Christine Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 For someone who has a big problem counting how many strings a bass should have you have some great idea's of shapes 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 2 hours ago, Christine said: For someone who has a big problem counting how many strings a bass should have you have some great idea's of shapes I can't really take much credit for the shapes I take inspiration from other basses and then alter them slightly This build is a kinda of mix of an Marleaux Consat and a Skjold Skjoldslayer 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Hells bells, look at mine the way to look at it is that they all are refinements of the original double cut away design. Very little is original these days 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) I can't decide on the top wood??........ My choices are....... Panga panga Which will go a lot darker like Wenge when it's oiled Or African Walnut Both will be bookmatched and I will probably keep them natural. 😀 Edited January 13, 2019 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 5 hours ago, Jimothey said: Panga panga Panga panga! Eude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Walnut 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) Something about the shape I'm thinking of using is bugging me but I don't know what it is??........ Is it the length of the bottom horn, is the angle of the bottom horn I just can't put my finger on it but something doesn't look right??............ So I had a spare hour and thought I'd have a play on inkscape and see what I come up with....... I like both shapes but I might stick with the original and I might have to do the other shape as another project....... Edited January 14, 2019 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) I've came up with another 2 designs I think I like the 3rd one best out of all of them?.... Edited January 15, 2019 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, Jimothey said: Something about the shape I'm thinking of using is bugging me but I don't know what it is??........ Is it the length of the bottom horn, is the angle of the bottom horn I just can't put my finger on it but something doesn't look right??............ So I had a spare hour and thought I'd have a play on inkscape and see what I come up with....... I like both shapes but I might stick with the original and I might have to do the other shape as another project....... Just blending these two together, how does this look? Edited January 15, 2019 by Christine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 22 minutes ago, Christine said: Just blending these two together, how does this look? That's a very good shout @Christine!! I like that!! I think I'll give it a go!! 😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 7 minutes ago, Jimothey said: That's a very good shout @Christine!! I like that!! I think I'll give it a go!! 😀 I'd be a little concerned about the lower horn not giving you enough purchase for it to balance well on the lap. Perhaps extend it a little to compensate for the big ol' headstock and 6 tuners? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 I've had a little play around with the design here's what I've come up with........ I think this shape flows a bit better because its not so angular if that makes sense? 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 @Christine I tried the shape that you suggested but it reminded me too much of the 5 string I've just done so I thought I'd try and make this project a different shape to any of my others, but saying that I always seem to gravitate towards a longer than average top horn 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 3 hours ago, Jimothey said: @Christine I tried the shape that you suggested but it reminded me too much of the 5 string I've just done so I thought I'd try and make this project a different shape to any of my others, but saying that I always seem to gravitate towards a longer than average top horn 😀 Long top horns generally mean decent balancing on the strap. I always regard the button somewhere between 12th and 13th fret as being in the Goldilocks zone. As @eude says, a long bottom horn helps if playing over the knee. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: Long top horns generally mean decent balancing on the strap. I always regard the button somewhere between 12th and 13th fret as being in the Goldilocks zone. As @eude says, a long bottom horn helps if playing over the knee. I think all of my builds (except the tele shaped bass) have the end of the top horn finish around the 12th or 13th fret but I think that was more aesthetic than ergonomic?!? 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Jimothey said: I think all of my builds (except the tele shaped bass) have the end of the top horn finish around the 12th or 13th fret but I think that was more aesthetic than ergonomic?!? 😀 To be honest, it's more about physics than aesthetics or ergonomics The interesting thing is that it is a rule of thumb that is just as relevant for 6 string electrics as it is for basses... Of course the rules can be broken, but - in general terms - at 12th fret, the body can be pretty light and/or the headstock pretty heavy and it will still sit OK on the strap. At higher than the 13th fret, then you have to be aware of the relative weights of the two ends leading to corrective action such as light tuners, strap button positioning, weight addition to the body, even! One of my basses has fishing lead shot in a chamber under the bridge - and that has a tiny headstock, light tuners AND a very heavy solid bubinga body!... Edited January 15, 2019 by Andyjr1515 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 10 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: One of my basses has fishing lead shot in a chamber under the bridge - and that has a tiny headstock, light tuners AND a very heavy solid bubinga body!... Interestingly, this has the button at the 16th fret - proportions based on the Warwick Thumb. Can't believe Thumbs ever have a neck dive tendency. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) @Christine out of interest how much do you pay for your Ash from Huws Gray? I've been quoted £31 Inc p&p for 1.2m x 180mm x 32mm from a company online I just wondered how it compared to the price you get? 😀 Edited January 16, 2019 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 7 hours ago, Jimothey said: @Christine out of interest how much do you pay for your Ash from Huws Gray? I've been quoted £31 Inc p&p for 1.2m x 180mm x 32mm from a company online I just wondered how it compared to the price you get? 😀 Ouch! I never buy home grown from Huws Gray I use Dave Hoyle in Llangernw or Timbmet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 11 minutes ago, Christine said: Ouch! I never buy home grown from Huws Gray I use Dave Hoyle in Llangernw or Timbmet For some reason I thought you got it from Huws? Is that expensive then? Because that's the cheapest I've found?........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 4 hours ago, Jimothey said: For some reason I thought you got it from Huws? Is that expensive then? Because that's the cheapest I've found?........ Very expensive, that works out at about £120 a cubic foot, similar to Teak, it should be closer to £30 a cube, try these https://www.hoylehardwoods.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 52 minutes ago, Christine said: Very expensive, that works out at about £120 a cubic foot, similar to Teak, it should be closer to £30 a cube, try these https://www.hoylehardwoods.com/ Thanks Christine they are only about 15miles away from me I'll give them a call and get a price off them 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) Unfortunately they aren't going to have any Ash till late spring all he's got apart from Oak and Sycamore is Sweet Chestnut So I might just use some Sapele that I've got and top it with something light coloured ☹️ Edited January 16, 2019 by Jimothey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 I was getting ready to order the Ash and Panga Panga but my oven has just died and it's going to cost about £700 to replace so that's scuppered my plans!! 😠 So I think the body is now going to be made out of Sapele back with Oak top as I've got them in the workshop but as I've already done that combo in a natural finish I think I'm going to try something different, I'm thinking of staining them both black and then lime the Oak so hopefully it will look kinda like this........ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 (edited) How about colour grain filling the oak? There is a book by a guy called George Frank who developed techniques for that back in Art Deco days, it's worth trying to get a library to track down a copy. He also uses techniques like charring/wire brushing and grain filling too. One I remember was wire brushed, black stained then limed and let to fully dry then light sanded before a red filler was applied which gave a background of black with red filled white grain, spectacular! Edit, this is the book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Wood-Finishing-Fine-woodworking/dp/091880406X Edited January 17, 2019 by Christine 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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