Dolando

I'd not heard of that either! Could be an option... My other option was picking it up when i'm over there and bringing it back with my on my flight back. Not sure how to go about getting it back though, I see so many horror stories about guitars coming back in pieces! If I could avoid import fees, then even better.

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1464377084' post='3059062'] Yeah, it's a dilemma for sure. If the bass you want is there already, I'd just go for it now. But maybe they'll have more colours, more pickup options, who knows.. [/quote] That is pretty much my thinking! What if....

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1464303122' post='3058389'] [url="http://connect.fender.com/Portal/content/Fender1/2016/FenderENewsMay26ADE.aspx?uh=-8296244722312524092&siteNodeId=11955&b=92985"]http://connect.fende...d=11955&b=92985[/url] [/quote] As I can't get one from the centre, I really want to order one for my 30th. But now I don't want to get it now and see something better later, or wait and the price goes up...

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1464297359' post='3058326'] Just got an email from Fender saying they're upgrading this service, faster shipping and more options from June onwards apparently, and being renamed 'Fender Mod Shop'. Im hoping they won't hike prices too much, but if prices stay similar and more options are added, that's good news, right? [/quote] Ah that is good news, well like you say as long they don't bump up prices too much.

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1463827535' post='3054336'] exactly the point I'm making [/quote] Ah yea, Completely miss read that! Thought you were saying it's what you would like to do. My bad. Yea like I said I could buy parts and put something together thats of the same quality or maybe even better, Warmoth stuff is top quality and like you just said I fancy a treat as it's my 30th, and I've only ever had a couple of new basses of around £600, the rest have all been used so why not treat myself to a shiny new American Fender!

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1463822516' post='3054281'] What if you wanted something that wasn't available as standard (p with j neck being the example in question)? [/quote] You can have P bass with a jazz bass neck. It's in the neck options in the P bass.

Hey all thanks for the replies, didn't think I'd get any! I emailed Fender and apparently they are phasing out the build your own thing at the centre and will just be available online. So I'm gutted that I won't be able to do this whilst I'm over there, so trying to come up with other options like maybe ordering it, but picking it up when I'm there. I've done a few parts builds in the past including a couple of Warmoth builds, and a couple of scratch builds, So i fancied one that is pretty much done and something a little special. Here's what I was looking at; [URL=http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-20%20at%2011.40.15.jpg_zpsp0frgafy.png.html][IMG]http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad17/DolanCustomGuitars/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-20%20at%2011.40.15.jpg_zpsp0frgafy.png[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-20%20at%2011.40.49.jpg_zps9qojyfy4.png.html][IMG]http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad17/DolanCustomGuitars/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-20%20at%2011.40.49.jpg_zps9qojyfy4.png[/IMG][/URL]

Hello all, It's my 30th coming up and I'll be in L.A in september and you can pick out parts for a bass at the Visitor Centre in Corona, then they make it up and ship it out to you. I would like to do that for a birthday present, but I was just wondering if anyone here has been or even actually done it and got a bass from there. Here's a link where you an design your bass; [url="http://www2.fender.com/american-design"]http://www2.fender.com/american-design[/url] Cheers.

Thanks all for the very kind words, its always nice to hear, So really appreciate it, especially that its my own design (loosely based on a few classics). I can't wait to get some finish on this. All that maple is going look awesome! [quote name='Painy' timestamp='1445088078' post='2888720'] Gotta say I'm impressed mate. Doesn't seem any time ago you were just dabbling in putting together Warmoth self builds and now you're producing some really classy looking stuff of your own design. Looking forward to seeing the finished article! [/quote] Hey mate, how are things? Yea those were the start of an addiction, I'm constantly looking at new tools or techniques, I think I may have a slight problem. I'll make sure to bring with me next time I'm back in norfolk and you can have a play on it, and maybe build you one in the near future.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1445018293' post='2888264'] Is there a reason why fretboards exist? I was just thinking to myself that I quite like the laminated neck that you've made and supposed that it would be nice to keep the lamination visible rather than cover it with a fretboard. Could you not apply the frets directly onto a 'naked' neck? [/quote] I don't see why not. Fender have made 1 piece necks for years. I'm sure you could radius and slot that if you left the extra height. You would just have to put the truss rod in the back, but if you were really clever you could hide the skunk stripe in the white maple strip, and it would be completely hidden in the pattern. hmmmm....

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1444993993' post='2887934'] That looks gorgeous. Very nice looking indeed. [/quote] Thanks for the kind words, keep your eyes peeled for the finished article, and maybe a cheeky video if you're lucky. haha

Hello all, I've made a little more progress on this bass, and I'm really liking how its turning out. Ive taken inspiration from a particular Fodera bass I've seen. And thought the contrast between the roasted maple and white maple fingerboard should look really nice. I trimmed the excess off the edges with my bandsaw to give my route a little less work to do, then I went round the whole body using flush cutter bits. I used top and bottom bearing cutters so I could chose the appropriate way to route according to grain direction. I also went round top and bottom with a 6.3mm roundover bit. The top was also thinessed so that the veneer would be at the start of the round over. It's all in the details. This is what it will look like when tru oil is applied! The back.... Fingerboard wood has also been prepared ready for slotting. I have also managed to get the multi laminate neck glued up, is a bit hectic and can be fiddly, but well worth the effort. I rasped off the excess then but it through a belt sander to finish the last 1mm down to flush. When oiled will look stunning! Next I will be slotting the fingerboard and routing the truss rod cavity.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1442907826' post='2870324'] Wow, they will be close ups!! Great looking build, will be keeping an eye open for updates. [/quote] Thanks, should have some more updates very soon!

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1442832203' post='2869744'] Nice one look forward to seeing how it turns out. [/quote] Thanks, I am a little further than this now, so will add some pore photos when I get a chance.

Hello, I have done a couple of build diaries from parts, but thought I'd share a scratch build with you all, so I hope you enjoy seeing thus come together. It's a custom shape, but it's based on a deluxe jazz and a few other shapes I like the feel of. The specs are;[list] [*]1 piece Swamp Ash Body with Honey Roasted maple cap and wenge veneer pinstripe [*]5 piece multi laminate neck - Honey roasted maple/wenge/birdseye maple [*]Birdseye maple fingerboard [*]20" radius with stainless steel frets [*]2 way truss rod [*]Hipshot hardware [*]Nordstrand Big Splits [*]Glockenklang 3 band preamp [/list] The wood I'm using; [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/Number11_zpsda458c85.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/EE390DFB-A67B-418F-9476-CAB65C199841_zpsxmwduvg0.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/646F5190-8844-4F21-9D5C-A3F4EA5BB0E7_zpsvaoket1d.jpg.html"][/url] The initial Plans....I have since redrawn this more accurately before I started building. [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/DC393EEF-AD60-4C87-BECF-F12E1472570E_zps8snjexuv.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/0289849D-2170-4DF4-8D28-57E0322ED99C_zpsykkjitmx.jpg.html"][/url] The first job was glue the cap together, After it was taken down to thickness using a drum sander, I jointed the edges on a planer and once I was happy with the join, I then roughed up the edges slightly with 180 grit sandpaper to give the glue some surface to grab onto. On a jig I then clamped it up just tight enough to pinch together but being careful not to put a bend in the wood. [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/A9F6AFCA-322D-4213-822F-930D1850376E_zpsl2pqe6y7.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/61EA8AA6-DA49-4DB4-8D74-DF59F4FD861F_zpszw2znasy.jpg.html"][/url] After cleaning up the cap, I then cut out an oversized rough shape of the body shape so it's a lot easier to clamp up. I did this on all three pieces oversized by about 10mm. [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/AD834A1F-6508-4925-845B-1CF08466C778_zpsbbyazh04.jpg.html"][/url] I used a synthetic glue rather than a PVA based glue like Titebond as i was using an oily wood like wenge as a pinstripe, and this would react with the PVA based glue. [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/D8695785-57F6-49C2-A509-812AA005F0B5_zps7jv5elkg.jpg.html"][/url] It was then just the case of clamping all this together making sure that the centre line was matched up on all pieces. I have cut these all around 10mm oversized to give me a little margin for error incase anything does slip. [url="http://s917.photobucket.com/user/DolanCustomGuitars/media/Dolan%20Custom%20Guitars%20Build/1EAC1015-AAAB-4466-9FCE-8052B5025A24_zpssibud1ta.jpg.html"][/url] I will have more photos of this very soon... next step is to unclamp clean up and draw on the final shape and trip off the as much excess with the bandsaw ready for routing the final shape.