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Inspired by my last licence plate 3 string cbg I decided to build something 'different'. 30.9" scale, flat ebony fretless board (10mm thick) , hollow body, parallel neck and as small a headstock as possible. . Stainless inserts and a 'mistake' in drilling the the bolt holes despite using a pillar drill. Note the anti neck dive fitment, 1 lb of lead! 20mm neck depth and 48mm width (easy using the planer-thicknesser). 48mm neck width results in 13.5mm string spacing. From using the 3 string cbg I hoped that this would be playable (if not the design will let me replace the neck with a conventional taper one). Extended neck join and angle to get neck tilt with shim. Next time I will set the neck support block in at an angle in the body (or rout an angled pocket). Those with sharp eyes will notice the little infill at near the fingerboard end. Careful measurements can fail when user stupidity intervenes in simple mathematics! Wanting to keep the headstock as thick as possible, get the maximum break angle (and not cut / carve / rout a Fender type headstock thinning) I copied this sunken method that I found on another guitar build. If anyone does use it remember to make the depressions large enough to get a box spanner or socket over the machine head bushing nut. These did, just! Self made ebony nut, made with rat tail file, really pleased with how that turned out. Cavity for recessed piezo pre amp control panel. Due to this 'design' evolving rather than being planned correctly (ironic that my professional career relied on planning to prevent p**s poor performance) I ended up routing the recess after assembling the body shell. Much easier if done before. Body is sapele, 60mm wide, 20mm depth. Bridge with stainless adjusters. Angled machine heads to reduce turning moment (and hopefully help with neck dive). Machines are from Retrovibe, 20:1, excellent quality and fairly lightweight. Good price as well. Neck dive has been averted, all up weight is 7.9Lb Joyo piezo pre amp, chosen beacuse of price and features (£24, 5 band eq, tuner and phase. It also had a piezo undersaddle rod thrown in). Bought direct from Joyo so no risk of a 'knock off'. Finish is Tru-Oil. Very easy to use and get a 'glossy' finish. The neck is so stiff that I have had to (for the first time ever in any bass I have owned) use the truss rod to add relief. If you build one be aware that not all USA licence plates are the same thickness, some are very flimsy, some are steel, others aluminium. The Colorado plate was easy to use, the Nebraska one was 'buckled', difficult to get flat and eliminate buzzing / vibrations. Strung with some status flats I had lying around it is quite a 'fun' thing. The box format is surprisingly loud acoustically, string spacing is tight and playing it requires finesse (not my normal right hand technique). Will hopefully post some sound clips, I am pleased with it, it has a jazzy EUB, double bass vibe, plenty of string growl as well.

I suspect this was made by a still functioning luthier, Tony Revell in Mid Wales / Shropshire (who is a family friend and has done work on several of my instruments).

Many years ago (late 70s / early 80s) I had a John Birch SG bass with the strap button in the same place that you are thinking about, it was a neck diver 'par excellence'. Fitting Hipshots to my current Gibson SG bass sorted the neck dive issue, money well spent. You can always put the Grovers back on if you ever move it on and sell the Hipshots afterwards.

I remember these from my youth (1970s), someone in one of my early band's had one. As I remember gloss black head-stock, confirmed by a bit of googling, so this is a replacement. Like various other cheapy things (Jedson, Woolworths Teisco Kay to name two) our aim in life was to get real instruments asap. When I see some of the prices that these are up for I remain astounded, nostalgia trumps reality?

Bought a set of Dunlop straplocks from Vin. Excellent transaction, communication and speedy arrival. Really well packed. Many thanks, highly recommended.

Likewise, I really like the 'barncaster' look. No need to worry about chips and marks on the finish either

If you mean end cutting then a tool like this can be found in good tool shops for far less. Look for as flush an end cut as possible which will reduce subsequent filing work. I would suggest getting ones with the longer handles rather than short. Some fret wire can be very resistant (or I am weakening in old age lol). https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170965706002?epid=1973069207&hash=item27ce59a512:g:gp4AAOSwNF1fZiSY I have bought other bits of kit from Chris Alsop, all very useful and well thought out. If you mean cutting the tang back for a bound edge or hidden frets this can be done with the tool (which now seem expensive) or with cutters and a file. A Dremel or similar might work well for this as well, you would need to make some sort of clamp to hold the frets in while you did them.

What strings / gauges did you choose? Apologies if I missed this in the thread, The bass and build is highly inspiring

Ressurecting an old thread, I am having the same issues as @Amafi, to the point that I am playing guitar on this number rather than bass, Mike's job is safe :). Any suggestions on what would fit this 12 bar shuffle gratefully received. FWIW it is very similar to Darts, The boy in New York City.

That would seem highly likely.

I have also done this with exactly the same result. The long scale 5 set runs at 43 , 56 , 70 , 100 , 136. The short scale 4 set at .043, .056, .070, .106. The 106 E string is just so much better on my short scale basses. My thinking was if the 136 B string will work at 30" then combine that with a short scale set (accepting some of the main string wrap of the B string will go around the post - which from experience will work ok). Conclusion: If (when) I build the 30.5" 5 string bass it will not have my usual TI flats on it.

Very tasty bass What strings / gauges are you using? I just tried capo and retuning on my G&L to simulate the 30" scale. The TI flat B string is too floppy to use for me at this scale.

Making myself use my G&L L1505, I may actually be getting the hang of the 5 string thing after several failed starts. Its a hard life having to use such kit.

Brass hardware is so 1970s, I was there when retrofitting was all the rage. Black crackle is the real deal. Accept no substitutes.

I'd also offer to lend you mine but it is a long way from Mid-Wales. Have got the location ready for the NBD

+1 likewise I only have one bass that does not have TIs. I also have way too many basses.

If @hooky_lowdown's suggestions do not effect a cure your ideas may be the way forward. Nut slot might be too low? More more neck relief needed? Or higher action, I find TI flats better with a higher action (2.5 to 3mm works for me). My SG bass also suffered a buzzing bass pickup cover at a specific frequency. Fixed with plastic sheet epoxied under the chrome cover. It is one of my favourite basses with TIs. Warm, thick, punchy, instant Jack Bruce / Andy Fraser

Bought some used TI flats from @charles.bioul.bass. Just as described and arrived next day. Excellent communication and a pleasure to deal with. Many thanks.

As always some really useful ideas about build methods. I am pondering stainless frets on one of my next builds but do wonder how difficult the hardness will be compared to nickel silver. I used a stainless zero fret on the 3 string which seemed ok but that is a limited sample of one.

It is a joyous moment when you realise that you have put the 12th fret inlays into your carefully slotted board at 11 or 13 (I do not remember which) . Experience is a great thing :), it is however an experience I would rather not have again.