G&L body project

[rubis]

Blimey, it's been such a long time since I updated this post I had almost forgotten that I'd started it. In my defence I have been busy with other builds and have actually been using this whilst tinkering with it, a sort of working project. I got the opportunity on this site of a used Delano alnico MM pickup and decided that this bass will have a single pickup in the Stingray "sweetspot" so I filled in the existing pickup routes (the G&L bridge pickup placing is closer to the bridge) and did a new one. I also filled in the cavity under the bridge and one of the switch holes as this one will have only have two switches; a bright switch and a series/parallel switch. I changed the jack socket for an electrosocket one, then removed the string ferrules and made a nice heavy brass ferrule block. Once I had filled it and sanded it down I let my kids, Ruby and Lewis decorate it for me with a permanent marker, I thought it looked quite good in a Flea-bass kind of way. Then I wired it up tried it out and was so impressed I left it like that for quite a while.......definitely he sound I was looking for, the Delano is a fantastic pickup and Tommo's pre sounds awesome with it.

[rubis]

After a while I noticed a problem with the truss rod, it was fully adjusted but not having any effect, so I decided I may as well dismantle the bass and finish it off completely. I removed the neck and steamed off the fingerboard, the truss rod was buggered, I got a new one and altered it so that it will be body-end adjustable. I also opted for a maple fingerboard as I don't have a bass with one, I will also put in a black veneer along the length of the neck under the fingerboard and then running out over the headstock and finally a maple veneer over the front of the headstock. I did this on a mahogany neck I made for a telecaster using maple veneer and a rosewood board and it looks great. I have spent some time cutting out a "Rubis" logo from a maple veneer which will go on the headstock over the black veneer and should look nice. I finally decided on a colour I liked, its a metallic BMW colour called Cosmos Black and have just finished lacquering it tonight. Although I have a compressor, I just used Halfords rattle cans as that was where I had found the colour, and I didn't want to get the paint mixed up at a paint shop in case it didn't look right. The finished article looks quite good and should cut and polish up quite nicely. While the body is drying I will potter on with the neck, I am only intending to use side fret markers, maybe some small aluminium tubing with a black filler instead of black dots, and the neck will be tru-oiled as I love the feel it gives and it hopefully could be done by the time the body is dry!

[marcus bell]

Great project dude!

[gary mac]

Impressive, looking good.

[rubis]

[attachment=136543:unlucky_alf2.jpg] "Oh bugger" [attachment=136544:DSC05506.JPG] Whilst working on the neck, I was tapping in the trussrod from the headstock end when this happened. On closer inspection of the trussrod channel it seems there is only about 2mm of wood on the back of the neck at that point, an obvious weak point. even though I will be using a 2mm veneer along the length of the neck between the neck and the fingerboard, I don't think this will be strong enough so it's looking like a new neck will be needed. Any thoughts? Anyone recommend a supplier of decent quality neck blanks?

Edited June 9, 2013 by rubis