JPJ Build No. 2

[budget bassist]

looks nice good job

[EBS_freak]

More importantly... how does it feel? Good action? Are those the optima gold strings?

EDIT- doh! Just saw string packets!

Edited May 17, 2009 by EBS_freak

[JPJ]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='490713' date='May 17 2009, 05:52 PM']More importantly... how does it feel? Good action? Are those the optima gold strings?

EDIT- doh! Just saw string packets![/quote]

Yep Optima Golds'. The previous owner of the donor bass left a brand new set in the pocket of the gig bag and it would be just rude not to use them

As to feel, well I was really really surprised. I whacked the strings on, tuned her to concert pitch and had a little play and the action was incredibly low but rattle free, the bass sat nice on my leg with very little neck dive and she sounded nice a bright acoustically which bodes well for the amplified tone. All in all, I dont think she'll need much fettling to get her exactly how I like it.

[~tl]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='490711' date='May 17 2009, 05:51 PM']Nice cover. Just had an idea... OK, how about this...

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/305mm-x-200mm-CARBON-FIBRE-Sticker-Vinyl-A4_W0QQitemZ350198595640QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item350198595640&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/305mm-x-200mm-CARBON...93%3A1|294%3A50[/url]

or

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A4-SHEET-CARBON-FIBRE-EFFECT-SELF-ADHESIVE-VINYL_W0QQitemZ170327698984QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Crafts_StickersScraps_Decoupage_SM?hash=item170327698984&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A4-SHEET-CARBON-FIBR...93%3A1|294%3A50[/url]

Faux carbon fibre cover?! Apply that, lacquer over the top...

Looking good dude. Nice update. Short and sweet![/quote]
...or how about getting a real one made? There was this thread a while back:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32592"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32592[/url]

[rockpig]

wait until the stain hits that maple and all the figure pops out it will be stunning. here's a pic of something similar I did for a friend

[EBS_freak]

Aw no updates

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='499115' date='May 27 2009, 06:05 PM']Aw no updates [/quote]

+1

[Rogerio Rosario]

[quote name='JPJ' post='461553' date='Apr 13 2009, 09:05 PM']Build number two started with me buying this bass off Thunder Fingers here on basschat.







The spec was just too good to miss, Status Graphite Neck, OLP Tony Levin sig body, Badass V bridge, Seymour Duncan Alnico pickup, Seymour Duncan 3 band Stingray preamp, Hipshot American Classic tuners. As you will note from the shot of the back of the bass, the body isnt in great shape so I intended making a new body out of this;



A rather nice two piece swamp ash body blank and cap it with this;



rather tasty piece of quilted maple cap, all the way from the good'ol US of A

The finish will be transparent black which should look good with the black hardware. Cant decide whether to steam the maple and drop it over a front contour or whether to do a slab body, either way the intention is to do it with PRS style faux binding.

I hope to have a day in the workshop (shed ) next weekend and unlike my previous build, I intend taking progress shots of each stage of the construction to bore you lot with!

Just a little routing, sanding, a little more sanding, some sealing, sanding, staining, sanding, lacquering, sanding, lacquering, sanding, polishing and I should have bass No 5 in the stable.[/quote]



guess cannot say its a musicman , because its 50% musicman - 50% Status LOL

the body and pickups are important..but a graphite neck its also important !

when you are playing live , and someone that do not know about basses, and music stuff ,
gues when see that , it will read "status"..so will think is a Status :-)

.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='rogerio_paulo67' post='505866' date='Jun 4 2009, 09:49 PM']guess cannot say its a musicman , because its 50% musicman - 50% Status LOL

the body and pickups are important..but a graphite neck its also important !

when you are playing live , and someone that do not know about basses, and music stuff ,
gues when see that , it will read "status"..so will think is a Status :-)

.[/quote]

Err... I'm not saying anything...

[EBS_freak]

No updates

[Bernmeister]

I've been keeping my eye on this thread, its very interesting & informative.

Err no updates

[JPJ]

[quote name='Bernmeister' post='511626' date='Jun 11 2009, 09:21 PM']I've been keeping my eye on this thread, its very interesting & informative.

Err no updates [/quote]


Oh ok then.........

Well after much much much sanding, filling, sanding, staining etc. I've reached this stage.







The back and edges have been coated with ebonising lacquer (4 coats) and cut back to 1500 grit. The edges need another 4 coats minimum to completely block the porous grain of the swamp ash but still leave the grain pattern if that makes any sense. The top will have the edges air brushed with the same ebonising lacquer to soften the hard line between the black stain and the lacquer in a 'burst type effect.

The whole body will then get four coats of sanding sealer, which will be sanded out to 2000 grit before eight coats of high gloss lacquer and another sanding to 2000 grit ready for final polishing.

The reason its taken so long to reach this stage is that the top proved to be a rather crappier bit of quilt maple than I first realised and the first two stainings just looked like black rot . Both times I had to sand the body back to natural and start again. Hopefully though, you'll agree it was worth all the extra work in the long run?

Looks like we are having a quiet weekend on the home front so I should get to the sanding sealer sanded out stage this weekend and shoot the lacquer next week so that it can have time fully cure while i'm away on my holidays.

[budget bassist]

nice! looking very good!

[EBS_freak]

It's been far too long! Thanks for the update - looking great. Can't wait for the final stages...

[Marcus]

Haway Kev.....

where's the updates ?

Ya been too busy buying Amps

[JPJ]

[quote name='Marcus' post='585449' date='Aug 30 2009, 10:34 PM']Haway Kev.....

where's the updates ?

Ya been too busy buying Amps [/quote]

No mate, but I've had a few problems with getting the finish I want which has resulted in two 'sand back to bear wood' episodes on the front. If all goes well, the lacquer will start going on tomorrow and I'll get some more photos up when there is something to show.

BTW, that amp is a bit of a monster!

[Marcus]

[quote name='JPJ' post='585455' date='Aug 30 2009, 10:42 PM']No mate, but I've had a few problems with getting the finish I want which has resulted in two 'sand back to bear wood' episodes on the front. If all goes well, the lacquer will start going on tomorrow and I'll get some more photos up when there is something to show.

BTW, that amp is a bit of a monster![/quote]

I bet that one doesn't have to go to 11

[MB1]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='506048' date='Jun 5 2009, 02:23 AM']Err... I'm not saying anything...[/quote]

MB1.
...And ive been advertising for a status carbon Graphite neck for a musicman bass all this time in Items Wanted....only to have my Musicman become a Status?????.....Oh Bugger!

....Really Nice Looking build this!

[JPJ]

[quote name='Marcus' post='585773' date='Aug 31 2009, 02:29 PM']I bet that one doesn't have to go to 11 [/quote]

If it ever does, I'm sure you'll hear it lol

[JPJ]

[quote name='MB1' post='585892' date='Aug 31 2009, 05:36 PM']MB1.
...And ive been advertising for a status carbon Graphite neck for a musicman bass all this time in Items Wanted....only to have my Musicman become a Status?????.....Oh Bugger!

....Really Nice Looking build this! [/quote]

Cheers MB1,

Yep the status name is actually inside the layup and underneath the gel coat or whatever the carbon fibre eqivalent of layup is!

Well today I finished the back and sides, sanded the top back to bare wood again and restained it. Its still not 100% but I guess its as good as I'm going to get from this particular piece of maple. Tomorrow will be the first coat of cellulose lacquer and then another coat/sand back every night this week should see the body (finally) finished by next weekend. After that, it'll be a case of letting the lacquer harden before final polishing and assembly. Unfortunately, due to the problems I've had with the finish, this wont be ready for my next road trip

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='JPJ' post='586167' date='Aug 31 2009, 11:34 PM']Cheers MB1,

Yep the status name is actually inside the layup and underneath the gel coat or whatever the carbon fibre eqivalent of layup is!

Well today I finished the back and sides, sanded the top back to bare wood again and restained it. Its still not 100% but I guess its as good as I'm going to get from this particular piece of maple. Tomorrow will be the first coat of cellulose lacquer and then another coat/sand back every night this week should see the body (finally) finished by next weekend. After that, it'll be a case of letting the lacquer harden before final polishing and assembly. Unfortunately, due to the problems I've had with the finish, this wont be ready for my next road trip [/quote]

Hmm. You seem to be having problems. How come? Is the wood not taking they dye?

[JPJ]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='586242' date='Sep 1 2009, 09:00 AM']Hmm. You seem to be having problems. How come? Is the wood not taking they dye?[/quote]

The problem is the quality of the maple! It has two areas (forearm chamfer and control pots) where there is deep open pores in the maple which take the stain and then appear to look like sanding marks or freckles when the dye dries. Also, I've had a problem with the black lacquer sinking into the joint line between the maple and the swamp ash which in hindsight wouldnt have happened if I'd gone with the faux binding. I'm being such a perfectionist about the back and sides that I keep damaging the front whilst fixing the sides and then damaging the sides or the back whilst fixing the front. I think I've reached the limit of what I can sensibly achieve with my current setup, so have decided to push on and apply the finish lacquer over the course of this week.

[ezbass]

[quote name='JPJ' post='586437' date='Sep 1 2009, 12:39 PM']The problem is the quality of the maple! It has two areas (forearm chamfer and control pots) where there is deep open pores in the maple which take the stain and then appear to look like sanding marks or freckles when the dye dries.[/quote]

I don't know much about these things, but I've heard mention that manufacturers use grain filler, especially on mahogany, would that work with maple, or would it make your problem worse?

[JPJ]

[quote name='ezbass' post='586582' date='Sep 1 2009, 03:32 PM']I don't know much about these things, but I've heard mention that manufacturers use grain filler, especially on mahogany, would that work with maple, or would it make your problem worse?[/quote]

As the effect I am after is a translucent black top, the grain filler wouldn't work. I couldnt source any black filler and tried mixing my own (as recommended by the manufacturer) using 'neutral' filler but it turned out grey when dried rather than black. I used the filler to great effect on the back and sides and have ended up with a pretty passable flat surface before the lacquer goes on.

[EBS_freak]

Hi JPJ - did you ever get to finish this or did the top still give you grief?!