DigthemLows Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Bought the books, been reading threads here and elsewhere for months now. I ordered the wood last week and it arrived yesterday. I'll make sure to keep a pretty good journal of it here. Specs: 5 string neck through 37" to 34" scale Neck - Flamed Maple / Walnut / Flamed Maple / Walnut / Flamed Maple Finger Board - Birdseye Maple Body Wings - Walnut I'll put a headstock cap in walnut as well, I initially planned to do some sort of fancy top, but I like the look of walnut and wanted to be basic for my first build. Here's my to scale drawing from Corel Draw. The only thing changed is that I'm doing black hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 now that's a Les Claypool bass if ever I saw one...can't wait to see some progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Yeah, I like one of his basses, the others are too much. What I like are the builders who have taken that Carl Thompson type of design and went further. This kindof takes 2 or 3 of my favorite basses and blends them. We'll see what it turns out like in the end..........I'll be happy if it's playable........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 (edited) I printed out the drawing I did in Corel Draw to scale and taped it together, I'll use this to make a template on MDF or 1/4" plywood. It also made me realize I'll be a little too close to the edge with my B string bridge, I have extra neck room, so I'll move everything up a 1/4". http://starboardbough.com/Firstbassbuild/Papercutout2.jpg Here's the body wings, end pieces for the headstock (since it's wider), Cap for the headstock, wood for the control cavity, and the birdseye board (man is it nice up close, can't wait to see it pop when it gets finished) http://starboardbough.com/Firstbassbuild/mywood2.jpg I also glued the neck up last night (The flame is nice dont you think?)............from what I've read having the excess glue is good, means I covered it all! I'll be sanding of excess glue tonight!..........This weekend may be the scarf joint! http://starboardbough.com/Firstbassbuild/Neckglue2.jpg http://starboardbough.com/Firstbassbuild/Neckglue3.jpg Edited November 16, 2006 by Maiden69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Looks awsome i love the carl thompson style ! =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 What do you plan to do about your headstock/break point? (the place where the headstock face and the neck face meet) I'm working on a fanned fretter at the moment, and it's taking alot of thought! I've ended up deciding that to get the break point at an angle (the angle that the nut will be at) I'm going to have a twisted headstock, it'll kick back, but also twist past the nut. Just wondering if you were planning on doing something similar, or if you've thought of something simple that I've missed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 What do you plan to do about your headstock/break point? (the place where the headstock face and the neck face meet) I'm working on a fanned fretter at the moment, and it's taking alot of thought! I've ended up deciding that to get the break point at an angle (the angle that the nut will be at) I'm going to have a twisted headstock, it'll kick back, but also twist past the nut. Just wondering if you were planning on doing something similar, or if you've thought of something simple that I've missed! I don't think you'll need to break the neck at an angle, the string shouldn't hit the excess on the high side. I was going to use extra wood from my headstock cap and cover the excess...............or if you check out ThirstyGums fanned fret he just put the nut on like it was a fret and left the finger board all the way to the break. I also thought about the "twisted" which is what Dingwall does, but I had reservations about strength. I read somewhere that there's 150-200lbs of upward pressure on a neck and a fanned fret is probably more, since the point is to get a tighter b string, or at least a more even balance. We'll see, mine's definately a work in progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I cut a template out of plywood and started sanding and filing it to be a template for routing. I traced about a 1/4" around the outside with chalk on to body wings. I'll rough cut the body out and use the template for a guide for my router. There's a light area running through the walnut and I can't decide whether to have it be cut off, or put in against the neck, what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Looks good so far, but next time for the neck blank get yourself some more clamps. Ditch those pull-trigger bar clamps (for neck lams anyway) and go with clamps that screw down. For the wings, you should find some proper parallel cabinet clamps like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Yeah, I actually added some clamps after I took the pics.................I also order a few clamps like the one you pictured yesterday............ Can someone help me with how to get the excess glue off? there's a couple spots on the walnut lams where it soaked in...............I'm afraid that when I true oil it they'll be problems...........what can i do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 What do you plan to do about your headstock/break point? (the place where the headstock face and the neck face meet) I'm working on a fanned fretter at the moment, and it's taking alot of thought! I've ended up deciding that to get the break point at an angle (the angle that the nut will be at) I'm going to have a twisted headstock, it'll kick back, but also twist past the nut. Just wondering if you were planning on doing something similar, or if you've thought of something simple that I've missed! I don't think you'll need to break the neck at an angle, the string shouldn't hit the excess on the high side. I was going to use extra wood from my headstock cap and cover the excess...............or if you check out ThirstyGums fanned fret he just put the nut on like it was a fret and left the finger board all the way to the break. Oooh not neat enough for me Looks like an afterthought or something. I'll post some pics when I come to do mine, we can compare notes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Personally, I'd use a drum sander or orbital sander to get it down if hand sanding isn't accomplishing much. Don't have either of those? If you're handy with a chisel, give it a try. Don't use the chisel to remove wood, only glue. It works for me. Are you actually doing it by hand? Or using a rubber sanding block? If you are doing it by hand, purchase a rubber block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 With a block, I just don't want to get it too uneven............I'll keep on rubbin!..........Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyd Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Looking good man! Im assuming your going to saw your own board? If so give some good details on how you go about doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 I'm pretty sure that making a jig would have been easier than sanding the scarf joint, but it worked! Since I don't have a band saw I did make a jig for thinning the neck to 1". I'll get pics of that boring little thing up later. I also cut out roughs for the body wings. Next up is cutting the slots for the fanned frets. The angle of the photo is off, but it actually lined up quite nice. I'm putting a walnut cap on it anyways, but the back will flow nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 >is bass on the right a gretsch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 >is bass on the right a gretsch? Nope, it's a cheapie Carlo Robelli...........it's my camping bass......plastic back and you can accidently leave it outside and it's still good.........best $100 I ever spent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 hahahaha oh. i thought it looked a bit like a gretsch jet bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrogeoman Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 I'm pretty sure that making a jig would have been easier than sanding the scarf joint, but it worked! Since I don't have a band saw I did make a jig for thinning the neck to 1". I'll get pics of that boring little thing up later. I also cut out roughs for the body wings. Next up is cutting the slots for the fanned frets. The angle of the photo is off, but it actually lined up quite nice. I'm putting a walnut cap on it anyways, but the back will flow nicely. I know your wings are only rough cut right now, but your upper horn looks too close to the neck unless you never wrap your thumb over the edge of the fretboard. Otherwise it looks like it is coming along nicely. I love Carl Thompson basses. My very first build was a similar shape (but far simpler construction than yours): First Bass Build Keep the updates coming! Cheers Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Truss Rod Time........I was worried, but it was actually pretty easy. Just had to be careful and double check everything. So I set everything up to route dead center. Ready to Route I did a small amount and inserted a thick piece of paper and marked it to make sure the depth was correct. Double checking depth Everything went in just fine! One small nick from the jerk when you turn the router off, but it wont affect anything and it's soon to be under the fret board. I've now learned to never turn the router off when it's anywhere near the wood! Oh and here's the cheesy thickness jig since I didn't have a band saw. This is a learning process for sure! And I'm having a blast!! My wife thinks I'm a little too obsessed, and she thinks I'm in over my head too, I'm really hoping to show her different at the end of all of this! Thickness Jig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted December 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Progress! Here's the initial start of shaping! Still haven't totally finished the headstock. Starting to shape the neck After a while it's really coming along. As I get closer to the thickness I'm going for I'm checking constantly that I don't go to thin, I know I have room before I hit the truss, but it's still scary. More shaping I also got the fretboard glued on and my trussrod access routed. Lined up perfectly! Access to the spokewheel I also glued on a head plate before I finished with shaping the headstock. I did a rough trace on the 1/8" thick piece of walnut and used a xacto knife to cut it out. Then I used a jig saw to get closer to the shape and I'll finish with files and rasps. Glueing the Headplate I kept sanding on the body wings too........it's starting to take shape! The neck isn't done yet, but here's a closer bodyshot. Fret slots are soon! Closer Body Shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Looking awsome =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goat Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 I love that shape.I will be building one similar.Keep up the great work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigthemLows Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Some more progress worth posting! The neck is roughly shaped now, I just need a little more radius towards the upper register. It's about 1.1" thick top to bottom and figure I'll lightly sand from here. Rough shaped neck I do still need to take some width out of the headstock but I'm debating on the best way to do it. I also glued up and clamped the body wings (one at a time) after I reshaped the upper horn. Clamps on the wings I also decided to thin out the upper horn to shed some weight and it looked a little thick to me. The one on the left is the finished thickness....I like it better! This weekend the dreaded fanned fret slots will be cut! Hopefully I'll find some time for a belly cut and some touchup on the body. I really like this stage of the build because it's actually starting to look like a bass, and it almost looks like I know what I'm doing...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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