Jabba_the_gut Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) Time for the next build! I'm going to make a semi hollow bass this time with a piezo pickup. I've got a piece of sapele for the body and spalted beech for the top. These are the same woods I used on a short scale bass build recently with which I was really pleased with the result. I haven't decided if it will be four of five string, 32 or 34" scale of if it will be fretted or not!! I am leaning towards 32" fretted. .. we'll see! I have a Shadow SH064 pickup for this and an East MPM-01 preamp. Cheers Jez Edited November 12, 2017 by Jabba_the_gut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scojack Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Brilliant looking forward to it Jez 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 If that's the body shape you're going for I think that you're onto a winner. Going to be following this one avidly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Now we're talking Excellent - can't wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Nice looking woods Jez. Looking forward to seeing this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Gettin spalty widdit. I love it already. Locked in for the duration, carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Yep. I'm in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Look forward to seeing the finished article already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stearstree1304 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Here we go...Just as Andy finishes the Greek's bass, along comes another stunner in the making to whet my appetite!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Yep, there's a conspiracy going on to keep people in the Builds section - you might want to ask yourself "what are they trying to keep you from??" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stearstree1304 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 LOL - work mainly keep the builds coming!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 A semi-hollow version of the piezo fretless you had at the south-west bass bash would be amazing..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Not sure whether you have the Shadow p/up already... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shadow-Bass-Pick-Up-Sh965nfx-/142449570627?hash=item212aa7f343:g:GMIAAOSwjONZblVG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 (edited) [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1501002404' post='3341721'] Not sure whether you have the Shadow p/up already... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shadow-Bass-Pick-Up-Sh965nfx-/142449570627?hash=item212aa7f343:g:GMIAAOSwjONZblVG [/quote] I've already got the piezo cheers, just trying to decide if to use this or get a five string Artec one. I've also started another build of the same design but with an EMG MM pickup, American walnut top, sycamore body and some kind of inlay on the ebony fretboard fitted with red LEDs. I'll start a separate thread for that one !! Edited July 25, 2017 by Jabba_the_gut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted July 26, 2017 Author Share Posted July 26, 2017 (edited) First job has been to make some templates and started by thinning the top where the pockets will be. The top is 10mm thick so reducing this to about 5mm. I've also been gluing the veneers to the sales - you can't have enough clamps!! Edited July 28, 2017 by Jabba_the_gut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) The veneers are glued to the body so was time to do some routing. I didn't get as much time as I hoped today (rather good food festival in Gloucester and two hungry kids!!) but managed to route out one half of this. So this is the top and the corresponding back section ready to glue together. Hopefully get the other half done this weekend too. I've also cut the front of the bass - I'm quite pleased with how this is looking so far but still a long way to go...... Edited July 28, 2017 by Jabba_the_gut 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Wow. I think I probably want one... not that I can afford one or find space for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Great stuff. Looking forward to seeing how this goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 [quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1500999231' post='3341663'] A semi-hollow version of the piezo fretless you had at the south-west bass bash would be amazing..... [/quote] I bet the piezo pickup will really shine with the acoustic properties of this semi hollow body. My mate's waiting for another transducer to be delivered. He only makes ukuleles at the moment but the results he got with his first amplified uke are encouraging. It is like a semi-hollow body just from the sheer weight of it. The resonance of the sound chamber is damped by inertia. He wanted a cylindrical biscuit tin shaped body on this one. To get it he used hardboard to form the outer wall of the cylinder and held the top and back to it with crude kerfing. The bracing is basic in that it has not been whittled back to a nicely sinuous shape profile. Rather it is unplaned wood strip, that was lying around the workshop, cut to sized and clamped up with glue with no worries about precision. It's rough, lets face it. It's massively heavy for a uke, but light enough on the strap. To be honest, it is more of a hack than an instrument but it plays. Acoustically it is weedy sounding as you might expect but plug it in and it's got a serious voice. He put a five band equaliser and tuner package in too. I am hoping we'll get someone who's proper good on uke to put it through its paces one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 Bit of faff to get this done - a part on my drill stand snapped whilst using the Forstner bits to remove most of the excess wood prior to routing. I ended up using the router to remove most of the wood in the end so many shallow cuts were needed to ensure the router bit didn't bite and decide to take chunks out (a lesson learnt a while ago). So, both halves have now been routed, and any holes drilled to run cables. Time to glue the tops to the backs, once they have set the two halves can then be joined. I'm really enjoying this build so far, there is even something satisfying in just holding the unglued parts together and getting a hollow sound when you tap it! Weird, I know.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 3, 2017 Author Share Posted August 3, 2017 I got the lower half glued on Monday but have been away with work for a few days so have not been able to do any more since. Roll on tomorrow when I can get back and get on with it! The only good thing about being away is that I have had time to do some scribbles of the headstock, bridge and some inlay work I'm looking to do on this and the other bass I'm making of the same design but with a magnetic pickup. I'm trying to do a few different things (for me) on this build such as it being semi hollow, the inlay work and how the strings are retained. I'd like to get this done for the SE Bash but that could be tight as unfortunately work looks like it might interfere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 3, 2017 Author Share Posted August 3, 2017 Some scribbles... [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/cdr9dEy.jpg[/IMG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 You know... that looks very much like my initials. Could it be that we're both J R? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 4, 2017 Author Share Posted August 4, 2017 Indeed, I am JR. I'm looking at putting this design on the fretboard of the bass with the magnetic pickup along with red LED side markers - chucking everything at this one! I've got to choose three different coloured woods that I think will match the rest of that build - early days on that one. I've got a couple of pieces I'm happy with but need one more of a suitable colour and grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I'm in great company with my initials then. Cool. With what you've said just now, I'm especially watching for cues as to how I'll do my 35inch neck with side dots lit via fibre from a colour changer LED. Ultimately I'd love it fretless with each fret position lit at the side (but only the side) but I don't think even that would help my intonation at first position. I need to work with a 35 fretted before I see if it is worth committing further to the notion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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