deepbass5 Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 (edited) Well my week away has come and gone and i am now sat at home with a new bass I have been wanting to do this for some time so with redundancy in April and early retirement leaving some [b]me [/b]time, it was now or never. I have always wanted a double reverse P. as per Leland Sklar's old bass [attachment=252213:sklar P.jpg] I have also recently been drawn to the Tele bass bodies in particular Dusty Hill's reverse headstock bass [attachment=252214:dusty hill.jpg] So as a five string player i came up with this - slab body with edges a little more rounded than a 'tele' but less than a precision I used Tele control plates to keep that look also. Used the dusty hill reverse headstock so that everything was reverse Swamp Ash body maple neck Padouk board medium frets 3mm reflective side markers in 4mm brass barrels 20inch radius 34" scale wired vol/vol tone / tone [attachment=252215:IMG_2798.JPG][attachment=252216:IMG_2799.JPG][attachment=252217:IMG_2800.JPG][attachment=252218:IMG_2801(1).JPG] A hard week 9 til 5 but really pleased with this, a great neck, a very playable bass Edited August 28, 2017 by deepbass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 Would like to say a big thank you to Jon and Tim for all your support and guidance throughout the week. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Think I saw this while I was down last wheeling picking my new one up. Looks like a great thing to do and definitely something I'd like to have a go at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tredders Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 That looks great! Congrats. What level of skill do you have to have to go on that course? Being more-than-slightly challenged in the woodwork department, I'm pretty sure that I'd be hopeless, but I've seen some really impressive results from pretty much everyone who attends that course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 Tredders - It is full on, and would say you are going to cope better with some aptitude in the DIY area, ie, I have fitted four kitchens and a few bathrooms in various houses in my time so used to basic woodwork measuring and cutting out,. I had never done any routing so that was nervous. taking a rough file to a neck blank and producing a thing of beauty takes an eye with some artistic or craft oriented insight. My main relief and satisfaction is having produced a bass that feels like the high end basses i have been using of late, I had prepared myself that this could be an expensive educational holiday. but I have a bass i will be proud to play out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 Walshy - was about to add a reply to your thread, What a smashing bass that grey MM is, your pictures are fine but it look a $1,000,000 in the flesh. Nice one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 (edited) This is very cool. Would love to do something like this myself but I fear I don't have nearly enough skill to produce a bass as nice as this Edited August 28, 2017 by CameronJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Wow, that's got me thinking...! How much does the course cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Very cool indeed, enjoy your new bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 therealthing - The course prices are on Jon's Shuker site, presently £750 for a 3 person build course that he runs about 3 times a year. you can ask for 1:2:1 courses that cost more. As you are about the same distance from the Peak District as me, you need to factor in the cost of B&B for the week (£250) and then evening meals etc travel expenses. So not cheap, I estimate this cost me £1100+ I could have bought a nice second hand Shuker bass Jon build himself off this site for that. But of course that isn't the point it was the experience and learning process and satisfaction of producing a working bass. You need the Time - money - and inclination all three lined up for me this year so i went for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 [quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1504256052' post='3363652'] You need the Time - money - and inclination all three lined up for me this year so i went for it. [/quote] And ... ahem ... the aptitude. I have all the craft skills of Frank Spencer (ask yer Mother) and, tempting as this course is, I fear it would be a complete waste of my money and Jon's patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I have HJ's woodworking skills, but I STILL want to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 [quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1504256052' post='3363652'] therealthing - The course prices are on Jon's Shuker site, presently £750 for a 3 person build course that he runs about 3 times a year. you can ask for 1:2:1 courses that cost more. As you are about the same distance from the Peak District as me, you need to factor in the cost of B&B for the week (£250) and then evening meals etc travel expenses. So not cheap, I estimate this cost me £1100+ I could have bought a nice second hand Shuker bass Jon build himself off this site for that. But of course that isn't the point it was the experience and learning process and satisfaction of producing a working bass. You need the Time - money - and inclination all three lined up for me this year so i went for it. [/quote] An amusing anecdote from when I did the 1-2-1 course 7 or 8 years ago. I was on about day 4 and said to Jon, 'When do you put the Shuker name on the headstock' He laughed and said' I don't put my name on the headstock, you built the Bass but I'm happy to take your design for a transfer to put on your headstock'! I hadn't quite thought that one through...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlg Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 [quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1503955160' post='3361856'] This is very cool. Would love to do something like this myself but I fear I don't have nearly enough skill to produce a bass as nice as this [/quote] I did this course about a year ago after Jon built me a stunning bass. I had the time and money set aside and went for it despite a lack of any experience in any woodwork a all Don't think you lack the skill. The last time I did woodwork was about 20 years ago at school, I had no experience of metal work the only thing I had going for me was some understanding of electronics. Jon very patiently walked me through the steps to build my bass standing nearby keeping a close eye on my work but allowing me to do everything myself. He would demonstrate what to do then hand over to me. I made a "straight forward" J bass from 3 lumps of wood and a small pile of stainless steel. If you think you won't be able to do it you are wrong, in 5 days I had a bass that has many flaws...but it works and it makes a sound. It may not be perfection but it is comfortable to play and the imperfections just highlight the amount of care that goes into what Jon produces. It has left me wanting to make more. The only thing you will need to bring are some enthusiasm, some money for lunch and a desire to work hard - you will be there for 5 days and it is tiring. TO be honest the hardest part of the whole week was choosing the decal for the head. There are some limitations to making the whole thing in 5 days. You have to have a satin or matt finish, no gloss. The finish is also applied by Jon as I guess -having had a go on a stripped back bass of my own- it takes some practice to get the lacquer just right and there isn't enough time to practice and perfect this. Overall I had a great week, the workshop is in a beautiful part of the world with a great view. The expertise and advice from Jon and Tim are so helpful, they will walk you through each stage of production. If you stay close by I believe the pubs are very nice. Chat in the workshop is very interesting. Tim will find you a great sandwich for lunch at a reasonable price and he has some interesting stories. Ruby will come and lie on you if you don't move around enough so she keeps you busy. Don't worry about a lack of skill, what I built on the minimum of skill looks and sounds amazing. Close up it has its flaws, strings aren't perfectly arranged across the fret board, some screws don't go in straight, but hey, it's my first ever bass. I'll be going back next week to tweek it a little. I'll probably go back again, and again. My advice to you as I have said at least twice already is don't let a feeling of a lack of skill stop you (let a lack of money or time stop you but not skill). Give it a go, Jon will crack his whip if you're not on schedule, he will supervise if you're not sure what you're doing and he'll leave you to it if yo know what you're doing. I put it as one of the best and most rewarding 4 or 5 things I have ever done. Save up and do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Thanks for the enthusiasm! I've been tempted for EVAH by this ... maybe when I've retired, which ain't that far away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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