Andyjr1515

I said I was probably confusing things It's two builds - an Alembic-esque lightweight and another extreme lightweight based on my earlier piccolo bass build. There are similarities in the construction and materials but some major differences in the design concept. I'll probably be best to split it into two threads....truth be told, it's confusing the Dickens out of me too

Bit of a mixed bag of progress on these two. For the Alembic-escue, it was all going so well Back wings were cut oversize (I'm a crazy man - I use the figured top as the router template...I know, I know....) and the nut position determined on the squared-up neck beam: The neck angle was determined on paper and in timber simulation: So then I could rout the notch in the neck beam for the top to sit on, incorporating that angle. It was probably my most accurate rout of this type of slot - flat, square, angle spot on: Just one slight problem..... ...the body components are in the correct position. So, isn't the slot supposed to be positioned to meet the top at the LOWER cutaway? This is perfectly measured...but against the wrong cutaway It has to be said that I actually quite rarely make big boo-boos like this so I reckon I'm owed a few Anyway, because the second neck I cut from the blank is even thinner than this one and can't be used in place of the b*******d one, there's an order in for another set of splices, which should be with me tomorrow. So in the meantime, this one is 'resting'. But that has meant I could do a couple of similar jobs on the second build while the bandsaw still had the thinner blade on. Now here I've had a change of mind for the top. If you remember, I was going to go with the spectacular Amboyna set: But, this particular build is planned to be a bit of a showcase so, at great expense and to the delight of the UK Customs and Excise Dept, I have got hold of some more stunning snakewood from US for the fretboard. And for that, I need a bit more contrast than orange wood on orange, so I've gone for the second camphor set I'd bought at the same time as the one for the Alimbic-esque (now then, everyone, you ARE following all of this aren't you because you know there will be a test at the end!). This: You can tell it's come from a tree! So same cutting process pre the routing of the slot: And here is closer to what it will do when the finish is applied. And there's the snakewood:

Ah - the bottom pic is presumable the humble scraper. By far the most used and cherished of all my carving tools

This is super duper scrumptiously lovely....

Seems to be progressing well

Hi Yes - what you are suggesting is pretty much how I would do it. I would use a square edged file and use the fretboard end as the guide, as you say, protected with masking tape. The file probably won't get into the very corner though so, if I didn't have a small enough chisel, I would run a modelling knife along the bottom corner - again using the fretboard end as the guide. then along from an angle and scrape the resulting fillet out and square with the edge of a 6" steel rule or similar...

Hi. I'm also not really a bass player but have actually ended up making a series of custom basses for our own band's bassist and various members of some of the UK forums. There are actually some really good and ridiculously cheap bass pickups about at the moment. However, it is still sometimes a bit of a lottery and does depend on what products are around in the specific markets you're in (ie UK vs Canada vs USA, etc) so I am loathe to recommend specific ones. However, certainly don't make a blanket assumption that dirt cheap is bound to be poor. If you want very, very good at a decent price but with a pretty safe bet, then DiMarzio are well worth a look. Their Model One is utterly stupenous, their PJ set is excellent too and, I'm told, so are most of their other products. Seymour Duncan are also pretty good, although starting to get a little more costly for what extra oomph you might get. However, for bass pre-amps, I think the Seymour Duncan STC-2P 2-band is stunning value for money. The 3-band is also good but the 2-band is so simple to use and does pretty much what most people would want. It comes pretty much plug and play with all the controls and even decent knobs! Great blend with centre indent and proper bass boost and cut and treble boost and cut, again each with centre indent. They do a specific one for active pickups (STC-2A) and a specific one for passives (STC-2P) - if you go for one, do make sure you've ordered the right one.... Hope this helps for starters Andy

Just shout whenever you're unsure of anything and I'm sure there'll be folks who can point you in the right direction

Impressive stuff

I look forward to seeing this progress

Very impressive concept and implementation... top drawer stuff

Just been having a look at some of your previous builds. No wonder everyone round here seems to be excited to see you back Now, you must PROMISE me not to enter any Guitar of the Month until I've won it myself at least once....

Most of the major bits of timber are now ready for me to start making a bit of progress: First got the top glued together. The cling-filmed block is just keeping it flat against the sash clamps (and must buy a couple more of those!): Then cut out the outline shape. This is with the top dampened to show broadly how it will look: You get a better idea of the colours in this sunshine shot (yes - sunshine, folks!): It should tone and contrast nicely with the mahogany. The camphor laurel has good stability, but it is a hole-y wood: I'll fill the voids with epoxy mixed with ebony dust that I collect for just this kind of job! Next job will be finish-width thicknessing the neck blank and cutting out the two necks from it...

Hmmm....yes....Captain Scott.....well that's not going to end well, is it

Ah - you can't catch an Englishman that easily....I've read the Mutiny on the Bounty! I can see it now. Middle of the Pacific and it would be, "Oh Andy - be a pal and just row out in the dinghy a few yards. We need to check how the schooner's sitting against the Plimsoll Line." A sudden deployment of the mainsail and GOTM is yours back in contention...

So...dragging the thread kicking and screaming back onto the rails....how come I've missed this thread in its entirety up until now? OK - the abduction by the aliens took my mind off things for a while but, heck, this is a bit worrying. It looks fantastic, Scott ...and did someone mention tea?

Hi, Everybody Having been justifiably and comprehensively trounced by @2.5itim's beautiful, beautiful guitar last month, I'm going to try again with my ugly duckling Psilos Bass, in the hope - this being the holiday season for a decent proportion of the western hemisphere - that everybody else is sunning themselves rather than submitting their jaw-dropping contributions. And what about the southern hemisphere, you ask? Well, for a start at least, I'm banking on bribing @curtisa shamelessly with our wonderful warm, flat English beer next time he graces our shores. Bound to work The Psilos Bass. What can I say. It has been built for Mick, someone I've done smaller jobs for before, who gave me the basic outline shape to work from (based loosely on a very stretched and distorted mental aberration from his beloved ACG) and the concept which was: "minimalist; nothing visible from the front; unfinished look - but finished actually; contact-lens shaped body cross section; magnetic and piezo; lightweight; some of your odd stuff - you know, Andy - the weird stuff you do" The final spec and features include: 34" scale 4 string ultra-modern single cut Flamed Sycamore body Maple / ebony neck Maple full length fretboard, fully flush and integrated into a 20" radiused body Back concave radius Modified rear-mounted headless tuner system Herrick Custom magnetic pickups, rear-mounted and hidden from top (individual coil per string) Artec Piezo element under bone acoustic saddle East UK MPM-02 Magnetic / Piezo blend unit Luminlay fret markers Concealed but fully accessible controls, rolled to operate Neck profile continues along single-cut top horn length Finished in Osmo Polyx Raw 3044 - designed to allow satin finish of light woods without them darkening or yellowing Weight 7lbs 4oz Balance - perfect on strap; perfect over knee Described by one guitar professional as 'superb feel and playability but quite the ugliest bass I've ever seen in my life'. Folks, it doesn't get much better than that as an endorsement Tortuously long build thread here. Here it is: Sound clips? Well - here's Mick with his first touch of his new baby on the strap: ...and on the knee. His dog, Shala, was clearly VERY impressed: And here's what he had to say about it: "This bass, the aesthetics, it's construction, the feel, the balance, the attention to detail all exceeded my expectations...even though I knew Andy would be creating a masterpiece." So, folks, you KNOW it's your duty to vote for this. However beautiful and wonderful the other entries will surely be, don't be distracted. Just look into my eyes - don't look away - don't blink - say after me, "Psilos Bass.....Psilos Bass.......Psilos Bass... Psilos Bass...."

Well, I might just have to put in again They do say, of course, that a sign of insanity is repeating the same actions in the same circumstances and expecting a different result.....

Thanks folks - always greatly appreciated

Well, they do say that practice makes perfect. Trouble is, based on the wonderful instruments that DO win GOTM, clearly a lot of folks round here do a HECK of a lot of practicing

Oooooooh I know this sort of thing is part of the 'total experience' but it's a bummer when it happens...it's like having to go back home when you're a few miles on the way to a holiday destination because you've forgotten to put the bins out....

I fear it's like when you get a hole-in-one at a golf course...I suspect I'll have to buy every one in the pub a drink, so probably mine

I am so chuffed I know modesty should forbid but, hey..... The Psilos bass has got their 'Bass of the Week' - link's here If you have a peep, it's worth a look around - it is a very good e-zine indeed (even excepting that I would say that wouldn't I ) Darn it.....just got to find SOME way of breaking into the upper echelons of Project Guitar GOTM and maybe I'm getting somewhere. At the moment, though, with the quality of the entries every month the only way I going to get that is by knobbling the competition! Certainly, conventional above-board methods ain't going to do it

Yes - looks like overkill to me... Nice bridge all the same

Thanks, Norris Very much appreciated