My First Bass Build

[yepmop]

Hi All

I've just started my first build and doing it with a mixture of high/low/mid range quality bits to see how I fare before going for the big boy stuff.

Was originally going to re-spary the Squire P-Bass body I got from flea bay but it's in better shape than I thought it would be and quite like the colour (dark Blue), but may change my mind later as I really want to spray it bright yellow!!!

So far I've sanded and chiseled the body to accommodate the all maple Dr parts neck. I've added a decal to the neck and in the final stages of sanding and buffing the headstock.

Just waiting for the 3 ply scratch plate to arrive from China (well for £4 can't complain at the time it's taking) before doing the electrics.

Really enjoying what I've done so far and really like seeing what others are doing.

Has anyone used the bodies available here [url="http://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/product.php?prodId=82&category=&secondary=&keywords"]http://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/product.php?prodId=82&category=&secondary=&keywords[/url]=

Will get some photos once the neck is completed.

Cheers

[stoker]

Good luck with the build!

[yepmop]

Well got my Cheapo scratchplate from China today and although of quite a good quality, it doesn't fit (it's about half inch too small!!!!) well that my lesson taught for being a tight arse git!

I've now ordered one from Pappa Ds, sometimes it just doesn't pay to cut corners.

[yepmop]

[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Got the Scratchplate from Pappa D's the following day! unfortunately, the holes don't match up to what's on the bass?? not the end of the world but it's almost swaying me now to strip back and re-spray. [/font][/size]

[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Also, found that the pots did not fit the holes either, but a bit of sand paper on a pencil solved that.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]I've attached a few pictures, the kit consists of;[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Squire Precision body[/font][/size]
[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Dr Parts 20 fret maple Precision neck[/font][/size]
[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Wilkinson Precision/Jazz bridge.[/font][/size]
[left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Axesrus P Bass Pickups (as recommended by a few people on here).[/font][/size][/left]
[left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Some "Smokey Shadow" coloured Machine heads (not painted ones) and string guide.[/color][/font][/size][/left]
[left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Fender neck plate.[/color][/font][/size][/left]
[left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Scratchplate.[/color][/font][/size][/left]
[left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]1 of John's excellent wiring harnesses and knobs.[/color][/font][/size][/left]
[left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Copper shielding.[/color][/font][/size][/left]

[left][font="'comic sans ms"][color="#464646"][url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060585.jpg"]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060585.jpg[/url][/color][/font][/left]

[color=#464646]A picture of the pickups temporarily installed for scratchplate alignment.[/color]

[url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060587.jpg"][color=#464646]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060587.jpg[/color][/url]

[color=#464646]Cheers[/color]

Edited May 12, 2012 by yepmop

[yepmop]

Well have now complete the headstock decal.

This neck was just to practice on as if this project turns out okay I will start another using genuine fender body and neck, overall I think I done a fare job. Please note this guitar will never be sold and I will probably end up giving it to my 9 year old son who is hinting he'd like to learn to play bass rather than 6 string.

The process of adding a decal is more time consuming and quite a delicate process than I thought (took a week to complete), but I'm happy, by the way the Serial Number is my date of birth :-)

The next scary bit is aligning the neck to the body and marking out the drill holes, as to the drilling (any advise on this much appreciated) I've measure the maximum depth I need to go and will subtract 3 mm, as to the drill size I was thinking as I haven't a drill stand, I will use a very fine drill to make the holes then use a half size drill to make the hole bigger (with a small spirit level attached to the drill) and then use a slightly smaller than the screw diameter to make the final holes.

[url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060586.jpg"]http://i303.photobuc...98/P1060586.jpg[/url]

Edited May 12, 2012 by yepmop

[yepmop]

Well the next failure and one of the simpler jobs was the Black Nickel Machine Heads, they looked really cool until I found out the Machine Head barrels don't physically go through the ferrule aaaahhhh!!!

Contacted the seller on ebay and they micro metered their stock of these and they have the same problem (they're not happy at all), They are sending me chrome replacements that do fit, so happy they are getting replaced but miffed I 'll have to wait a couple of days.

[yepmop]

Got the replacement Machine Heads and these fit a treat although they are just ordinary chromes ones as a opposed to the "Black Nickel" ones.

I've also put some pilot holes on the neck heel, I'll leave the scary part of drilling the holes to the weekend.

I'm going to get it all set up and if all looks and sounds good I will them dismantle and re-spray the body.

[yepmop]

The neck is now attached securely, the only problem I have now is that I need to re-align the Wilkinson bridge by moving forward 5mm and upwards (towards the player) by 5 mm, reason being the new neck was about 1mm too big and I sanded both sides of the body equally.

Now am I right in thinking the 34" point should be at the "saddle" (which are currently extended by about an inch from the end of the bridge), the 12th fret is exactly 17" form the fretboard facing side of the nut. Should I then add extra onto the length so it's just over 34" or should it be exact?

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers

Tony

Edited May 19, 2012 by yepmop

[Al Heeley]

best bet is set the saddles mid point in their adjustable travel and use that as the 34" point when you fix the bridge plate to the body. Then you know you have a bit of adjustment space back or forwards to nail the intonation.

[yepmop]

[quote name='Al Heeley' timestamp='1337472884' post='1660671']
best bet is set the saddles mid point in their adjustable travel and use that as the 34" point when you fix the bridge plate to the body. Then you know you have a bit of adjustment space back or forwards to nail the intonation.
[/quote]

Many thanks Al is was thinking along those lines but just needed confirmation Just got to "steal" some sowing cotton from the other half so I can centre it correctly.

Thanks again

[Al Heeley]

tie a rubber band round one end of the sewing thread, then you can loop the rubber band round a tuning peg and it keeps the cotton in tension while you nudge the neck

[yepmop]

Well, I've re-aligned the bridge and not a bad job for my first build attempt.

I just need to add the string retainer on the headstock and then install the pickups.

I'm now convinced that this squire body was a Friday special as not only did 2 Precision scratchplates not fit, the original bridge was out of centre by 3 mm, also not sure what the original bridge looked like but I had to move the new bridge forward to get the 34" mark in the middle of the saddle travel screw.

here's what I have so far
[url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060593.jpg"]http://i303.photobuc...98/P1060593.jpg[/url]

Close up of the new bridge position (bad angled shot makes the bridge look at an angle), also have to drill the remaining screw holes.

[url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060594.jpg"]http://i303.photobuc...98/P1060594.jpg[/url]

The next problem arising (don't think the pickups are going to align )

[url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060595.jpg"]http://i303.photobuc...98/P1060595.jpg[/url]

I Have learnt a lot so far and it's more involved than I thought it would be, but it's sort of been fun !!!

Thanks to Al for 2 bits of advice.

Cheers

Edited May 20, 2012 by yepmop

[Al Heeley]

If your pickups don't line up and you knew the bridge is out, then maybe you need to shim the neck one side to bring it all back into alignment. It would be easier than having to widen the pickup routs.

[yepmop]

[quote name='Al Heeley' timestamp='1337601376' post='1662483']
If your pickups don't line up and you knew the bridge is out, then maybe you need to shim the neck one side to bring it all back into alignment. It would be easier than having to widen the pickup routs.
[/quote]
Thanks Al.

When I was alighning the bridge I had a nagging thought "Install the pickups to check everything" but didn't listen to myself, but will add them tonight and check.

I'll shim the neck if they are out and hopefully they will then line up. All part of the learning curve.

[Al Heeley]

If your neck pocket is even a little bit flabby you can move the headstock up and down by 2 or 3mm - this is sometimes enough to pull the string path out of alignment. Sorry you may have to put the bridge back in its original position again but at least your pickups should be aligned.
Small slivers of hard wood (v. thin wedges best) inserted into the pocket at either top side or lower side of neck pocket before retightening the fixing bolts should settle it.

[yepmop]

As Al suggested I put a small shim in the neck and put the bridge back in its orignal postion.

The pickups are now alighned although the neck is still slightly out on the G, so possibly need to shim in the E to push it back down?

It plays okay and the harmonics are in the correct locations etc, needs to be setup now as there is a bit of fret buzz which I expected anyway.

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060597.jpg

May leave further neck adjustments until after the body re-spray.

Edited May 22, 2012 by yepmop

[yepmop]

Started to strip the paint off today, have looked around the net for the best process and after reading this article [url="http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/shop/lacquer-faqs/#strip"]http://www.mancheste...uer-faqs/#strip[/url] I've decided on the paint stripper, I'm using [b]Barrettine Paint Panther[/b] Paint Stripper as it seemed to get good reviews.

The top Blue coat seemed to come off reasonably easy (with a bit of pre-sanding). Now the Red (which I'm assuming is the primer coat) is proving VERY stubborn to get off and only seem to get it off where the paint has either chipped to the wood or around any drill holes.

It almost looks like the Bass was originally RED?

Here's the current progress.

Edited May 26, 2012 by yepmop

[yepmop]

Have now got the red primer off and parts of the wood sealer.

Realised that when the instructions say "apply a liberal coat" It really does mean a liberal coat .

Found that I got more off by leaving the remover on for 60-90 mins and then using a wallaper scraper to get the paint off.

That final Wood sealer coat is proving really tuff so may have to sand to get the final patches of it off.

Decided to go the car primer/paint root with a nitro lacquer finish, which will take a bit longer to allow the paint to harden properly.

[yepmop]

Well almost finished bar some patches of wood sealer I've now stripped the paint/lacquer off and boy that's hard work!!

There's a few dings to fill in with some wood filler and a little find sanding to do here and there and I'll be ready with the white primer.

Off to Disneyland Paris with the kids for a few days from tomorrow so I'll wait until my return.


[attachment=109311:P1060605.JPG]

Edited June 2, 2012 by yepmop

[yepmop]

Have now added about 3 coats of Primer sanding gently with 600 gt paper between coats.

It will probably need another 1 or 2 coats in certain areas where you can see the the wood grain/wood filler a little.

Will give it a good day after the final primer coat and sand before applying the first colour coat (Yellow).

[attachment=110098:P1060831.JPG]

[Al Heeley]

congrats - you've finished all the nasty stuff, now it starts to get more fun

[yepmop]

[quote name='Al Heeley' timestamp='1339363194' post='1687577']
congrats - you've finished all the nasty stuff, now it starts to get more fun
[/quote]

Thanks Al, I really have learnt a lot so far (and thanks for your input as well).

Next time I will leave the paint stripper on for longer until it's completely evaporated, as I found the longer I left it on the deeper it penetrated (ooerr )

Also, a wallpaper stripper (thin metal blade) it a top tool for removing paint from the body.

I'm really looking forward to putting the first coat of colour on this week.

Cheers

[Al Heeley]

some ladle it with Nitromorse then put it into a couple of black bin bags for a few hours, that way the solvents don't evaporate off but concentrate in the confined space to do a deeper job. Anyway its an orrible messy job.

[JoshL]

Have to say this is really helpful for me looking back through this. I'm considering doing the same to my squire which has exactly the same body colour! Good luck with the rest of the project, I look forward to seeing it finished.

[yepmop]

Have now added a couple of coats of paint, slightly darker that I wanted, but still looks good (well to me anyway).

There are a few patches where when I was sanding down after removing the old paint I'd gone through the wood primer and thought that the white primer and paint would cover it, well it doesn't, however, you can only see it if you are really close and at a certain angle, but as most of it will be hidden by the scratch plate I'm not overly worried, it's something else I've learn't for when I do the next build.

I've wet sanded a bit and will apply another 2 coats and then let it dry for a couple of weeks before lacquering.

[attachment=110522:P1060833.JPG]

Edited June 15, 2012 by yepmop