Merton Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 (edited) I have a confession. I like Jazz basses. My very first bass guitar was (is, I still own it) a Vester Jazz. I had a wonderful Status Retroactive jazz for 10 years but sold it last year after realising I prefer a medium 32” scale. Alan Cringean built me a superb Finn 5 which I modelled on a Jazz but even that went when he built me an even more superb Skelf. So I am Jazzless at the moment, save for my Vester. I’ve spent all year playing around with ideas, considered Maruszczyk, ACG, Shuker, even contemplated trying to find a Fender MIJ medium scale jazz. I was going down the ACG route with another Finn but deep down I wanted a more traditional Fender-esque shape. Then I remembered Mike Walsh and Zoot. He’s been building stunning basses for a few years and his recent Funkmeister builds have been catching my eye. Several months of emails and playing with specs later, last Thursday I went over to see Mike and we thrashed out the final spec (probably). So this is very very early days but hopefully I won’t change my mind at all now “The specs?”, I hear you ask. Yes. My Vester has a very big ballsy Jazz sound thanks to its Schaller pickups; the Status was similar thanks to its humbucking J pickups and active circuit. So I wanted similar and spent a long time considering all the woods and pickups (you’ll see...): Zoot Funkmeister 4 string, 32” with slimmed down body to suit the shorter scale Idigbo body (similar to swamp ash but cheaper as less figured), gloss black finish with matching headstock BWB scratchplate, rear mounted V/V/T controls Maple neck, ebony board with MOP blocks and white binding, 40mm nut and 16” radius Nordstrand Big Split pickups Black hardware - Hipshot Kickass bridge and ultra lite tuners And that’s about it. It’s going to be amazing. Mike is a very infectiously enthusiastic bass builder and I hope he has as much fun seeing this develop as I will Pictures will appear when progress is made but this is such an early point in the process you’ll be waiting a while Edited November 21, 2018 by Merton 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmicrain Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 It's going to be a great bass when it's finished. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Sounds cool, looking forward to seeing it take shape! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass Culture Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Excellent choice, Merton. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 40 minutes ago, Bass Culture said: Excellent choice, Merton. I should mention your kind involvement in helping me choose this too really, shouldn’t I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass Culture Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 15 hours ago, Merton said: I should mention your kind involvement in helping me choose this too really, shouldn’t I Oh, I think you were probably 80% there anyway! 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 Some pictures of wood! Basically it’s just the body blank being stuck together and one pic shows the template with the pickup positions too. Mike has done all the internal work on this as well now so all the wiring cavities and control cavity are carved 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 More pics! Mike said he needs the Nordstrand pickups in the next fortnight or so, so I’ve chased Bass Direct (I did a big order because of two other projects I’ll show off next year!) - here’s hoping they get them soon... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 You may have gathered my phone is helpfully posting the images in reverse order..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 9, 2018 Author Share Posted November 9, 2018 @Cosmicrain is flying through this - more progress shots! Body contoured and edges rolled, rear cavity finished off and the neck screw holes are done. The basic neck blank is cut and now we await the pickups to do the routing for them 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 (edited) If it wasn't for the little pin knots in that idigbo, it would be quite an attractive timber - nice even grain on it. (I realise that you're having it painted, so that matters not a jot). Edited November 9, 2018 by RichardH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 9, 2018 Author Share Posted November 9, 2018 Yup it’s not bad at all, reminds me of a cross between ash and alder. I’m sure someone with more knowledge will give me a better comparison! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmicrain Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 From Tony Strudwick's personal stock of Idigbo from the barn days. I popped round to see him at his new place in the week and purchased the rest of his Idigbo stock, and for an extra £10.00 he planned and thickness it for me (BIG RESULT) and yes, it's lovely and light in weight as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 19, 2018 Author Share Posted November 19, 2018 (edited) Well the pickups ended up being delayed again from Bass Direct so they’ve kindly refunded me and I’ve found some in Holland which are on their way over. Meanwhile Mike and I have sorted the scratch plate design and Mike’s started on the neck and fingerboard: Edited November 19, 2018 by Merton 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 Somehow missed this along the way! Nice design It's going to look great... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 37 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: Somehow missed this along the way! No idea how you missed it, it’s not like you’ve been busy fettling your own bass builds is it 🙄😜😃 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChunkyMunky Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 Oh, I'm loving this! I can't wait to see how this fine beauty turns out. Any idea on the electronics and hardware at this stage? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 10 minutes ago, ChunkyMunky said: Oh, I'm loving this! I can't wait to see how this fine beauty turns out. Any idea on the electronics and hardware at this stage? Pure and simple passive, vol/vol/tone. Hipshot Kickass bridge and (IIRC) Hipshot ultralite elephant ear tuners 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 4, 2018 Author Share Posted December 4, 2018 (edited) So Mike received the pickups from me (finally, haha!) and has finished the work routing them. He’s done a quick mock-up with the bridge and controls in place to check how it all fits... pretty perfect methinks 😎 Edited December 4, 2018 by Merton 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 5, 2018 Author Share Posted December 5, 2018 Mike’s cut the scratchplate. Here is the single ply black option, we also have a three ply bwb version to see which works best with the finished article: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmicrain Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 B/W/B scratch plate coming soon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 (edited) Here it is! As you can see Mike’s also added a stain to give an idea of how the bwb will look Edited December 10, 2018 by Merton 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChunkyMunky Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Any progress, Mr.Merton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 Nope, Mike’s been busy with family things and Christmas! I’m in no huge hurry so it’s all good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 (edited) Mike’s been productive with bits of MOP and an ebony board recently, as these pictures attest. There’s also going to be white binding round the edge of the board, which is going to look stunning given the way everything else already looks amazing Edited January 23, 2019 by Merton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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