donslow Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Firstly, apologies if this is posted in the wrong section, please feel free to move as necessary. I've just acquired a 20 something year old slab of mahogany measuring approximately 535mm x 355mm x 52mm thick, I have a plan for it but not all the tools, templates or know-how so I seek help/advice from you lovely people of basschat The plan...... '51 slab body precision bass The questions..... - Does anybody know where I can get a full size template for the body shape and routing positions from as this will be my first port of call before cutting and shaping, as I'm not much of an artist and will need a shape to cut around! I'm massively lacking in tools and knowledge to do some of the jobs required, can anyone recommend someone/any companies that will be able to do a further two things for me..... - The blank is currently about 52mm thick and I'm looking to have it down to 42mm (I'm led to believe this about right thickness for a '51 slab body?!) so I need someone with a thicknesser or the ability to get it from one to the other - Secondly, I don't own and have never routed so I am in the realms of the completely unknown here, is there anybody out there that would be willing to route for the neck pocket, pickup and control plate cavities. Obviously I would be more than willing to pay for anyone's time and cover any postage costs etc! I THINK, once I have it down to the right thickness and routed, the rest is a matter of cutting, sanding, and attaching hardware in the right places which, I THINK, I should be able to do myself to a reasonable standard, Any further advice/recommendations or comments greatly appreciated and welcome Many thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Have you looked through the pinned recommended luthiers thread? There are also a few enthusiasts that post in the Builds forum. Where are you based? There may be someone local that is willing to help, although not many will have a thicknesser. 10mm is quite a bit to plane by hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Plans can be bought on eBay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 https://www.guitarandbassbuild.co.uk/collections/guitar-bass-templates/telecaster-guitar-template-2-2/ you can always sell it on after Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 (edited) On 16/06/2018 at 10:47, Geek99 said: https://www.guitarandbassbuild.co.uk/collections/guitar-bass-templates/telecaster-guitar-template-2-2/ you can always sell it on after Great option. @donslow - do bear in mind how heavy a solid mahogany body of this size is going to be, though. Edited June 17, 2018 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 Might be worth posting in the builds section. In a similar way, I built myself a bass from a block of old teak my dad had lying around for 20 odd years. I found a local cabinet maker with a planer/ thickness; once that was done I did the rest myself. As Norris said, be worth stating where you are based as there are quite a few people on here that would help you. I look forward to seeing how this goes. Cheers Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Thanks all so far for the advice, have been looking eBay and have found the templates I am after, bit pricey but nonetheless I figure it could be worth it, will have a further scour to see if I can find cheaper but at least I know they can be gotten with relative ease just trying to find someone with a thicknesser really as I have a friend who knows routing and said he'd help/show me a few things, we'll see how that pans out once I get the block to thickness I will be posting progress, however slow it MAY be in the builds section, looking forward to bursting my first build bubble, I will have an ask about for a cabinet maker or similar in regards to getting it to thickness m, I'm led to believe, it's possible some will do it for the cost of a drink or two, here's hoping not being much of an artist, are there any good ideas on how I could get a correct shape/size pickguard made up once I have the body shape sorted?! thank you all again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Oh yeah, based in Essex, work in London, travel about quite a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 If you’re ever around derby-stoke, I can give you a hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 1 hour ago, jebroad said: If you’re ever around derby-stoke, I can give you a hand That's a fantastic offer boss, not sure I'm due up that end of the world soon but will deffo bear it in mind.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 I don't know how authentic these plans are but maybe this might help or at least point you in the right direction? https://sites.google.com/site/guitarplanscollection/pdf-files/fender-ish The top two are 51 P Bass body and neck pdf's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 8 hours ago, Jimothey said: I don't know how authentic these plans are but maybe this might help or at least point you in the right direction? https://sites.google.com/site/guitarplanscollection/pdf-files/fender-ish The top two are 51 P Bass body and neck pdf's That's fantastic, looks ok to me! Thank you ever so much for that if I print this out to make a template, does anybody know to what measurements / dimensions would get me in a ball park area for correct size?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 The markings for the string ferrules should be 19mm apart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 (edited) 4 minutes ago, donslow said: That's fantastic, looks ok to me! Thank you ever so much for that if I print this out to make a template, does anybody know to what measurements / dimensions would get me in a ball park area for correct size?! No worries it should already be to the correct size, when you print it click it actual size and click poster then it will print out multiple sheets Edited June 18, 2018 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 1 hour ago, Jimothey said: No worries it should already be to the correct size, when you print it click it actual size and click poster then it will print out multiple sheets Unfortunately on a consumer-grade printer you can't guarantee that a PDF file will print at actual size. My top of the range Canon ink jet printer prints everything slightly over-size. Usually setting the output scaling factor to around 98.5% gets me a more accurately size print. I'd also want to use a bigger measurement than 19mm between ferrules to check this against. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Thanks again gents, really great help so far, will print it out to full size and see what I have, are there any possible issues with this that anyone can foresee if it isn't correct size?! Can't seem to find "proper" measurements / dimensions for these bodies anywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 See schematic below. These measurements were taken from my original '57 Precision (see pic). Spacing between ferrules is actually 20mm. I'm sure dimensions varied a bit on these early models but this should get you going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 47 minutes ago, ikay said: See schematic below. These measurements were taken from my original '57 Precision (see pic). Spacing between ferrules is actually 20mm. I'm sure dimensions varied a bit on these early models but this should get you going. That's perfect, thank you ever so much printer at work is going to be doing overtime tonight!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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