Mikey R

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='502583' date='May 31 2009, 09:29 PM']We will be expecting build diary's from all 3 of you! [/quote] I dont have a clue who the other two are - If they are on BC maybe they'd like to send me a PM!

[quote name='Merton' post='502073' date='May 31 2009, 07:37 AM']Nice one Mikey! How's the Hartke?[/quote] Its very nice! Tho I feel bad for buying an amp thats not green...

We have the third person needed to run the course so its on!!! I'll probably be starting a thread closer to the time as Im gonna need some advice from the wise folk here about design and stuff. Really excited!

[quote name='peted' post='499594' date='May 28 2009, 08:50 AM']Got an update from Jon last night. The fretboard is on the neck after a couple of trial runs. The bass should be entirely assembled in the next couple of weeks and ready for sanding and spraying.[/quote] Thats quick! [quote name='peted' post='499594' date='May 28 2009, 08:50 AM']I've been promised photos this weekend [/quote] Really looking forward to these photos!

Heres some photos taken by my brother last weekend:

Have you uploaded any MP3s of the bass yet? Have I missed them?

[quote name='Merton' post='497350' date='May 25 2009, 04:09 PM']Indeed, I was thinking the same thing immediately after I posted. Are the strings the Status ones I sent up to you?[/quote] When did you send them? Ive not recieved anything...?

[quote name='Merton' post='497058' date='May 25 2009, 08:10 AM']Mikey, that sounds awesome, just how I was hoping (and expecting?) it to sound. Soo excited [/quote] Ha, nows the tricky part. I have no idea what aspect of the construction makes it sound like that! It could be any of these: * The overwide, overthick neck; * The strange choice of neck material; * Placement of pickups; * Choice of pickups (cheapo ebay); * The coice of (very heavy and hard) body material; * New strings? Or any of a number of other factors I havent even thought of? But more importantly, how do I recreate a similar souding bass with the changes to specs and materials we are planning? Hmm. Suppose its all guesswork till after its finished!

Ive attached some quick tracks I did using a friends recording setup this evening. Its DI'd into the Yamaha desk (dont know the model number), output via firewire into Cubase on the PC. The bass is hard wired with both pickups in series direct to the jack socket. Back at home, Ive maximised it using Audacity. I tried MP3 but Audacities codec makes a real mess of the recording and theres no way to increase the bitrate, so Ive left it as WAV. The playing is a little bit jerky, Im still getting used to the fanned frets. Im very pleased with the tone! The hissing is probably due to the fact that I havent shielded the pickup or control cavities yet.

[quote name='cheddatom' post='494992' date='May 22 2009, 11:22 AM']You can attach them to a post on here![/quote] Cheers - I'll see if I can do some recording on Monday.

Kev, whats the spacing at the bridge? I would guess thats the limiting factor for a lot of styles. My new 5 string is 17mm and thats kinda tight!

[quote name='Spoombung' post='495050' date='May 22 2009, 12:15 PM']Let's have a look at the back then: Nice ash grain ( the finish is wax and oil and only a light sealer - so you can still feel the grain slightly) String thru bridge design means I don't have to buy short scale strings all the time (the bass is a 31" scale)[/quote] Now thats pretty! Love that swirl of ash grain - Im a sucker for open pored wood on basses!

Quick question - Does anyone know where I can host some mp3s?

I took the unfinished bass to the jam last night. Whilst waiting for the drummer to arrive () I installed the pickups and wired the neck pickup direct to the jack socket. No solder, so it kept coming loose but it gave us an idea of what the bass sounds like. And, sound quite good it did - as expected, it sounded quite bright with one single coil wired direct to the jack with no vol or tone controls, but it was way clearer than I thought it would be, no wooliness to speak of. Way different to my SGC with knackered strings and a P pickup . I was really quite pleased with it! Is it considered rude to put up soundclips before the bass is finished? [sub]EDIT: just noticed the post number. Excelent![/sub]

[quote name='josh3184' post='492480' date='May 19 2009, 04:34 PM']I take it you've gotta sort out your own accommodation? I've been thinking about doin the course for ages[/quote] Yep, accomodation isnt included but theres loads of B&Bs in the area and Jons going to recommend a few when we've got the third person. EDIT: Ive just had a quick look on [url="http://www.nationalrail.co.uk"]http://www.nationalrail.co.uk[/url] - you could commute from Preston for the week, would cost you about £18 each day so cheaper than B&B.

Ok, Ive found a couple of threads of people who did the one to one course: The Taitycaster: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=15736&hl=lwtait"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...6&hl=lwtait[/url] Keiths rather nice Jazz: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=27964&hl=yorks5stringer"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...=yorks5stringer[/url] There will probably be less customisation options on the three person course, but alot of the options are still open. Also theres this thread: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41918&hl=Shuker+build+course"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...er+build+course[/url] Jono made a rather nice natural Jazz bass, no thread tho. I think that was one the five person course.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='492299' date='May 19 2009, 01:10 PM']The 3 person course is limited to more 'traditional' designs.[/quote] Not entirely limited - Im planning to build a P type bass but Ive been discussing a few changes I would like to make with Jon. Provided it can be fit into 5 days he's pretty cool about these kinds of things!

Hi everyone. So, Ive been talking with Jon about doing the bass building course on the 20th to 24th July this summer. Jon needs three people to run the course, and at the moment we have myself plus one other. So, if anyone else is interested in joining in for that week, please email Jon at [email protected] The course looks fantastic. The price is £675 for the week and amazingly thats including all materials - which is way cheaper than you could get any other custom guitar for, plus its really going to be fun building it! Have a look at this page if your interested: [url="http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/coursedetails.html"]http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/coursedetails.html[/url] Mike

[quote name='rockpig' post='491895' date='May 18 2009, 09:47 PM']Quick update my workshop is a box room off the lounge of my flat but it's functional. the bass will be a natural finish probably in nitro celulose lacquer maybe pre cat stuff. french polish would be nice but not really tough enough. I a gree there are ricky elements in the shape and I was stealing from spector in treble horn. the lower bout is kind of jazz bass really and the top horn is sort of ricky meets modulus. extends a long way for balance.[/quote] I really like that shape Thing is, if you want it to look like a bass, then there will always be elements of other basses in the design. Nuffin wrong with that! High gloss or satin? If satin, have you also considered an oil or rattle can finish? Oil looks like its going be less messy. Ive even found a water based oil finish (!) for worktops Im going to try, I think its either from Rustins or Liberon or someone similar.

[quote name='Finbar' post='490924' date='May 17 2009, 10:08 PM']How's this coming on? [/quote] Slowly Im afraid - lots of family things to do this month so no free weekends Mert and I have decided to just put a thin finish on it and let Mert play it for a while. Not far off finishing it up, but its finding the time thats a problem. Ive got a jam with some friends on Wednesday, if I get it wired up I can give it a play with a whole band.

[quote name='neepheid' post='479498' date='May 4 2009, 10:37 PM'] Which brings me to my next question - what on earth do people use to cut fret ends down to size? They're bloody hard. I've been using the Dremel to cut them but even it takes its sweet time to cut through, and I don't fancy a spinning wheel of death next to my fingerboard.[/quote] I used a pair of pliers to get close then taped off between the frets to save scratching the board and attacked it with a file.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='222367' date='Jun 19 2008, 06:14 PM']Greetings, things have progressed a bit... Here it is masked up & ready for spraying: [/quote] Hi Pete, Ive been wondering how you do this - did you seal off the bass first with sealer or a clear coat to stop the black paint bleeding through the grain? It looks a little glossy, but that could be from wiping it down with spirits?

[quote name='Snakey Lane' post='486250' date='May 12 2009, 06:59 PM']The bridge is now in the post, and there is photographic evidence :-)[/quote] Those ETS bridges look the mutts nuts! They do the individual ones and even do headless hardware, but Ive heard they were having problems hitting customer deadlines, which is a real shame.

[quote name='BarnacleBob' post='482470' date='May 7 2009, 09:26 PM']Is there a word for that sickening feeling you get the first time u prang a (so far) pristine bass?[/quote] Yep, that word is "temporary".

Looking forward to seeing it finhed too! I totally know about life getting in the way off bass, Ive been working on mine since last summer too. Do you have a good workshop you can use?