Small Job for a Basschatter

[Andyjr1515]

Hi

Probably doesn't warrant a thread, but for anyone interested. 

A few weeks ago, @donslow contacted me to ask if I would be able to fill the existing chambers in an Ibanez body and re-rout to fit a SD Quarter Pounder P-J Set for him.   It's a fairly straightforward job - and with the added bonus that @donslow will be doing the hard bit, the stripping and finishing - so I was more than happy to lend a hand.

With @Roger2611 's veneer job back in its gig bag just waiting final polishing, I started it off today.

I had some nice lightweight mahogany offcut from the recent SG-style guitar build which is going to be ideal, so first job was to square off the corners of the old pickup chambers and also take the curved paint edges round the tops of the chambers back to a crisp 90 degree edge:

 

With some careful bandsaw and plane work, got the first block cut to size.  And a tip - before gluing these kinds of infill blocks in place, always remember to cut access for the cable runs for the new pickup to get from the new chambers to the existing runs - they may not be in the same position as the old ones!

 

Fitted and glued:

 

Then planed and sanded smooth.  @donslow is going to be spraying solid colour over the finished body so I just need to sand it down to the present finish :

 

Then the next one in:

 

Busy day tomorrow, but Friday / Saturday, this will be also planed and sanded flush and then the new chambers cut

I'll let you know how it goes.

Andy

 

 

Edited June 3, 2020 by Andyjr1515

[donslow]

Thankyou again @Andyjr1515 looking great already, looking forward to seeing it progress to completion

[Andyjr1515]

But for one detail, which actually is a good thing to flag to new modders, this might have been finished tomorrow  

More about that later, but in terms of today's progress - I had asked @donslow to send me both the bridge and the intended pickups with the body.

Why?   Well, ref the bridge - it means I can get the pickup chambers in the right place.  New pickups often aren't exactly the correct pole spacing and that is OK - but you do want them to be symmetrical ref the pole positions vs the treble and bass strings.  Having the bridge means you can draw the string runs which means you can position them correctly.

Ref having the actual pickups - three reasons.  Again, it is easier to line up the pole positions when you have the actual covers to hand.  Secondly, there is no such thing as a standard bass pickup size!  Especially Jazz pickups.  Even Fender's aren't always the same as other Fenders!  Lastly, you want the chambers to have the right radii for the corners and fixing lugs.

So having the bridge and the pickups means I can get them the right shape and in the right place:

 

For the lengthways positioning, @donslow and I had a discussion about what he wanted from the bass (PJ spacing is often different to both a P and a J).  @donslow 's preference is to go for a Precision 'sweetspot' and then really just have the bridge adding some variation when needed.

Even then, there are choices about the bridge position - most commonly the 60's or 70's J bass positions.  The 60's Jazz position is about 10mm further away from the bridge than the 70's position.  On a PJ, the 70's position can sometimes make the bridge sound tinny and weak against the boom of the P neck.  So, often, makers would use the warmer 60's position for the bridge but - to keep the space between the two pickups even, would then move the P 10mm away from the Precision position, further towards the neck.

I've gone for neither

I've gone for Precision 'sweetspot' for the neck P and moved the bridge J closer to the P, placing it halfway between the 70s and 60s position.

I don't use templates.  I start with creating the corners and lug positions and radii.  For the lugs, the centre of the circle is inset a mm or so:

 For the corners, it's a standard radius, tighter on the P than the J

So then they are drilled.  I used a 1/2" forstner bit for the lugs:

Then a 4mm bradpoint for the P corners and an 8mm bradpoint for the J corners:

 

So tomorrow, I will hog out with a Forstner bit up to the pen lines, tidy up the sides with a chisel and then use a small top bearing router bit to flatten the bottoms of the chambers.

So why won't it be finished tomorrow?

Big tip for new modders - and don't ask me how I know this: before you cut anything or drill anything - ALWAYS - look at what's on the other side.

Happily, for once, I had taken my own advice so knew that the battery box was going to clash with the proper positioning of the P pickup:

So yes - when I've sorted the pickup chambers, I have to move the battery box a few cm too

But should be all done by the end of the weekend

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Andyjr1515

[donslow]

Wow! So many things to think of that wouldn’t have even crossed my mind! 
looking really good so far!

I have sent you a PM regarding the battery box hole

Edited June 5, 2020 by donslow

[Andyjr1515]

Excellent!  Battery box will not be used, so @donslow will just refit the box as a faux cover.  This should be finished tomorrow, then 

 

[PaulThePlug]

Real Nice...

I like the Ibanez SR body... and Neck...

And the P Bass style pickup...

Did you give any consideration in swapping the P High Low side like on some other Ibbys and P types? - more room for the J...

Mine... Would just have a Passive P and V 'n T contols, and got the other pot holes filled...

Can't wait to see it finished.

Got the GSR200, PJ... Prefer the shape and neck to the Squire Infinity... and couldnt stretch to the SR300...

Wish they did the GSR100 here, with the single passive P

I likes simple.

Edited June 5, 2020 by PaulThePlug

[Andyjr1515]

27 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

Did you give any consideration in swapping the P High Low side like on some other Ibbys and P types? - more room for the J...

Yes - there is something very pleasing about Ibanez basses

I did a reverse P a few years ago for PaulS and it worked out well. 

With this one @donslow was keen to try as best as we could to retain the classic Precision vibe and so I've stuck with the 60s Fender Precision positions.  

I'm quite happy with the mid point between the 60s and 70s for the J.  I think it will give a good balanced but usable variation in sound when @donslow needs it.

[PaulThePlug]

If passive how are you wiring?

Vol / Blend / Tone?

250k AT / 500k MN / 250k Lin No Load?

(Been reading on here, Bourns Site and Farnell Catalogue - Thinking of outing the PHAT 2...)

[Andyjr1515]

I'm just doing the fill and routs.  But I'm hoping @donslow will post the result when it's done

[Geek99]

5 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

I'm just doing the fill and routs.  But I'm hoping @donslow will post the result when it's done

It’s time for bed .... 🛌 @Andyjr1515

Swap the router for Horlicks, put your pots of coloured sanding dust back in their catalogued, contour foam shielded racking and bid them Good Night. 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Geek99

[donslow]

8 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

If passive how are you wiring?

Vol / Blend / Tone?

250k AT / 500k MN / 250k Lin No Load?

(Been reading on here, Bourns Site and Farnell Catalogue - Thinking of outing the PHAT 2...)

I had considered plugging the holes and doing just that, I had a chat with @KiOgon in regards to looms and he suggested

”I suggest a 2 volume and 2 tone setup with 0.1uF on the P pup and .047uF on the J, gives you a wide spread of tones and versatile blending”

so I got him busy on making that, as luck would have it, had “a drawer full” of alpha mini pots which also saves me having to drill the holes to a bigger size

so as it stands, neck is painted, wiring loom is on its way, @Andyjr1515 is sorting the body for me, the paint is standing by for the body when I get it back!

will definately post Finished results when it’s all ready to go again

I’m going to use the existing hardware for now but considering a change to either black or gold (neck is and body will be black)
 

I’ve found someone that makes foil stick on headstock decals/badges so a direct replacement to what was on there, if I go gold hardware, the decal will match, any other colour will either be matte silver or “chromed silver”, again, undecided currently...

[Andyjr1515]

I am a bit unconventional when it comes to pickup chambers:

- I hate templates...I never get them in the right place; they move and shift and rock

- I hate routers...they are of the devil

So what I do - and, as usual, I am not saying this is how they should be done - is:

- create the corners and lug slots using the appropriately sized drills (earlier post)

- hog out with a Forstner bit

- chisel to the outline

- and then, and only then, I might use a now fully captive bearing bit on a router to level the bottom to final depth.  But only if it is really necessary.  In this event, I know the router bit can't go anywhere.  I know it can't do any damage.  

So here starts the hog:

 

Then a sharp chisel and wooden mallet to take it to the pen line and remove the wave peaks left by the Forstner.

And here it is.  Based on the chamber depths, I don't think I need to rout the bottoms.  Which suits me fine

 

So final job is that I realised that I am going to have to pop a block in the battery compartment anyway for the pickup screw to screw into.  So I've suggested to @donslow that I may as well put in a full block and sand it flush so he doesn't have to create the faux compartment.  So that's what I'll do this afternoon.

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by Andyjr1515

[Andyjr1515]

And battery chamber plug is cut carved and gluing.  Tomorrow, I'll plane and sand it flush and then it's all ready to be shipped back to @donslow

[donslow]

Looks amazing @Andyjr1515,  can’t thank you enough for the sterling work

[Si600]

Why didn't you square the battery recess like you did the pickups?

[Andyjr1515]

35 minutes ago, Si600 said:

Why didn't you square the battery recess like you did the pickups?

Decent question

With the larger radius, there is more to chisel away and get out of line on the body whereas on the plug, with the same larger radius, counter-intuitively it is easier to round off accurately than with a small radius  So I thought it would be a neater solution. 

It's probably fairly irrelevant anyway as it will be filled and solid painted over  

[Andyjr1515]

And all done, packed up ready to return

Here was the final result:

 

So, to a few household tasks, and then on to the guitar bouzouki. 

 

And to preempt your question - I've got no idea  

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

So, to a few household tasks, and then on to the guitar bouzouki. 

?

[ezbass]

Now we can look forward to a continuation thread from @donslow.

 

Look at  me being Mr Passive/Aggresive. Certainly not my intention - just hopeful.

Edited June 7, 2020 by ezbass

[donslow]

1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

And all done, packed up ready to return

Here was the final result:

 

So, to a few household tasks, and then on to the guitar bouzouki. 

 

And to preempt your question - I've got no idea  

Looks amazing! Thankyou again @Andyjr1515

[donslow]

4 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Now we can look forward to a continuation thread from @donslow.

 

Look at  me being Mr Passive/Aggresive. Certainly not my intention - just hopeful.

Ha ha I’ve got two basses and (whispers) a Stratocaster?!?!? Build on the go at the minute so will be adding to the build diaries with two topics when they’re all done...