BottomEndian Posted August 5, 2010 Author Posted August 5, 2010 Latest round of alterations/re-speccing on this build (although from this point it'll be set in stone): No longer two coil-switchable humbuckers... now one of Alan's triple-coils, switchable between humbucker/triple-coil/single-coil. Still with the piezo bridge. Having grown to love the piezo on my Skelf, I've realised that two humbuckers plus piezo is just madness. Unnecessary. Overkill. So it's just one big, bad mega-pickup to do all the magnetic grunt-work, and I'll get to see more of the wood as well. Oh, and I'll only have one switch to contend with, instead of three. And I'm not going to have the Xtender key on the B-string. I've realised that I don't flick between B and A in a single setting, so I can just save a bit of wedge and retune by hand in seconds. The build's coming on now! Quote
BottomEndian Posted August 5, 2010 Author Posted August 5, 2010 Oh, and kudos to Alan for having the flexibility to accommodate these changes through the build. It's an organic process, dahling. I've edited the OP to show the changes to the original spec. Quote
eude Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='916062' date='Aug 5 2010, 03:00 PM']Oh, and kudos to Alan for having the flexibility to accommodate these changes through the build. It's an organic process, dahling. I've edited the OP to show the changes to the original spec.[/quote] Alan's a true gent and a pleasure to work with I imagine he'd be less happy about the pickup change if he'd already routed the holes for your original pickups Really like the spec though. Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted August 5, 2010 Author Posted August 5, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='916125' date='Aug 5 2010, 03:58 PM']I imagine he'd be less happy about the pickup change if he'd already routed the holes for your original pickups [/quote] Nowt wrong with a "swimming pool" rout. Big black pickguard and we're away. Nah, the pup change was partially Alan's idea anyway. He's not happy with the volume changes with coil-switching the RFB humbuckers (single -> parallel -> series = quiet -> middle -> LOUD), so he suggested either losing the switching or changing to the switchable triple-coil. The triple-coil intrigued me when I first saw it, so there wasn't much deliberation for me there. With the blendable piezo, I think I've covered all sonic territory. Besides which, I've saved a bit of money off the original spec by simplifying the electronics. Win-win. Quote
BottomEndian Posted August 7, 2010 Author Posted August 7, 2010 Alan's experimenting with the new "G-clamp" headstock style for this one. Quote
eude Posted August 7, 2010 Posted August 7, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='917665' date='Aug 7 2010, 06:44 AM'] Alan's experimenting with the new "G-clamp" headstock style for this one.[/quote] Nice Quote
eude Posted August 18, 2010 Posted August 18, 2010 Hey dude, saw the component parts of your bass on Sunday last week. It's going to be loverly Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted August 18, 2010 Author Posted August 18, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='928412' date='Aug 18 2010, 10:27 AM']Hey dude, saw the component parts of your bass on Sunday last week. It's going to be loverly [/quote] You lucky, lucky bugger! Glad to hear it. I'd love to see the body in the flesh. The pictures never quite have enough resolution to make out the grain very well. But the big question is... what were you doing down at Alan's? Do I smell a new build coming on? Anyway, just got this from Alan last night. Holy crap, it's a whole neck: Admittedly, it's not carved yet, but we're getting there. Quote
eude Posted August 18, 2010 Posted August 18, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='928420' date='Aug 18 2010, 10:36 AM']You lucky, lucky bugger! Glad to hear it. I'd love to see the body in the flesh. The pictures never quite have enough resolution to make out the grain very well. But the big question is... what were you doing down at Alan's? Do I smell a new build coming on? Anyway, just got this from Alan last night. Holy crap, it's a whole neck: Admittedly, it's not carved yet, but we're getting there. [/quote] Yeah man, it's going to be a lovely bass, the wood always looks so much better in real life though Afraid I wasn't speccing anything up, unfortunately, bit of discussion about a few exciting things for further down the line, once I've moved and got a new job..., but Alan was helping me out with my my "project" which I think you spotted in my Promethean thread a few weeks ago Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted August 18, 2010 Author Posted August 18, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='928439' date='Aug 18 2010, 10:53 AM']Alan was helping me out with my my "project" which I think you spotted in my Promethean thread a few weeks ago [/quote] Ah, the 6-string fretless? Eeeeexcellent. Quote
eude Posted August 18, 2010 Posted August 18, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='928448' date='Aug 18 2010, 11:02 AM']Ah, the 6-string fretless? Eeeeexcellent.[/quote] Indeed Alan has very generously been giving me some advice on how to finish it off properly, I built it about 14 years ago, strung it up to test it and ended up playing it for about 3 years, so it never got finished properly. I'm going to put on a nice headstock cap, a wooden scratch plate, a proper recessed control plate on the back, epoxy the raw wenge fingerboard, possibly replace the bridge with some chrome monorails if I can find them cheap enough, give the whole thing a good oiling and a proper set up. I have heard you can't polish a jobby, but I'm going to roll this one in glitter Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted August 18, 2010 Author Posted August 18, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='928455' date='Aug 18 2010, 11:10 AM']I have heard you can't polish a jobby, but I'm going to roll this one in glitter [/quote] Splendid. Build thread? Pretty please? Quote
eude Posted August 18, 2010 Posted August 18, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='928469' date='Aug 18 2010, 11:19 AM'] Splendid. Build thread? Pretty please?[/quote] Yeah man, I'll try and do something, having to borrow and beg tools for the moment though and have no proper space to work in... I'll be gluing up the headstock veneer this week, then I'll be leaving it till I get down to London beginning of September. Luckily, my Fiance has a work bench, some tool etc. and if necessary, her dah has a proper work shop full of spoke shaves, files etc. I see some horrific hand injuries in the next few months! It's a shame I didn't take photos of the process when I did the actual build years ago, pre-digital cameras though... Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 2, 2010 Author Posted September 2, 2010 Neck and body bolted together (using Alan's mysterious "custom washers" :ph34r: ): And then a few days later, all the woodwork's finished in the blazing Scottish sunshine: Next stop: finishing. Quote
eude Posted September 25, 2010 Posted September 25, 2010 How'd I miss this update? Looking incredible dude. New Bass Day soon then? Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 25, 2010 Author Posted September 25, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='967734' date='Sep 25 2010, 04:00 PM']How'd I miss this update? Looking incredible dude. New Bass Day soon then? [/quote] I'm hoping so. Alan reckoned around the end of the month, but I think he might be concentrating on some stock basses and Grafts to get ready for Bass Day in a couple of weeks. I'm in no hurry. [quote name='pantherairsoft' post='967752' date='Sep 25 2010, 04:15 PM']Real pretty. Lovely neck![/quote] Thanks! I think Alan's got the proportions just right in the neck. Just the right amount of limba vs wenge. Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 25, 2010 Author Posted September 25, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='967776' date='Sep 25 2010, 04:33 PM']I'm hoping so. Alan reckoned around the end of the month, but I think he might be concentrating on some stock basses and Grafts to get ready for Bass Day in a couple of weeks. I'm in no hurry.[/quote] And no sooner did I say that than Alan emailed me to say the bass is essentially finished. Just final setup and preamp tweaks and we're good to go! Quote
eude Posted September 25, 2010 Posted September 25, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='967956' date='Sep 25 2010, 08:37 PM']And no sooner did I say that than Alan emailed me to say the bass is essentially finished. Just final setup and preamp tweaks and we're good to go! [/quote] Awesome Awesome Awesome! Are you collecting in person? It's a lovely part of the world Annoyingly, if you were and I still lived in Edinburgh, I could've popped down to say hello, unfortunately, I live a fair bit over an hour's drive away now Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 25, 2010 Author Posted September 25, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='968040' date='Sep 25 2010, 10:53 PM']Are you collecting in person? It's a lovely part of the world [/quote] Oh, I know. I ordered in person. Alan's a lucky fella living in such a beautiful spot. Well... he assured me it was beautiful. It was actually bastarding it down when I was there, with the hills shrouded in a dense fog. But no, I can't see me getting up there any time soon, so it looks like it'll be in the hands of TNT. It's not too far for it to come anyway. The "local" TNT depot's in Carlisle, which isn't that far south of Moffat. The local driver's a good guy too, and the Carlisle depot is used to handling valuable instruments, what with Overwater being in town. Fingers crossed. Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 27, 2010 Author Posted September 27, 2010 Who wants to see more, eh? And the back... Just a little switching issue to sort out and it'll be on its way down to me. NBD, here we come. And some better shots too, once I get my hands on it. Quote
eude Posted September 27, 2010 Posted September 27, 2010 (edited) Wow! That looks incredible mate! I know it'll play and sound even better than it looks too. Alan's pulled off another blinder! You're not doing my ACG GAS any good whatsoever though. Fretless 5er, or possibly 6er in the pipeline for me, once I get a job down here in the big smoke, earn a bonus, and convince the missus... Congrats dude. Eude Edited September 28, 2010 by eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 27, 2010 Author Posted September 27, 2010 Thanks, Eude. I'm dead chuffed with the way it's turned out, and I can't wait to meet it in the flesh. Simple and understated, just like me. And I'm already starting to think about a fretted companion... We need some sort of "ACG Anonymous" organisation. Scoop would be the group leader, of course. Quote
pantherairsoft Posted September 27, 2010 Posted September 27, 2010 Lovely mate. Great bass. I had my eye on the 6 string he had up as a stock bass... That's a lot of bass for what Alan's asking. I have had a little ACG GAS recently... I should really learn to live with what I have! Quote
BottomEndian Posted September 27, 2010 Author Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='pantherairsoft' post='970055' date='Sep 27 2010, 09:22 PM']I had my eye on the 6 string he had up as a stock bass... That's a lot of bass for what Alan's asking.[/quote] The Recurve singlecut? Hell yes. If I hadn't bought the Skelf 5 from the same batch of stock basses (and with this one on the way), that 6er would have been mine. Alan's basses just do something to me. It's like they're hypnotic. BUY ME... BUY ME... PLAY ME... PLAY ME... COMMISSION ANOTHER ONE... Quote
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