Wal Mk3 inspired build

[Chopthebass]

Neck pocket complete. On to the headstock now

[Chopthebass]

I’m replicating the plastic truss hole trim piece from ebony. I epoxied a block into the body and made a trim piece for the top. I’ll need to try rout a round bottom slot for access

[durhamboy]

Beautiful work, I like the ebony truss rod hole trim, a small thing, but very nicely done. 

[Chopthebass]

Test fitting the XLR and locking jack.

[Chopthebass]

Test fitting the preamp. Loads of room!

waiting on the audio transformer for the balanced DI output

[funkle]

Where are you getting your preamp and pickups from?

[Chopthebass]

7 hours ago, funkle said:

Where are you getting your preamp and pickups from?

Lusithand and Bass Culture

[Andyjr1515]

It's coming on very nicely

[Chopthebass]

Prepping fingerboard for fret installation 

 

 

[Chopthebass]

Matching headstock finished. I’m reluctant to cut pickup holes until I have them! Still waiting on Bass Culture. 

[Andyjr1515]

14 minutes ago, Chopthebass said:

Matching headstock finished. I’m reluctant to cut pickup holes until I have them! Still waiting on Bass Culture. 

Absolutely - never... 

 

Looking splendid.

[Andyjr1515]

19 hours ago, Chopthebass said:

Prepping fingerboard for fret installation 

IMG_9507.MOV 37.66 MB · 5 downloads  

 

Wow!

[paul_5]

19 hours ago, Chopthebass said:

Prepping fingerboard for fret installation 

 

WOW!! That grain just POPS OUT!!! that, sir, is a thing of beauty.

Edited November 21, 2022 by paul_5

[Si600]

Does it need pickup holes? You could come from the back like @Andyjr1515did with the Psillyos...

[Chopthebass]

20 minutes ago, Si600 said:

Does it need pickup holes? You could come from the back like @Andyjr1515did with the Psillyos...

You mean rear mount the pickups? I have done that, but with this build the strings will be too far to work well. 

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, Si600 said:

Does it need pickup holes? You could come from the back like @Andyjr1515did with the Psillyos...

 

1 hour ago, Chopthebass said:

You mean rear mount the pickups? I have done that, but with this build the strings will be too far to work well. 

Decent thought, @Si600 but I agree with @Chopthebass.

 

If you remember, Si, the Psilos fretboard is actually at body level - and so the strings are close to the body top:

 

That would not be the case in this build where the fretboard sits higher than the body top. 

[itu]

Are you cutting the top, and using the wood to cover pickups, then?

[Chopthebass]

4 minutes ago, itu said:

Are you cutting the top, and using the wood to cover pickups, then?

No, I thought about cutting wood covers before glueing the top on, but I’m making ebony covers. Mainly to mimic Wal as close as I can. 

[SpondonBassed]

On 20/11/2022 at 21:54, Chopthebass said:

Prepping fingerboard for fret installation 

 

 

That fretboard looks stunning.  Like it's covered in lots of little belly-buttons.

 

[Rich]

If I'm going to be picky, I'd say those aren't the neck inlays I'd have chosen. But hey, that's a bit like complaining that the road in the background of the Mona Lisa is a bit too bendy. It's a beautiful thing of, well, beauty.

[Chopthebass]

3 hours ago, Rich said:

If I'm going to be picky, I'd say those aren't the neck inlays I'd have chosen. But hey, that's a bit like complaining that the road in the background of the Mona Lisa is a bit too bendy. It's a beautiful thing of, well, beauty.

I was in two minds whether to go with a dark fingerboard. It was almost going to be ebony with simple dots. But the birdseyes were speaking to me! 

[SpondonBassed]

5 minutes ago, Chopthebass said:

But the birdseyes were speaking to me

 

I bet they were following you around the room.  Spooky.

[Chopthebass]

Some lacquering! I like to put a couple of coats on maple fingerboards before fretting. I don’t like the Fender method where it’s flooded with lacquer after frets are in! 

[durhamboy]

The birdseye in that fretboard is looking lovely with some finish. I do love a bit of birdseye.

[Chopthebass]

2 hours ago, durhamboy said:

The birdseye in that fretboard is looking lovely with some finish. I do love a bit of birdseye.

It’s my favourite fingerboard wood 👍