Ten String ThunderBird (5x2 multicourse)

[dadagoboi]

I've built a number of 8 and 12 string basses, building a Tenner was always intriguing.  The stumbling blocks have been the neck and bridge.

Neck: I stumbled across 34" six string dual trussrod Ibanez and that got the juices flowing. 

Donor:

Doweled the original headstock holes and commenced the headstocectomy.

 

 

[SpondonBassed]

I'm ready to tuck into a two course meal of five string bass.

You mentioned other builds.  Have you links to those?

[dadagoboi]

2 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

I'm ready to tuck into a two course meal of five string bass.

You mentioned other builds.  Have you links to those?

 

Comin' right up! 

I've been a BassChat member for a while but haven't posted much.  I'm not aware of the rules for 'commercial users'.  But here's a link if it's OK with the mods. CURRENT CATALDO It covers a lot of builds.

Please Remove If Inappropriate.

[SpondonBassed]

9 minutes ago, dadagoboi said:

I've been a BassChat member for a while but haven't posted much

It's never too late to make amends.

Heeheehee.  As long as you aren't advertising in an area outside of the approved commercial sections, I think you will be okay.  It's the build process we like to see.  I am going to have a good look at the other site's (spits on the ground) topic that you have supplied.  Many thanks.

Oh... and welcome to Basschat.

[dadagoboi]

Extensions attached and planed flat

Waiting for the clampdown.

1/32" 3 ply veneer each side fully baked

10 and 12 string headstocks rough cut, drilled, and filled..

Tenner fretboard is Jatoba, 12er, genuine ebony

Edited September 8, 2018 by dadagoboi

[SpondonBassed]

Cool.

Take me to the bridge.  (Because no-one has ever punned upon that phrase ever before)

[dadagoboi]

20 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

Cool.

Take me to the bridge.  (Because no-one has ever punned upon that phrase ever before)

Started with a Schaller 471-8

 Functionally great, but a little overdesigned, e.g. the gronky coarse adjustment is aesthetically challenged compared to a TOM solution.  Unnecessary if the saddle carriers are properly located.

Four saddle (12 string ) prototype using pieces from my standard 4 string bridge/tailpiece and some .020 aluminium

in situ with prototo (misdrilled) tailpiece.

Then it got ugly...

more Al, more butchered bridge parts and Francis, the Talking Mule.  Essential for developing my 5s, 8s, 12s, and now, 10-15s.  Only way to find out what pickup sounds how where.  In this case ThunderBucker Fiver pups. Also helps in finding balance points and strap button locations.

Now with TrembleNO™, the aspirational whanger system. Amazing what odd bits you can find in a drawer to screw into an untapped hole in .020

Next: Bring up the Body.

 

Edited September 9, 2018 by dadagoboi

[SpondonBassed]

That's a huge inside view of your development process.  Thanks.  Multi course individually adjustable saddles must be basic to how well the bass plays above the twelfth.  Nice metalwork.

I especially like the test bed body.  I suppose you will make a newer body derived from the findings above?

PS; in the UK you'd risk an arrest for indecent behaviour if you were seen playing with your whanger in public.

Edited September 9, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[dadagoboi]

This bass is a prototype and a chance to do some minor house cleaning.  My TBird style designs are based on Peter Cook's work with John Entwistle. The ONLY FenderBird (JAE's spelling).  The Gibson original body shape was slightly modded to make it compact enough to fit in a Precision sized case when mated with a Fender neck. 

This is my workhorse, a 35 year old overarm pin router, bought used in 2010 for $700 and a 900 mile round trip to North Carolina. Pedal actuates the hydraulics that lower the pin while simultaneously raising the cutter. Safe as milk.

With it and shop made mdf templates plus some other bench and hand tools I can make consistent pickup, neck pocket, and control cavity routes with the aged 15 amp Bosch router (110 volt).

This bass doesn't get one of my scratch built bodies.  Instead I'm using a Korean made bolt on Epi body from a bass I bought mainly to get a TBird case for one of my Gibsons.  Prototypes for me are basically proof of concept before doing production templates. I'll just give this one a respray.

Wider, shallower neck pocket routed, masking tape to draw critical measurements for bridge and tailpiece. Then, semi-instant gratification before the real work begins.

Edited September 10, 2018 by dadagoboi

[SpondonBassed]

57 minutes ago, dadagoboi said:

Then, semi-instant gratification before the real work begins.

It's nice to know the pros do this as well.  That's going to be a beaut!

[dadagoboi]

5 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

It's nice to know the pros do this as well.  That's going to be a beaut!

Thanks!.  Every bass I build gets assembled at least once before it's time for finishing, even then there are surprises.

It's like I get a new bass about every six weeks or so for a tryout, then it flies away. 

Quite a few flaws need to be addressed and body has to be recontoured slightly in the heel and lower horn area.

jack mounting hole is damaged, three point bridge and scratchplate holes have to be filled, etc.

Plastruct rod, superglue, chisel for cutoff take care of small holes. Durham's RocK Hard Water Putty does the 3 point and original neck screw holes. Sheet balsa is glued into the deep part of the neck pocket and planed flat.

Neck pocket taped, poly finish block sanded to 240, spot primed, and final sanded with 320.

Standard Cataldo six bolt neck pattern drilled and counterbored for ferrules. Neck is moved into the body quite a bit more than the standard Epi neck location. Those small fills are the BACK neck screws on the stock body.

Next, NIitro.

 

 

Edited September 10, 2018 by dadagoboi

[bottomofthebarrel]

Looks good! It's also nice to see that I'm not the only one who mixes all sorts of materials, like plastic and balsa.

[dadagoboi]

20 hours ago, bottomofthebarrel said:

Looks good! It's also nice to see that I'm not the only one who mixes all sorts of materials, like plastic and balsa.

Whatever works! Yesterday's Technology Tomorrow is my creed.

"Ebonised' Jatoba. Thoroughly clean fretboard with denatured alcohol. Carefully apply three coats of alcohol based leather dye (USA brand I use is Fiebings) about 5 minutes apart.  Let dry overnight and rub with a rough cloth to remove any excess pigment on the surface. Darken dots with Sharpie. 

3mm 'Geezer Dots' (1/8" plastruct.rod)

My spraygun setup, LVLP using $20 USD siphon guns and  1 pint screw top mason jars.  Allows for quick cleaning and no wastage of leftover lacquer.  As well as no surprises in the middle of a coat.

I use about 25 PSI at the gun maximum for most lacquer base, mid, and top coats .  Light 320 grit dry scuff sanding between paint steps only when necessary.

Two coats of pure white nitro, about 15 minutes apart.  'Flash Off' flow out solvent,  'No Blush'' additive, and slow thinner makes nitro behave when temp and humidity are this high in the swamp.  Better Living Through Chemistry!

 

 

 

 

[JPJ]

On 10/09/2018 at 15:39, dadagoboi said:

This bass is a prototype and a chance to do some minor house cleaning.  My TBird style designs are based on Peter Cook's work with John Entwistle. The ONLY FenderBird (JAE's spelling).  The Gibson original body shape was slightly modded to make it compact enough to fit in a Precision sized case when mated with a Fender neck. 

This is my workhorse, a 35 year old overarm pin router, bought used in 2010 for $700 and a 900 mile round trip to North Carolina. Pedal actuates the hydraulics that lower the pin while simultaneously raising the cutter. Safe as milk.

With it and shop made mdf templates plus some other bench and hand tools I can make consistent pickup, neck pocket, and control cavity routes with the aged 15 amp Bosch router (110 volt).

This bass doesn't get one of my scratch built bodies.  Instead I'm using a Korean made bolt on Epi body from a bass I bought mainly to get a TBird case for one of my Gibsons.  Prototypes for me are basically proof of concept before doing production templates. I'll just give this one a respray.

Wider, shallower neck pocket routed, masking tape to draw critical measurements for bridge and tailpiece. Then, semi-instant gratification before the real work begins.

Sweet Jesus Mary & Joseph, that there is the bass I didn’t know I needed until now 😮😜😜

[dadagoboi]

Polaris White, '60s Gibson custom color: pure white nitro lacquer plus yellow and burnt sienna pigment.

One coat Polaris White and two double coats Mohawk Piano Lacquer clear.

Polaris White '64 Thunderbird, refinned about 8 years ago in the background.

 

 

Edited September 12, 2018 by dadagoboi

[dadagoboi]

Metal Work 101, prototype to production.

Steve Soar of ThunderBucker Ranch who makes most of the pickups I use is also collaborates on my bridges and tail pieces.

Clockwise from bottom left: Prototo tailpiece from aluminium stock, ThunderBucker supplied nickel silver blank, drilled and polished, NS bridge channel with .020 AL insert.

Assembly begins.

[bottomofthebarrel]

Very pretty!

[AndyTravis]

No way.

 Thunderous Bird!

[dadagoboi]

Headstock logo plate is made from self stick acoustic guitar scratch plate material.  Leaving a cutout makes it easier to access the twin truss rods and eliminates the need for screws.

Locating the bridge.  Pairs of holes seat socket head height adjusters for each saddle carrier.

Large foam block goes under each pickup. Bridge plate is held in place with two countersunk cross head screws under insert.

I misplaced the original control cavity cover. Tape over the cavity

carefully cut out a template with hobby knife, punch through original screw holes with an awl, and apply to .060 plastic

etc.

Edited September 14, 2018 by dadagoboi

[SpondonBassed]

3 hours ago, dadagoboi said:

Locating the bridge.  Pairs of holes seat socket head height adjusters for each saddle carrier.

That's answered the question on how intonation is set.  Previously it looked as if the saddle pairs were floating in the bridge channel.

Now I can see that each saddle pair is captive with just a small range of adjustment for correct intonation of the individual strings of each pair.

[dadagoboi]

Dialing in the beast.

[Woodinblack]

Interesting and reminds me I need to finish off my 12 string thunderbird soon, or at least redo the headstock!

[dadagoboi]

58 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Interesting and reminds me I need to finish off my 12 string thunderbird soon, or at least redo the headstock!

Is there a thread or a picture you can post?

[SpondonBassed]

That's a fine looking bass.

Being a prototype, what would you change about it if you thought it worth making a production run?  I'm wondering, in particular, how it balances on the strap.

Edited September 16, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[Woodinblack]

11 hours ago, dadagoboi said:

Is there a thread or a picture you can post?

Oh this is nothing like yours, yours are a work of art, this is what I picked up from ebay for £50:

 

which I have to redo the headstock for because:

Umm.. thats not going to work!

But the previous owner I bought it from at least replaced the machineheads with more decent ones. Still in the wrong place though!