Chopthebass

Thanks Andy

Thanks Andy

Thanks! I was toying with a tort pickguard.

Not really a build diary but a finished photo! I’m getting better at taking progress pics, so future builds will be more detailed. Anyway, this is a five string, 24 fret P bass style build. Alder body, maple neck and wenge fingerboard. Radius is compound from 10-14”, and neck rear is asymmetric, 35” scale. I’m using a Bill Lawrence P45 and first impressions are great. It had a weird magnet configuration that they promise is fine for 4 or 5 string bass. This is the first passive build in years! Colour is Nissan Firemist metallic. What do you think?

Flat sawn can be used if you laminate it. Some people even cut it down the centre and flip one piece round and glue back together. I would laminate it thou.

Well spotted! And there is a reason. Bad planning on my part. The pickup was shifted 2mm off center because it would have clashed with the batteries! So the next one I’ll move the battery boxes slightly, or make 9v. I may even try headless too for number 2.

Thanks Stew

Stuck some strings on. I still have to level and dress the frets, but amazingly there’s only a few buzzes and a very low action!

I love shiny frets on maple! My missus said it’s a shame you can’t get gold frets. Ah but you can and I didn’t give it a thought! EVO frets next time!

Recessed the individual bridges and spaced perfectly using veneer.

I never lacquer after fretting. You can’t go super thick with the finish else you will make it hard getting frets in their slots.

Fingerboard now has satin lacquer, then the frets were installed. I pre-polished them, and I’ll do them again after they have been levelled.

Finished rough shaping. Can’t glue the wings on as I’m waiting for a delivery of wire. I need to extend the headphone amp wires and need to thread through holes though the neck laminates.

Started roughing the neck shape. I’ll do most of the shaping before glueing the wings to the neck. No quick way to do a single cut!

i Decided the black walnut top was a bit bland so I hit the bandsaw, and stuck a rosewood top on!

Couldn’t resist mocking it up to get a feel for it. Still deciding between chrome or black bridge and tuners

Thanks JTG! Not a bad weight either at 8.5 pounds.

Damn nuisance!

Thanks Simon! I didn’t install the headphone amp in the end. I was waiting for a batch of them but thing have been delayed with the apocalypse and I got impatient and completed it without. But the headphone amp works with the preamp on the bass so you have full control of eq and volume. It has a custom mini jack that turns both the amp and preamp on once a mini headphone jack is inserted. Owen on bass hat bought two from me but not sure if has fitted them yet.

Finished and set up. Wow this 3-Leaf preamp is the best I’ve come across so far. The Lollar pickups are very warm and vintage sounding in passive mode but in active it comes alive and all settings sound good. It’s similar to an OBP3 as it has a mini switch for mid frequencies rather than semi parametric. I couldn’t be happier with the sound and playability

I have gold knobs on order but thought I’d see what Sadowsky style aluminum knobs look like. Not bad

Finished wiring in the Red 3-Leaf 3 band preamp. I just need to steal some batteries to check it works!

Perfect join!

Edges glued back on

Fret slots cut in the flame maple fingerboard. It’s going to be bound in the same wood so I cut sides off first. I’ll glue them back on and it should be pretty seamless.