51 slab build

[kodiakblair]

Few weeks back a fella over on the TB site was asking about 51 style P-basses,namely the Harley Benton PB-50 and the Squier CV. Couple of folks moaned about slab bodies and comfort then got weird when it was pointed out neither bass mentioned was a slab body.

 

Jumping to conclusions then getting weird when corrected is standard practise on TB 😁

 

Anyway I've never owned a slab body so decided to build one.Added extra was I've often wondered about the early pine body Fenders,now was my chance 👍

 

Parts list

600mm x 400mm x 47mm yellow pine blank (folks on the telecaster form all said 47mm or 1 7/8" was the norm). £54. Got shafted on VAT & delivery 😠

2 saddle bridge. Took 10 days delivered from Arkansas Musicworks,also cost just £14 inc delivery 😱

PB-50 neck from ebay.£30

Wilkinson tuners bought from here. £15

Knobs,control plate,string tree and strap buttons from Axecaster. £12

Pots,string ferrules from NW Guitars £9

Cup style Tele jack socket £4.50 Black Dog Music

Bloodstone staggered 51 style pickup from here £35.

 

Call it £175 even

[kodiakblair]

Printed out a PDF template then made one from MDF.

 

[kodiakblair]

Over to the blank. I forgot to take a photo of that. There's the remains and the mock-up after cutting.

Neck pocket cut,pickup routed out and bridge position set.

[kodiakblair]

Good time to mention what it's like working with pine.

 

The yellow pine I bought is South American and quite stable. A 47mm thick slab of it is a bandit to cut. Shaft on 1st cutter bent after 6", I was using a template bit.

Next cutter,the tip snapped 🤬 At that point I flipped the blank over and started cutting with a guided bit. The bearing sheared off so lucky I'd bought 2 🙂

 

This stopping/starting and swapping cutters played merry hell with the cut so there were gouges and lines to be sanded out. 

 

The 47mm was also a bit too thick for the length of router bits I had. After the bent shaft I was a concerned about exposing too much out of the nut.

 

Be bloody careful of the top surface, dents can happen but tear-outs are easy done. 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 2, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[kodiakblair]

Cut out the control cavity this morning  and sanded round the edges. Test assembly with neck and bridge. Happy to report I got the pickup placement right and the strings will run over the poles 😎 The control cavity is massive and with good reason.

1st. I've a few options for the pots. Original 51, varitone or a Noll preamp.

2nd. It's a damn sight easier to drill or pickup wires and bridge ground.

 

That's enough for today, I've toys to build for the wee fella across the landing.

[kodiakblair]

3 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

I like it already!

Thank you.  No scratchplate going on it and I'm thinking some form of blue wash to show the grain.

What's your feeling on blue ? Neck will be getting an Amber tint.

[Trueno]

I like this. Trans blue with the grain showing would look good. I always like honey coloured with 51 P basses... but if you're making it for yourself the world's your lobster.

[kodiakblair]

6 minutes ago, Trueno said:

I like this. Trans blue with the grain showing would look good. 

Thanks. I've just mixed some linseed and turps for a sealer coat,when it dries in I'll do some tests on the scraps.

 

BTW forgot to mention . Neck,body,pickup and bridge comes in just under 8lb 🙂 Expect knobs and machineheads will add another 1lb.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 2, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[kodiakblair]

I've did very little over the last week except play with stain. Can't believe just what a pest this can be 🙂 In the photos, the pale areas look great. In real life they look crap 😊

They were also done with water-based stain so the grain rises and you lose a good bit sanding smooth again 😞 Tried some artist inks then some light fast spirit based wood dye arrived 🙂

 

A high gloss finish would be great but after the Paisley bass there'll be no more spraying in this house 🤐 Could be tung oil or a wax.

[kodiakblair]

The job is done 😎 Started the tung oil coats very early yesterday morning and did last coat around 11.30pm. 

Gave it a buff over this afternoon then came assembly.

Still a small amount of fettling to be done, couple of touch ups to the finish and a wee bit off the saddles to tighten up the string spacing.

Comes in just shy of 10lb.

[Merton]

Very cool!