Pestie Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 (edited) I have just got back from the best week I have had. I spent Mon-Fri at MD Guitars in Otley, W,York's with Martin Dixon of MD Guitars making my own bass. It was unbelievable, I started on Monday with four pieces of fairly rough wood: Swamp Ash, American Maple, Rosewood. By yesterday, after a lot of routing, sawing, filing and sanding I had a P type bass with Wizard Thumper & Eighty Four in it and Wilkinson hardware. It is amazing and there is only one in the world!!!!! That's got to be good. It has a full size P type Swamp Ash body and a medium 32" scale, tailor made! CTS pots, Orange Drop cap, Switchcraft jack socket, Allparts scratchplate and control knobs. If you want a realy exceptional week in the Dales and walk away with your own hand built bass to any design or spec you want you should try it. Martin is in the back of guitarist under MD Guitars give it a go, I'm going back soon to make another. MD Guitars, 01943 462604, [email protected] Prices range from £450 for the week and that includes the guitar you make and lunch. You can also do B&B for £15 per night, evening meal is another £5. Mike (Pestie) [url="http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Mikevickers1/media/NewBasses022_zps737826c9.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Mikevickers1/media/NewBasses023_zpsd0b6f2c9.jpg.html"][/url] Edited April 29, 2013 by Pestie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Details??? How much did it cost?? website?? sounds better that 2 weeks on some crappy Spanish beach - though probably not if you have a Ptr and kids.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1367073730' post='2060980'] Details??? How much did it cost?? website?? sounds better that 2 weeks on some crappy Spanish beach - though probably not if you have a Ptr and kids.. [/quote] +1 And pics of the new bass would be good too Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubis Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 (edited) " sounds better that 2 weeks on some crappy Spanish beach " Maybe this would fit the bill [url="http://jungleguitars.com/index.html"]http://jungleguitars.com/index.html[/url] Edited April 27, 2013 by rubis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 That`s great Mike but I am on the waiting list to go on Mark D Phillips, guitar improver/master bodger, guitar course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushers Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 [quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1367081376' post='2061119'] That`s great Mike but I am on the waiting list to go on Mark D Phillips, guitar improver/master bodger, guitar course. [/quote] im on it next week not sure wether to pack my rasp or bastard file for the nuts though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 [quote name='mushers' timestamp='1367081760' post='2061127'] im on it next week not sure wether to pack my rasp or bastard file for the nuts though [/quote] Nah - nuts are a hatchet job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedave Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 +1 I`ve been going to Martin`s for a year and a half now. I can`t recomend the guy enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 A year and a half seems like quite a long time to make a bass guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1367144932' post='2061609'] A year and a half seems like quite a long time to make a bass guitar. [/quote] Then again, he recommended the guy, not the building course, so me gathers they don't do a lot of bass building together. best, bert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Well, actually, he admits to being incapable of recommending the chap to any sufficient extent. Damned by faint praise, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Come on lads, let's get back to being sensible. Martin is a top guy, top teacher, top guitar maker! During the week I was there I met four different local guitar/bass players all gigging musicians, men and women who have been going back for years and between them have made some incredible guitars and basses of the highest quality. I can't put mine down! I can't recommend Martin and his guitar/bass making skills enough, try it out, you will be amazed, I know I was and I have a bass that I made and am really proud of. I will post some pics as soon as I get them onto Photobucket. Thanks Mike(Pestie) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Couple of pics posted at the head of the thread. Cheers Mike(Pestie) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 That looks really nice. I used to work in Otley. Strange, strange place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Is the wood unfinished? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 It has a couple of coats of hand applied nitro cellulose on at the moment. I still need to do a bit more fine sanding then I think I will either put on some more nitro or some tung oil and bees wax, but I suppose it is unfinished. Thanks for asking Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Nice, very nice. Looks just right. Can you put tung oil and beeswax onto a surface that already has nitro on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Hey Mike! That looks a really beautiful piece of work. You look very justifiably proud. On the matter of the finish, if its had nitro on it, you can sand it and nitro it some more, but don't oil it. Oil needs to soak into the wood. It won't penetrate nitro, so it'll only sit on the surface as an oil-slick. If you sand and oil it now, the bear wood will soak up the oil and it'll look patchy and weird with the oil/nitro patches... so PLEASE don't put any oil on it. Once it's got a good coat of nitro you can bees-wax it. On a side note: DON'T EVER use Pledge, Mr Sheen or any other spray polish. I hope this is helpful. Cheers Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Superb! This sounds like a fantastic experience...love your bass too. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 [quote name='Pestie' timestamp='1367163816' post='2061969'] It has a couple of coats of hand applied nitro cellulose on at the moment. I still need to do a bit more fine sanding then I think I will either put on some more nitro or some tung oil and bees wax, but I suppose it is unfinished. Thanks for asking Mike [/quote] Ah, fair enough! Looks lovely Mike! Haha But really it does look lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 29, 2013 Author Share Posted April 29, 2013 Thank you all for your help and support. I am glad you went into detail about the finish Rich. I will sand, nitro and bees wax and it will look even better than it does now. Thanks again to you all, I will post pics again when I have finished the final bit of sanding and polishingm Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedave Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I can only afford to go monthly. Mainly due to some very "necessary" gear buying. That said, I am a slow worker. Took me just under a year for the first one and now I'm well on the way with another three. It's damned addictive! If you get to meet Jeff ask him about his cling filmed fish story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 My god this is awesome & a short drive away from where I live !!!! I have never heard of this, I want to do it soooooooo much !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Go for it goat worrier, you won't regret it and hopefully you will meet Jeff who is an absolute star. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njr911 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1367162448' post='2061948'] That looks really nice. I used to work in Otley. Strange, strange place. [/quote] Oi! I live in Otley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.