Richard R Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 1 hour ago, bass_dinger said: Future generations will perhaps laugh at my vanity. I think of it as enjoying my children's inheritance before they get their hands on it.... That is a most excellent justification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted May 28 Author Share Posted May 28 (edited) The order has been finalised. "I’m going to make the neck blank tomorrow that needs to sit for about two weeks to cure. Should be about a month" As for the price, even the request for a laminate neck didn't add to it (but carbon inserts would have done so). Normally one of his necks would be $650 but "it’s the sympathy discount". The luthier said "So, I have creative license on the accent woods for the laminates?". I said yes. Let's see what turns up! Edited May 28 by bass_dinger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 28 Share Posted May 28 Excellent. Sounds like a top guy to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted May 28 Author Share Posted May 28 9 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: Excellent. Sounds like a top guy to me... Anyone who fixes Washburn necks at a very reasonable price, and without laughing at the original workmanship, is a top guy in my book! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted May 28 Author Share Posted May 28 (edited) Two more fingerboard options, both ebony. The caramel river The puddle of mud. He tells me it is "programmed and ready to cut" on his CNC machine, so I agreed to give an answer by midday 29th May, UK time. I shall sleep on it... Edited May 28 by bass_dinger More clarity .... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodwind Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 18 hours ago, bass_dinger said: Two more fingerboard options, both ebony. The caramel river The puddle of mud. He tells me it is "programmed and ready to cut" on his CNC machine, so I agreed to give an answer by midday 29th May, UK time. I shall sleep on it... Which fingerboard wood did you go for in the end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted May 29 Author Share Posted May 29 (edited) I decided against The Wavy Hair (on the basis that I simply wanted to be able to see some whitish ebony, which shouldn't be sufficient justification for using it on a bass). I chose the Caramel River - enough figuring to be interesting, but not so much that it is a distraction. That said, any of them would have been acceptable, and if the wrong one turns up, I shan't be hugely fussed. I want to play it, not display it! The names are what I called them - I needed something descriptive to keep track of the options. Edited May 29 by bass_dinger 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodwind Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 1 hour ago, bass_dinger said: I decided against The Wavy Hair (on the basis that I simply wanted to be able to see some whitish ebony, which shouldn't be sufficient justification for using it on a bass). I chose the Caramel River - enough figuring to be interesting, but not so much that it is a distraction. That said, any of them would have been acceptable, and if the wrong one turns up, I shan't be hugely fussed. I want to play it, not display it! The names are what I called them - I needed something descriptive to keep track of the options. The caramel river looks fantastic! Excited to see the finished neck (and bass) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted May 29 Author Share Posted May 29 I am planning to do a Repair Shop-style reveal - when the final price tag is revealed, my wife and children will burst into tears... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 3 Author Share Posted June 3 I received an update this morning - I will share the comment from the luthier, and the photos, and let the images do the talking: Opposing quartersawn grain 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 (edited) Now with a truss rod. Edited June 5 by bass_dinger Now with a photo... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 (edited) Now, the fingerboard is shaped, and laid on the 5-piece neck blank. Very striking! Ooh - I just spotted the fretboard markers, so subtle that I initially missed them. Edited June 7 by bass_dinger It's a lined fingerboard 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 (edited) I don't think that the fingerboard above is made from any of the blanks that were shown to me! It may be that the colours and contrast have been enhanced by the finishing - maybe @Andyjr1515has an opinion on whether that is likely, or even possible. Or it may be that I simply don't recognise the slab of wood now that it has been shaped. However, if it is different, it is certainly prettier than what I was originally offered, and actually works better for what I wanted - fret lines hidden in the dark area, and lots of features and curls in the playing area (to act as markers for note positions). I shall be true to my word - " if the wrong one turns up, I shan't be hugely fussed." and " Let's see what turns up!" On 29/05/2024 at 16:09, bass_dinger said: That said, any of them would have been acceptable, and if the wrong one turns up, I shan't be hugely fussed. I want to play it, not display it! On 28/05/2024 at 17:15, bass_dinger said: The luthier said "So, I have creative license on the accent woods for the laminates?". I said yes. Let's see what turns up! Edit- it is indeed a different board. The luthier writes "Different board. Thought this one looks better with your top and headstock" and "The other board is cool but the black figuring doesn’t go all the way through the back of the board, so it would have changed the dark patterns after I radius the FB. This one the figure goes all the way to the back of the board" A bold move on his part, but I very much approve. Edited June 7 by bass_dinger It was indeed a different board 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 (edited) So, the board is only cut for the inserts. It doesn't yet have any markers. I prefer ebony, and the luthier is suggesting maple. Maple - A clear contrast (light on dark)? Ebony - a hidden marker (blackest of ebony on macassar Ebony, only really visible to the bassist)? Any thoughts or warnings before I commit? Edit. I decided on the maple. Edited June 8 by bass_dinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 Fretless fretboard... Unblack ebony. Unmetal frets. Unshaped neck. Uncanny. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 That's beautiful! Any luck with the saddle insert yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 (edited) 8 hours ago, LeftyJ said: That's beautiful! Am I allowed to agree with that statement, even though it is my bass? It gives me the Wavy Hair/ White Ebony effect that I originally wanted, but looks like the pattern was designed for a fretless bass. Dark on the edge that has the fret lines, wavy on the playing surface, and a black area to prove that it is ebony. 8 hours ago, LeftyJ said: Any luck with the saddle insert yet? Now that I have measured the neck pocket, the luthier is able to carry on with the neck carve. That allows me to focus on the next step, of the missing parts. The machine head screw is likely to be easy to find. That leaves the saddle insert. Four options for me. 1. Make do with the homemade saddle insert in the bridge. Cheap and easy. 2. Buy the correct new-old stock bridge from the neck luthier. Bin the existing bridge and saddles. Expensive and perfect. And frankly silly.... 3. Explore the possibility that you @LeftyJ have actually found the company that made the bridge saddle manufacturer, and approach them. If it's correct, then it's a cheaper solution, and certainly less wasteful. 4. Today, I had the neck pocket measured by a nice chap with a vernier, and access to a railway workshop. Lathes, drills, lumps of metal. If options 1 to 3 don't work, then I plan to ask if he might make a replacement saddle. Bonkers attention to detail - and perhaps over-the-top. Edited June 15 by bass_dinger I was too tired to get it right first time... or second... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 (edited) On 28/05/2024 at 17:15, bass_dinger said: "I’m going to make the neck blank tomorrow that needs to sit for about two weeks to cure. Should be about a month" One month later. The headstock veneer was not saved or reused. Instead, the luthier found a new veneer to match the body. All that remains is for the neck (but not the headstock) to be sealed with a finish; a serial number to be put on the back of the head; and for the luthier to buy a Washburn XB925 transfer and pop it in the package (for me, postage from the USA would be $16 for a $5 item). I have an update on the colour, and another on the saddle. But for now, here, the completed neck. Edited June 21 by bass_dinger 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 (edited) Hang on..... Where's the Truss Rod aperture? Edit - he has not yet opened the aperture up. Phew. Edited June 22 by bass_dinger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 On 21/06/2024 at 23:20, bass_dinger said: Where's the Truss Rod aperture? @LeftyJ the fear was real! My reaction was "if I wanted something without a truss rod, I would have got a ukulele!". Anyway, in the final straight now. Graftech nut fitted, aperture opened, neck sealed. I have been offered the original neck back - is there any reason why I would need it? It won't fit in the tube that I used to package it, once the new neck is in there. I could have the headstock cut off, to retain the serial number. I could leave it with the luthier - he has a wall dedicated to bad-quality Washburn Custom necks. Any thoughts? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodwind Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 14 minutes ago, bass_dinger said: @LeftyJ the fear was real! My reaction was "if I wanted something without a truss rod, I would have got a ukulele!". Anyway, in the final straight now. Graftech nut fitted, aperture opened, neck sealed. I have been offered the original neck back - is there any reason why I would need it? It won't fit in the tube that I used to package it, once the new neck is in there. I could have the headstock cut off, to retain the serial number. I could leave it with the luthier - he has a wall dedicated to bad-quality Washburn Custom necks. Any thoughts? Looks brilliant!! As for your old neck, I do like the idea that it lives on in a "museum". Chopping the headstock off to keep the serial number definitely has some merit though, but from a purely logistical point of view I don't think sending the whole neck back to you is worth it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 25 Author Share Posted June 25 More gratuitous photos of the neck 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 26 Author Share Posted June 26 (edited) I am liking how this build is going. Looking back, there seems to be a sense of urgency and pace to the project, which was a conscious decision on my part to let go of the detail, and allow the luthier to lead the work. I didn't expect a five piece neck, a graphtec nut, that particular fingerboard, that headstock veneer, and no serial number.... But I reckon that was less stressful for everyone involved. Far better for a luthier to work to a budget and produce an outcome, that to have me fussing about details when I have no real clue about my own requirements. I apply that same philosophy to my shirts - wife buys them and tells me what I am wearing in the morning. Edited June 27 by bass_dinger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted June 26 Share Posted June 26 That does look stunning, we look forward to seeing it attached to the body! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 28 Author Share Posted June 28 (edited) And, for completists, for @Woodwind who voted for the headstock to be returned to me, and for all people who want to see a bad neck put to the sword... The old neck, totally destroyed The new neck was posted to me this Friday evening (my time), Friday morning USA time. I await its arrival. Edited June 28 by bass_dinger The new neck has been posted to me 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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