Just bought my first wood!

[Thunderpaws]

Hello everyone. I'm a newby here so I'll probably talk a lot of nonsensical nonsense. Excuse me in advance.

Just ordered some Rock Maple (for my neck), some Rosewood (for my fingerboard), a trussrod (for the weather) and a bone nut. Got it from David Dyke. What a really nice man, though he was speaking through half chewed cereal bars for the first minute or so!

Anyway, I'm about to start making my FIRST EVER bass. It's going to be based loosely on a Precision. My first bass was a P Bass copy, made by Vester if I'm not mistaken. Always thought I could make a better one as it's finishing was terrible. So here we go. I have access to a pretty well stocked work-shop, as I'm a Design and Technology teacher. I have Ok woodworking skills, though the thought of messing up the wood I have bought for the neck is pretty scary.

Any tips for me? Especially cutting the fret slots....any good ideas for that would be most welcome. I'm hoping I end up with a 34 inch scale.

Now I know scale is the distance from the nut to the bridge. I also know that the nut is fixed, which is good. I also know the bridge can be adjusted for intonation, so where should I be positioning the bridge? Is it as simple as putting it right in the middle of the adjustment range at 34 inches from the nut?

Right, time to go look for inspiration.

Cheers,

Thunder

www.myspace.com/sunjunkiesmusic

[Al Heeley]

excellent! First thing to do is go on Amazon and buy Melvyn Hiscox book "Build your own guitar".
Essential read for anyone wanting to embark on this addictive hobby. It will help save loads of mistakes that a lot of people make first time and take you step by step through the build of 3 different guitars.

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='750138' date='Feb 18 2010, 08:12 PM']excellent! First thing to do is go on Amazon and buy Melvyn Hiscox book "Build your own guitar".
Essential read for anyone wanting to embark on this addictive hobby. It will help save loads of mistakes that a lot of people make first time and take you step by step through the build of 3 different guitars.[/quote]


Hello Al,

thanks for the tip....I already have the book. Some of it is a little confusing for me though, though there are some excellent tips. I got all confused at the truss rod bit, but after talking to David at David Dyke he recommended his truss rod that comes in an aluminium U section and tightens on its self. so all i need to do is route a straight channel. Hope it's that easy.

Any tips on the best saw to get for cutting fret slots,and how to build a good jig?

All the best,

g

[Mikey R]

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='750170' date='Feb 18 2010, 08:38 PM']Hello Al,

thanks for the tip....I already have the book. Some of it is a little confusing for me though, though there are some excellent tips. I got all confused at the truss rod bit, but after talking to David at David Dyke he recommended his truss rod that comes in an aluminium U section and tightens on its self. so all i need to do is route a straight channel. Hope it's that easy.

Any tips on the best saw to get for cutting fret slots,and how to build a good jig?

All the best,

g[/quote]

Hi Thunderpaws - I agree with Al, read all you can about the subject. I dont own that particular book, Ive got [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guitarmaking-Tradition-Technology-Construction-Steel-string/dp/0811806405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266534234&sr=8-1"]this one[/url] as I was thinking of building an acoustic and eded up building a solid body, but the principles are the same. Theres also tonnes of stuff you can find online.

Dave is a top bloke, Ive bought from him several times and he's even recommended alternative suppliers even when he's got what Im after in stock but is a bit busy to get me the stuff that week. Highly recommended!

[Al Heeley]

+1 for David Dyke, used those truss rods in a few builds. For fret slot cutting i use a Gents Saw and a thick steel edge.
[url="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:c7cbtpJGA1n4HM:http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/317P8W2TJSL._SL500_AA280_.jpg"]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:c7cbtpJ...L500_AA280_.jpg[/url]
Go slow and careful, make sure its all lined up straight.

[Mikey R]

you could even buy the board pre slotted. Dave does this for around £10 i believe.

Edited February 19, 2010 by Mikey R

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='Mikey R' post='750501' date='Feb 19 2010, 08:12 AM']you could even buy the board pre slotted. Dave does this for around £10 i believe.[/quote]


Well, here we go! Just received my neck blank, fingerboard blank, nut and truss rod. £72 all in. More than I though tit would be, but never mind.

so, I'm about to mark out the neck profile on my blank, then tomorrow I'll make a template for marking out the fret positions. Was just going to use a sheet of tinplate and use a hacksaw to mark the positions for the frets. Then use this to start my cut on the fingerboard.

Unless anyone has a better idea for making template, that is how I'm going to do it. Hope I don't mess up my timber!!

Well get photo's up soon.

g

[Pkomor]

Great! I built my first bass last year as a design technology studant last year, it turned out pretty well!

I found that the biggest help for me was the build diary of [url="http://www.crimsonguitars.com/workshop-diary"]Crimson Guitars[/url]

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='Pkomor' post='763430' date='Mar 3 2010, 10:12 PM']Great! I built my first bass last year as a design technology studant last year, it turned out pretty well!

I found that the biggest help for me was the build diary of [url="http://www.crimsonguitars.com/workshop-diary"]Crimson Guitars[/url][/quote]


Cheers for the link...will check it out in a minute or two.

Today I routed the channel in my neck blank for the truss rod. Had to buy a new router bit as the one I had was close but no cigar. I am using the U channel two way from David Dyke and it's bang on 10mm.

Tomorrow my saw will arrive and I'll cut the frets and nut slot.

Any ideas for radiusing the finger board....I have access to a belt sander.

g

[henry norton]

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='769679' date='Mar 9 2010, 09:28 PM']Cheers for the link...will check it out in a minute or two.

Today I routed the channel in my neck blank for the truss rod. Had to buy a new router bit as the one I had was close but no cigar. I am using the U channel two way from David Dyke and it's bang on 10mm.

Tomorrow my saw will arrive and I'll cut the frets and nut slot.

Any ideas for radiusing the finger board....I have access to a belt sander.

g[/quote]
Whoahh!!! Steady with the belt sander there. If you have a sharp plane then you can get the board pretty close to perfect using that, then use a bit of straight, flat wood a couple of feet long with sandpaper glued or double sided to it to finish it off. You can make a profile template out of card so you can check your progress. You can actually buy a profile block from places like Stewart Macdonald [url="http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Leveling/Fretboard_Radius-sanding_Blocks/8_Wooden_Radius-sanding_Blocks.html"]stewmac[/url] which'll do the whole board in one go, but you don't [i]need[/i] one. If you're super confident on the belt sander then go for it, but they can take allot of material away very quickly so approach with caution

Good luck mate!

[Mikey R]

We need pictures!

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='Mikey R' post='770693' date='Mar 10 2010, 05:52 PM']We need pictures! [/quote]


Pictures you have...lol. Here are my first pictures.

The router bit I am using for the channel...[attachment=44740:IMG_7291.JPG]

Router set up for routing the channel...[attachment=44741:IMG_7283.JPG]

Truss Rod channel routed...[attachment=44742:IMG_7280.JPG]

Scrap clamped to side of neck blank to stop breakthrough when drilling the hole for the adjustment nut...[attachment=44743:IMG_7285.JPG]

Truss rod in place...[attachment=44743:IMG_7285.JPG]

So, that's that then, and it all went quite well. There is a slight widening in the truss rod channel at one end but all in all it fits pretty tightly. Now I need to make a wee filler strip the length of the channel, put it in the channel, then plane it/sand it flush.


AAARGGGG...the Fretboard is next. Should I cut the fret slots perpendicular to the edge, or do what it says in the book and cut them using a sliding bevel at the angle that suits the taper of the neck shape?

g

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='henry norton' post='770186' date='Mar 10 2010, 11:26 AM']Whoahh!!! Steady with the belt sander there. If you have a sharp plane then you can get the board pretty close to perfect using that, then use a bit of straight, flat wood a couple of feet long with sandpaper glued or double sided to it to finish it off. You can make a profile template out of card so you can check your progress. You can actually buy a profile block from places like Stewart Macdonald [url="http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Leveling/Fretboard_Radius-sanding_Blocks/8_Wooden_Radius-sanding_Blocks.html"]stewmac[/url] which'll do the whole board in one go, but you don't [i]need[/i] one. If you're super confident on the belt sander then go for it, but they can take allot of material away very quickly so approach with caution

Good luck mate![/quote]


Good Idea. I have seen a jig set up in one of the videos on Youtube for using a belt sander. It was basically a swingarm with the neck hanging from it and you swing the neck backwards and forwards over the sander at the same radius as the desired fingerboard radius. I am going to make up pofile templates and do it the way you suggest though. It will make the technician at school very happy to see his beautifully sharpened planes being used for a work of art!!

[henry norton]

Nice work with the truss rod there, very neat. I like the headstock shape too. Looking forward to following this.

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='henry norton' post='773827' date='Mar 13 2010, 08:27 PM']Nice work with the truss rod there, very neat. I like the headstock shape too. Looking forward to following this.[/quote]


Hello. It's been a while but I've been super busy. Anyway, got to do some work on the fingerboard today. Deliberated for too long on marking and cutting the fret slots. Ended up just making a cut for the nut and measuring from there. Nothing fancy, just used my saw up against an engineers square clamped to the finger board. I then measured and mark from the nut, using the fret space calculator from Stew Mac. I took off half the width of the saw kerf to the centre of the cut should line up where the centre should!

I think I was a tiny wee bit off with a couple of frets (around half an mm) but I don't know how much of a difference this will make to the intonation. Hopefully not too much.

I'll get photo's up tomorrow maybe.

Now I need to either cut the shape of the fingerboard or stick it to the neck blank before cutting the shape.

g

[henry norton]

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='840128' date='May 17 2010, 09:12 PM']Hello. It's been a while but I've been super busy. Anyway, got to do some work on the fingerboard today. Deliberated for too long on marking and cutting the fret slots. Ended up just making a cut for the nut and measuring from there. Nothing fancy, just used my saw up against an engineers square clamped to the finger board. I then measured and mark from the nut, using the fret space calculator from Stew Mac. I took off half the width of the saw kerf to the centre of the cut should line up where the centre should!

I think I was a tiny wee bit off with a couple of frets (around half an mm) but I don't know how much of a difference this will make to the intonation. Hopefully not too much.

I'll get photo's up tomorrow maybe.

Now I need to either cut the shape of the fingerboard or stick it to the neck blank before cutting the shape.

g[/quote]
That's the way to do it - nut first then the rest of the slots. Don't worry too much about a half mill, there aren't many musicians who could tell the difference! I would cut & shape the board first then stick it to the rough cut neck. That way you have a positive point (the edge of the board itself) you know to stop at.

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='henry norton' post='841243' date='May 18 2010, 06:54 PM']That's the way to do it - nut first then the rest of the slots. Don't worry too much about a half mill, there aren't many musicians who could tell the difference! I would cut & shape the board first then stick it to the rough cut neck. That way you have a positive point (the edge of the board itself) you know to stop at.[/quote]


Hello Henry,

Good to get positive feedback on things like this. I was a bit worried about being out of tune! It's also good to get next steps pointers. Marked the shape of the fingerboard today, so will cut it at lunchtime tomorrow. Will need to get some silicone in the truss rod too to stop it stealing my tone!

Cheers,

g

[Thunderpaws]

Hello

Need to think about my NUT now.

Have just about finished the neck, though still need to do the radiusing.

Any ideas on string spacing calulating? I have a nut width of 41.5 mm (I have big hands) and am planning to use 45, 65, 80, 100 strings.

g

[Thunderpaws]

Hello,

cut my neck profile today. Not too sure if the volute area is too thin, please feed back. Here are some photo's.

Was noisy as hell on the band saw!

Drilling holes, inlay stuff and fretboard radius next.

g

[attachment=50691:IMG_7587.JPG]
[attachment=50690:IMG_7586.JPG]
[attachment=50689:IMG_7585.JPG]

[henry norton]

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='849775' date='May 27 2010, 09:50 PM']Hello,

cut my neck profile today. Not too sure if the volute area is too thin, please feed back. Here are some photo's.[/quote]
I wouldn't thin it out any more than that but it looks to be OK from the pics. Keep 'em coming.....

[wesfinn]

nice work man! looking neat!

[Thunderpaws]

Hello

Well, here we go.

Getting there with the neck and made some headway with the body.

Found some ash and some other wood that looks nice. Not sure if is elm.

Did some major cutting and routing. Pretty pleased though it's bloody heavy and the router pulled the grain out one horn and grabbed the other leaving a funny ding. Any ideas on fixes?

Here are some photo's.

[attachment=52966:IMG_7824.JPG]
[attachment=52967:IMG_7826.JPG]
[attachment=52968:IMG_7825.JPG]
[attachment=52969:IMG_7827.JPG]

[eightball]

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='876926' date='Jun 24 2010, 10:19 PM']Hello

Well, here we go.

Getting there with the neck and made some headway with the body.

Found some ash and some other wood that looks nice. Not sure if is elm.

Did some major cutting and routing. Pretty pleased though it's bloody heavy and the router pulled the grain out one horn and grabbed the other leaving a funny ding. Any ideas on fixes?

Here are some photo's.

[attachment=52966:IMG_7824.JPG]
[attachment=52967:IMG_7826.JPG]
[attachment=52968:IMG_7825.JPG]
[attachment=52969:IMG_7827.JPG][/quote]

i don't see anything there that would cause enormous problems.

the wood is pretty rough cut by the looks of it; well, it's way rougher than it will be when it's prepped for finishing.

you remove more material than you think in the above process, and in my experience these imperfections at this stage look way worse than they actually are.

it might take a bit more work, but i'm sure it'll work out fine.

[eightball]

actually, just had another look; if the top horn is already rounded over, it might be a bit problematic - that's pretty deep.

same still applys for what i said though. there's always the body filler-solid colour last resort if all else fails.

it would be a shame for that piece of wood though.

Edited June 24, 2010 by eightball

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='eightball' post='876972' date='Jun 24 2010, 11:01 PM']actually, just had another look; if the top horn is already rounded over, it might be a bit problematic - that's pretty deep.

same still applys for what i said though. there's always the body filler-solid colour last resort if all else fails.

it would be a shame for that piece of wood though.[/quote]


Well, I know what "that piece of wood" is now. It's Oak. So, I have a body of European Ash with an Oak top. It does look cool, but it's heavy. I have started to put a radius over the body (like a Fender Aerodyne Jazz) to try and make it lighter by loosing some oak, and I'll put some weight relief/chamber the back.

I've never seen a bass, or guitar, with an Oak top so will need to find someone who can tell me the best way to finish it. I am looking at a blue stain or dye....what's the difference? Might bind it too if I can work out how with the curved top....any suggestions?

Right, away to practise...and I just bought a Boss Micro BR which is great fun.

g