loosetoe Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 (edited) Some of you may remember me. It has been over a year since I posted to this board. For the last couple of weeks I have been building a 5 string fretless bass. It follows the same single cut shape as my personal 6 string does, but is a shorter scale 36" instead of 38" The body core is Swamp ash with bookmatched quartersawn Zebrawood front and rear. The neck is Wenge with a mild birdseye maple fingerboard. The fingerboard will be epoxied for longevity and colorfastness. The fretboard has small position markers markers set on the top of the board. This is inlaid wenge veneer. The bass on the right may remind a few of you of my prior work. The Zebra will probably not be carved as intricately as the maple bass but it will still be carved a great deal more. I think it looks too chunky right now. http://home.grandecom.net/~wlousteau/images/Zebra2.jpg http://home.grandecom.net/~wlousteau/images/Zebra3.jpg http://home.grandecom.net/~wlousteau/images/Zebra4.jpg http://home.grandecom.net/~wlousteau/images/Zebra5.jpg http://home.grandecom.net/~wlousteau/images/Zebra6.jpg The bridge is a Wilkinson 5 string adjustable bridge. It will probably be fit with Sperzel tuners. No decision on pickups or other electronics yet at this phase. As you can see I am doing a set neck this time rather than a through neck. This was done purely because this was the type of woodworking I felt like doing. This neck joint will be interesting in the end. The headstock is veneered front/back with matching pieces from the body. Two double adjusting truss rods reside in the neck. This was something I vowed to do an all basses I make. The adjustability on the maple one is not sufficient. The headstock is also slightly smaller than on the maple one. P.S. - There was a six string "twin" to this bass until Monday night. One blemish-too-many forced me to "pull a Drak" and end up with some new firewood. Edited October 14, 2005 by loosetoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Nice work. I'm with the owner on this one, I like it the way it is. Bulky is good......who likes a too skinny woman? P.S. - There was a six string "twin" to this bass until Monday night. One blemish-too-many forced me to "pull a Drak" and end up with some new firewood. See, Drak won't go away even if he's not posting......c'mon back already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StratDudeDan Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Very nice. I'll go with you and against in the owner in saying, yes, I'd like to see far more carving done to it. I hate blocky and chunky basses. On a guitar, it's okay. Things like the Les Paul and any flat-top jazz box have already laid the standard for boxy axes. However, on a bass, everything should be very slick, smooth, ergonomic, and just plain pretty. I guess I like my women curvy rather than chunky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 As an observer, I admire the craftsmanship of the carve, but as a bass player, I'd prefer to play it a lot closer to the way it currently is. Nice single-cut shape, BTW - I don't know why more bass makers don't make a single cut, it's a refreshing change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TenderSurrender Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Nice design you have got yourself there! I cant comment on how it would play as a bassist since i only play bass for recordings and would not consider my self knowledgable enough to comment... But from a neutral view, thats a really pretty bass ~~ Slain Angel ~~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loosetoe Posted October 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 (edited) After a long break, I've been working on this instrument again. All of the machining is complete. It should be final sanded this weekend then on to finishing. Zebrawood pickup covers. Next to my Rickenbacker to show Scale Whole Rear of instrument Close up of the Neck Joint Veneered Rear of the headstock Some of my other instruments Edited October 14, 2005 by loosetoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Good to see you back, loosetoe! I remember your first bass; and what a bass it is! Is this one for a customer, or just for yourself? Are you finishing with Waterlox again? Have you decided on pickups yet? Oh, and it seems like this would make a good GOTM candidate, but I'll wait for the finish first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loosetoe Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Hey Ski, A customer? not really..a brother-in-law. Yeah. I don't do this for $. I build cabinetry and furniture as a hobby. This is just a natural extension of that hobby. Finish? I will probably use the Watlerlox orginal finish again. I like varnishes and wiping varnishes in particular. I am a bit concerned about the coloration of the zebrawood with a varnish. It browns pretty heavily with an oil based finish. I think a sythetic wax looks best on it, but such a finish is not sufficient (IMO) for an instrument. The pickups are EMGs that have been veneered with the zebrawood as shown above. This was at the behest of my B-I-L. I would have prefered bartolinis. I really like the neck joint here. I think it is darned attractive, and a WHOLE lot easier to carve than the through neck version. -Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassisgreat Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 awesome basses! I can't wait to see how the finish turns out! Then it will be time for some sound clips. You must have some giant hands, because I am 6'6'' and big hands, and 35" scale fretless is more than big enough for me. It'd be a real challenge to get around on a 38" scale, almost like playing my upright! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 I don't care too much for the wood selection on the 5-string, but your wood choice for your 6-string (IMO) is BEAUTIFUL! Not taking away from the 5, just complimenting you on the 6! It's like something I would have picked for a guitar myself, I love it, lots of natural character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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