Son of Magni Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 (edited) Here's some pics I took to help explain calculating neck angle. I haven't written the explanation part yet But here's the pics anyways... http://www.thorbass.com/images/coconeck1_.jpg http://www.thorbass.com/images/quilt1_.jpg http://www.thorbass.com/images/quilt2_.jpg http://www.thorbass.com/images/billTop_.jpg All your pics are too big and only one allowed per post as per forum rules! Sorry about that, I will reduce... Edited October 23, 2006 by Son of Magni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Wow looking good =) And a nice unique shape you have there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpsmaxima Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I second that!!! WOW... Very Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 My gosh, the shape, and the wood choices are sick. I can't wait to see her finished, please keep us updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted October 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Hey, thanks guys. Here's another unusual one. Same shape but this guy wanted sort of a cross between an electric and an acoustic-electric. It certainly is unique! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Oh.... wow.... Oh my..... wow..... Any bass player would be more than happy to play that piece of work. Except, perhaps.... mine but that's another story. How many different types of wood did you use for that one? I LOVE that body shape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I have a question, looking at your website at the close ups of the bridge on that acoustic-electric-electric bass the bridge looks original. Did you make the bridge/saddle yourself? or have i just not done enough searching? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I got a question how thick is that bass there looks prittty huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted October 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Oh.... wow.... Oh my..... wow..... Any bass player would be more than happy to play that piece of work. Except, perhaps.... mine but that's another story. How many different types of wood did you use for that one? I LOVE that body shape That bass is Claro Walnut top and back with Mahogany core and Maple highlights. The neck is Maple, Macassar Ebony, and Purpleheart. One cool thing I did with that bass is the front of the headstock, the fingerboard, and the plate on the front are all from one piece of Macassar Ebony and it's cut so that the grain is continuous. I have a question, looking at your website at the close ups of the bridge on that acoustic-electric-electric bass the bridge looks original. Did you make the bridge/saddle yourself? or have i just not done enough searching? Yes I have a small gearhead mill that I make bridges and tailpieces on. I also use it for cutting truss-rod slots and plaining neck angles, etc. I got a question how thick is that bass there looks prittty huge! Basically it's like two basses stuck together, but without the extra top and bottom. So it's standard thickness, 1 1/2, plus about another 1 1/4. So just under 3 inches. Thanks everyone for your questions and interest. SoM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 A little update. I was going to use CA glue to harden the spalt top and back of the body, but I wasn't looking forward to breathing the fumes from the glue or the dust from sanding later. So after a little research I learned that clear wax-free shellac is also a good hardener. Shellac also has the advantage that you can use pretty much any finish over it. So heres a pic showing the body after three coats of spray shellac. The spalted areas are not completely sealed but are much harder than they were. - SoM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Those are really nice looking basses. Nice work I am suprised to hear Shellac would be used as a hardener. It does not penetrate the wood and sticks to just about anything and most glues can stick to it well. This is why it is the sealer of choice on acoustics. As a finish (french polish) it is great because it again does not penetrate and is a very thin finish that is easy to repair. The down side is that it is fairly delicate finish (med. durability). CA most definately penetrates wood very well. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 (edited) The article I read about hardening with shellac was specific to spalted wood which is much more porous than solid wood. I seems to penetrate quite well since after three coats the spalt is still not sealed. The hard areas did seal with the first coat as you imply. I wonder what the durability is like compared to an oil/varnish finish like Tru-Oil... - SoM Edited December 6, 2006 by Son of Magni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Looks great. I have heard of mixing denatured alcohol with Shellac to penetrate and harden...it also helps the shellac cure faster. I have not tried it, but read about it in a woodworkers magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Looks great. I have heard of mixing denatured alcohol with Shellac to penetrate and harden...it also helps the shellac cure faster. I have not tried it, but read about it in a woodworkers magazine. Shellac flakes are disolved in denatured Alcohol. You can get a thinner mix by cutting it with more Alcohol. Thinner coats will dry better and faster. It is still a surface finish though. SOM- Shellac is very thin as the alcohol evaps. It does not like to fill very fast. Each coat of shellac should be pushed into the previous coat if you are building(as each extra coat is melting the last you will get a softer finish the thicker you go). It acts/melts much like nitro, but does not cure quite the same. As an example when I french polish I rub in very thin layers of new shellac over the previous layere. As I pass across the surface you can see a trail of softened and new shellac, and this trail flashes off before I pass back over that area(as in a fraction of a second). If I tried to go too fast the munica would stick and I would rip up the shellac. If I tried to paint a thick coat it would not dry hard enough and may get hazy or crack when it does finally cure. Poly Oil finishes are a hole different animal. They create a new layer that cures with each pass and sticks to the old(each layer builds on the last). Oil finishes do penetrate the wood though. I have yet to try out the poly oil finish myself so I can't speak from experience. Most acoustic builders that use oil finishes give the surface a wash coat of shellac to prevent the oil from penetrating. I hope that makes some sense. If you have a link to that article I would love to take a look at it. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Thanks for the clarification on that. Like I said I have not tried using shellac before. I read in that magazine that the guy will use linseed oil first then half an hour later use the thin shellac. Anyway, thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Here's one of the links about spalt that gave me the idea to use shellac, I can't find the other one anymore. Of note are the sections on Working Properties and Finishing. - SoM http://www.alanlacer.com/articles/spalting.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Cool link Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 slowly bu surely... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Amazing work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 That really is amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Nice work Karl - great figure in that spalt! I remember your double-thick bass from the MIMF, and I liked it, but IMO the shape looks much more flowing when it's a bit less tubby, as on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 (edited) Here's one of the links about spalt that gave me the idea to use shellac, I can't find the other one anymore. Of note are the sections on Working Properties and Finishing. - SoM http://www.alanlacer.com/articles/spalting.html The articles info seems good to me. I think this is the section you are looking at. You can saturate soft areas with a liquid hardener. Where the wood is only marginally soft, a spot coat or two of clear shellac or nitrocellulose sanding sealer may harden it sufficiently. A really punky spot will require cyanoacrylate (CA) glue (the thin, watery type) or a product made to stabilize rotten wood. There are a number of them sold as wood hardeners at hardware stores. It may take for several generous applications to treat each bad spot. These hardeners are effective, but they have side effects. They fill the wood cells, so surfaces treated with them can't be glued and oil finishes don't take well because they can't penetrate. Solvent?based hardeners and CA glues darken the wood considerably. I like Protective Coatings Petrifier. It's a water-based hardener that doesn't discolor the wood, yet seals and stiffens effectively. It's an excellent choice for troublesome soft spots. If the wood is in pretty good shape(doesn't need much stabalizing) then a surface sealer like shellac may be just enough, and allow you to avoid possible discoloration from a penetrating hardener. Oil finishes will penetrate a bit for deeper stabalization. Thin CA will penetrate very deep for very soft spots, but it does discolor(I have found that to be very true). Epoxy penetrates a bit also, but can have a similar effect on coloration. I like to seal wood(like my rosette routes, or binding/purfling routes) with a light wash coat of shellac. It stops Expoy or CA from wicking into the grain and discoloring it(you can't fix it). Your work looks great! The choice of woods is so nice. It creates a lot of interesting details to look at but comes together as a unit quite nicely. Tasty . Peace,Rich Edited December 18, 2006 by fryovanni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielM Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 looking good! love the spalted top, never seen three pickups on a bass (it is a bass right?) before though should prove to sound pretty intersting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted December 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2006 looking good! love the spalted top, never seen three pickups on a bass (it is a bass right?) before though should prove to sound pretty intersting. It's like having the two jazz bass pickups except moved more to the extreams, and a MM in the middle... Still a couple more small tasks left but all set up and playable at this point. back3 edge2 front1 front4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElysianGuitars Posted December 27, 2006 Report Share Posted December 27, 2006 that came out so amazingly, great work. how much room is there between the tip of the lower horn and the fingerboard? the first guitar i built has a lower horn very similar to that, and an issue i used to run into was when playing up high i'd hit the horn, cause it was too close, but maybe on a bass thats not an issue, as technique up high probably varies dramatically... course i just now actually measured mine, and its 2 3/4", yours looks a bit wider than that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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