JGTay

He wanted it with no neck angle, so the bridge needed to be recessed and I made a feature out of it with the slopes. Also makes changing the strings a lot easier.

The guitar has left with it's new owner, who had a big smile on his face while testing it out. 😁 Dan said he will send me some recordings next week. 😊👍

Dan dropped off the strings and cover earlier. All strung up and truss rod cover in place, he decided to do the cover black, but said he may do it the same colour as the guitar at a later date. Just waiting for Dan to come back from his in-laws and test it out. Still need to cut the excess strings off. Was losing the light for the pic.

The truss rod cover is still with Dan, need to remind him to bring it next week.

Haven't got anything more done on this yet, been busy finishing off a guitar for someone and thought I would show the (almost) finished pics. Dan dropped this off last week after he had taken it away to do the paint job. He had always wanted a BC Rich Mockingbird style guitar and asked me to build him one, but he wanted to do his own finish on it. Still needs stringing up, but Dan is bringing the strings he likes next week when he comes to test it and so long as he is happy with everything, take it away with him. I know it isn't a bass, but just wanted to show what had kept me from carrying on with this fretless build.

Stunning!👍😁

Just realised, I didn't post the final pics of this. Sorry for the delay. Really pleased with how it has come out, loving fretless bass.

This weekends updates. After measuring up and marking out, started getting the neck/fretboard shape done. Then moved on to the radius, started yesterday afternoon and finally finished sanded up through the grades this morning. Leadwood is painful doing the radius by hand. Cleaned up with white spirit. Some really nice grain patterns. Have gone with a thicker fretboard on this build as the strings were closer to the body than I wanted on the last fretless. it is around 11mm in the centre. I then moved onto getting the neck thickness trimmed. That was as far as I got. Tools down until next weekend.

Really good to see you building again and glad the arthritis is allowing it. 👍😁 I do love watching your build progress, but I do find myself questioning my own methods... I have been radiusing the fretboard on my build and it has taken the better part of a day by hand. 🤣

A few updates from the past couple of weekends. After prepping the neck laminates, they were glued up and then I cut the headstock angle. I then removed some of the excess from the back, leaving the headstock thickness full so I can do it in one piece. Next up was the fretboard. It had a slight twist/bend at one end (which is now the nut end), so I drew a centre line, marked out the nut, strings, fretboard edge and the fret positions to make sure everything was correct, before cutting the fret slots and gluing in maple veneer for the lined fretboard. Then I moved on to chiselling out the truss rod channel. This was part way through and testing to see how much more needed removing. (please excuse the sweat drips... it was very warm!!) Finally to the correct depth and level all the way along. And with the truss rod in place. I then marked out and cut to depth for the positions of the humbuckers, but didn't take pics. Haven't removed the wood yet, need to be careful they come out as full pieces as I will hopefully be utilising them when making the pickups. Next was gluing the fretboard in place. Usually I would cut the fret slots after this point, but with the twist/bend I needed to make sure everything was lined up perfectly. I clamped it in place first and drilled through on the outside edges that will be removed so I could use nail pins to hold it in place and keep it lined up when gluing. Then masking tape over the truss rod and cut to size, before gluing and clamping the fretboard in place. Once it had dried it was out of the clamps and lined up with the wings to see how it was all looking. That was where I got up to on Saturday, was hoping to get some more done Sunday, but didn't get any time. So will get back to it next weekend.

See above post 👍

Neck laminates- https://exotichardwoodsukltd.com/product-category/instrument-woods/neck-laminates/ Body and fretboard - https://www.reidtimber.co.uk/shop

Can't wait to get started on it, but needs must and I will get the other builds finished first. Gives me time to ponder shape, etc.

Still got two builds to complete and the wood for the next build has arrived. Through neck consisting of Purpleheart and Wenge, fretboard is Leadwood (Combretum imberbe) and wings are Cherry. Still got to decide on the shape, but going with 34" Scale and fretless. Can't decide on 4 or 5 string, still got time to work it out. Will fully hand wind a couple of humbuckers for this as well.

The aim at the start of the build was to try to get it around the 6.5 lbs mark without chambering, so when the final weigh in showed less than 6 lbs it was a very nice surprise. I thought it would have problems with neck dive, but the centre line of balance is around the 20th fret position, almost in line with the lower horn.

It is 'bass'ically finished... Need to do some final minor tweaks and give it a bit of a polish, but had a play with it on Rocksmith tonight. Very happy with it. The final steps from weekend and a couple of evenings this week - Shielding of pickup cavity And the control cavity cover, which I had to cut a square out of in order for the jack to have enough room. Hadn't really accounted for it, so quite lucky in the end. In with the hardware and soldering done. Then the copy of @Andyjr1515 no neck dive pics. Final weigh in 5.771 lbs. or 2.618 kg if it's easier. And finally a full frontal pic... 😮 Will take some glamour shots once the final bits are done.

Have done all the varnishing, also oiled the neck and fretboard over the past couple of weekends. Still needs a final buffing, but happy with how it is coming together. Back view first, with test fit of the tuners. And the front. Hardware roughly positioned. Next up for today was securing the pickup, no pics as it was a bit of a pain and just got on with it, went with magnets and a couple of panel pins with the heads snipped off to push it onto and keep it in place, didn't want screws showing but will have to see how it is when it is strung up. Next was positioning the individual bridge saddles, out with the string and marked it up. And then did a strip of copper underneath the saddles, attached to the earth wire and passed into the control cavity. Then screwed the saddles in place. It is great having a job again, but makes build progress very slow. Not getting any time in the evenings, so just weekends at the moment. Hopefully can get on with the controls next weekend.

Before getting on with the varnishing today, I decided it was time to do the first weigh in... Obviously hardware still needs to go on, but very happy at 4.023lbs.

Progress from last weekend and this weekend. Sanded up through the grades all over. Drilled for the controls and tested in place. And then got started on the first coats of varnish. The neck will be oiled once the varnishing is all finished. Not sure whether to do a finish on the fretboard to give it some protection?

Thanks @Andyjr1515 ☺️ The sanding is most of the way there now, will drill for vol, tone and jack next and then need to decide on what finish to use. May try varnishing using the same technique you use. The neck will definitely be oiled.

Been very busy since starting the new job, have settled in nicely and it is going very well. Not had much time to do anything on this, but a couple of weekends ago I managed to get started on the carving/shaping and then got a few hours today to do some sanding, not much progress really. Very happy with the shape now and the rounded edges make a huge difference. Hopefully I can get a bit more done tomorrow, will see how it goes.

Thank you! 😊

Managed to glue up the other piece of walnut last night. A shot of the edge, down to 27mm at the moment, so should be around the 26mm mark after sanding. It was out of the clamps this morning and on with the initial shaping. And after getting some shape to it, gave it a quick clean with white spirit to see how it looks. Then made a quick cover for the pickup, still needs shaping, but gives a general idea. May slim down the wings a bit yet, looks a bit fat in the bottom section. Will have to see how I get on this week and whether I can do any in the evenings.

A few more updates. Went for a job interview on Thursday and 15 minutes after getting home had a phone call offering me the job, so starting on Monday. So over the past couple of days I have been getting as much done as possible on the build, missed a few photos along the way but no big loss as it was just gluing on the wings. Decided to get the poplar wings in position first and then do the walnut top/bottom afterwards. I pre-cut the control cavity in the poplar before gluing and also did the same with the cavity cover in the walnut. This is after taking the clamps off from gluing the first piece of walnut in place and trimming the edges a bit, still lots of shaping to be done. Then did a fingernail access for the cover. Next up was the walnut piece on the other wing. After the glue had dried did a bit of trimming. Put an extra piece of walnut on the inside of the cavity cover to give it some extra strength. Have also glued the front piece of walnut on and put an extra piece of walnut in the cavity to give the correct thickness, just need to tidy it up a bit. Haven't taken any pics of the front yet, had to finish up for the night and get something to eat. Will get the other piece glued on tomorrow and take some pics.