BassTool Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Nice one! Looks great 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 That looks really great well done. can’t wait to see the yellow one 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 Wiring harness and pups installed in the “Jazz Banana”, plus pickguard screwholes filled and re-drilled. I’ve run out of the more “conventional” wire colours so why not purple and orange? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 25 minutes ago, Johnny Wishbone said: Wiring harness and pups installed in the “Jazz Banana”, plus pickguard screwholes filled and re-drilled. I’ve run out of the more “conventional” wire colours so why not purple and orange? Looking good mate! 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Yes, it's looking great 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Top job 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Another one of mine: 2 piece hard ash body and Squier neck. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 Well, despite their original “dayglo” appearance the tinted necks have actually mellowed really quickly and don’t look half as bad now. The plan was to transplant the lighter maple neck from my P bitsa onto the yellow Jazz, but now I’m not so sure? 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 The neck without the blocks looks better to me as it’s a bit lighter but overall it’s looking fab👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 I'm with Reggaebass the lighter neck looks better! Add some blocks and that will look awesome!! 😁 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 Yeah, I’m leaning that way but still not sure. The lighter neck WILL be getting blocks whatever happens. Just sorting out a bad lacquer job on the headstock and adding a new decal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Yes, I think the lighter neck looks nicer, in terms of its' colour I do like the black blocks on the other neck though - goes nicely with the black pickguard, contrasts strikingly with the yellow body Perhaps the colour of that first neck is just a tad too similar in to the body of the bass? Or would it look OK by the time you've got a bridge and strings on it? Either way, I like it. As a few of us have said - you don't see enough yellow basses around 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 (edited) The tinted neck originally intended for the yellow Jazz is now on “the P Bass that started it all”. Pretty happy with how that looks. The headstock on the paler maple neck has now been sanded back and re-lacquered with a new decal. Will probably leave that overnight before giving it a tickle with some wet-and-dry just to knock it back to satin rather than the high gloss it currently is. Took the opportunity to fit a new Tusq nut as the original one was pretty crappy plastic. Once the lacquer is dry I can get the machine heads and string tree fitted and complete the yellow Jazz build. Sadly I won’t be able to get it strung and set up until payday next week as I’ve got about a tenner to last me until then! Edited August 22, 2018 by Johnny Wishbone 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Hi Johnny, Great diary of two marvellous builds. Great job really enjoyed. Well done! What lacquer did you use on the head stock? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 1 hour ago, JohnDaBass said: Hi Johnny, Great diary of two marvellous builds. Great job really enjoyed. Well done! What lacquer did you use on the head stock? Thanks mate. Obviously I'm not reinventing the wheel here, or even exhibiting much in the way of craftsmanship, but it's amazing what sort of "custom" instrument you can build for less than 200 quid these days if you're willing to put a bit of graft in. The lacquer isn't nitro or anything - just Wilko's own spray lacquer. About £4.50 a can IIRC. I don't think I'd use it on a prized instrument, but on a £30 Chinese neck it's got the job done! The key part is sealing the decals from the lacquer - it'll just eat straight into them if you're not careful. I took a bit of a punt using some spray fixative (I think it's meant for protecting pastel/charcoal drawings) that I had lying around and that worked fine. 10-15 mist coats of that, with a few seconds drying time in between, then left to dry properly for an hour or so. The lacquer went straight over that in 4-5 light coats and, as mentioned earlier, I'll knock it back with wet-and-dry tomorrow. The rest of the neck is satin finish so a gloss headstock wouldn't really work! Satin spray lacquer seems to be quite hard to get hold of for some reason, but with a bit of a rub down you can get much the same effect using gloss. On we go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Looking very good indeed. Great job(s)! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 Build has stalled due to my fickleness. The light maple neck has what I’d call a “modern” Fender headstock with a straight edge along the bottom (see first pic) which I don’t really like as much as the “vintage” headstock (second pic) with the curved bottom profile. I have therefore purchased a replacement neck with the desired headstock shape and am awaiting delivery. This may be considered an extravagance but (i) it’s a ‘custom’ build so needs to be as I want it, and (ii) I used some Amazon vouchers I was given as a leaving gift from my last job to purchase the new neck, so effectively it’s cost me nothing. I’ll maybe use the old neck on another build or perhaps sell it on. Block fret marker stickers have arrived from the US and will be applied in due course. Stand by for further developments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Good choice the vintage looks much better 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Don't worry about the "fickleness" - I think you've made great progress an a couple of basses, and you've made some alterations / adaptations as you go along So you've achieved plenty, methinks, and are perhaps due some pondering time Yes, I think the shape of the new neck looks good, and perhaps better for this project I'm sure you'll find a buyer for the neck - or as you say, perhaps you could put it on yet another body, and create a further bass? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 I'm looking for a Jazz neck to put on my P bass or my Tangocaster project What size heel has it got? And how much would you want for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jimothey said: I'm looking for a Jazz neck to put on my P bass or my Tangocaster project What size heel has it got? And how much would you want for it? I’m out at the moment but will return in due course with measurements! £20 plus postage, maybe? Edited August 30, 2018 by Johnny Wishbone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 @Jimothey Heel looks to be 63mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 Neck has arrived a week early! Got a gig tonight (the blue Jazz bitsa’s first public appearance, no less!) so I have no time left to get cracking today, sadly. I’ll get the fret marker stickers on tomorrow and hopefully also get the screw holes drilled at the heel. It’s probably sensible to await delivery of the headstock decal and get that applied, dried and lacquered before getting the tuners on. However I’m an impatient so-and-so at times so maybe I won’t! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Are you planning to remove the fretboard overhang to make the neck appear more authentic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 Just now, JohnDaBass said: Are you planning to remove the fretboard overhang to make the neck appear more authentic? Nah. I quite like it, plus it hides a slightly non-spec pickguard cutout! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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