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Five-string Neck-thru Warwick Vampyre Bass


Prostheta

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Looks very nice! I quite like bound fretboards.

Throw some shellac or sanding sealer on that maple before you get too far on the finer-grit sanding. The ebony and padauk dust will work its way in and dirty up the maple, and you'll tear your hair out trying to remove it.

Thanks for the shellac tip Erik. It was a consideration as I've been using acetone to pull dust out of the grain so far, but it seems to lift the majority and set the rest deeper :D

The dark marks on the maple are actually me being clumsy and almost throwing a bottle of black dye around the room instead of eaking a small amout out to dye the inside of the truss rod adjustment slot. Not sanding dust! No, I wasn't pouring it in before anybody suggests it :D I was just too close your honour.

Any issues with shellac and Tru-oil, as that is the destined finish for the project? I have to say that the Tru-oil tests I've done on scrap padauk and bloodwood are *spectacular* with a capital "spectacular".

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Thanks Jon - I've borne this one in mind and used it sparingly so as not to contaminate the woods.

Don't get me wrong - it works just as well. But you're pulling out the oils when you do it which means you have to use it very carefully, as you are. But Acetone exaporates much much more quickly than Naptha, so you'll get even more out of Naptha. Not that you're soaking your guitar in it, or anything. :D I'm sure there are some types of brushes out there that can also help you pull the wood dust out so you don't have to use as much chemicals to keep your project clean. I have yet to find that right brush, I think I'll use an old toothbrush!

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UPDATE!! I glued the body up sometime last week and spent some time planing both faces flat yesterday. I traced the body and roughly cut it using the bandsaw, before moving onto my new more powerful variable speed router and using the ol' guided bearing bits. Pilot holes were drilled where the bridge and tailpiece will be seated because my pencil marks will be erased soon enough!

The carving is being done by hand of course. I'm dropping the raised edges in favour of a more streamlined look which I think will suit the flamed maple so much more. The horns are being carved down almost to the pinstripe to reduce their thickness and apparent bulk. The back will be a nice simple routered radius carve.

vampyre5_18_safe.jpg

Body blank rough bandsawn

Rough outline and pop shot of the maple

Still in the rough stages of carve hence the uneven sides!

LARGER VERSION OF ABOVE

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I saw a dirty blonde in Electromusic and spotted several things I didn't like about it, but then again Warwick make AWESOME gear. Isn't the dirty blonde a bolt-on or something?

Oh yes: UPDATE!! Done a bit more carving on the sides of the body. Simple technique of running a big ol' chamfer bit in the router around the perimeter then using chisels and planes to create flat inclines up to the top carve "break point" where it becomes flat. Dirty method, but visceral and satisfying. As you can see, I've opened out the "side bits" a bit purely because the lack of the rounded edge as per the original makes them looks out of proportion. I just need to set up the router table before running the chamfer bit around the entirety of the guitar again. There was never enough flat surface area to work with reliably by hand routing so table it is!

Actually, I'm really enjoying posting up in progress pics that aren't perfect or clean. No camera opportunities here in rough work land :-D The nice pics start arriving when 80 grit paper comes into play!

vampyre5_19_safe.jpg

Larger version of above

Another carve shot

Edited by Prostheta
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I'm dropping the raised edges in favour of a more streamlined look which I think will suit the flamed maple so much more. The horns are being carved down almost to the pinstripe to reduce their thickness and apparent bulk.
Cool! I've always loved the Vampyre shape (I think I've said that before :D ) but I didn't really think the raised edges really worked too well. If I could change the warwick version to make it perfect, it would look like yours. :D Keep up the good work.
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Slight update. I spent time tonight routing the pickup holes. I've decided to make it slightly different and install two differently sized pickups (EMG 45 and a 40) firstly as I already have one of them (45DC) and therefore it makes it more economically sensible at the moment. I was saving the 45DC for the eight-string but since I'm playing bass with Detonal State I can safely put guitars into secondary lines. I also routed the mounting hole for the tailpiece as this is sunken into the body, same as the mounting block for the bridge (genuine Warwick parts). A bit more contouring and carving was done on the bottom, but until I get the router table up and running I'm leaving this till the weekend I think.

Apologies for the crappy looking photos. The flash of the camera and the artificial lighting makes it look really really awful. In reality it's only finished to 80 grit with a bit of steel wool rubbing to remove dust.

vampyre5_21_safe.jpg

Larger version of above

Yet another carve shot

Edited by Prostheta
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Indeed I could, but I prefer to spend time crushing instead of noodling :-D I'm not a harp player like some ERBs!!

I'm really looking forward to completing this project. I'm still in two minds whether or not to carve the edges down within a few mm of the pinstripe, and leave faux binding and go for a dyed top or whether to finish 100% natural and Tru-oil everything. I'm highly tempted to dye the maple black or perhaps a deep black stripe under red.

Any feedback on how Tru-oil will work over dyed figures?

Edited by Prostheta
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I'd stick with a clear finish for dyed tops - I don't know if tro-oil will give you the look you want. Or even if it's compatible.

I understand without needing 6-strings - I rarely use more than 4 strings on one song with my band. My old metal band was completely different though, I used every string possible just to keep up. :D

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Hahaha...I'm from a different school though really. I'm all for technicality in moderation but plain solidity and having a tight rhythm section is much more essential! My favourite example of a bassist on these lines has to be Nikki Sixx of course. Simple, thundering and just *there* on the dot, man.

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I'll try not to post too much more to take this thread way off topic. :D

I agree - often less is more, It all depends how it's done. I was listening to some songs on your MySpace and came across one song by Meshuggah. I love that tone, that driving pick bass style dominates.

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I'm highly tempted to dye the maple black or perhaps a deep black stripe under red.

YES!!! :D If you dyed it black then red, it would be perfect IMO. If you do it like that and enter in gotm when it's finished I promise you'll get my vote. :D

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