My 50th *birthday* build by Alpher

[DarkHeart]

Ok so I hit the big 5-0 in September and ive decided to celebrate the occasion with a custom build ( a year of birth bass is a bit limited and expensive) been chatting to Chris about it for a while and late last year I finally pulled the trigger, so far the spec is swamp ash back with a buckeye burl top, single Nordstrand Bigman pickup with 3 band active eq, 4 string, 24 fret maple/maple neck and hipshot hardware. I chose the top wood and this is it. Cant believe Im looking forward to being 50 so much!
[url="http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13101551_10156807528920405_1461443254_n_zpsbx8ob5p3.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited April 27, 2016 by DarkHeart

[HowieBass]

This is going to look amazing!

[ahpook]

That's a stunning piece of wood.

Looking forward to seeing the results

[Billy Apple]

Cool
Subscribed

[KingBollock]

I saw the thread title and thought "50 basses? That must have cost a bit..."...

[DarkHeart]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1461789936' post='3037741']
I saw the thread title and thought "50 basses? That must have cost a bit..."...
[/quote]

haha yeah it does look a bit like that.

[Rumple]

I do love a bit of Buckeye Burl action

[Marc S]

What a great way to celebrate a big birthday!
Good on you - looking forward to seeing this one progress
and yes, nice piece of wood to start the project

[DarkHeart]

Update, its going to be a 5 string and its getting a roasted maple neck .......happy days

[CHRISDABASS]

I can't wait to start showing some progress Jeff!!

[Kev]

Welcome to the club!

[Bassmonkey]

Subscribed to a fellow Leeds Fans thread. Lovely wood. Waiting in interest buddy

[TheGreek]

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1461786742' post='3037696']
[url="http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13101551_10156807528920405_1461443254_n_zpsbx8ob5p3.jpg.html"][/url]
[/quote]

This is a really nice piece of timber - I really like the patternation around the bottom half but aren't you going to be in danger of losing most of this underneath the bridge and pick up? IMHO it could be worth moving the body further up to keep this.

Hope you're able to cope with the wait....

Edited June 3, 2016 by TheGreek

[DarkHeart]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1464706659' post='3061633']
This is a really nice piece of timer - I really like the patternation around the bottom half but aren't you going to be in danger of losing most of this underneath the bridge and pick up? IMHO it could be worth moving the body further up to keep this.

Hope you're able to cope with the wait....
[/quote]

Im going to leave it all to Chris`s expert judgement with regard to body positioning on the timber and its only getting a single pickup so not too much grain will be hidden, as for the wait....its only another 3 months out of 50 years to wait haha

[DarkHeart]

Couple of pics of the progress sent by Chris yesterday, first is the one piece Ash and the second is a pic of one or two clamps holding the top and bottom together, think he might be struggling with only a couple of clamps though

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13522579_10157040435145405_938264551_n_zpsg3buqeui.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13522579_10157040435145405_938264551_n_zpsg3buqeui.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13521098_10157040929125405_1475399172_n_zps6ttbfeaf.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13521098_10157040929125405_1475399172_n_zps6ttbfeaf.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Only 2 1/2 months to wait now

[Norris]

Nice clampage #porn

[BassTool]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1466880782' post='3079566']
Nice clampage #porn
[/quote][quote name='Norris' timestamp='1466880782' post='3079566']
Nice clampage #porn
[/quote]

PMSL

[PlungerModerno]

If [s]your[/s] you're happy and you know it:

Edited June 27, 2016 by PlungerModerno

[DarkHeart]

Bugger, just been informed by Chris there is a problem with the ash main body wood, its not structural but he has offerred me a totally new top wood and body or to stain the existing wood, Ive opted for the stain as their has been quite a bit of work done already and hate to see people wasting time on my behalf plus...I do like see through black and maple. I cant even see the fault!

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13599710_10157076833420405_912402743_n_zpsco9udrmk.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13599710_10157076833420405_912402743_n_zpsco9udrmk.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

front which is also going to be stained
[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13595930_10157076833410405_1645363833_n_zpsgv8nm6jk.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13595930_10157076833410405_1645363833_n_zpsgv8nm6jk.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Fault..apparently.
[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13598948_10157076819840405_568967099_n_zpscjmvcevq.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13598948_10157076819840405_568967099_n_zpscjmvcevq.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[BassTool]

I could live with that and it's round the back

[HowieBass]

Looks like the defect has been filled with something (wood glue and sawdust?). I wonder if it could be tinted dark to match the nearby figuring and then you wouldn't need much of a stain to hide it?

[BassBus]

My Overwater has a couple of small blemishes like that on the face. They were just filled and are just part of the character of the wood now. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[DarkHeart]

Going with a black stain, seen a couple of pics of my offcuts and that together with the maple neck will look awesome, black and maple is my favorite combo after all.

[DarkHeart]

We have the flamed roasted maple for the neck sorted, all that flame and thats before its sanded, this is going to be awesome!

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13624783_10157090685215405_1515424829_n_zpsifxv82qe.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13624783_10157090685215405_1515424829_n_zpsifxv82qe.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13624992_10157090685225405_942246303_n_zpsdwz7nzft.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13624992_10157090685225405_942246303_n_zpsdwz7nzft.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13624892_10157090685260405_55743456_n_zpsvaaf3rpf.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13624892_10157090685260405_55743456_n_zpsvaaf3rpf.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[DarkHeart]

neck routed for truss rod, nice relief map of Cyprus on the headstock ;-)

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/13689749_10157127626480405_390714923_n_zpsooplnfqo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/13689749_10157127626480405_390714923_n_zpsooplnfqo.jpg[/IMG][/URL]