andydye Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 So just before Christmas I spent a very pleasant morning with Jon Shuker discussing a potential custom build effectively cloning my main gigging bass ('78 P) and updating a few features to improve reliability etc... First job was to take detailed measurements of the donor bass all up and down the neck and around the body, profile, thickness, width, depth etc including fingerboard radius and neck shape before choosing some lovely bits of wood [b]The Spec[/b] maple neck birdseye maple fingerboard two way truss rod carbon fibre reinforcement jumbo stainless steel fret wire black face dots (possibly just 12th fret) - to be decided!! 2mm black side dots satin neck lacquer (with an aged tint but not so yellow) graphite nut hipshot tuners swamp ash body (41.5mm thickness) Typical P carve polyester basecoat gloss polyurethane topcoat, lower sheen (with an aged tint but not too yellow) BWB Scratchplate chrome hardware Hipshot A series bridge Labella 760FS strings Seymour Duncan SPB-1 pickup volume and tone copper shielding Shuker Hardcase [b]The pics[/b] Body Wood is a lovely grained piece of swamp ash cut and joined to give a virtually bookmatched appearance [url=https://flic.kr/p/CbhY6Z][/url] [url=https://flic.kr/p/BK4R5i][/url] [url=https://flic.kr/p/C919J9][/url] [url=https://flic.kr/p/CMiSqy][/url] Fingerboard wood is from a beautiful piece of birdseye flamed maple [url=https://flic.kr/p/Bmc984][/url] ...this is the bit [url=https://flic.kr/p/BSecVF][/url] Rough body carve done [url=https://flic.kr/p/CE4GWu][/url] hhmmm a bit more to come off yet [url=https://flic.kr/p/CPBDZH][/url] getting there now, much more like it [url=https://flic.kr/p/CPBD1t][/url] [url=https://flic.kr/p/CGjhhM][/url] ...to be continued Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Wow! I'm in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Fascinating stuff - look forward to the updates on this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Jon builds a lovely bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) I got an email last night while I was at band practise so quite naturally I halted the practise so I could show everyone the latest bunch of baby photos here comes a neck... body ready for final check on the carve and then onto sanding etc Edited January 5, 2016 by andydye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Hurry up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1452005817' post='2945400'] Hurry up!! [/quote] hahahaha it's all moving unnaturally quickly isn't it! There has to be some kind of 'wait for at least 2 months for a 'bla-bla-bla' thing coming or it'll be done this month which is insane for a completely custom build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Very nice indeed, he doesn't hang about does he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 [quote name='paulnb57' timestamp='1452012036' post='2945519'] Very nice indeed, he doesn't hang about does he? [/quote] Oh no, he certainly doesn't! That man has golden hands!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 It's going to be one sexy bass that's for sure! I have a law-suiter here, Black P/G on Ash and Maple. I adore the combination, so I know that this is going to be so tasty!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Looking good from here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Popped in yesterday to have a look at the revised body carve and got to see the neck blank and fingerboard ready to assemble when the graphite rods arrive... Body carve is looking very sweet indeed (particularly deep belly cut on my '78), just 2 tiny areas to tweak and then she's good to spray then it's the longer and more delicate process of the neck carve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 God, this is taking ages!! Seriously though, it looks like good clean work. As you'd expect, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1452161495' post='2947043'] God, this is taking ages!! Seriously though, it looks like good clean work. As you'd expect, really. [/quote] He's certainly getting on with it, once the body is done he's then got a few bodies ready for spraying so he can do them all at once. I'm told the neck will take a fair bit longer than the body has, once the graphite rods are in he'll be glueing the fingerboard to the neck and all that jazz... It looks and feels stunning already, his work is superb! Edited January 7, 2016 by andydye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1452161869' post='2947054'] I'm told the neck will take a fair bit longer than the body has, once the graphite rods are in he'll be glueing the fingerboard to the neck and all that [s]jazz[/s] [b]precision[/b]... [/quote]Fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 [quote name='Rich' timestamp='1452171722' post='2947219'] Fixed. [/quote] ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 So the fingerboard is now glued to the neck and it's time to choose...dots or no dots! [url=https://flic.kr/p/DtoKgJ][/url] I chose no dots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I'd just go for some glow in the dark side markers. You can't see the front dots when playing anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1453816592' post='2963006'] I'd just go for some glow in the dark side markers. You can't see the front dots when playing anyway! [/quote] I shall be having side dots of some sort for sure, as you say, the front dots don't get seen when you're playing it anyway...also adds a hint of mystery for those watching who can play as they're not immediately sure what notes your playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I like the large headstock, keeping the 70s vibe. Have you gone for any additional contouring for comfort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1453817313' post='2963022'] Have you gone for any additional contouring for comfort? [/quote] I'd not played a bass that fits me so well prior to this one so keeping contours identical to my '78 works for me, we are making the transition between contours a bit more smooth that the original but that's about it, it just sits right and the forearm contour is really comfy as it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1453816592' post='2963006'] I'd just go for some glow in the dark side markers. You can't see the front dots when playing anyway! [/quote] I changed the black side dots on a Maple/Maple neck to glow in the dark dots. It did not work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 [quote name='owen' timestamp='1453820304' post='2963070'] I changed the black side dots on a Maple/Maple neck to glow in the dark dots. It did not work well. [/quote] haha oops I was thinking black dots on maple would give sufficiently good contrast for visibility, I've not had a problem seeing the black side dots on very yellowed vintage maple of my '78 P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Makes me want to just go for a Shuker P bass to satisfy my craving for a perfect P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1453822254' post='2963118'] Makes me want to just go for a Shuker P bass to satisfy my craving for a perfect P. [/quote] Oh don't get me started! I craved the JJB and now I really want the Carbon-Lite... and one of the new Shuker Guitars too, which are beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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