/sercet/Bass%20Making/?action=view&current=P7252570.jpg"][/url][url="http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/sercet/Bass%20Making/?action=view&current=P7252571.jpg"][/url][/quote] Hi Steve, Ive got a few finished pics of you and your bass, I've PM'd you the links

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='551533' date='Jul 26 2009, 01:30 AM']They really are superb instruments, I'm very jealous. Not sure whose it was now I got the chance to play at the Harrogate bash but it was so marvellous to play. Looking forward to seeing another masterpiece developing.[/quote] Hi Al, if I remember right we were noodling around on Peters Harlot for quite a while. It really is a stunner!

[quote name='steve-soar' post='551006' date='Jul 25 2009, 11:50 AM']THREE dots at the 12th fret? I've got the radio on at the moment and this is getting discussed at an emergency cabinet meeting live broadcast. Great work there Mikey, really well done. [/quote] [quote name='OldGit' post='551016' date='Jul 25 2009, 12:04 PM']Top Jobbie! I like three dots at the 12th .. Very distinctive [/quote] [quote name='GreeneKing' post='551031' date='Jul 25 2009, 12:23 PM']Mistake? I don't think so Mikey, more a case of daring to be different Looking good.[/quote] Cheers guys, if there were three dots on the face, then it would look cool. And it would also help if the three were equally spaced and in a line... unfortunately the drill slipped and the middle dot was off by just enough to make it look bad. Next time Im going back to using a hand drill - much slower so you can tell in plenty of time when youre making a mistake!

[b]Friday[/b] The first look at the whole thing: A mistake lead to me routing the pickup hole in the scratchguard in the wrong place: While I was photographing my mistakes to bug me later, I thought I'd also get a shot of this: [size=7]THE HORROR!!!:[/size] Seriously, what was I thinking when I did that??? With the mistake of the scratchguard, I realised I wasnt going to get finished today, so I decided to relax and enjoy the rest of the day in the 'shop. Jon has kindly said I can go back on a Saturday in the next few weeks and finish up.

[b]Thursday[/b] Routing the other cavitied, then LOTS OF SANDING! Then applying the stain: Carving the neck:

[b]Wednesday[/b] Holes for dots drilled and dots glued in: Heres the other two guys radiussing their boards: Heres mine: We had to keep checking with a straight edge to make sure the neck was perfectly flat. Heres Chris: This bit was really nerve wracking - cutting into that beautiful top:

[b]Tuesday[/b] With the body out of the clamps, trimmed the top flush with the body on the pin router: Cleaning up the outline on the spindle sander: Guess who: Routing the slot for the truss rod: The slot is routed about 2mm deeper than the rod, so we can add a strip of mahogany. The neck template on the neck blank. I'd already gone around with the bandsaw, so now preparing to rout to the line: Job done: With the truss rod in, we then made strips of mahogany and glued them over the rod, being carful to only glue the sides to the neck and not the rod. After the glue dried, we planed away till it was flush with the neck: Then we were ready to glue on the fingerboard. Roundover: The roundover at the forarm contour needed to be done by hand: Gut cut:

Ok, I wasnt very good at taking photos, I mostly forgot due to getting stuck in to the building. [b]Monday[/b] Today was mostly spent marking out and making the templates, and getting to know the bandsaw and router Mounting the template to the body. I'd already bandsawn out the body outline to about 2mm outside of the line: Then I just routed around, in 6mm steps so the router doesnt get bogged down too much. Gluing up the body - thats Jon is the background: With the wedges in to bend the top around the forarm contour: Gluing up the neck:

Very nice! Will need to have a play next time Im in Sheffield.

Got home about an hour ago, just had a curry and started uploading photos. Will be a while...

[quote name='Merton' post='544926' date='Jul 19 2009, 09:27 PM']Enjoy it dude, still mighty jealous (tho Nic does say I can do it next year if I have the money ) I'll give you a bell one evening to have a chat re. the proto, sorry I haven't managed it tonight but broken bones kinda needed to be attended to first![/quote] Fair enough - we were wondering what happened but hope its all patched up now! At least its summer hols. Still feeling a bit stupid for those electrics, especiaally cos thats the bit I was supposed to be good at! And really sorry it cut out on stage, hope you managed to swap to the status nice and quick?

Ive got everything I need together now, including camera and charger Its due to rain pretty much for the whole week, so Ive wrapped EVERYTHING up in plastic bags to keep them dry. Dont want to turn up with soggy templates! Im not taking a computer with me, so I'll keep everything on the camera and post next weekend.

I spoke to Jon yesterday, mine is the most complicated build of the three - not surprising really! To save time on Monday morning, Ive made up some templates for the body, neck and scratchguard from 6mm MDF. Ive not cut the neck taper or the heel of the body, as I dont know what Jon has in mind for calculating this. I couldnt resist this: p.s. this is how I got the correct angle of the headstock: [quote name='simon1964' post='543682' date='Jul 17 2009, 11:31 PM']I'll have to do this course myself sometime. I'm really looking forward to seeing the progress reports on this - make sure you post some progress pics! I'm up at Jon's tomorrow (he's been doing some work on my Stingray), so I'll mention the Basschat anticipation for this build [/quote] Cheers! Im in a B&B so not sure if I'll be able to post progress pics on the evenings, I'll see what I can do.

Getting nearly there... Ive thinned out the top horn, and fixed some of the curves that were bugging me. And comparing to the original again: (Im sure Im the only one who can see the difference between all these versions...)

[quote name='Merton' post='541256' date='Jul 15 2009, 01:15 PM']And, (hush hush), I think I quite like the fat neck. Sorry.* *let me gig it on Saturday before I give this comment 100% credence.[/quote] Just play it for half and hour and tell me if you still like it...

Ive just received photographic proof that Mertons taste in shirts have not improved. Oh, and the bass arrived too.