Jabba_the_gut Posted July 16, 2019 Author Posted July 16, 2019 9 hours ago, durhamboy said: Noticing the fingerboard, is it flat, prior to being radiused, or is it going to remain flat? I keep thinking about doing a build with a flat board, maybe a fretless.? (If I don't like the feel it wouldn't take much to radius it.) Cheers! The fingerboard on this build will be radiused to 14" to match the radius on the piezo element. I haven't tried a flat fingerboard yet - another thing on a list of to-do's and to-try's!! Jez Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted July 16, 2019 Posted July 16, 2019 3 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Cheers! The fingerboard on this build will be radiused to 14" to match the radius on the piezo element. I haven't tried a flat fingerboard yet - another thing on a list of to-do's and to-try's!! Jez From experience of flat-fingerboard instruments like banjos, ukes and mandolins they often have a slightly unpleasant 'concave' appearance, I would always want at least a little radius to avoid this. Quote
Jabba_the_gut Posted July 16, 2019 Author Posted July 16, 2019 51 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: From experience of flat-fingerboard instruments like banjos, ukes and mandolins they often have a slightly unpleasant 'concave' appearance, I would always want at least a little radius to avoid this. Funny you say that, the other day I was looking at a (cheap) acoustic I have thinking exactly same. Quote
durhamboy Posted July 17, 2019 Posted July 17, 2019 Yes, flat fingerboards do look a little odd, perhaps we are just so used to seeing curved ones? I've always had a couple of acoustic guitars around the house, one being an old classical, the fingerboard on that doesn't look odd, but then it's a familiar old friend... I like close to flat necks, 20 inch radius, so no radius doesn't seem much of a stretch. Maybe one day I'll try a flat one, or just stick to 20. Quote
Jabba_the_gut Posted July 29, 2019 Author Posted July 29, 2019 Slowly, slowly...…. Finally got a little bit of time to get on with a few jobs on this build. I've been waiting for some fret wire for about 3 weeks and finally it turned up so off we go! First up I cut the fret wire to length and nipped the tangs at the end so I can fill in the ends of the fret slots with ebony powder and glue. This should leave the slots looking nearly invisible, but if not, at least very tidy. I have a small block of wood I keep the cut frets in so I know which one goes in which location. Next task was to use a radiused sanding block to radius the fretboard. Checked my measurements and used a 16" radius block starting off with 180 grit, then 320, 500 and finished with 800. I'm pleased with how this piece of ebony looks and how it has finished so far. I have an arbor press fitted with a fret caul and it makes fretting a neck reasonably straight forward. I've used masking tape on the board to protect the ebony whilst I do this. First few frets fitted: then some more... all fitted.. I've trimmed the fret end but they still need filing level to the board before I can fill the ends. Getting there, finally!! 8 Quote
Frank Blank Posted July 29, 2019 Posted July 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Getting there, finally!! Yay! That neck just looks perfect. The Godin is just too heavy and l o n g for me, I can’t wait to replace it with a Jabba original, too excited. 1 Quote
wrinkleygit Posted July 30, 2019 Posted July 30, 2019 Hang on in there Frank it won’t be long now, played an outdoor wedding gig on Saturday & had nothing but positive comments on my bass sound, Mike. 2 Quote
Frank Blank Posted July 30, 2019 Posted July 30, 2019 1 hour ago, wrinkleygit said: Hang on in there Frank it won’t be long now, played an outdoor wedding gig on Saturday & had nothing but positive comments on my bass sound, Mike. I am hugely excited at the prospect of owning this @Jabba_the_gut bass, not least so I can start hassling him to make me a fretless, but also I realise that a) it’s a thing he does (brilliantly) in his spare time and b) you cannot hurry quality. I’m only too happy to wait for something so perfect. I thought having the money just sitting in the bank waiting would make me look at other basses but I’m so into the Jabba basses I’m not looking elsewhere. I think he may have found a patient life-long customer. Good news on the gig/bass sound, but then you do have the best fretless I’ve ever played! Quote
ezbass Posted July 30, 2019 Posted July 30, 2019 23 minutes ago, Frank Blank said: I am hugely excited at the prospect of owning this @Jabba_the_gut bass, not least so I can start hassling him to make me a fretless, Mmm, 🤤 a Jabba fretless. Be still my beating heart (and bank account). Quote
Frank Blank Posted July 30, 2019 Posted July 30, 2019 1 minute ago, ezbass said: Mmm, 🤤 a Jabba fretless. Be still my beating heart (and bank account). Well I’ve said it before but I thought I’d found the bass that was my fretless GAS killer with the Rob Allen but having played @wrinkleygit‘s Jabba fretless at the SW Bass Bash I properly fell in love. @Jabba_the_gut‘s basses are extremely good value, which is another reason I’m trying to get two out of him before he realises... shhhh 🤫 1 Quote
ezbass Posted July 30, 2019 Posted July 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Frank Blank said: Well I’ve said it before but I thought I’d found the bass that was my fretless GAS killer with the Rob Allen but having played @wrinkleygit‘s Jabba fretless at the SW Bass Bash I properly fell in love. @Jabba_the_gut‘s basses are extremely good value, which is another reason I’m trying to get two out of him before he realises... shhhh 🤫 I have a 5 string MB2, but I really wanted a 4 (beggars, choosers and all that). Having played one of Jabba's creations, I could easily be persuaded to shift my allegiance. 1 Quote
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 30, 2019 Author Posted August 30, 2019 Got a few more jobs done: Frets installed Fret end slots filled Fret ends finished Nut slot cut Nut fitted String tree fitted Strings fitted Knobs fitted and a little noodling....... Doesn't look like the frets will need levelling but I will recheck that again later. Still got some more bits and bobs to do but this is where it is at now: 8 Quote
ezbass Posted August 30, 2019 Posted August 30, 2019 41 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: GAH! 😍 Be still my beating heart. Looks the dog's doodahs and I know the play and sound incredible. 👏👏👏 Quote
Frank Blank Posted August 30, 2019 Posted August 30, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Got a few more jobs done: Frets installed Fret end slots filled Fret ends finished Nut slot cut Nut fitted String tree fitted Strings fitted Knobs fitted and a little noodling....... Doesn't look like the frets will need levelling but I will recheck that again later. Still got some more bits and bobs to do but this is where it is at now: I’m literally (almost) speechless. I’ve said it before but you build the basses that live in my brain. It’s actually perfect! Edited August 31, 2019 by Frank Blank Quote
durhamboy Posted August 30, 2019 Posted August 30, 2019 Top job. That is really stunningly good. I love so many things about your builds, not just the precision and attention to detail,or the inventive design elements, but the fact that they look like they'd be worth paying for just to feel them! (Not to weird I hope?) You sir are an artist, hats off to you. 4 Quote
wrinkleygit Posted August 31, 2019 Posted August 31, 2019 Absolute stunner !!!! by the way I wouldn’t let the wife see these pics, you might have to do a refinish on that table 😂 1 Quote
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 31, 2019 Author Posted August 31, 2019 2 hours ago, wrinkleygit said: Absolute stunner !!!! by the way I wouldn’t let the wife see these pics, you might have to do a refinish on that table 😂 Nowt wrong with the table - it's relic'd….. 1 Quote
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 31, 2019 Author Posted August 31, 2019 Cheers for all the comments. I must apologise for how slow this build has been, I've had a few non-bass related things going on that have occupied far too much time...….should be able to get on with things properly in another month or so. I'm hoping to build a five string version of this amongst other projects. Cheers again Jez 1 Quote
Frank Blank Posted August 31, 2019 Posted August 31, 2019 41 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Cheers for all the comments. I must apologise for how slow this build has been, I've had a few non-bass related things going on that have occupied far too much time...….should be able to get on with things properly in another month or so. I'm hoping to build a five string version of this amongst other projects. Cheers again Jez You don’t have to apologise for anything, the non-bass related things are your life! Don’t build a bloody five string version of this, I’ll have to buy that too... 👍 Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted August 31, 2019 Posted August 31, 2019 26 minutes ago, Frank Blank said: 1 hour ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Cheers for all the comments. I must apologise for how slow this build has been, I've had a few non-bass related things going on that have occupied far too much time...….should be able to get on with things properly in another month or so. I'm hoping to build a five string version of this amongst other projects. Cheers again Jez You don’t have to apologise for anything, the non-bass related things are your life! Don’t build a bloody five string version of this, I’ll have to buy that too... 👍 You need to go into bass building full time. Frank will get a second job and remortgage his home to buy your entire output and keep you in a life of luxury... 1 1 Quote
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