Look what I did ! Hole content.

[hamfist]

I've been using my homemade bitsa "Jazz with a P body" for about 3 years. Its got a lovely walnut body which was never massively heavy but I have been wanting a slightly lighter bass recently as I have a back problem.

 

I toyed with getting a new body, or a new bass but I love my bass - everything is exactly as I want it.  So a few jumbo forstner drill bits were acquired and drilling began on monday. As well as the holes you see there are also a few more under the scratchplate.

 

It went surprisingly well and I produced a vast amount of walnut shavings. Finished off with a dremel and sandpaper. A quick oil and beeswax finish to the new holes and by tuesday evening I was back in business. Only a 0.2 kg saving, but it all helps and its a manageable 4.0kg now.  Personally I think it now looks awesome too !

[JohnH89]

Love the walnut . Not a huge fan of the holes , but if you love it , thats all that matters .

[Che]

Love the looks! Fantastic idea to drill different sized holes! 

[neepheid]

I came in here expecting a cover of "Doll Parts" or "Celebrity Skin"...

[madshadows]

Holy bass Batman !!  😛 

 

I bet the thing you played on it was "Hole Lotta Love" 😂

 

Seriously it looks pretty cool  

 

John 😎 

[three]

Love that - really individual. Did it change the tone at all? Got me thinking. My long scale is a bit heavy. There’s batteries and stuff in there so I’d have to be a bit careful but I love the aesthetic

[jazzyvee]

How have the holes affected the way the bass balances on a strap?

[jazzyvee]

7 minutes ago, three said:

Love that - really individual. Did it change the tone at all? Got me thinking. My long scale is a bit heavy. There’s batteries and stuff in there so I’d have to be a bit careful but I love the aesthetic

Would you really take large drill bits to your alembic?

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, jazzyvee said:

Would you really take large drill bits to your alembic?

 

 

This won't hurt a bit...

[hamfist]

53 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

 

This won't hurt a bit...

 

That is the exact same bit as my largest holes !

[hamfist]

1 hour ago, jazzyvee said:

How have the holes affected the way the bass balances on a strap?

 

Not noticeably. It already balanced really well, with not a hint of neck dive, and ultimately the weight change was fairly minimal in the end.

[hamfist]

1 hour ago, three said:

 Did it change the tone at all? 

 

Not noticeable at the moment, although I don't have my normal effects etc at home. I'll find out more definitively playing at church on sunday.

[Beedster]

That is a rather elegant solution, well done. Reminded me of Drillium, when before the arrival of composite components in the late 80's, pro cyclists used to drill out various components to save weight, most frequently the cranks. And occasionally they failed catastrophically as the result, but apparently it's a fashion that has returned courtesy of the hipster/fixie community  

 

[fretmeister]

Swap the tuners for Hipshot Ultralites and depending on the tuners you currently have you could save another half pound / 0.226kg.

[three]

1 hour ago, jazzyvee said:

Would you really take large drill bits to your alembic?

Sorry, it was a bit of a cr*p joke. I’ve done some pretty daft things over the years but even I wouldn’t take a big drill bit to an Alembic. I do genuinely admire the OP’s handiwork though

[TheGreek]

36 minutes ago, hamfist said:

 

 I'll find out more definitively playing at church on Sunday.

 

Ah, so it's a Holy Bass??

 

Sorry, but surely you expected that...

[Lfalex v1.1]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

That is a rather elegant solution, well done. Reminded me of Drillium, when before the arrival of composite components in the late 80's, pro cyclists used to drill out various components to save weight, most frequently the cranks. And occasionally they failed catastrophically as the result, but apparently it's a fashion that has returned courtesy of the hipster/fixie community  

 

Be that a Stronglight chainset?

[Maude]

Yeah I'm not sold on the aesthetics.

Looks a bit cheesey to me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooh look, a tumbleweed. 

[BlueMoon]

Interesting idea and quite unusual to leave the chambers (holes) visible. 
 

I kinda like it on this example.
 

 

 

 

[uncle psychosis]

I like the holes (great work!) but that scratchplate combined with a gold bridge makes my head hurt. One of them would have to go! 

[itu]

5 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

Be that a Stronglight chainset?

Specialites TA, but I got your joke...

[CJPJ]

That's a very gouda 🙂 although I think it definitely has a Italian influence ..... 

 

[Bunion]

7 hours ago, three said:

Sorry, it was a bit of a cr*p joke. I’ve done some pretty daft things over the years but even I wouldn’t take a big drill bit to an Alembic. I do genuinely admire the OP’s handiwork though

I can pop round and do it for you, I have no soul… 

[hamfist]

8 hours ago, TheGreek said:

 

Ah, so it's a Holy Bass??

 

Sorry, but surely you expected that...

 

Difficult to believe but I honestly didn't see it coming !  

 

8 hours ago, Beedster said:

That is a rather elegant solution, well done. Reminded me of Drillium, when before the arrival of composite components in the late 80's, pro cyclists used to drill out various components to save weight, most frequently the cranks. And occasionally they failed catastrophically as the result, but apparently it's a fashion that has returned courtesy of the hipster/fixie community  

 

 

It was the Ibanez Steve Vai superstrats that gave me the inspiration for the holes. I have never been a shredder but I admired the hole/handle on the Vai strat the moment I saw it.

 

4 hours ago, uncle psychosis said:

I like the holes (great work!) but that scratchplate combined with a gold bridge makes my head hurt. One of them would have to go! 

 

Yup, I'm vaguely with you there, but you try buying a precision scratchplate for a Jazz neck pickup ! Simply not available unless custom made (and thus lots of dosh). The blue plate was one I made up a few years ago and I simply don't dislike it enough to bother making up a new one !

[hamfist]

8 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Swap the tuners for Hipshot Ultralites and depending on the tuners you currently have you could save another half pound / 0.226kg.

 

The tuners I have on there are actually a fraction lighter than Ultralites already !   They are super cheapo ones I have had for years, but they hold tune well and are very light !