j. pierce Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I really meant to take pictures of the build process, but it just never happened. Here's what I've been working on: ( with flash ) The bass has BWB veneer laminates all over the place - in the scarf joint, under the fingerboard (I suppose I could have used proper binding here, but this was easier given the supplies I had) and as binding, between the top and the core, between the headplate and the headstock and between the heel and the body at the neck joint. A couple quick pictures: the neck, and the horn. (The white line is even in that second pic - I think that's reflection making it look wierd? I never thought I'd do a five string bass, but I certainly never thought I'd be doing green-dyed flamed maple. But the build is for my younger brother, and it's what he wants. My first real dye job, and while I'm not super thrilled about it, I think it came out pretty well. Hopefully it looks a little deeper when I buff it out. (At least, that's what happened to my test pieces.) It's surprising how a few places, taking pictures with a flash really brings out the depth, but also brings out a few flaws, places where the dye wasn't even enough. In general, I'm pleased, but I think I can do better in the future. The lacquer is finished curing, I need to wetsand and buff it out. A bit more orange peel in general than I would have liked. As you can see in some of those pics, I managed to have a pretty bad drip on the upper horn of the bass - cleaning it up removed a bit of finish and I had to relay it there. It's not nearly as unsmooth as it looks in that photo, and I'm pretty confident I can buff it out, but it's annoying it happened. The SG I guess is swinging way the other direction, (but also more in my own personal tastes) as a sort of compromise for the green flamed maple, I guess. It's getting all black hardware, and an SG-Junior type pickguard. The bass, is getting all gold Hipshot hardware. 35" scale. The bass is maple from LMI in the top and neck, over a walnut core. (I should take a picture of the back - I love the look of the walnut.) The SG is a walnut body and a mahogany neck, because that's what I had. I was planning white from the get-go, but it was almost a shame to cover the wood. In the end I went for it. Still need to wind pickups (I sized the routes to fit easily available commercial ones if that doesn't work) and make pickguards, cavity covers, nuts, and all the fitting and set up that these things need. Fretted, but not leveled yet. And buffing and wetsanding the finish, of course. Still trying to figure out where I'm going to put the upper strap button on the SG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted October 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I've got a kind of odd-shaped heel there, slightly scuplted. As well as 24 frets - I'm worried about the strap sort of getting in the way on the back of the heel, although that's probably where it's going to go. I think if I just off-center it slightly, it'll be fine I'm definetly going to be building another guitar with a natural walnut body in the future. I've still got some more from the plank that I used for this guitar that I'll use in the future. The piece I cut for the SG was the least interesting of them. It was a hard call, but having to fill a piece of tearout was what cinched it for me. I'm not a fan of the color of the bass, myself, (the maple looked so nice natural, it's seemed silly to dye it green, and I'm never really a fan of the dyed maple finishes.) but it's what my brother wanted. It's a pretty spot on green to what he told me he wanted. Just a couple of spots where I guess it's a bit more uneven than I thought it was, and didn't realize until the flash hit it. That's really the only part I'm unhappy with, although I'd like to maybe have gotten a bit more contrast between the light and dark. But yeah, it was a hard call whether or not to let it slide, because I wasn't perfectly happy with it. Unfortunetly, I didn't realize some of it until the lacquer was on, and I want to finish this around my brothers schedule - he's in the service, and I want to be able to give it to him when he's stateside. I do all my finishing outside, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to re-fin it until spring, as the weather's started to go cold and unpredictable. In the end, I relied on the judgement of others as to whether it was good enough. It certainly looks better in person than in my photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripthorn Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I think they're looking great. As far as the strap button on the SG, I just built a bass where the upper horn is not conducive to having the strap button on the point, so I just put the button on the back of the body about an inch and a half in from the point of the horn. That could be a better placement than on a sculpted heel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narcissism Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 On all of Iommi's guitars, he has it on the point. However, another option which i've seen a few times is to put the strap button where the top left screw would be on a bolt on neck. I've seen that on Vs anyway... Not too sure about SGs. My favorite spot is definately on the horn though, either on the end, or on the back of the guitar where Ripthorn mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted October 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 The heels not that sculpted - it's almost like the way heels on bolt neck guitars get angled. I do more chord work than lead work, and I tend to play with a capo, often, and end up playing quite high on the neck in combination with open notes from the capo. I like a little bit of heel to hook my thumb on when I'm doing that. I was hoping to get enough heel to do that when chording, but not get too in the way if I'm playing lead type lines way up there. I'm wondering about it conflicting with the slightly extended fretboard, and I think what it really does is negate the usage of the Schaller strap locks I usually use. It's not quite as clunky as it looks in this pick, but it's not super-svelte, either. Looking at pictures of SGs online, it seems like they usually place the strap button a bit further back than my epiphone copy I used to have as a kid had its button. I think that was what was throwing me off. I'll put it just past the angled bit a little ways, and I'll be fine. I thought it woul poke me in the stomach that way, but it'll be fine. From the SG I used to have, I always thought SG buttons went where the red dot in this picture is, turns out it's usually lower. I'll put it where the green dot is, maybe move it a little more to the bass side. Once again I've gotten worked up about nothing. As far as p'ups, I'm going to be experimenting with making my own. I've never done anything more than a rewind. I'm thinking of trying a stacked coil for the SG. Something where the entire coil assembly is akin in dimensions to a P90 (as it's obviously sized for), but using magnets instead of steel pole-pieces, like how a fender pickup is constructed. I'm not set on any particular tone for it, just kind of see what I get. I'm hoping for something with a little bit more "chime" than a standard 'bucker, I guess. The bass is going to get a humbucker sized appropriately for it, and I may use some bar magnets I have if they're long enough (I haven't measured yet) for blade-style polepieces. But I'll probably just end up ordering some new magnets, and maybe larger polepieces than what I've got here, and just making something like a standard PAF in construction. The bass pickups will get a matching walnut cover from some of the offcuts from the build. I may end up putting a pre-amp in the bass too, I haven't decided. I tend to like the tone of comparatively "weak", or at least, not "hot" passive pickups for bass, although I tend to end up using a boost to make up for the lower level output when using some amps. I don't know, it may end up not being the way to go with the low B. I'm going to go play some 5 strings at the music shop this week, and see what kind of pickups I like the sound of and look up specs, as well as doing some research to see what others have done here. There's actually a cavity in the back of the bass for a dual battery bay, I just never routed all the way through for it, in case I decide I don't want it. (Although if I attach the control panel cavity cover with magnets, I'll probably just put the batteries in there as there should be plenty of room, should I decide to put circuitry in the thing.) The backup plan if I don't get a pickup working on this that I like is do go with some EMGs that are comparable to what I've enjoyed in the past on 4 strings, which is what the pickup route is sized for. I haven't decided if the bass is getting a matching green maple cavity cover or a matching walnut one. May depend on how well the walnut blends in - the grain was moving quite a bit where I resawed off the walnut, and I ended up taking more thickness off the back of the bass after the body was closer to being done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Sorry for the bad photo and the greasy pickguard. I'll do better as the projects wraps up. Hardware mounted, nuts cut, and strung up for the first time. I wound a pickup for the bass, and mounted it in a walnut shell made from the offcuts of the back. Left the SG in a satin finish. Bass is polished up to a high gloss, even though it doesn't show in this picture. Still need to make truss rod covers and back plates, as well as a pickup for the guitar. Haven't done any fretwork, either. The SG is going to need a bit more than I would have liked - a couple of really buzzy frets, although the action is set very very low right now. All the frets appear to be seated well, I'm wondering if I used two heights of fretwire by accident or something. Take a better look before I level, and perhaps I need to refret a few frets. And, because I have to do something stupid in every build, I've got the bass strings lowered as far as they can go and the action is still too high. Fixed the relief in the neck and that helped a bit, but I obviously messed something up. I'm thinking I forgot to account for the veneers I put between the neck and the fretboard. The action is actually spot on where I like it, but I'd like to have the option of going lower. I can recess the bridge a hair and do a bit of a re-fin, and it'll be spot on, Makes me feel dumb though. The SG has a real open and chimey sound unplugged. (I nice change from my last guitar which was a bit on the dark side) The bass has a beautiful sound - still need to play with the pickup a bit to get better balance, though. The low B (that's what you usually tune those to, right?) has a real piano-like quality to it, and the pickup can really get a some growl to it. I may have to replace some of the hardware on the SG - it balanced perfectly before it, but the super-light wilkinson wrap around in combo with the cheapo tuners makes it a bit neck heavy. I'm kind of thinking I want to make this my stage guitar - the neck is perfect. Of course, I like trem, so maybe I'll fit a black bigbsy on it. (Of course, that means replacing the wrap around with a TOM, which means a re-fin over the holes) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Oh yeah, and holes for control pots. I need those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpcrash Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 details... details Looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Oh yeah, and holes for control pots. I need those. Hahaha I didn't even notice untill you brought it up. The flame on that bass looks great, nice and tight. Maybe you could put the pots somewhere else on the bass, it looks really clean at the moment. That being said I'm sure pots won't ruin that cleanliness, especially if they were made of walnut like the pickup....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 The bass has a beautiful sound - still need to play with the pickup a bit to get better balance, though. The low B (that's what you usually tune those to, right?) has a real piano-like quality to it, and the pickup can really get a some growl to it. I'm a pianist, and I'm suddenly lusting to play your bass. Both guitars look beautiful. I know walnut is beautiful, but I think the white SG looks fabulous. I assume you're putting a P-90 in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 the white SG is great, very Jake E Lee! actually i migh be doing a lefty replica of that soon nice idea making it a 24 fretter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Maybe you could put the pots somewhere else on the bass, it looks really clean at the moment. That being said I'm sure pots won't ruin that cleanliness, especially if they were made of walnut like the pickup....... It's just going to have a couple of knobs, volume and tone. A switch for the series/parallel wiring on the 'bucker, but that might end up a push/pull on one of the pots. I wish I had a lathe to make my own knobs, but I'm looking at getting some walnut bell knobs to match the pickup cover and the back wood. Both guitars look beautiful. I know walnut is beautiful, but I think the white SG looks fabulous. I assume you're putting a P-90 in it. I do love P-90s, and routed it for one, but I'm actually thinking I'll be winding a custom humbucker to fit the mount. Experimenting with resin casting - The bass p'up is encapsulated and held in the cover with epoxy. I'm thinking I'll do the guitar pickup encapsulated in a black epoxy, akin to some of the bartolini pickups. I really like the clean look of soapbar P-90s, which was half the reason for routing as such. I can always go back, so that's nice. the white SG is great, very Jake E Lee! actually i migh be doing a lefty replica of that soon Nice! I had forgotten about that guitar. Saw an SG Junior on craigslist, and that sort of drove me in that direction. My control placements going to have to be a little different than a normal Jr, as I routed a standard SG control cavity, in case this ever wants to end up with a neck p'up in the future I'd have room. I don't think that will ever be the case, but I like to leave my options open. (Part of me was actually thinking about a sustainer.) There's a hole drilled to run wiring to a neck pup if that ever happens, to. The 24 frets is just kind of mandatory for me at this point - I'm not a shredder by any means, but I capo a lot, and play a lot of chords with octave drone notes on the open strings, so I'm up there a lot. It made getting the pickguard shape right a little difficult, and I had to find a balance between fret access and not moving the bridge two thirds of the way up the body... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 I had to find a balance between fret access and not moving the bridge two thirds of the way up the body... my solution was a longer scale length - which i prefer anyway. here is one i did with 24 frets and a 25.5" scale and whilst on the subject, this is what i did with the strap button: a recessed dunlop strap lock on the upper horn thats been bevelled away to hide it all from the front that meant that on a SG with longer than normal neck i still had good balance on a strap: but then i definately couldnt put one on the heel: that was a copy of a john birch heel design which is what tony Iommi played back in the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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