Skabass build, the neverending saga... new neck finally finished

[Rich]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

what about fitting some D’addario black tapes, to keep the colour scheme 🙂

Visually a great idea, but tonally/playability a non-starter for me... I hate the feel of flats & tapes unfortunately...

1 hour ago, invertigo said:

Or DR Black Beauties if you want the roundwound tone

...but they are definitely an idea worth a look, yes!

EDIT: and the DRs are a good price at Lord Of The Strings too

Edited September 22, 2020 by Rich

[Rich]

OK, I've totally failed to wait the whole 2 weeks  I'm an impetuous git I know, but I figured 3 days early wouldn't hurt..! Last evening I wet & dried the paint until it was nice and smooth and then cut it back to a shine with a cut & polish type substance. The finish isn't brilliant, I should have used grain filler as there's grain showing through in various places and it's not a flawless mirror finish, but it was never intended to be really. It's got too many dings already to be A1, and it's going to collect more in its working life anyway, that's the whole point. I want it to get a bit roadworn. But the overall effect is just what I was after. 

The strings are just a temporary measure to get it set up and working, the DR Black Beauties are in the post from Holland as I write 😎 
I'm particularly pleased with the neck. It's the first time I've used tung oil, and the results are just wonderful. I am never going to lacquer a piece of wood again.

The pickguard worked out well. Sure it's not absolutely perfect, and it will start lifting at the edges as time goes on, but I've got spare tape if needs be. For now, the effect is great. It sits so well with the black hardware. Although I'm wondering if white knobs would work better  
The hot pickups are real beasties, and the EMG 2 band gives a great control range. it's going to sound quite brutal when it's properly set up. But again, that's absolutely fine. Smooth subtle hi-fi would have been totally wrong for its intended job.

Rothko and Frost have played a blinder with the decals too, I couldn't have asked for better. With hindsight, maybe I could have done without the silver infill on the big word. But that's just a detail. I think it looks the dog's parts.
I'm also really pleased with how my re-shaping of the headstock turned out. It now looks like it should have done all along!

So. A bit of tidying up to do here and there, and a setup of course, but it's basically done if not dusted. I've had a lot of fun with this  

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Rich

[Maude]

That looks great. 😎

I like the black knobs, but like you say, white might look good. 

 

I have a sneaky bit of black'n'white chequer on/in my 4005. I bought a new shirt for the band and the cardboard inside was a nice chequer, so I popped a bit of double-sided tape on it and slid it through the soundhole. It's just noticeable enough to be a nod to our Mod/Ska stuff. 

[Rich]

Now strung with Black Beauties, as suggested by @invertigo. I definitely think I'm going to try some white control knobs.
So pleased with how this has turned out..! Thanks to @dave_bass5 and @Maude for your help,
and to everyone who's not sick and tired of seeing the bloody thing by now  

[SpondonBassed]

You can't get sick and tired of a good thing.

[TheGreek]

I'm sure you could find a use for some of this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/141351247321?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=141351247321&targetid=938486033020&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046015&poi=&campaignid=10195651586&mkgroupid=107296210212&rlsatarget=pla-938486033020&abcId=1145987&merchantid=9497094&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsv7BRCmARIsANu-CQe2LDi3KSM05bBlGF1yv9iaFPRx0_78NbN34MTtJM2lmy1EAvWAA9IaAn5vEALw_wcB

[songofthewind]

Nice work. The headstock reshape is a winner!

[Rich]

9 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I'm sure you could find a use for some of this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/141351247321?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=141351247321&targetid=938486033020&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046015&poi=&campaignid=10195651586&mkgroupid=107296210212&rlsatarget=pla-938486033020&abcId=1145987&merchantid=9497094&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsv7BRCmARIsANu-CQe2LDi3KSM05bBlGF1yv9iaFPRx0_78NbN34MTtJM2lmy1EAvWAA9IaAn5vEALw_wcB

 

Good call, but I've still got half a mile of the reflective stuff left  

[Richard R]

If you could get white squares on the knobs it might be better than just round white knobs. If you can get square knobs that might be cool too.

But it looks very good as it is 👍

 

[Rich]

I've experimented with some cheap white Strat knobs and I reckon white is definitely the way to go. Need to find some decent ones now. The only square ones I can find are dice. 

 

[TheGreek]

Chequered tape on the bridge?

[Rich]

It's a nice idea, but I'll pass for two reasons.

1, it would have to be at the exact same angle as the pickguard. Even the slightest discrepancy would stick out like a sore thumb. This would make it tricky to fit and I haven't got the patience for that

2, I'd have to cut slots for the height adjustment screws to sit in, or they'd mangle it in seconds. I haven't got the patience for that either 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Rich

[SpondonBassed]

I have a black and white chequered strap (see my signature file photo).  I'm not selling it... I just thought I'd rub it in.  Heeheehee

I think you have it covered with the white knobs.  Anything else might risk making it look fussy.  Right now it looks smashing.

Your pick hand would cover the bridge and between the punters not seeing it and the sweat from your palm making a slimy gooey smudge when it meets the adhesive, it doesn't deliver much in the way of value.

Edited October 3, 2020 by SpondonBassed

[Andyjr1515]

Love it!

 

[Rich]

From a man of your considerable abilities, I'll take that as a definite compliment  

Edited October 4, 2020 by Rich

[hooky_lowdown]

[SpondonBassed]

8 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Nice knob(s) mister!

[Rich]

UPDATE: I've updated the control plate. It's now B/W/B pickguard material rather than metal, and I've ditched the pan pot & replaced it with a volume control and 3-way mini toggle switch for pickup selection. I'd have preferred a black switch, but couldn't find a 3-way on-on-on anywhere. I also followed hooky's suggestion and went for some white Jazz knobs, which I think are perfect. 

Edited January 20, 2021 by Rich

[Rich]

Further update:

Last night was its gig debut and it sounded great. The band love it. However, I didn't go anywhere near the bridge pickup all night and can't imagine that I'd ever need it for this sort of music... so now I'm thinking, fill the bridge hole and change the neck pup out for a split P a la Mark Hoppus... and maybe even a mudbucker right up by the neck for those fat reggae tones? 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Rich

[Si600]

MM down by the bridge, or a reverse P?

[Richard R]

8 hours ago, Rich said:

Further update:

Last night was its gig debut and it sounded great. The band love it. However, I didn't go anywhere near the bridge pickup all night and can't imagine that I'd ever need it for this sort of music... so now I'm thinking, fill the bridge hole and change the neck pup out for a split P a la Mark Hoppus... and maybe even a mudbucker right up by the neck for those fat reggae tones? 

That looks fab! Definitely has stage presence 👌 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Nice. I like that. Well done Rich 👏👏

[Rich]

On 15/08/2021 at 10:42, Rich said:

so now I'm thinking, fill the bridge hole and change the neck pup out for a split P a la Mark Hoppus... and maybe even a mudbucker right up by the neck for those fat reggae tones? 

 

 

A rummage around in the old spares box (more like a spares crate these days) has come up with a single Schaller J neck pickup, looks like the one pictured below. Huge great big polepieces like a Seymour 1/4 pounder, measures 13K on the meter. Yowch. I'm going to pop this big boy into the bass and see what it's like. If it sounds good, I won't need to go to the huge faff of putting in the split P. 

 

 

EDIT:

Old pickups hooked out, big fat Schaller installed.
Oh. My. GOD this thing is brutal. Just what it needed  

So now I’m off to the garage to rustle up a bridge pickup shaped bit of wood and some filler   

Edited August 17, 2021 by Rich

[Lfalex v1.1]

How about a white case for the neck pickup,  and put a black (disconnected) pickup in the bridge hole?

 

Not sure if it'd look good.  More of a random idea. 

[Rich]

A cool idea, but the Schaller pickup doesn't have a removable casing.