Christine Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 10 hours ago, Jimothey said: After seeing @Andyjr1515 new thread its got me thinking about my single cut build I really want it to be a 5 string so here's what I'm thinking to get over the problem.......... What if I made a neck jig like @Christine has that fits into the truss rod slot and rout a 3mm ish off each side and then glue some oversized Sapele strips on then make another jig the correct nut width, rout it out then shape the sides of the neck?? 🤔 How would these Sapele strips join up to the headstock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 1 hour ago, Christine said: How would these Sapele strips join up to the headstock? I'm going to change the shape of the headstock as I think it's too small for the body and doesn't look right with the body shape, so I can stop the strips at the nut then when I glue the extra bits on the headstock they will butt into them I've made the correct width template so I've just got to make the trimming template now I'm a bit shocked on how much I messed up hopefully this will rectify it so I can carry on 🤞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 33 minutes ago, Jimothey said: I'm going to change the shape of the headstock as I think it's too small for the body and doesn't look right with the body shape, so I can stop the strips at the nut then when I glue the extra bits on the headstock they will butt into them I've made the correct width template so I've just got to make the trimming template now I'm a bit shocked on how much I messed up hopefully this will rectify it so I can carry on 🤞 I'm never shocked at how much I mess up. Disappointed, yes, but never surprised What's wrong with the headstock size? Have you checked the tuner positions and string runs? On the face of it it looks like you could get good straight runs. Have you ever seen an Ibanez SR without the tuners fitted...the headstocks look positively weird. But once the tuners are on it looks fine. If it is big enough for functional reasons, it looks fine to me personally on visuals... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 17 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: I'm never shocked at how much I mess up. Disappointed, yes, but never surprised What's wrong with the headstock size? Have you checked the tuner positions and string runs? On the face of it it looks like you could get good straight runs. Have you ever seen an Ibanez SR without the tuners fitted...the headstocks look positively weird. But once the tuners are on it looks fine. If it is big enough for functional reasons, it looks fine to me personally on visuals... It will look exactly like this as this is what I used as a template I just thought it looked a bit small but as you say when you get tuners and strings on it will probably look ok 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 4 hours ago, Jimothey said: I'm going to change the shape of the headstock as I think it's too small for the body and doesn't look right with the body shape, so I can stop the strips at the nut then when I glue the extra bits on the headstock they will butt into them I've made the correct width template so I've just got to make the trimming template now I'm a bit shocked on how much I messed up hopefully this will rectify it so I can carry on 🤞 Can you scarf joint the Sapele strips to the headstock wings to get a little more strength? Sounds like your well on top of it. Funny things guitars, so easy to mess up on, not like standard furniture where you can work it out beforehand so you don't make them at all 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 After thinking long and hard about the work that would be involved in sorting the neck out to make it a 5 string and weighing up the fact that there is lots of things that could go catastrophically wrong I've decided to keep it as a 4 string and probably will wait and build a 5 string at a later date............ I've still got to rout the edges of the neck a little bit so I can make it have a 38mm nut and a 63mm heel (as it's 43mm nut and 70mm heel at present) which will be a lot easier than trying to glue strips on etc.......... I'm going to be experimenting with the finish this week as I've got a few ideas in mind 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 Well there's no going back now!! I've resized the neck it's now officially a 4 string........ I'll start reshaping the neck tomorrow and I'm going to order the truss rod tonight then it's decision time re the fretboard?? I'm toying with the idea of staining the top either dark grey or orange but I'm just waiting for my stains to arrive so I can give it a try and see which one I prefer?? I'm leaning more towards orange but I'm a bit worried it will look a bit too much like a tiger??............... 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Here's my test piece of veneer for the different colours......... 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 3 hours ago, Jimothey said: Here's my test piece of veneer for the different colours......... 😀 That orange looks nice 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Yup, orange gets my vote too, I like the tiger look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Now that my Fenderbird build is well underway and I'm just going to do a quick refinish on my P bass (I've finally decided that it is going to go White as originally planned) my focus is turning back on to this build......... I've ordered my fret board last night its a 24 fret pre slotted Maple board which I'm going to radius to 9.5", I'm going to order my truss rod but I've just got to check what size I need I think I'm going to go for a 435mm which is the length to the start of the top horn But first job is to re-sand the neck as I've now routed the sides to the right size for a 4 string............ 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 My fretboard turned up today so it will be all systems go next week......... If you look closely its got a little bit of rippling............ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 I ordered my truss rod and fret wire last night they are turning up next week....... I've watched a few videos on YouTube but @Andyjr1515 and @Jabba_the_gutor anyone else if you have any advice or tips on best way to do the fretting as this is the first time I've attempted it I would be very grateful thanks........... 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 I suggest you grease that truss rod threads well when it arrives. It is very easy to do it before it goes inside that neck. Put some thicker good quality grease there and it will work for decades. At least the one I bought needed some greasing to work flawlessly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 5 hours ago, Jimothey said: I ordered my truss rod and fret wire last night they are turning up next week....... I've watched a few videos on YouTube but @Andyjr1515 and @Jabba_the_gutor anyone else if you have any advice or tips on best way to do the fretting as this is the first time I've attempted it I would be very grateful thanks........... 😀 As you know, any advice Andyjr1515 gives has to be treated with a certain amount of caution However, happy to outline how I personally go about it nowadays. I run a triangular file very lightly along the slots just enough to take the sharp edge off each side - not to widen the slot itself Nowadays I use a tang nipper to de-tang the ends, but that isn't essential. I cut the fretwire 3-4mm oversize. By the way, I buy coiled wire so it already has a radius on it, usually at a radius a touch tighter than the fretboard. I run a scalpel blade or similar along the slot to check it's clear of sandings and to double check that the slot is deeper than the tang across its whole length I run a tiny bead of titebond along the tang and then place the fret carefully in position in the slot, making sure that it is upright. I press the fret gently to ensure it is properly seated in the slot I then hammer firmly one side, then the other side, then the middle. This has the effect of first pushing the barbs in vertically at the sides, leaving a hump in the middle. When you hammer in the middle, the sides splay, moving the barbs sideways and locking the fret in place. I wipe any titebond squeeze-out off the fretboard with a dampened cloth. I then clamp my fretboard radius block over the fret to ensure it is fully seated and to radius while the titebond does its initial grab. I do the next fret the same way, first releasing the radius block and wiping any remaining titebond squeeze-out from the previous fret. Once the new fret is in, I then move the radius block up a fret and clamp them both. I repeat this, moving the radius block a fret at a time until all frets are in I leave overnight before cutting the fret overhangs flush with the fretboard edge using some decent long-handled fret end clippers Let me know if you need me to expand on any of the points. I may have some photos somewhere if needs be. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 I hoped that I could push this build on a bit but the truss rod I bought was faulty and the wrong fret wire was sent they sent brass instead of nickel so they both went back and I got a refund so I need to order them again from a different supplier I've been reading about flat fretboards I'm tempted to do that on this build I did read a thread on here from about 8 years ago on here and it had a mixture of pros and cons and I'm wondering if anybody has a new perspective on the subject?? If I remember correctly I think @eude was a flat fretboard convert............. 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) It’s been a very long while since I’ve even picked up this build let alone done any work on it but I’ve decided to finish this one before I build anything else!! I started re-shaping the neck today and sorted out the poor access at the dusty end frets and decided to add a bit of a cut away on top as well I’ll post pics tomorrow when I get back to work, I’m going to stain it all trans black hopefully the lighter parts of the veneer on the front and the accent lines on the back will finish lighter than the rest so it won’t look solid black 🤞 Now just got to order the truss rod and fret wire then hopefully I can push this on a bit!?! I’m toying with the idea of a flat fretboard any opinions on the pros and cons would be gratefully received............👍 Edited March 16, 2020 by Jimothey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 I’ve done the first coat of stain front and back the front has come out exactly how I hoped it would but the back is still a bit too brown so another coat on that tomorrow......😀 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 I’m going to use the individual saddles that I got off Mick but I’ve got a query about how to set them out?? I've seen them on some Dingwall basses and they’ve been slanted (E closer to the fretboard and the G furthest away) and I’ve seen them on some Harley Benton basses and they’ve been straight are they slanted because of the Multi scale fan frets or is it just an aesthetic thing? I like the look of them slanted but if you just have a conventional 34” scale then would having them slanted make it a problem to intonate properly?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 And I can’t decide on the pickup config My options are: 2 pickups straight? 1 pickup straight? And if I go with angled saddles 1 pickup angled and have the end of the fretboard mirror the angle of the saddles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 2 straight is both visually pleasing and gives you varying tone options. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 My own preference would also be the two straight but, as with @Pea Turgh , more based on tone than looks. The one angled is sort of the wrong angle tone-wise for a bass - it will make the bottom E very mellow and the G quite jangly. I'm not sure that's what you'd be ideally going for. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 That’s a point! I didn’t think of the tonal difference it will make by angling the pickup...........🙄(Doh!!) I’m leaning a bit more towards the single straight pickup slightly closer to the bridge position as most of my basses have a 2 pickup config.........🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 What would happen tone-wise if you angled the pickups the other way, so they and the end of the fretboard made a V shape? Not suggesting that you should mind, just curious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Jimothey said: I’m going to use the individual saddles that I got off Mick but I’ve got a query about how to set them out?? I've seen them on some Dingwall basses and they’ve been slanted (E closer to the fretboard and the G furthest away) and I’ve seen them on some Harley Benton basses and they’ve been straight are they slanted because of the Multi scale fan frets or is it just an aesthetic thing? I like the look of them slanted but if you just have a conventional 34” scale then would having them slanted make it a problem to intonate properly?? No (that is, yes - it would be a problem) - heavily slanted saddle-holders are absolutely a multi-scale thing. The bridge saddles have to be in the correct positions relative to the scale length (with relatively minor adjustment backward movement - usually 1mm to 4mm back from scale length for intonation ) . And therefore, whether a fixed bridge or individuals, the saddles themselves are going to need to be in the same positions. Edited March 17, 2020 by Andyjr1515 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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