Fireman - this could be the start of something.. umm..

[Woodinblack]

Ooh, just moved it out the way upstairs, where the neck is so thought I would try it. Was genuinely fairly chuffed with how it fitted. ie, if I put the neck in the space and pick the body up, the neck stays where it was put!

Not only that but if I put a ruler on the centreline of the neck, the ruler ends up about 1mm out of the arbitrary centre line at the bottom of the guitar - That I can live with!

[Woodinblack]

Right, had another short bit of time to get some stuff done so I decided to make a hole for the back on the template and dig the holes out for the pickups and the neck pocket.

Used a power drill on the back and a forster bit and that actually worked, not sure if it was the speed or just a different drill that was blunt, but it worked and seemed to be a good plan. So the back started and it looks like this:

Obviously nowhere near deep enough yet, but there were a couple of little dents on the wall which I thought I needed to smooth over rather than replicate it all the way down. But its about the right size and all.

Note that in that picture, the neck is fully supported by the neck pocket, it isn't resting on anything, yay!

Then I did the pickups. They are good (and found the hole I drilled through when it was two planks of wood. Not quite where it should have been as I changed my mind about the pickups, but close enough. They are the right depth now, the pickups don't fit the bottom bit as the edges are too rounded as the bearing is too big, so they need to be done with something else. And smoothed, but the main work is done.

I did the neck pocket. I did it with the template just so the router was supported, and after measuring it and making a note that the router had to be less than 2cm so I could do the last bit carefully, I set the router to 2cm and routed it. I don't know why I did that as I checked several times. Anyway, it fits, but I haven't given myself much room for manoeuvre with the neck angle. And it occurred to me I wasn't sure what to do about the neck angle. If I stick a ruler along the neck the line ends up about 4cm above the bridge, so that would probably be ok, but obviously when the neck angle changes as the neck is bent by the strings, it would take that angle down, and I am not sure how you calculate that.

The pickups can go right into the body if necessary.

 

 

[SpondonBassed]

7 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

And it occurred to me I wasn't sure what to do about the neck angle. If I stick a ruler along the neck the line ends up about 4cm above the bridge, so that would probably be ok, but obviously when the neck angle changes as the neck is bent by the strings, it would take that angle down, and I am not sure how you calculate that.

It's a very good question.

I have put a crude shim in my kit build to raise the neck from the body.  This allows a better range of saddle height adjustment at the bridge.  What I really need to do is alter the plane angle of the neck pocket floor and remove the shim.

The instrument plays and sounds okay as it is.  My natural inertia stops me from modifying it because I have not yet got my head around how I'm going to do it accurately enough.

I also have the idea that I could leave the neck pocket as is.  I was lucky with my kit in that the neck and pocket came with a really good fit.  I imagine that, like me, you would be reluctant to risk cocking that up.

In that case a change of bridge height would work.  This could be done by making a rebate for the bridge, similar to how high mass bridges are installed.

One day I might be in the right frame of mind to tackle the issue.

For the most part, I want to spend more of my bass life practising than building.  The kit is a potential test bed for some control tweaks somewhere down the line and that might be the time to refine the neck/bridge relationship.

[SH73]

Wood morning @Woodinblack

Very impressive to build a bass from scratch. Something I have yet to attempt.

Where did you purchase the timber from?

[Woodinblack]

16 minutes ago, SH73 said:

Where did you purchase the timber from?

eBay - if you search for guitar body blank (or bass) there are quite a few on there. I looked round to get one as this is actually quite long because of the horn.

If I didn't get it from there I do have a local wood merchant but for my first I wanted some bits that were already level.

It was £30.

[SpondonBassed]

41 minutes ago, SH73 said:

Wood morning @Woodinblack

Very impressive to build a bass from scratch. Something I have yet to attempt.

Where did you purchase the timber from?

 

21 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

eBay - if you search for guitar body blank (or bass) there are quite a few on there. I looked round to get one as this is actually quite long because of the horn.

If I didn't get it from there I do have a local wood merchant but for my first I wanted some bits that were already level.

It was £30.

Kits and pre-shaped parts are a great place to start if you want a truly unique instrument.  You'll get you a deeper understanding of your instrument.  You will also get an idea of whether you want to progress onto a scratch build.

It often comes down to you owning or having access to a thicknesser as to whether it is feasible to make a scratch built body.  I think most good timber merchants will supply to a specified and uniform thickness however.

Then it comes down to making (or sourcing) templates that will guide a router.

After that, hand carving is always an option.

I've yet to attempt a scratch build.  I probably wont do it.  I have to prioritise and playing better is higher up on my shortlist than gear acquisition or building.

Edited May 11, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, SH73 said:

Wood morning

I missed that first time 'round.

Excellent.

[Woodinblack]

32 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

Kits and pre-shaped parts are a great place to start if you want a truly unique instrument. 

I would agree that kits and pre-shaped parts are a great place to start, and if you started there you would already be ahead of me before you had even lifted a finger. I would disagree that it is somewhere to start if you want a truly unique instrument. I am doing the fireman because i wanted a truly unique instrument that didn't exist. If I wanted a P or a J (or even an explorer or rick style), I could have just bought a body for it and not do what I had done so far.

And that would have been a lot easier, but I wouldn't have had the fun that I have had until now!

[SpondonBassed]

1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

I would disagree that it is somewhere to start if you want a truly unique instrument

Fair enough.

I said that because a lot of an instrument's character comes from how it is put together.  Folk make sharp distinctions between the big F's products based on who puts them together for example.  American, Mexican, licenced to another brand name, they all look the same (to general onlookers) but their owners will quickly tell you what's different.

Assembling at home adds uniqueness for someone like myself who will probably not invest in making from scratch.

But I do take your point about scratch building being truly unique.  It's a LOT less worser than buying parts off the shelf.

[Woodinblack]

Agreed in that it will be unique to you, and certainly worth doing and you will know it’s different.

But as you say, there is a difference between an American, Mexican and Chinese fender P bass, but from the outside, they are just variations of a p bass at different price points, they all look the same and the variation people see is what colour it is.

There is however a satisfaction in just building something, as it is less common that it used to be so I would always recommend it

[Norris]

On 11/05/2018 at 08:12, SpondonBassed said:

It often comes down to you owning or having access to a thicknesser as to whether it is feasible to make a scratch built body.  I think most good timber merchants will supply to a specified and uniform thickness however.

In the olden days it was possible to do things with hand tools - and still is You can plane wood to thickness using a number 5 jack plane, a good straight edge and a pencil. It takes a bit longer but can get just as good results, especially if you make yourself a sanding table by gluing 6 sheets of 120 grit to a sheet of mdf

[SpondonBassed]

4 hours ago, Norris said:

In the olden days it was possible to do things with hand tools - and still is You can plane wood to thickness using a number 5 jack plane, a good straight edge and a pencil. It takes a bit longer but can get just as good results, especially if you make yourself a sanding table by gluing 6 sheets of 120 grit to a sheet of mdf

That was before instant gratification became a marketable commodity.

You are right none the less.

[Rikki_Sixx]

On 12/05/2018 at 09:24, Norris said:

In the olden days it was possible to do things with hand tools - and still is  

And it’s so much more satisfying when you’ve done it by hand - even if it takes longer or isn’t quite perfect!

[Woodinblack]

I completed the most important part of my build this week, which will help everything else:

Yep, a shed, now I can do stuff that isn't outside!

But having been busy all week and last weekend it has been slow progress. Never mind, I have next week off.

But tonight I got a chance to do stuff, so I made a template for working out where the machineheads go on the neck, I placed and drilled the holes for the controls, in collaboration with my wife. I started work on the shaping of the arm rest bit, rounded off the corners (need to learn how not to burn the wood and chipped a few bits)

I took out more wood in the electronics hole (need more out but I am taking that one slowly), and met with the long lost hole for the cables that I drilled when it was still two pieces of wood.

Still rough in places, loads of things to correct but no major messups so far and nice to feel I am getting somewhere!

[Jimothey]

Looks like it’s coming on nicely and for a first build it’s looking a really good job!! Much better than my first attempt 

Edited May 17, 2018 by Jimothey

[Woodinblack]

I guess its normal but every single time I do anything I have the 'well next time I do this..' feeling!

[Jimothey]

29 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I guess its normal but every single time I do anything I have the 'well next time I do this..' feeling!

I’m exactly the same!! Each time I do a new one I think we’ll the last one looked ok how can I make it better?........

So is there going to be a next time??

[Woodinblack]

6 hours ago, Jimothey said:

So is there going to be a next time??

Well, I haven't any specific plans, but I am pretty sure I will do by the time I finished!

It is very enjoyable to do so it would seem unlikely that there wouldn't be.

[Woodinblack]

I took a picture of it for someone else, and it seems to work ok visually.

So I did some other stuff, I got some veneer, spent a bit of time fitting it, overnight glueing etc, and then removed the clamps to reveal:

Ok, so that didn't work and I peeled and sanded it off again!

I finished the holes, and redid the lower horn as a friend of mine pointed out the angle was wrong, even though it didn't really matter (it isn't a clone), I decided to route it out a bit more:

I bought a bit of rosewood as I decided I wanted a bit of contrast for the electronics cover. Not done that perfectly but I am pretty happy with it:

And finally, bought some Stunning Stain from Crimson Guitars in crimson red and a black concentrate so I can mix them. This is what the red looks like after a coat, so I think that is what it is going to be done in, maybe a bit darker at the edge

 

Edited May 23, 2018 by Woodinblack

[Daz39]

Looking nice so far. Do you plan on bevelling edges and other weight saving measures?

[Jabba_the_gut]

Got to be honest, I really like the natural finish much more than the red!! Very nice project this.

[Woodinblack]

18 minutes ago, Daz39 said:

Looking nice so far. Do you plan on bevelling edges and other weight saving measures?

Oh yes, all the edges will be bevelled (although not for weight). It doesn't weigh much as it is, tulipwood doesn't seem that heavy and neither is the neck.

13 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said:

Got to be honest, I really like the natural finish much more than the red!! Very nice project this.

There is a beauty to the wood, but I am not that keen on plain wood unless it is burled (although I am pretty attached to it now as I have been looking). Originally the idea was that it was going to be painted opaque but I like that grain, but still want it red. I think I want a darker red though, and I am sort of keen on the idea of a darker burst, not sure yet though.

[Woodinblack]

One thing I need, neck screws - I can get those anywhere I suppose. Those little ferrel things the screws sit in, where do they come from?

Also the little screws on the pickups, I need some of those (6 in fact), and springs and stuff. On ebay there are plenty around but they seem really expensive for what they are, like several quid for a couple of screws when you would expect to get a lot more for that sort of price.

Any idea for suppliers for those sort of things

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

I took a picture of it for someone else, and it seems to work ok visually.

So I did some other stuff, I got some veneer, spent a bit of time fitting it, overnight glueing etc, and then removed the clamps to reveal:

Ok, so that didn't work and I peeled and sanded it off again!

I finished the holes, and redid the lower horn as a friend of mine pointed out the angle was wrong, even though it didn't really matter (it isn't a clone), I decided to route it out a bit more:

I bought a bit of rosewood as I decided I wanted a bit of contrast for the electronics cover. Not done that perfectly but I am pretty happy with it:

And finally, bought some Stunning Stain from Crimson Guitars in crimson red and a black concentrate so I can mix them. This is what the red looks like after a coat, so I think that is what it is going to be done in, maybe a bit darker at the edge

 

This is looking very tasty

Ref the headstock veneer - if I get time tomorrow I'll do a quick A-Z of how I iron on veneer rather than clamp.  Great thing is that it gives pretty much instant results and you can see what you're doing.  I did a live demo of the technique at the Midlands Bass Bash.

[Norris]

If you're thinking of mixing black with red to darken it down, do try it on a test piece first. Black can be quite unforgiving. You might get better results with a very dark brown, or dark blue if you fancy dragging it slightly towards the purple patch of the spectrum