Bygde Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 My first project is coming to an end. It's a 4-string bass, made from mahogany, birch and rosewood, and I started it this fall. Since I don't have a shop of my own, I'm taking a woodworking class at a local school. That shop however, doesn't even deserve to be called a shop, more like a place with wood and knives basically! However, here's the pic: http://www.snapdrive.net/files/348380/P1010382.JPG All the parts, except fingerboard (which was prefretted and inlayed) and trussrod, came from a Jazz bass copy Don't give me such a hard time, since this is my first project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Looking good =) Im not a fan of the headstock but i really like the body shape. Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Irizarry Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Looking good =) Im not a fan of the headstock but i really like the body shape. Nice work! +1. Like the shape - not the headstock. And, that image should be resized to something more reasonable. It's over 2MB. Regards, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Have you test fitted tuners? The holes for the E & G strings look a little strangely placed - i dont think thats goin to work! The body does look excellent but i would be tempted to rework the headstock. If you plug the current tuner holes you can veneer the front and back and come up with something that works better - and nobody need know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 The headstock was f*cked up...I started out making the headstock, but my bandsawing skills suck, so it was messed up, so i added a little wood so it would look better. I probably could fix it in another way, since it's not finished. Yes, the tuner holes is different sizes, because the school had a 16mm drill and a 18mm drill. Guess which size I needed? So I had to file from 16 to 17mm. That will be sorted in the next 4 weeks, and i will try to fix the headstock to some better shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPirro Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I like that a lot, very ct influenced. Also I like the headstock, reminds me of Elrick basses but not so much on this bass. Overall nice work very clean look. How will you be finishing it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPirro Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 I was bored so heres what i came up with for the headstock and added the other stuff due to my boredom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTU 7's. Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 It's looking good, but i don't likw the goofy design of the headstock. I think that you have to give another shape there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted March 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 I like that a lot, very ct influenced. Also I like the headstock, reminds me of Elrick basses but not so much on this bass. Overall nice work very clean look. How will you be finishing it?Yeah, I love CT basses, so i got a big deal of influence from him! It will be sprayed with matte lacquer by a friend, whose dad works in a car painting company. I was bored so heres what i came up with for the headstock and added the other stuff due to my boredom. Looks nice It's looking good, but i don't likw the goofy design of the headstock. I think that you have to give another shape there. I honestly don't know how it will turn out. I don't want to f*ck it up more, but i will look into it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Personally, I like the headstock. I think it "balances" with the body. Just ma 2 cents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted March 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Personally, I like the headstock. I think it "balances" with the body. Just ma 2 cents! Not a whole lot of people who likes it But I'm not sure how it will turn out. Right now, it feels like I will keep it the way it is, but I'll do some drawings of the headstock, and see if I can do it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_ado Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 yeah i like a chunky head stock on that body just make it have a thin waist like the body and itll look ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted March 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've routed for the neck adjustment (body end adjuster), mounted pickups, and mounted all the tuners (small update) this week. Gone skiing for the rest of the week, so nothing will be done until next week. Now to the headstock! I will NOT alter it in any way. It will remain as it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Now to the headstock! I will NOT alter it in any way. It will remain as it is now. Hey, It's your axe. If it's being made for you, and you like it, I can't see a problem. I'm on my first project, too, and I think I have possibly made a huge mistake by going for a hard maple body with a birdseye veneer - just because I LOVE the wood. In the process, I am learning a lot both from doing it, and by getting tips and advice from here, so I am sure that the next one will be better. Enjoy - and that's an order!! Denis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
another doug Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Now to the headstock! I will NOT alter it in any way. It will remain as it is now. In my opinion, the design of the headstock is not too bad, but you may have some issues with the E and G putting excess pressure on the sides of the nut. I can't recall seeing a bass with angles that sharp, so you may be fine, but usually you want the strings to pass over the nut as straight as possible. Other than that, your mockup looks pretty good to me. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on the rest of your build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Now to the headstock! I will NOT alter it in any way. It will remain as it is now. Hey, It's your axe. If it's being made for you, and you like it, I can't see a problem. I'm on my first project, too, and I think I have possibly made a huge mistake by going for a hard maple body with a birdseye veneer - just because I LOVE the wood. In the process, I am learning a lot both from doing it, and by getting tips and advice from here, so I am sure that the next one will be better. Enjoy - and that's an order!! Denis Thanks! Yeah I will plan the next project better, and don't let **** like that happen. Honestly, I don't like the headstock, but I don't want to make it worse... Now to the headstock! I will NOT alter it in any way. It will remain as it is now. In my opinion, the design of the headstock is not too bad, but you may have some issues with the E and G putting excess pressure on the sides of the nut. I can't recall seeing a bass with angles that sharp, so you may be fine, but usually you want the strings to pass over the nut as straight as possible. Other than that, your mockup looks pretty good to me. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on the rest of your build! Didn't plan out the tuners that good...will just have to see how this thing turns out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted May 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Finally! Almost finished! Only thing left on this one is to make a nut, that I've milled to a block at this point in time. The nut is made of brass. Tomorrow I will probably do the rest, since I didn't have the measurements for it, so I just kinda...did something The bass have been on a show or whatever you wanna call it. Since this was a woodworking class, we put our creations on display this week. People made like bowls and some other random stuff, so my bass really stuck out. It even earned me an interview from the local newspaper (from which the picture is taken, with a little PS editing by my sister), with me in the background. I spent two days in the garage sanding and lacquering and oiling and so on. 3 days before the show. So it kinda was a last minute finish. The body is sprayed with clear lacquer, and neck is oiled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 :D Man, that bass is HUGE! Just look at the size of it next to that kid! I actually don't mind the headstock, after a bit of staring at the design, it grows on me. Congratulations on the display, too Building something as complicated as a bass for a school show is a sure way to get noticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 Yeah, the finished product looks fantastic. Hm, I should call the Akron Beacon Journal and tell them I build guitars... get my face out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted May 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2007 :D Man, that bass is HUGE! Just look at the size of it next to that kid! I actually don't mind the headstock, after a bit of staring at the design, it grows on me. Congratulations on the display, too Building something as complicated as a bass for a school show is a sure way to get noticed! Kid? Don't know if I'm a kid 6'5" 104kg (think its around 220lbs or something) is a HUGE kid! Thanks! I actually got an A in this class, so I'm kinda happy about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted June 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Got the bass home today from the musicstore (nut filed), and I'm very impressed! Although, some problems needs to be taken care of. The pickups are WAAY to high, so the notes actually distorts, and the tone knob (maybe pot?) has a glitch. It kinda cuts the guitar off if I turn it down too fast I'm suspecting a bad solder joint. This should be sorted out though! The sound was very impressing! Very Primus-ish agressive J-bass sound (AWESOME for funk/slap!), and it feels very fast, especially compared to my Yamaha RBX375 (which I've always felt is kinda fast). One of the best slap-basses I've played actually, because it easy to get a nice, strong attack with your thumb. Overall, I'm glad to see that it turned out the way it did, and with those small problems to fix, I will have my main funk bass ready for punishment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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