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Swift Lite 4 string bass


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I'm a bit behind on threads.  One reason is that old adversary, time!

One of the things I've been busy with is a 4-string bass for a fellow Basschat member, Neil.  We live quite close and watched each other's bands but he has recently stepped down from his band due to shoulder issues.  He's OK with a nice Yamaha semi he has, but the band needs a more traditional Jazz sound.

He's been watching the evolution of the Swift Lite builds, from piccolo bass to rhythm guitar to lead guitar:

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...and asked me if I could have a go at a Jazz-type setup but with a Swift Lite body construction.

This is how it came out on paper upscaled to 34" bass:

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Ignore the headstock - I did a quick clip on Inkscape because one thing he wants is maple neck and block inlays so I purloined a stock fender photo.

Cross section is planned to be slim (30mm max) and curved:

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Woods are a burl english poplar and very light swamp ash back:

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I've got to the stage of fixing the back to the neck and the top to that assembly - I'll do a quick photo update over the next couple of days :)

 

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One thing new to me was adding blocks.  In the end, I ordered a template from G&L.  It's incorporated in a 34" fretslotting template, although the blocks are not offset to suit their mitre-block index pin position:34inch-template-bass-block-inlays-01-750x750.jpg.674706397b75f6d5a6b47c1b7ff6c43b.jpg

I gave it quite a bit of thought of how best to use it - and made sure I'd got some spare maple for what I thought to be a likely mess up or two.

In the end, I decided to first radius the board and slot the frets:

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I then made up a platform that would position firmly in the press-drill T-slots:

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...and put in the index pin exactly where the router bit would be positioned:

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So basically, the fretboard will be attached to the template that will be guided by the pin.  Here it is prior to the fretboard being fixed:

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I then attached the fretboard to the template again, lining up the fretslots with the notches in the template.  Finally, rigged a way of holding the pressdrill handle in the down position to leave two hands free to trace the outline:

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I then put a larger bit in and routed carefully inside the cut to end up with a flat surface just below the shallowest point on the fretboard:

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I'll finish off with a chisel when I start fitting the ebony pieces to get the depth spot on but it basically tidied up nicely:

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1 hour ago, ScottR said:

I was just thinking the other day, how strange it was for you not to have a build thread going....and lo and behold here one is.:D

Your swift lites take a nice family picture.

SR

Thanks!  I snuck in a quick photo before Jane's was delivered and after Pete had lent me his piccolo to take to a forum meet :)

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I initially looked at your mockup image and thought you were about to pull off some black magic and make a 4-stringed neck with a 3-tuner headstock.

    [Dammit. I've been foiled once again. How dare he make a more ridiculous bass than me. CURSE YOU ANDYJR1515!!!...and CURSE YOU AGAIN for having a screen name that is impossible to yell at the thundery skies while shaking my fist and acting diabolically...Oh wait...the fourth tuner is upside down....]

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18 minutes ago, curtisa said:

Oh, and BTW. Neat ghetto solution to your overhead pin routing of the block inlay cavities :)

So can you come up with a way of using the same template to create the inlays as well?

Hmmmm...I did have a think about that but, as you know, thinking doesn't really work for me. ;)

I came to the conclusion that cutting them accurately and square was probably a better route.  But, as you know, cutting things square and accurately doesn't really... :lol:

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Still on catch up to present status, worked out the neck angle based on a very nice Schaller bridge I got.  I always draw out the string runs, fret heights, saddle adjustment, etc, full size for a through neck:

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As it happens, the answer was 'zero neck angle'

Having worked this out, I could cut the slot and plan/side shapes from the maple/walnut/ maple neck blank:

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And then glue the back (oversize) wings on:

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Next were the chambers and cable routing slots and a redwood demarcation veneer on the back of the top.  The weight lightening ones are relatively shallow at about 14mm, bearing in mind that the body will be slimmed down considerably in the carve:

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I popped a bit of veneer in the 'f'hole chamber to give the illusion that it is deeper than it actually is:

 

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Then an essential part if you are doing major carving - a paper template of exactly where those chambers are! :

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And finally, top on and back wings routed flush:

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And that, folks, is up to date with where I am today :)

As always, thanks for looking.

Andy

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4 minutes ago, Norris said:

Very neat!

I know what you're thinking, Norris. 

With you having seen some of my builds close up - and more to the point, me having seen your builds close up - you're thinking, 'Surprisingly neat'.

And you'd be right :lol: 

 

 

Certainly, it was what MrsAndyjr1515 said just.... :D

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Last time I went for a 'well person's checkup' at the local surgery, the GP told me that for the health of my heart, I should do "1/2hour of intensive effort at least once a week that you enjoy and that makes you hot and sweaty" and then gave me a big wink.

How the Dickens did he know I have a Veritas Pullshave???

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Sure enough, 1/2 hour later, I'm hot, sweaty and pleasantly fulfilled:

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What a doctor!  What great advice!

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1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

What a doctor!  What great advice!

I'd love to be able to say it was on doctor's orders.:D

I need to get me one of those pullshaves. Your pictures look like you never have any tear out when you use yours. Is that truly the case or are you rather canny at composing your pictures?

SR

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3 hours ago, ScottR said:

I'd love to be able to say it was on doctor's orders.:D

I need to get me one of those pullshaves. Your pictures look like you never have any tear out when you use yours. Is that truly the case or are you rather canny at composing your pictures?

SR

I think I may have been lucky with the recent woods but no - no trickery and no tear out at all at the moment.  I'm not going at it lightly either as you can see by the thickness of the shavings.

One point though - for which you can take some credit along with @Prostheta and others, is that I've started burnishing it with a leather strop and a touch of autosol.  It does, as you both said it would, work wonders indeed :)

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Bit of a delay.  I ordered some new Nordstrands from a reputable supplier - I prefer to cut the chambers while I still have a flat top and no fretboard in the way, and I NEVER cut chambers for Jazz basses until I have the pickups physically in my grasp - and this is what arrived!

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Dirty, old and rusted something's someone has taken out of their bass while presumably fitting their nice new Nordstrands and fancy bridge. :rolleyes:

Anyway, while I waiting for the replacements, I've got the fretboard all ready to fit:

Fretboard fretted and neck truss-rodded :

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Demarcation veneered at the back:

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Luminlay small dots for the over-body.  I usually forget these and they are a BEGGAR to fit once the fretboard is fitted!

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So, prior to gluing the fretboard:

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Next steps - receive pickup replacements; cut pickup chambers; glue fretboard; carve top :)

 

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6 minutes ago, ScottR said:

That is some pretty fancy veneer you've buried under the top and fretboard. That surely must add mojo.:)

SR

Yes - it's a bit daft, really.  I wanted to have that kind of colour tone for the fretboard and body demarcation and this redwood, which I had in my veneer stash, seemed just right - even though you pretty much won't see much of it at all :rolleyes:

But I DO have a second set in my stash that one day will go on full display on something.  And it also means that I can claim, without any shifty eyes, that the woods in my build include: swamp ash, poplar burl, ebony, plain maple, birds-eye maple, walnut and REDWOOD!!!  :D

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