Doug 59 Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Here's some images of a slab of a Maple Silkwood I'm currently milling down to billets for book matching, slabs for solid bodies, and select lengths for neck laminates. Maple Silkwood is a very close relative of Queensland Maple. [ Flindersia pimenteliana, as opposed to Flindersia brayleyana ] These are both great Australian tone woods. The timber slab in question has been air drying for over ten years.....it measures 4 meters long x 850 mm wide and 55 mm thick. It's almost a shame to cut it up, it would make a nice kitchen bench top or the likes......but Guitars are more important!! I'll be selecting something out of this lot for a Bass build. Specs are: 34 inch scale, multi laminate neck through, four string. Book matched top and back Ebony fingerboard Schaller hardware Not sure yet, but possibly a single Bartolini pick up Originally I was planing a 4005 Rickenbacker copy, that's been shelved for now as this is a commission....but that Ricky shape will probably in there somewhere. Maple Silkwood [ Flindersia pimenteliana ] Slab Marked out Grain figure Selected billet Book match Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 Ok, a bit more on this Bass for Edd. All the Tone Woods used in this Instrument are Australian, except for the Ebony fingerboard. I'm going to put the proper botanical names in brackets behind the common names, just in case anyone wants, or needs to know. Australia is home to some great timbers, and as the supply for the more traditional woods from Central and South America become harder to source, there's a fair bit of interest in what we have down here, though there's quite a few of our species on various CITES lists as well. Some Australian makers like Maton have been using the likes of Queensland Maple [ Flindersia brayleyana ] for almost half a century, and as such, have a good knowledge base about different Australian woods and their tonal properties in comparison to the more traditional woods.... There's also a lot of small builders continually experimenting with "new" woods.....here as well as overseas, tradition is slowly being put aside as some of these "new" woods are found to be even better than the traditional ones we've been using. The neck laminates are: Rose Mahogany [Dysoxylum fraseranum ] x 5 mm centre strip, with pinstriped Black Bean [Castanospermum australe ] x 5 mm strips each side of that, and Maple Silkwood [ Flindersia pimenteliana ] as the main bulk of the neck. Pinstripes are .6 mm Silver Quandong [ Elaeocarpus grandis ]. I think I'm going with dual truss rods in this one as it will connect to the body at the 20 th fret, and will have quite a slender profile. Neck details Body wings: Black Bean core x 20 mm, Silver Quandong accent laminations x 3 mm, with book matched Rose Mahogany on the back, and book matched Maple Silkwood on the Top. This is the Rose Mahogany for the back. This is the Maple Silkwood for the Top. Gluing the Black Bean core to the Neck I use small stainless steel pins to stop things moving about while clamping, as I taper, and set neck to body angles [if needed] at this stage. Later, I put the Guitar in a special router jig to do the truss rod channels and any other routing that may need to be done. Close up of the Silver Quandong accent gluing to the tops and the backs pre book matching. I use Epoxy Resin for laminating, the plastic is to keep things separated, once this stuff has gone off, there's no going back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_labb Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 like the look of it, nice timbers too. im interested in the black bean, how have you found it so far? did you hear about it being used, or just wanted to give it a try? keep us updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Black Bean is a great timber, but if not cut and seasoned properly there may be some movement problems, this is pretty much the same for most timbers though. It's sanding dust is very irritant, and can even cause a rash on the skin. I haven't heard of it being used in instruments, but I've used it for fingerboards on a few Guitars, and have been very happy with the results, it seems to have an even response / resonance. It has an air dried density of about 770 Kg / cubic meter, comparable to the Rosewoods [brazilian & Indian],but nowhere as hard as the Ebonys. It was commonly used for floors 40 / 50 years ago up here in North Qld, as well as furniture making, but it's a bit hard to come by any quantity these days. I thought I'd use it in this bass as a bit of an experiment, as I have an almost completed Guitar done in the same timbers.... I'm interested to hear what sort of tone this combination of woods produces. If I don't try it, I'll never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_labb Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 ill be interested in your findings, seems like an in interesting timber to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 A few more progress images...... Back of the body core Top of body core, pre surfacing for top Book matched top attached and highlighted to show figure. It would have been nice if the figure was across the whole top, but you gotta work with what ya got! Body end of truss rod channels. Gluing fillets in over the rods Back of headstock, little wings attached. Top of neck surfaced ready for fingerboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudz Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 I really like the figuring of the top even though it doesn't go across the whole top. you could do a finish that is brighter and more wild on the figuring but sort of darkens while going into the plain part of the grain. Just one of my crazy ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 Funny you say that.......I was thinking of exactly the same sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 Got a little bit more to put up here...the fingerboard is on, bound, and the inlay done. It was a good thing I checked with Ed before I started on the inlay....LOL, I was thinking it was Edd ! I'll have to do a little filling in a couple of places, but in general it came out ok. Back of headstock and volute. I'll do the final shaping once I've got the front on. There's still a little bit of work to do on the neck as well. Decided to stain the back. I'm going to put a white veneer around the control cavity cover, I quite like the contrast. Still not sure what I'm going to do on the Top though! Anyway, a bit more in a few more days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 14, 2008 Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 It was a good thing I checked with Ed before I started on the inlay....LOL, I was thinking it was Edd ! Never ever let him see this thread title, then I thought things were looking messy at first, but it's turning out to be a pretty cool build. I think that a red-dyed back, headstock and sides and an amber top would look really classy, especially with that white strip you put in. The heel looks a bit boxy for my tastes, but then again I did the same exact thing on both my builds so yeah. It's hard to think in three dimensions sometimes! If I may... how are you going to access the truss rods? By the look of things, you covered them up with the top. Is that going to be routed out afterwards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Not much to show for the last week or so.... I've been very busy wearing my Silversmith hat ..... I had to complete quite a large order of Silverwork, so Ed's Bass has taken a back seat for the time being. That's cool, I'm waiting on Pickups, and I still haven't made any real decision regarding the finish on the Top. I've given it a couple of sealer coats to see what it's going to come up like if I just leave it natural. The slight recessed area at the base of the body is for the bridge, and the writing is what timbers have been used as well as my name and the date. If I may... how are you going to access the truss rods? By the look of things, you covered them up with the top. If you go back through the images, as well as the one above, you can see some detail regarding what's going on, a small wooden cover, the same as the top will sit in there. Adjustment of the rods is done by a small ring spanner. [only one way adjustment] As far as the Heel goes, it cups really nicely into the palm of my hand, with my ring finger able to reach the last fret so easily it's ridiculous. Part of the reason I didn't blend it into the body, is that I wanted some sort of resolution of the neck into the body since the neck is joining the body at the 20th fret. Just as an aside.....the thickness of the body is 38 mm [an inch and a half], and the thickness of the heel to the centre of the top of the fingerboard is 46 mm [one and thirteen sixteenths]. Weight wise, as it stands at the moment, without hardware, it comes in at 2.9 Kg [about 6.5 Lb] The Headstock lamination / veneer from two angles just to show how much movement is in the figure of this wood. I still have my logo inlay to do on the front as well. And from the back, That's about it for now, I'll post the last lot of images once it's all fretted and wired up etc....I can't wait to hear this plugged in and turned up, for now, it's got a lovely bright tap tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Stunningly beautiful done! If Ed doesn't want it, I wouldn't care that it says Ed on the fingerboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAGGOTBRAIN Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Wow...love the shape ... If it was up for vote ,Id say leave that top natural. Did the DG10 get a new home yet?... peace Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted May 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Thanks for the positive feedback Guys. Yeah Jack, the top's got me a little stumped at the moment.... I really like it natural too, but, I might be able to get it looking even better if I do a darker burst from the front of the body. I've got about 2 weeks before the pick ups are here, so that's a bit of time to think more about it! The DG 10 does have a new home, it's been bought by a very talented young guy in Sydney, by the name of Zac Jones. He's supposed to come and pick it up sometime in May, and when he does, I was going to get a video / sound clip thing together and post it up on my you tube channel. Doug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Ok, got a little bit more to show. Pickups arrived late last week .... we're now going with a single EMG Humbucker. One volume, one tone. Here's the route for the Pickup, the little rectangular hole in the bottom left, for wiring, was routed into the core before I put the top on. I've got the Truss Rod adjustment access cover in place as well, but I didn't notice until looking at this picture, that the book match line in the cover appears to run off to the line on the rest of the top... I'll have to look at that, it's the little things that can really stand out. It's also very hard to see the white accent line I've put around it's edge, though once the Top's properly sanded back, that should stand out nicely. The Frets are in, leveled, beveled and crowned etc. The Nut, which is Brass, is on and slotted to the correct hight, and as I've eluded to else where, brass isn't as hard to work with as what some of you guys think! Just take your time, use good quality files, it's such a nice soft greasy metal (alloy). I've had it strung up for the past 10 days or so, after having done the frets and the nut ...... Got the action of the E string at 2 mm at the 20th fret. There's a little bit of buzzing if you play hard, but it plays so nicely, I LOVE IT!! ...& it sounds great too, fantastic harmonics! If this Bass wasn't going to a ... how shall I say it ... modest player, (I'm sure ED won't mind being described as a modest player, and after all, it is a modest sort of Bass when it's all said and done) .... I think I'd do it a bit different, 24 frets, definitely 2 PU's, and probably active! All that's left to do now is the finishing, and that's going to be gloss polyurethane. I've decided to leave the Top natural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Your work is amazing! The difference in the headstock figure from those two angles is stunning. Love the fingerboard binding too!!! I have to vote natural for that top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug 59 Posted June 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 I've been meaning to get back here and post a few images of Ed's Bass all finished and ready to go for almost a week, but have been so busy, I just haven't had the time until now. It should have one more buff and polish and thats about it. The Bass sounds absolutely fantastic, the combination of woods works really well. The density of all three woods, Black Bean, Maple Silkwood and Rose Mahogany complement each other nicely, I'd highly recommend them to anyone who wants to use some quality Australian Tone Woods. The total weight of the Bass is 3.85 Kg, Body thickness is 38 mm's, and total length from the top of the headstock to the strap lock at the other end is 1085 mm's .... very light, evenly balanced, and comfortable. The single EMG humbucker is placed forward to pick up the deeper resonance of the strings, and is simply wired for volume and tone, with 500 k Ohm pots and a .047 µF orange drop Sprague capacitor. It has a bright clear tone.... a deep tight treble sort of tone, not unlike piano strings, the harmonics are clean and clear on all strings. There are no dull or dead spots. It's a real pleasure to play. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to look. Doug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.