Merton Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 (edited) Nice bit of rippled olive ash top: [attachment=9523:aaa_020.jpg] Answers on a postcard about what you think is going to happen to it, the person closest wins, erm, a pat on the back. Hopefully this will develop into a build diary if my friend who is building "The Project" sends me photos. The prototype is currently under construction and we should be getting close to stringing that up in the next 2-3 weeks. It's all dead cool, promise! Edited September 30, 2008 by Merton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Look Edward! - he has wood! Don't worry Tubbs - he's going to make a precious thing, we won't burn him,........................yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 My guess is a new Status with that wood as a top. Am I right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 (edited) [quote name='walbassist' post='216956' date='Jun 11 2008, 03:25 PM']My guess is a new Status with that wood as a top. Am I right?[/quote] Good edumacated guess but nope. Tho the guy building it does originally come from Colchester, but that's highly irrelevant to everything really! EDIT: time for another few totally unhelpful clues. 1. My old friend from university is building this, he's not a luthier you'll have heard of before, but (hopefully) afterwards he may get some interest! 2. As far as we know there isn't another one of these designs yet (at least in the UK), but soon there will be the prototype followed by his and mine. 3. The pickups are being custom wound by Andy @ Wizard for mine at the moment Edited June 11, 2008 by Merton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Sounds like there's going to be a fight of innovation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galilee Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Is it going to be a bookcase? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Yes, a bookcase! More: This is the top of a bass guitar. The body is going to be mahogany, possible chambered but we're not sure. The neck and fingerboard are going to be maple. (A blonde bass!) There will be black hardware including controls of one pot and one 4-way switch. There's gonna be an odd number of strings and an odd number of cutaways on the body and the frets may not be parallel . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galilee Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Oh, bass bass bass, that's all you people ever talk about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 [quote name='Galilee' post='217030' date='Jun 11 2008, 04:56 PM']Oh, bass bass bass, that's all you people ever talk about.[/quote] I'll make you a bookshelf from the offcuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galilee Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I'm just messing around. I'm intrigued by the Novak fret hint you dropped there (as I always think they're cool but scarey-looking) and I hope you'll keep this thread updated with progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Yeah I know, just enjoy playing along We decided for the fanned fret thing just for the sheer hell of trying something different. It's 35.5" for the bottom B to 34" for the G; to be honest I have no idea what the standard fan is coz Mikey (the guy building it) has been doing all the research. He's only doing a bass for me as he was bouncing ideas off me for his own build, so he just decided to do 2 and I get mine at cost and with my own personal tweaks such as pickup choice (Andy @ Wizard was super helpful and quick in repsonding last week!)... Fortunately as Mikey and I spent 4 years at uni together playing an talking bass lots, we have similar ideas about things so we're both singing from the same hymn sheet regarding all major aspects of the build, makes it a helluva lot of fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finbar Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Let us know how you get on with the fanned frets. I'd be curious to try them on a 7! If I get another 7, I'd definitely want something a bit more 'off the wall', as for all its beauty, my Shuker is a very standard, workhorse bass. Fanned frets might fit into that slightly oddball category Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Will do! I've never played a fanned fret bass before so it's totally a journey into the unknown just for a giggle... The pickups arrived from Andy today - brilliant service, again can't sing his praises highly enough. Maybes I'll treat you all to a glimpse of the proposed body shape at some point today, it's a singlecut of Mikey's own design and I think it looks awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 [quote name='Merton' post='217023' date='Jun 11 2008, 04:48 PM']There's gonna be an odd number of strings and an odd number of cutaways on the body and the frets may not be parallel .[/quote] One string with an oval body then. That's a pretty odd number of strings and number of cutaways. And it would be even odder to have fanned frets on a one-string bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 [quote name='Galilee' post='217017' date='Jun 11 2008, 04:45 PM']Is it going to be a bookcase?[/quote] [quote name='Merton' post='217023' date='Jun 11 2008, 04:48 PM']Yes, a bookcase! More: This is the top of a bass guitar. The body is going to be mahogany, possible chambered but we're not sure. The neck and fingerboard are going to be maple. (A blonde bass!) There will be black hardware including controls of one pot and one 4-way switch. There's gonna be an odd number of strings and an odd number of cutaways on the body and the frets may not be parallel .[/quote] [quote name='Galilee' post='217030' date='Jun 11 2008, 04:56 PM']Oh, bass bass bass, that's all you people ever talk about.[/quote] lol! that made me laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 14, 2008 Author Share Posted June 14, 2008 [quote name='tauzero' post='218422' date='Jun 13 2008, 04:14 PM']One string with an oval body then. That's a pretty odd number of strings and number of cutaways. And it would be even odder to have fanned frets on a one-string bass. [/quote] [quote name='lwtait' post='218427' date='Jun 13 2008, 04:22 PM']lol! that made me laugh.[/quote] Me too Might get a pic of the body shape up this weekend if I can find where I put it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey R Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 (edited) (and the prize for the most original thread title goes to...) i hope these basses dont dissapoint, theyre not all that inovative, all pretty standard features. ive just never seen them put together in this combination. shape wise, its a collection of ideas we've been chatting about for the past 9 years or so and finally getting round to building it. funny that someone should mention status, a coleague of mine said it looks a little like a single cut status. anyhoo, Mertons thread so i'll let him fill you in. Edited June 14, 2008 by Mikey R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 15, 2008 Author Share Posted June 15, 2008 [quote name='Mikey R' post='218830' date='Jun 14 2008, 01:01 PM'](and the prize for the most original thread title goes to...) i hope these basses dont dissapoint, theyre not all that inovative, all pretty standard features. ive just never seen them put together in this combination. shape wise, its a collection of ideas we've been chatting about for the past 9 years or so and finally getting round to building it. funny that someone should mention status, a coleague of mine said it looks a little like a single cut status. anyhoo, Mertons thread so i'll let him fill you in. [/quote] Introducing the man behind the wood working skills, Mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 Here's Mikey's mock-up drawing of the bass (note the 2+3 headstock, we like this!): [attachment=9673:DSCN1393.JPG] And here is a "layout" pic: [attachment=9674:DSCN1389.JPG] Electronics are simply 1 volume control plus a 4-way switch for pickup options: bridge, both in series, both in parallel, neck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Ooo, I likey! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 Well this could take a while. Mikey's b*stard neighbours have complained about the noise and banned him from doing ANY work on it because it's a residential area! Bloody retired lawyer neighbour assholes Hopefully something will sort itself out, I know Mikey is just as gutted as me, if not more so coz it's his baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Mikey should be perfectly within his rights to work and make noise as he sees fit, as long as it's not late in the evening, there is nothing anyone, poice and lawyers included, could do to stop him. He should meet with the neighbours to say that he is going to contiue to work and then apologise for any inconvience. The bass looks like it's gonna be great, I like that ACG Skelf-like singlecut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey R Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 [quote name='steve-soar' post='227195' date='Jun 26 2008, 11:13 AM']Mikey should be perfectly within his rights to work and make noise as he sees fit, as long as it's not late in the evening, there is nothing anyone, poice and lawyers included, could do to stop him. He should meet with the neighbours to say that he is going to contiue to work and then apologise for any inconvience.[/quote] thanks for the encouragement. i was totally gutted monday evening when i got the complaint, but i cant just leave it now as Merton and i have way too much invested in these basses! Im going to give them a weekend off, then start again on the handtools. powertools will have to wait [quote name='steve-soar' post='227195' date='Jun 26 2008, 11:13 AM']The bass looks like it's gonna be great, I like that ACG Skelf-like singlecut.[/quote] wow - i love ACG basses, thats a real complement! ive heard nothing but great things of them, i'd love to give one a try sometime. it was really tricky getting the design right with that wonky bridge. i started with a double cut, and couldnt get it to look right. then i just tried filling in the top horn and it suddenly just worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) Well, things have been dead quiet on this due to Mikey's neighbours being *really cool* but Mikey sent me some pics last night of the prototype. It looks sweeeeeeeet: [attachment=14153:DSCN1574.JPG] (Bass Colleciton there for comparison) I reckon it looks good with the darker top wood, but I think the rippled olive ash will be something else More pics tonight! Edited September 30, 2008 by Merton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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