Andyjr1515 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) The electrics are now fitted and I've been doing some work to balance the pickups at their lowest acceptable height. Why? Because of the very large covers that I need to get well away from picking fingers or picks - particularly around the P pickup area. By necessity, the J pickup is going to be higher, but I quite like that to give it a bit of balance. I wanted also to avoid drilling holes in and screwing the slugs out through them, although that was an option. Nevertheless, I cut some channels to within a gnat's whisker of break through to be able to screw them as high as possible with a cover as slim as possible: Getting to the ebony = sub 1mm to fresh air. Yikes! However, it worked. I have low but acceptable volume and good balance with this thickness of covers: Other than fixing the covers on and adding the strap locks, that's the body pretty much done. Now the varnish is hard enough, I'm going to satin the neck and then play it on a strap to check the feel of the neck. I'll also double check against the templates of the guy's favourite bass. To me it feels a little bit chunkier than my own PJ neck - it might be just his preference or I might need to just tweek it down a little. If it's OK, it'll be ready to collect in a week, if it needs a bit of a profile tweak, 2 weeks. By the way, can't remember if I said, but the guy was hoping for a light-ish bass, in spite of it being a single-cut. It's coming in at 7lb 13oz (c 3.5kg). He's well chuffed....and so am I Edited January 24, 2016 by Andyjr1515 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Well you didn't pull any punches with your design decisions! Thinning wood to veneer thickness is not all that difficult as long as there is no chance of the wood catching or tearing out, otherwise bad things can happen. Brave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I've always thought single cut basses to be rather odd looking......but this thing is gorgeous Andy! SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Fabulous! That has finished really well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Thanks, folks. With the quality of builds on this site, your kind feedback means a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Finished!!!!! Forgive the self-indulgence, but here are 'a few' shots Thanks for your encouraging feedback and your considerable patience during this journey Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 You didn't make a big deal out of it in this thread.......but that is an incredible finish particularly considering it was wipe on poly. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 7 minutes ago, ScottR said: You didn't make a big deal out of it in this thread.......but that is an incredible finish particularly considering it was wipe on poly. SR Thanks, Scott. Certainly compared with the kind of finish I get when I try to spray stuff On very close inspection, it doesn't quite get to a well applied and buffed spray finish but, considering it can be done with no equipment and in the dining room, it gets close enough for many projects: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 It's funny, because I've seen a lot of people do amazing finishes with wipe-on. I just can't master it. Maybe I have some sort of aura or perhaps a faulty gene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 1 hour ago, Prostheta said: It's funny, because I've seen a lot of people do amazing finishes with wipe-on. I just can't master it. Maybe I have some sort of aura or perhaps a faulty gene. Like all these things, there are a small number of nevertheless very important tips and tricks. That said, I probably wouldn't have gone down this path if I'd had a few more facilities to hand. I've recently done a summary of the tips and techniques for another forum. I'll cut and paste the relevant bits on a thread in the 'Inlays and Finishing' section when I get a moment (and that reminds me...still have to finish the African Bass thread!) in case there are any other ProjectGuitar members who are similarly usable-facility compromised... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Sounds like a good plan. I look forward to reading it....I have access to spray booths and the like, but in general I am challenged for facilities also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I've gotten nice finishes out of wipe on poly, but like you say, there are faint witness lines from leveling that can be found if you are looking hard enough. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pan_kara Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 14 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: I've recently done a summary of the tips and techniques for another forum. I'll cut and paste the relevant bits on a thread in the 'Inlays and Finishing' section when I get a moment (and that reminds me...still have to finish the African Bass thread!) in case there are any other ProjectGuitar members who are similarly usable-facility compromised... yes, please! Actually, what exactly is "wipe on poly"? As in: where to buy this stuff and what to look for (in Europe)? Love the build BTW, great idea with the pickup covers. I always had a thing for replacing usually-plastic pasts with wood, it looks fantastic here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 To cut a long story short, it's usually any kind of brushing lacquer or varnish cut with more solvents so that its possible to wipe on a film with a cloth rather than apply layers with a brush. Brush-on polyurethane can be made into a wiping poly by cutting it with about the same volume of whatever solvent it has in it in the first place. There's some good info here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?74113-How-to-make-wipe-on-Poly Quote you can make any oil-based varnish, including "poly", a wipe on product with an approximately 50/50 mixture of the varnish and mineral spirits. (Some folks use VN&P Naptha for faster flash off) If this is for furniture, consider using a non-polyurethane varnish as your base. Clearer. Easier to rub out if you choose to. And just as durable. The only property that poly adds is abrasion resistance (it was designed for floors) and that's what sparks its negative features) Quote First, you can use any full strength oil based clear finish. Polyurethane varnish or non-poly varnish is fine.If you are making your own wipe-on the mix is scientific - thin. I suggest 50/50 with mineral spirits because it is easier to type than any other ratio and easy to remember. Some finish formulators have jumped on the bandwagon and you can now get "wipe on" finish pre-mixed. If you use a pre-mixed, thinning is generally not necessary. But making your own is cheaper and you know what's in it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Same caveats apply; any clothes used to apply oil-based products should be laid flat and left to dry in an area where them spontaneously combusting is not a danger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 1 hour ago, Prostheta said: Same caveats apply; any clothes used to apply oil-based products should be laid flat and left to dry in an area where them spontaneously combusting is not a danger. A very important point that Prostheta makes here. I cover this in the thread also as well as ventilation, etc, etc.. The thread can be found here for anyone it might interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Yeah, but ventilation is the last thing you want when you're on fire. Re: triangle of fire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 The guy I'm building this for did his 300 mile round trip yesterday to pick it up. He was EXCEPTIONALLY pleased with it No tweaks required - he said it was perfect. If this was a job instead of a hobby, I'd call that real job satisfaction . In fact, I'm so pleased with this build, I've changed my AJRGuitarmods.co.uk website homepage: Now onto finishing the seemingly endless saga of the African Fretless, and time for a bit more progress on the Dreadnought acoustic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Exceptionally positive feedback from the guy what you built if for is always a good thing! Congrats Andy. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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