Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Ever since doing a 51 Precision parts caster build I've always fancied the idea of a single-coil semi acoustic version. I looked and looked, but Fender never really did what I wanted. Surprised, I decided to do my own. So a chat to Graham at GSPBASSES and a body and neck was ordered. Body and neck came a while back, and it's now floated to the top of the projects pile - so it's time to make it!! Here it is as arrived: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 I quite fancied a stain on this one, and black hardware. So I've been busy procuring suitable black hardware. Canvassing the Basschat massive, the opinion was "natural!" Off I trotted to fetch the Tru Oil. Instead, I found a Danish Oil with a light amber tint. Hmm. Best of both worlds. Weather is good. It's Friday. I have no more work this week. Time to slather some oil on it. First coat: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 Third coat, and ready for an overnight rest before the next round of coats are applied: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 Back inside to dry and cure off for the night - thought I'd try the bridge in position to see how it looks... yum! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 I'm not an expert. I'm very much a have-a-go amateur, and I know my skills are limited. I have to say, though. For those of you who fancy a partscaster and are worried about finishing and messy paints - Danish Oil has to be the simplest of them all. Go to B&Q and get some Liberon Danish Oil. Get a nice lint free cloth. Pour some into a plastic tub. Wet cloth with it. Rub on. Rinse and repeat, and leave for 6-12 hours ever 3 or 4 coats. That's it. No messing. No over applying. No runs or worries. Dead easy and looks flippin' great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 (edited) It’s good stuff for sure. I used some water based artist’s paint as a stain on my Telecaster and then applied coats of Danish Oil over it. I let it dry and then lightly waxed - all good. Edited July 13, 2018 by ezbass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 (edited) Looks like a really interesting build, definitely going to see how it develops 😀 Edited July 13, 2018 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 30 minutes ago, ezbass said: It’s good stuff for sure. I used some water based artist’s paint as a stain on my Telecaster and then applied coats of Danish Oil over it. I let it dry and then lightly waxed - all good. Never seen a 6 string bass with a tremelo before.....🙄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Looking forward to seeing how this project develops, I love the idea of a semi ‘51. How is the body constructed? Chambered with a top cap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 15 minutes ago, BrunoBass said: Looking forward to seeing how this project develops, I love the idea of a semi ‘51. How is the body constructed? Chambered with a top cap? Yes, it's a swamp ash routed body with a swamp ash cap. I could have gone with any wood combo, but decided that to stick with the thin line feel would require swamp ash top and back. There's two large routes either side of a block running down the middle - very much like a thin line telecaster. It is, however, quite a bit lighter than the solid 51P bass partscaster I did earlier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 @BrunoBass - Like this.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 3 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said: @BrunoBass - Like this.. Thanks, very nice. I don’t know GSP, I’ll have to look them up for a build I have in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 I'm a Tru Oil neck kinda guy - I like the silky smooth finish you can get with a nicely sanded Tru Oil finish. The neck for this build is a little bit different, but not much. It's a standard telecaster style headstock, but thinned a bit for extra weight relief (I have multiple tactics to stop neck dive including lighter headstock and tuners and a big fat bridge) Nut width is 44mm so big and wide. Here it is: And then after a couple of coats of Tru Oil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 I'll rinse and repeat tomorrow with more danish oil on the body and more tru oil on the neck. Just had a look at the body and the danish oil has dried nicely. Not sure whether to do one or two more repeats... hmm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 Small aside.. The bridge on this bass was always going to be problematic. I need heft - as I need to minimise neck dive due to lightweight body, and so a normal bent steel fender style bridge wasn't going to cut it. Similarly, I wanted black. Anyway, at the guitar show in Birmingham I went to see Grainger Guitars who sold me this rather magnificent lump of (I presume) brass which really is quite a hefty chunky thing.. It's beautifully engineered and has the right weight to it as well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 One bit of recycling in this project too.. I upgraded my ACG Finn 4 to a P-Retro recently - the old passive vol/tone/jack harness will be used in this project: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Black and amber is a great combination. Good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 8 hours ago, Bridgehouse said: I'll rinse and repeat tomorrow with more danish oil on the body and more tru oil on the neck. Just had a look at the body and the danish oil has dried nicely. Not sure whether to do one or two more repeats... hmm.. Go for 3, that’ll allow you to knock it back a little and get a nicer finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Yes I did consider a third to allow me to get a better feel to the finish.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Second round done. You have to be careful with colour matching and consistency with the tinted danish oil, but otherwise it’s going on well: It’s starting to take on that nice satin sheen naturally, so I think a third round is in order and then a good drying off before some light buffing. I’m really liking the antique/old refinish look of it - sort of “stripped and refinished in the 60s” look.. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Neck has had another coat of Tru Oil - it’s going to need a few more but I like a nice thin coat with a wet sand (oil not water) and a scuff back - makes it silky smooth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 I enjoyed doing oil finishes on mine too. I'm crap with a brush or sprayer so it suits me well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 6 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said: I enjoyed doing oil finishes on mine too. I'm crap with a brush or sprayer so it suits me well. I’ve sprayed a few. I find spraying stressful and oil finishes relaxing. Plus, the grain on this was too good to hide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 6 hours drying and 3rd coat just gone on.. Needs a dry off and then flatting down - I will use a combination of 0000 wool, wet and dry, and a very fine sanding/finishing block I have - and then a coat of polish to give it some sheen. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 33 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said: 6 hours drying and 3rd coat just gone on.. Needs a dry off and then flatting down - I will use a combination of 0000 wool, wet and dry, and a very fine sanding/finishing block I have - and then a coat of polish to give it some sheen. That's looking great!! 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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