mrbacco Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 Hello again. Here I am again with some of my good bad ideas I would like to share with you, as I am trying to learn a few good things: Low cost P bass project, made of: - Second hand p bass body: not sure about the wood (it said natural wood - bought online from a charity shop) - Second hand P bass standard pickups (brand unknown, not tested (bought online from a charity shop) - Brand new low cost music man like contgrol plates and knobs (bought online) - Brand new low cost bass neck: maple and rosewood: head is hand made (by me, I know I am sorry, feel free to insult me!) To do: - Silver colored low cost bridge - I will sand the body (just the side facing the strings) to get rid of the wax and to give it a natural wood look - fill the holes on the same surface (not putting a pickguard) - fill the small cavity inside the blue colored circle Waddaya think? cheers! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy_r Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, mrbacco said: ... To do: - Silver colored low cost bridge - I will sand the body (just the side facing the strings) to get rid of the wax and to give it a natural wood look - fill the holes on the same surface (not putting a pickguard) - fill the small cavity inside the blue colored circle Hey there Mr Bacco, we're expecting good things here, after your previous success! Just an idea for your gap filling: if you're confident with the use of a chisel, and you have a sharp one available, it's just possible that you could shave a veneer of wood from the bottom of the pickup cavity - then after almost filling the blue circled gap with spare wood & filler, you could use the veneer for the surface, maybe even make an 'invisible mend'? Doesn't need to be perfect, but the more you can fill of that surface area, with the same colour&grain, the more it will disguise the old 'slot' as i say, just an idea - of course, you will have your own plans and that is fine 🙂 Edited October 4, 2023 by sandy_r 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 10 minutes ago, sandy_r said: Hey there Mr Bacco, we're expecting good things here, after your previous success! .... no pressure here, no pressure ... 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, sandy_r said: Just an idea for your gap filling: if you're confident with the use of a chisel, and you have a sharp one available, it's just possible that you could shave a veneer of wood from the bottom of the pickup cavity - then after almost filling the blue circled gap with spare wood & filler, you could use the veneer for the surface, maybe even make an 'invisible mend'? Doesn't need to be perfect, but the more you can fill of that surface area, with the same colour&grain, the more it will disguise the old 'slot' this is a great idea ... believe it or not, I was thinking a very similar thing: so what I am doing (picture to follow), I took a small piece of pine wood, with similar veneer, and shaved it in order to almost (as you said) filling the cavity: glued it to the border of the original cavity while leaving breathing space underneath for the cables to move freely. After that some wood filler and then a good sand to try and make it an 'invisible mend '... let's see how this is coming along ... as I said, pictures to follow ... and Sandy ... thanks for the hints! Edited October 4, 2023 by mrbacco 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy_r Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) Ahh 26 minutes ago, mrbacco said: this is a great idea ... believe it or not, I was thinking a very similar thing: so what I am doing (picture to follow), I took a small piece of pine wood, with similar veneer, and shaved it in order to almost (as you said) filling the cavity: glued it to the border of the original cavity while leaving breathing space underneath for the cables to move freely. After that some wood filler and then a good sand to try and make it an 'invisible mend '... let's see how this is coming along ... as I said, pictures to follow Oops - just noticed - i think you have the tuners mounted the wrong way round? the pegs (not the handles) should be nearest the nut Edited October 4, 2023 by sandy_r 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 29 minutes ago, sandy_r said: Oops - just noticed - i think you have the tuners mounted the wrong way round? the pegs (not the handles) should be nearest the nut damn it ... you figured ... you are good ... I mean .. you know ... it was a test, to see if you guys reallly know about bass guitars, pickups etc .. .. . . . . . ... I should shut up now ... hahahaha... I should call it rookie mistake, I guess ... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy_r Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) 29 minutes ago, mrbacco said: damn it ... you figured ... you are good ... I mean .. you know ... it was a test, to see if you guys reallly know about bass guitars, pickups etc .. .. . . . . . ... I should shut up now ... hahahaha... I should call it rookie mistake, I guess ... 🙂 ah ok - i guessed it was a test! 😉 Actually, i've just remembered that i have some Black Walnut veneer left over from renovating a vintage radio - i've finished the renovation and now have a couple of feet of 10" wide veneer - you're very welcome to have some if you think you could use it to cover the blue circled gap area (and maybe veneer the whole headstock, covering any unexpected holes?) The veneer is very light in weight, so it would be very cheap for me to send, if you wanted (I have no further use for it, so free to you). It has a thermoplastic glue backing, so it would need to be fixed with a hot iron (as in clothes, not soldering!), so may not be a suitable method for the results that you want i'm attaching a photo clip from the veneered radio surface Edited October 4, 2023 by sandy_r 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 2 hours ago, sandy_r said: ah ok - i guessed it was a test! 😉 Actually, i've just remembered that i have some Black Walnut veneer left over from renovating a vintage radio - i've finished the renovation and now have a couple of feet of 10" wide veneer - you're very welcome to have some if you think you could use it to cover the blue circled gap area (and maybe veneer the whole headstock, covering any unexpected holes?) The veneer is very light in weight, so it would be very cheap for me to send, if you wanted (I have no further use for it, so free to you). It has a thermoplastic glue backing, so it would need to be fixed with a hot iron (as in clothes, not soldering!), so may not be a suitable method for the results that you want i'm attaching a photo clip from the veneered radio surface Thanks! You are very kind ... I'm trying to keep the project very cheap ... import charges for anything outside EU would kill it... but you are very very nice ... thanks for the thought ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) I likes a rear rout no pick guard. And if you are going MM Control Plate... I'd go Cheap P pick guard, cut down minimalist to more a pickup surround to cover the P route and wire channel... and to adjoin the control plate ala Jazz... a P MM J fusion. Likes the natural wood... Reverse tuners ain't gonna kill ya... Edited October 4, 2023 by PaulThePlug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy_r Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 1 minute ago, mrbacco said: Thanks! You are very kind ... I'm trying to keep the project very cheap ... import charges for anything outside EU would kill it... but you are very very nice ... thanks for the thought ... no worries, was hoping i could help out. do customs charge for a gift of part-used material (wood)? 😨 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 No charges on gifts but you'll need to put a value on the CN23 (or CN22) as 0 is not accepted, so it needs to be 1. Customs can be very binary. 🤣 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 little bit of update on the working in progress for the body, mainly. Step 1: sanded and taken out the wax that was on, plus filled the holes of the pickguard and the bridge. Step 2: filled the gap (the one inside the blue circle on the original post) with some wood: glued to the borders and left a gap underneath to move the cables from the pickup to the controls. Sanded as well. And now it looks like the following: Which reminds me of the fact that I might need to paint the body now, as the difference between the 2 woods is quite evident. Any hints here? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 If you don’t mind me saying, the block is showing end grain so won’t match, you will find it hard to match exactly but will get closer if the grain is running the same way 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 3 minutes ago, Reggaebass said: If you don’t mind me saying, the block is showing end grain so won’t match, you will find it hard to match exactly but will get closer if the grain is running the same way 🙂 I do not mind at all sir, I think I have to redo the whole thing again! 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 3 minutes ago, mrbacco said: I do not mind at all sir, I think I have to redo the whole thing again! 🙂 It’s worth experimenting with a few different offcuts of wood before gluing to get the closest match you can 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexel Matador Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 I really like the look of the sanded back top and the still finished sides - it looks like binding - you could go dark on the top with stain or paint to emphasise that contrast 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy_r Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 +1 with Rexel Marador - i think the sanded/grain top vs laquered sides looks v cool 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) Some progress here. I have changed the filling wood with something closer to the original veneer even if there is still a shadow of difference. Then I filled the inside border of the control cavity with more wood in order to position the half moon control plate to cover all the cavity itself. I soldered the controls and it seems they are working (meaning they pick up the waves generated by the strings when moving and make a sound). I will have a new neck coming in in a few days, I will be using that one, as the nad made head I made got broken in a small place while I was sanding the body again, after the job (silly me!). Next I plan to install a silver colored bridge and then I think we are there ... almosty, but I have to find a way to conceal more the cavity of the pickups, since there is not the scratch plate, because like this they do not look sexy at all! 🙂 What should I put around the pickups to conceal a bit more the space between the wood borders and the pickups? Edited October 5, 2023 by mrbacco I need to add another stuff here 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 Something chrome/silvery round the pickups, to match the control plate? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 2 minutes ago, Richard R said: Something chrome/silvery round the pickups, to match the control plate? Yeah, I was looking to get some kind of chrome ring around the outside part of the 2 pickups if you know what I mean, something like the draw below: do you know if they exist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 5 minutes ago, Richard R said: Something chrome/silvery round the pickups, to match the control plate? That would look good, similar to the Yamaha BB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 Ah...that's where I've seen them! @rwillett made a set for my Fender Modern player which had the original pickups swapped out for Humbuckers. I don't think he can do chrome but he can do black. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwillett Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 I can do a number of colours. Chrome might be difficult but let me check. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) 20 minutes ago, TheGreek said: Ah...that's where I've seen them! @rwillett made a set for my Fender Modern player which had the original pickups swapped out for Humbuckers. I don't think he can do chrome but he can do black. 9 minutes ago, rwillett said: I can do a number of colours. Chrome might be difficult but let me check. thank you guys! 🙂 Edited October 5, 2023 by mrbacco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbacco Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 found somehting similar of what I mean on ebay, please see below! https://www.ebay.ie/itm/404236344162?norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-169407-652593-0&mkcid=2&itemid=404236344162&targetid=293946777986&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9047193&poi=&campaignid=20523633723&mkgroupid=153109855413&rlsatarget=pla-293946777986&abcId=&merchantid=119648210&gclid=CjwKCAjwvfmoBhAwEiwAG2tqzMES74-rFYvrOwJ40MbdIs9UdjBMUhSaHj3V_Xr4tlH5mpeAdCdf3xoCsCQQAvD_BwE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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