SpondonBassed

They've heard about your meat pies haven't they? (All those spare necks and body parts you have scattered about the place)

I don't want to put a dampener on things but I already do that with my palm.

That's got to be the best name drop I've heard this month! (Not taking the weewee or anything like)

Squeaky bum time then. Before you mark out the cut, be aware that jazz pick-ups are not all to a standard size. Sometimes the lugs are placed differently as well. There have been a few comments on the issue in recent build topics. Until you have the pick-up in your possession it would be wise not to commit to any dimensions that you have been quoted.

Thanks. That's reassuring. The two stage retention system inspires more confidence than either stage on its own. It's hard enough to get a decent range of DBEs to choose from in standard scale length and even more difficult to get a set of five. So far, I've not needed to put a clamping mod on either of my paddle basses but lots of folk do. I'd favour your clamping arrangement over one grub screw per string if it came to. PS: It's all come together well. Although unfinished, it looks nicely proportioned

Is that two strings per clamp Jez?

A volute! Respect.

It might be worth taking a look at a kit build or even making one from scratch. I'm sure you will find the Build Diaries of interest even if you still intend to buy one off the shelf.

No shortage of ideas to tease out then. Good man. I'd say you're right about necks being the challenge. If you think, the neck is what it all comes down to in the end and like the Chapman Stick, all you need is a beam with anchorage for strings and pick-ups in between. The body is dressing to a degree.

It looks grand. I think you've done well for a first build. If you think about it, it's two builds. The bass and the workshop itself. I'm wondering what's on the shortlist for the next build.

Superb detail. Even at this stage you can see depth and texture to the dragon.

Minder, the nephew years? I remember it. If all the years that Dennis Waterman was in could be likened to cheese, the follow on nephew years were merely yoghurt. I like the bass popping in the theme tune.

Welcome Zal.

Welcome NoTrebleNoMid.

That's interesting. Will you be routing the J cavity yourself?

I was a miserable young git and suffered a bit with dysthymia. Now that I'm past 55, I feel I am in my element and I'm loving it.

Hardly surprising given that you've... oh wait, "twiddle". As you were, nothing to see here.

Hahahahaha! Good one. Two way product placement! I'm chuffed to be among the first to hear it played Si. Congratulations.

OI! Malicious Moggies was going to be the name of my next band... Hahahahaha. The term made me smile. I like how it's come out. I've seen factory products that have passed QC that don't look as good. You needn't worry. Nice touch with the Lotus badge.

Aw shucks. 'T were nowt.

Lovely. I want to get myself inlaid when I'm old enough. Tattoos are old hat.

Quo?

In this context it makes no difference. I agree however that three wheeled cars fall over more often than four wheeled ones.

The milking parlour stool is a very good example of what you're trying to say. Three legs good, four legs bad. This is a sound engineering principle but it does not apply to this situation. An accurately cut neck pocket made for a the neck root giving you a push fit is what makes the joint strong. The screws are only there to keep the mating surfaces in close contact. If there are lumps in the woodwork, there is something very wrong. If a shim job is badly executed it can compromise the contact surface area too. In those cases, no number of screws or bolts (even using thread inserts) will help. You can't polish a turd. You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Again, three legs good, four legs bad. It works for objects that need stability on uneven surfaces but it does not carry across to the neck joint. What makes the neck joint work is the large surface area where the two pieces meet. The screws (bolts if you like) simply hold the two pieces in contact.