RIM Basses Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 (edited) Hi All, Ive been busy getting this custom fretless 6 together for a local Bassist,the spec is as follows. Marseer Body design with fishtail Custom Slotted headstock 3 piece thru neck of Bubinga and Purpleheart 2 carbon fiber rods in neck Cocobolo fretboard Bubinga wings(Hollowed) Asian Ebony Bkmatched top Asian ebony headstock cap Delano SBC HE/S Pickup Noll 3 band Preamp Custom cocobolo bridge and brass saddles/tailpiece made by myself Gotoh tuners http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...10032006424.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...10032006428.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...10032006427.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...08032006417.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...06032006408.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...03032006384.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...20022006309.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...17022006280.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...16022006271.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...28022006358.jpg Nice but the pic is too big so I resized it Edited March 12, 2006 by Maiden69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 wow that is the most beautiful bass i have ever seen in my life any chance i could order up a 5 string same design? thanks bax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slabbefusk Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 I like how you do the stringholder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Painfully beautiful. Slotted headstock *drool* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3Va1L Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 3 words: WOW That's unbelievable! Only thing is i'd have chosen another wood for the FB... I don't like the coulour contrast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwhiteandthemaple Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Great job.. Wow My favorite parts are the chamber and tailpiece. Amazing. Btw can we get a picture of the back? For curious reasons. And there IS a cavity at the back right?? Just curious to where the preamp went. Again, awesome job! -IR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 thats alot of water you put on that, i sure hope your wood dont warp now Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 That is a gorgeous bass! Like said above, how much do your basses go for? Like a fretted manseer 4 string? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 (edited) Thanks for all the comments lads, Here's some back pics of the Marseer,and also price wise on a 4 string would be £1200 depending on spec.There's no chance water will warp this baby,thanks for the concern Curtis P. http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...22022006318.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...28022006353.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...27022006343.jpg Edited March 12, 2006 by RIM Basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Looks like Ken Lawrence meets Stambaugh. Very strange because those are the EXACT ideas I had for my 6-string fretless. The classical guitar headstock, the bottom of the body that sticks out. Could you write up a detailed post on how you did the headstock that way? And by the way, freakn awesome bass. Keep up the great work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Cheers Jon, Ken lawrence and Chris stambaugh are two of my fav builders,and lets not forget Ken bebensee.I get inspiration from these guys but Ive tried to come up with my own style.About the headstock,this is basicly how I go about machining it 1. We ruff cut out the headstock shape within the the neck thru section,then table drum sand to near finished size. 2. I mark out the position of the slots,and also mark out the position of the tuner holes to be drilled. 3. The headstock is then clamped on my work vice and the tuners holes are drilled square to the tapered faces of the headstock.I drill the holes around 20mm deep. 4. Next we setup the neck on my milling machine,clamping down on the neck thru section and clock in on one side of the tapered headstock so the slots run parallel. 5. Index a 16mm milling cutting across into slot position and start cutting the slot out,3 passes and the slot is finished 6. Change for a chamfering cutter to chamfer the top of the slots out. 7. Re-setup for other Slot 8.Change to 25mm slot cutter and machine 5mm deep counterbore hole for RIM Logo.(By the way these are laser cut for me by a local company. 9. Hand sand out and start the Volute on the neck. That basicly it,there's quite a bit of work involved in the headstock but I love the way it looks and dont mind putting in the time for the end result.I have a template for the headstock in MDF but I only use it for drawing the shape out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lietuvis Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 (edited) I have been considering building a bass, once I finish my V guitar project. Now that I've seen this beauty, inspiration has taken over me! Seriously though, that is one of the most beautiful instruments I have seen. Edit: The only negative thing that I see in the entire guitar is the fact that your logo is very similar to that of *cough*Ed Roman*cough* I'm sorry, I can't speak that name... Edited March 12, 2006 by Lietuvis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Nice! What did you finish off with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 Im going to use a Water based Lacqeur again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Hi All, Yesterday I started setting up the bridge and slotted the top face for the hollowed chamber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokeros Posted March 14, 2006 Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 One day I will get myself one of these to be my pride and joy low tone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted March 14, 2006 Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 I was going to respond about that. I wasn't sure why someone would make a semi-hollow with no sound holes. Still looking great! Are you applying that water based laquer on the fingerboard as well? I wonder how well that works with an oily wood such as cocobolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted March 14, 2006 Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Do you find that you get a sufficiently hard finish with the water based lacquer? Sweet bass by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Hi All, The fingerboard will just be oiled,and the water based Lacquer is real nice to apply and come up super hard.Today I set the bridge and intonation,gonaa get the straplocks fitted tomorrow and then strip off the hardware and final sand.Looking to get a couple of sealer coats on the bass by the weekend. Cheers for the comments lads, Robbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted March 14, 2006 Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Which brand of waterbase are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Im using a UK suplier called Flag finishes.Im using there water based Lacquer called Aqualac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 14, 2006 Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Im using a UK suplier called Flag finishes.Im using there water based Lacquer called Aqualac. Interesting...got contact details? Local-ish, less toxic varieties of finish are always a good thing. That's one beautiful bass, by the way. Stunning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyd Posted March 14, 2006 Report Share Posted March 14, 2006 Killer work! i really like the headstock, great woods too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted March 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 Hi All, Well today I got quite abit done on the bass,fitted the straplocks,final sanded and applied a couple of Lacquer/sealer coats to the back of the bass. http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...15032006443.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...15032006444.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...15032006441.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...15032006439.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...15032006442.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otis...15032006440.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 15, 2006 Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 Really beautiful... What is always amazing is that Bass Makers like yourself are always coming up with innovative wood conbinations and features yet you don't see this kind of thing in guitar construction. Is it simply because guitarists are conservative and so market forces are at work do you think? The same custom makers who admire this work in a bass seem to have a completely different aesthetic and contruction criteria when they see a guitar...any comment, anyone? pete Oh yeah...It's great to see hardware being made too. How did you go about that bridge, and how is it adjusted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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