Cosmicrain

No worries, I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Mike at Zoot bass.

I have a vast stock of it. Most of the billets I have are 1110mm long X 175mm wide X 60mm thick. These are rough cut billets, but I can machine for a few quid more. Prices = £32.00 per billet + shipping ( For Cutting, planing & thickening add £5.00 per billet).

Nice one Mark

Yes it was, but unfortunately Mark wasn't listening as he was too involved in testing the bass... But I think he knew what I was saying and has agreed at some point to change the gold to black. Not sure if this will actually happen.

Mark is on it....watch this space.

Hand over day. Mark popped in today to collect his new baby. After quite some time I had to turn the amp off to stop him playing it, I think he would have done a full set given the chance. We both agreed it sounds like a "Wal" in a Zoot Boudica package.

See you soon.....

I'll need your full postal address for Parcel Farce.....

"Classic combo".........WTF.......On Friday Mark we need to have a very grown up conversation....

I didn't realise it had gone over 4 years... That's a long time.

I Have a customer who owns four Aria's and every one of them I have at some stage changed the pickups to the Armstrong versions. My customer seems to love them.

The Zoot Boudica "Wal-a-like" is £2,600.00 - £2,750.00 Also available in a left handed version at no extra cost. I'm not sure, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a new commissioned Wal will set you back around £6,500.00 and they are currently quoting a 4 year wait as a deliver time. Regards, Mike.

Many thanks, I try my best, but Marks input has been fantastic.

Yes I have to agree, Marks lust for bling got the better of him, as this mock-up looks more business like.

Finally finished, Mark is due to collect next Friday. And before you ask, yes it does sound like a "Wal" and then some.

KaBling.....and Marks "Essex Roots return".

The neck is now ready to be fitted up, just waiting for a Hipshop delivery. The headstock is hi-gloss polyester and the back of the neck is clear satin polyester. It's beginning to look like a bass guitar.

Mark always gets me to do a custom profile to the back of his bass necks. This profile is a combination of a Wal type V and a modern flattened C. The pictures show how I did this using my grinder with a 60G disc on it, a hand rasp, sanding block, some curved panel scrapers and finally some sand paper.

Yep, whilst the neck is still square on the back it's very easy to get a dead level finish on the fingerboard and frets (no "give" in the neck to worry about). So I do all the fingerboard work and fretwork whilst in this state, then tape if off with three layers of masking tape and then continue to carve the back of the neck. When all is done I then remove the masking tape and attend to any discrepancies on the frets (which is done when the bass is fitted up and at the final setup stage). It's a very accurate and quick way to work. Well, in my workshop anyway....

Board rad' and Fretwork etc.

Back on the neck for more work. Here I'm doing the face and side dots.

The first coat of satin Wax & Oil have been applied and the pictures show it still wet. 12 hours to dry before I can re-coat.

Sorry Mark, you meant now it's turned out so well you'll only play above the 14th fret, that's correct isn't it?

Mark asked me to create a contour on the back of the body to aid with upper fret access. Here are a couple of pictures of how it turned out.

Mark has suggested that I carve the back of the body to accommodate better upper fret access, which I think is a good idea. I'll ping up some pictures of this once it's done.