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my 38" 6 string fretless bass project


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Hello, My name is Wayne Lousteau (pronounce Loosetoe)

I have been a long time lurker here.

I always like seeing other's work, so i figured I'd show some of my own.

This is the sixth instrument that I will have built.

It is to be a 38" scale 6 string through neck fretless bass.

How this whole thing started. A large CHUNK of spalted curly maple.

bass-001.jpg

Just looks nasty at this point

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Neck Core

5 piece Mahogany/ Maple neck core. I dont like scarf joints so i waste alot of wood. Here it is freshly glued with the Tulipwood fingerboard bound in Maple w/ maple veneer liners

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Close up freshly glued

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Headstock Veeneer (from body block):

bass-011.jpg

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Rear of Headstock (Padaouk wings):

bass-013.jpg

Whole Neck Rear

bass-014.jpg

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Test fit:

bass-015.jpg

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Fingerboard Radiused and trimmed to final:

My favorite shot

bass-020.jpg

Test Fit 2. Some Padaouk for cats eyes on the lower bout and horn tip (the padaouk is actually a 7 layer sandwich of woods padaouk-maple - walnut - maple - walnut - maple - padaouk).

Kent Armstrong custom wound pickup. Kahler fully adjustable 6 string bridge (pain in the butt to setup, but what wonderful flexibility.

bass-024.jpg

Headstock shape with Custom Sperzels Alternating Black-Gold color. I will have 3 of the brige saddles powder coated black to match .

bass-025.jpg

Finally, I think I am going to do a single cut stlye body. THe lower horn here will be made slightly smaller and more rounded on the end (to show the padaouk snadwich ball tip). Otherwise the shape is similar to a benavente B.

bass-029.jpg

Any comments appreciated.

Wayne

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Wow, nice work. How long have you been doing this and how many have you made? I'm just curious. I can't wait to see more of it, it looks great so far!

I just hope that the hot pink is merely a template and not an inspiration!!

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Since the overwhelming opinion is that the lower horn was less than desirable (which I agree with). I drew up a couple of alternative shapes. The lower horn in the orignal posting was extended to try to get it into the pakaouk. I can still cut out a section of maple on the table saw to get a proper glue surface for the padaouk sandwich. I think the ball tip with multiple layers'll just be too cool.

The body will be finished in clear. The "hot pink" is actually red poster board.

Old shape:

bass-029.jpg

Old shape revised lower horn

bass-031.jpg

Alternative

bass-034.jpg

I realize the single cut shape drives some folks away, but i think it is still classic while being different. In the end...I like it. That's really all that matters.

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I like the revised shapes MUCH better.

The "ALTERNATIVE" is my personal favorite, however, i do very much like the (swung?) look of the lower body contour on the revised version. If you could somehow find a happy median between those two...

the "ALTERNATIVE" reminds me VERY much of the Plume Singlecuts found at JPBasses.com, but then again, most singlecut basses look the same.

Keep up the good work bro, I honestly can't wait to see what you end up with for a budy cut out on the pretty spalt...

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While I'm a bit iffy on the amount of body-to-neck contact on the upper part, it's eye-catching because of its uniqueness.

The 'swung' back with the current lower cutaway is a winner, for sure!

Cheers,

Greg.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was able to shape the neck and heel this evening.

neck-001.jpg

I dont like heels at all so you can see the smooth transition.

neck-002.jpg

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I am liking my shape more and more as i see it more. I think it's kind of like a Carl Thompson meets a benevente. This wasnt entirely intentional.

neck-005.jpg

Also i have a pretty big volute.

neck-004.jpg

Finally I also added Walnut side markers.

neck-006.jpg

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StonesCreed,

The side markers were made by taking a 1/4 walnut dowel and putting it in the chuck of my drill. I then ran 80 grit over it until it was near the right size, then i switched to 180 to get final size.

I then installed using superglue.

So i didn't officially use a lathe, but i did turn them down.

-Wayne

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