Wenge Chambered Blingray build

[rubis]

A little more progress to show, although this build is taking a lot longer than I had hoped, it is now finally begining to take shape.
There was a bit of a set back with the wenge top. I jointed it and glued it a couple of weeks ago when it was raining for 40 days and 40 nights and i left it a couple of days in the garage. I used Titebond, which is water based if I'm not mistaken. Now I'm assuming it was too damp in there because when I began to level the top to glue it to the veneer and body, the joint failed.
This was a backhanded favour to be honest because it wasn't a perfect joint, so I re-did it in school and used some of the big clamps on offer...............much better job

This is where I'm at now, the veneer and top glued on and the contours roughed out. I need to crack on with the neck next so that I can route out the neck pocket and then the pickup placement and bridge

[4 Strings]

Looking great! Too late to suggest a Pre-EB slab type body...

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='nugget' timestamp='1352203580' post='1859945']
I personally love making jigs and stealing the ideas from TDPRI, it's a great site for hobby builders on a budget
Here's my take on a budget (Free) version of the stu mac's fret slot jig
Very quick to use and cuts slots dead parallel and vertical.


[/quote]Good for retro-fretting neck through fretless?

[Roland Rock]

Flame maple for a jig? that's a bit fancy. Get them on ebay as pen blanks or something

[nugget]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1355394641' post='1897707']
Flame maple for a jig? that's a bit fancy. Get them on ebay as pen blanks or something
[/quote]


flame maple and mahogany - the jig sounds like a les paul......Ha Ha
And yes - it's perfect for through necks due to the overhang

PS Rubis - this is looking GREAT !!!

[rubis]

It's been a long time since this post was updated, but there is now some progress to add! I have glued the fingerboard and the headstock veneer and roughly cut the neck to shape. The logo on the veneer was changed in favour of the other style, as it was easier for the laser cutter. This whole process was a little tricky, we did a bit of practice on scraps of Sycamore veneer and decided to go for etching rather than cutting right through wood as it left lots of weak points and bits breaking off. I will fill in the logo with some contrasting material, but I'm undecided at the moment on what to use. I have considered fine sycamore dust mixed into superglue or epoxy, silver solder melted in then sanded smooth ( although I have heard this may shrink when it cools and can drop out ) or maybe a liquid fill, this can be some sort of metallic powder mixed with expoxy............there's lot's of interesting stuff on youtube! Anyone got any experience or knowledge on any of these matters? I have got some parts from Ernie Ball Spares, a bridge fastening kit which comprises the two bridge bolts and three screws. The screws seem beefier than the ones supplied with the generic bridge which I will be using. It's not a bad unit, I like the saddle grooves on the outside saddles, but it will be interesting to see if the bigger screws and bolts make for a better union will the body. I also got a compensated nut, it was the same price as a standard one so why not (nut)? I have a Tele with an Earvana nut (which cost a lot more) and it does make a noticeable difference. Whether this will be the case with a bass remains to be seen! [attachment=147395:DSC05548.JPG] [attachment=147396:DSC05549.JPG][attachment=147397:DSC05540.JPG][attachment=147398:DSC05547.JPG][attachment=147399:DSC05545.JPG][attachment=147400:DSC05543.JPG][attachment=147401:DSC05555.JPG][attachment=147411:DSC05550.JPG]

Edited November 1, 2013 by rubis

[Owen]

I "made" a Blingray once. It had a one piece Ash body with a 1/4" Birds Eye Maple top and a Rosewood coachline strip. Sadly, the bloke who made the body forgot to build it so that it was standard thickness. He machined the Ash to standard and then glued the rest on. The idea of chambering looks VERY attractive. It was challenging to wear on a strap for more than 30 minutes.

[rubis]

The body and neck as they are at the moment weigh in at 8lbs, the neck pocket needs profiling a little bit more, the neck itself needs shaping and obviously the hardware is to be added, but even so I think it should be a reasonable weight when finished, lighter than the walnut Blingray I made previously anyway, and that's not too heavy for me. I think that using so much wenge has bumped the weight up a bit, the top is 12mm thick, so I reckon if you were to build one using lighter woods the difference would be more noticeable. Now..........more tales of ups and downs ! I decided to recess the control plate flush with the body, I've seen this done with neck plates and if this one was getting a neck plate I would have done this too, but I can't find any aftermarket 6 hole neck plates so I will use cups and screws. Then I made a start on the neck pocket and all was going well.......I put masking tape onto the top and then used my laser level thingy to line up the centre line on the neck with the centre joint on the top. I then hold a straight edge against each side of the neck and mark a pencil line onto the masking tape which gives a kind of extention of the neck along the body. Then I clamp two same-thickness boards along these lines and a piece of wood to act as a stop where the heel of the neck is and these are my guides for routing the neck pocket, other people make templates but for one off jobs this seems more accurate, easy and quicker for me. Now for the downs........whilst routing the neck pocket, the bit slipped down.....I obviously hadn't tightened up enough......and it made a channel deeper than I had wanted to go for the pocket. I suppose I should count myself lucky that the bit didn't fly out and damage me, but I was well vexed. At first I thought it was trashed, but then I decided to have a try at a repair, luckily I had kept lots of off cuts of the Tambooti and I managed to match up the grain on a piece with the grain on the end of the neck pocket. I sanded it down to fit and then filled the rest of the gouge with another piece and glue mixed with sawdust. Once it was dried and re-routed it's not so bad, most of it is hidden by the neck and the visible part has blended quite well, once it's all sanded and finished you'll have to look fairly hard to see it. [attachment=147892:DSC05563.JPG][attachment=147887:DSC05558.JPG][attachment=147888:DSC05556.JPG][attachment=147889:DSC05560.JPG][attachment=147890:DSC05561.JPG]

[rubis]

[size=5][color=#222222] Once again, it's been a while since any progress was made on this build, appologies for not posting any updates ( if anyone is still interested ! ) [/color]
[color=#222222]Where to start.........whilst it was all gathering dust over the winter I noticed a crack on the back of the body, quite near the neck pocket. I left it for a while and mulled it over, but I must say it was bugging me, it may have been ok, but knowing my luck, if I left it I just know it would have got worse. I don’t know if it was there all along, or it was caused by the chambering, the weather, a combination of both....who knows ? [/color]
[color=#222222]So, I decided to start over again with a new(ish) body which would be more ambitious and hopefully more attractive! [/color][/size]
[font=Times New Roman][size=3][color=#000000][attachment=163853:100_0788.JPG] [/color][/size][/font]
[size=5][font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][color=#222222] I got an Ash blank, which is quite heavy, so it will also be chambered, in exactly the same way as the previous one. I got the top cut off at a sawmill, unfortunately they said they would need to split it down the middle to do this successfully.... I was hoping to keep it as a one piece back and one piece front, but never mind. [/color][/color][/font] [/size]
[font=Times New Roman][size=3][color=#000000][attachment=163854:100_0789.JPG][attachment=163855:100_0790.JPG] [/color][/size][/font]
[size=6] [font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][color=#222222] The big idea is to salvage the Wenge top from the previous body and use it to provide a veneer between the back and top, kind of a reverse of the light veneer on the neck, it will need thinning down to about 2-3mm, I think. I will also cut out a “scratchplate” from the top and set it nto the top so that it is flush with the top. If it works I think it will look rather nice and quite unique, a little bit like those Fodera Ying and Yang things! [/color][/color][/font]
[font=Times New Roman][color=#000000] [/color][/font][/size]
[size=6][font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][color=#222222] Anyway, I got started on it and “removed” the Wenge top by means of a delicate process involving steam, a hammer, wallpaper scrapers and various other blades and wedges. It went better than I expected and after steaming off the Maple veneer, which I had cleverly left on so as not to damage the Wenge, I flat sanded the back and then cut out the scratchplate part. [/color][/color][/font]
[font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][attachment=163856:100_0791.JPG][attachment=163857:100_0794.JPG] [/color][/font]
[font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][color=#222222]The back of the body is cut out and needs levelling before the old Wenge top is glued on and then re-thicknessed. [/color][/color][/font]
[font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][attachment=163858:100_0800.JPG][attachment=163859:100_0797.JPG] [/color][/font]
[font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][color=#222222]I have a 3 eq East preamp for this one and I am wondering whether to make a battery cavity which will hold two batteries, and allow for 18v use.......any advice or opinions? It’s not much extra work, really. [/color][/color][/font]
[font=Times New Roman][color=#000000][attachment=163861:100_0802.JPG][attachment=163864:100_0804.JPG] [/color][/font][/size]

Edited May 29, 2014 by rubis

[Rumple]

One advantage of using a double battery box is that if you decide to stick with 9v you could always keep a spare battery in the other slot.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1401376645' post='2462990']
One advantage of using a double battery box is that if you decide to stick with 9v you could always keep a spare battery in the other slot.
[/quote]

Or wire them in parallel for extra long life...

[Rumple]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1401380757' post='2463066']
Or wire them in parallel for extra long life...
[/quote]

Even better

[rubis]

Two great ideas which I'd not considered, I'm a bit confused about the sonic benefits of 18v though. As I understand it, the headroom is increased, but forgive my ignorance, what does that mean in real, noticeable terms........is the output increased? does the tone of the bass alter? I assume the increased headroom is a benefit when recording (which I do a lot of at home ), but does it make much difference playing live?..................Thanks for your input gents!..............Very interested in your Dirty Jazz 5, Rumple, I'm a big fan of Delano's !

[neepheid]

Some decent discussion here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/35505-advantages-of-an-18v-pre-amp/"]http://basschat.co.u...an-18v-pre-amp/[/url]

I've got basses that (to me anyway) sound ridiculously boisterous running at 9V (The Gibson RD Artist for example) and ones that just sound cool but assured at 18V (G&L Tribute M-2000). I've never A/Bed an identical bass at 9V then 18V so I don't know, and to be blunt I don't care what effect it has. Despite my technical profession and scientific background, I'm quite happy to black box a preamp and just let it perform its voodoo magic. I'm just a fingerstyle plodder who is neither remarkable nor special, as such far from indispensable in a band context so I've much more important things to worry about (like playing sans mistakes as far as possible) than what voltage my preamp is running at

EDIT - an 18V naysayer's retort: http://allthatjazzbass.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/why-i-think-having-18v-in-your-bass-is.html - I do not know if what is said here is fact, fiction or half fact massaged in such a way as to favour his argument.

Edited May 30, 2014 by neepheid

[rubis]

Got a little more progress to show on this, it's taking time because I've never attempted to make a body in this way before and I'm pretty much making it up as I go along...........at least no-one can say I'm doing it wrong!...........but I'd be glad if someone could show me an easier way! [attachment=167226:016.JPG] Got the battery compartment done, need to make a Wenge cover for it. It will be held in with little neo magnets and there will be a finger sized indent to allow it to be removed, I've done this before and it works quite well. I've chambered the body and glued the "scratchplate" in place, this had to be built up underneath to get it roughly to the level that the Ash top will be. Once the top is on, it can all be levelled and finished off, but getting the cutout for the top to fit flush against the scratchplate is a laborious task [attachment=167233:018.JPG][attachment=167234:021.JPG] [attachment=167236:022.JPG]

[JimBobTTD]

Things have taken an even more interesting turn! Great thread and the body looks really cool.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1401444397' post='2463624']

I'm just a fingerstyle plodder who is neither remarkable nor special, as such far from indispensable in a band context so I've much more important things to worry about (like playing sans mistakes as far as possible) than what voltage my preamp is running at
[/quote]

If I were to analyse my ability, I would describe it as exactly that. Uncanny (and more than a bit uncomfortable to realise!)...

[mixingwithtom]

This is gonna be a cool bass