Finished Pics! Swift Lite 4-string 34" bass

Andyjr1515

I'm a bit behind on some of my posts!  I'll update this over the next few days but following the evolution of lightweight designs I've been tinkering around with over the past year or so, I was asked by a bassist friend, Neil. to build him a full-scale bass following the same concept.  He has a shoulder issue and has had to give up one of his regular bands due to issues with a heavy bass and long gigs.  He was interested in the concept of something a lot lighter on the shoulder than his American Standard Fender Jazz.
  
 A reminder of my tinkerings, this was the progression up to that point.  All are in the 5.75 to 6.75 lbs weight range:
 
L to R: Pete's multi-scale piccolo bass; my 6-string electric version of the same thing; sis-in-law's variation of my 6-string


Ignoring the headstock, this was the basic design draft I agreed with Neil:


Target spec is:

34" scale,maple neck and fretboard.  Ebony block inlays.  Thru neck
Target weight 6.5 - 7 lbs
Nordstrand Jazz pickups, master vol, blend, master tone
Poplar Burl top; swamp ash back


This is the top wood:



In real time, I've just started the finishing process - I'll do a summary catch up of some of the critical progress stages over the next couple of days for anyone interested in such things

Andyjr1515

So a quick catch up.

The blocks for the fretboard was a bit of a challenge.  I got a G&W block template:


Then rigged up a plywood base for my little drill press with a locating pin:


Then popped in a 1.5mm router bit and put the drill press to its fastest setting - still slow but just about fast enough!


After some very careful hand fitting of the sizes and the heights, managed to cut the ebony sheet and fit the blocks:

Andyjr1515

I'm an unconventional builder in some ways and do a number of things that others would say 'Noooo - for goodness sake don't do like THAT!'

One example is that I use the fancy and expensive top wood AS the routing template.  So I must stress again that this below is simply how I do it - new builders, please do NOT assume this is the way it should be done!!!!

Neck blank laminated with centre walnut strip.  Cutaway for the top to slot in, with neck angle incorporated, bookmatched top joined and cut/sanded to finished shape:


Rear swamp ash wings cut over-size and glued flush with the neck cut-out, using redwood veneer as the demarcation strips:


Lightening chambers and cable routes routed.  The back will be significantly scooped out so very careful note is made of where the chambers are and how deep they are.  The back of the 'f' hole is lined with redwood veneer to make the assembled chamber look physically deeper:



Another sheet of redwood veneer glued to the back of the top and the top glued on and rear wings routed to finished size using the top as the router trimmer bit template (I re-iterate - this is NOT the recommended method):

Andyjr1515

And here you can see how much I am going to carve away from the back - the back and top will be concave / convex carved respectively:


And that carve starts:


And continues.  Now you can see why I needed to know EXACTLY where those chambers were and how deep...:



While the top was still flat, I cut out the pickup chambers.  I hate using routers and only use on to tidy up the bottoms.  For the main pickup carve, I drill the radii:



Then hog out with a Forstner:


Then tidy up the sides with a chisel:


...and only now do I let a router anywhere near it - using a short bearing trimmer, fully captive in the chamber and not able to wreck the rest of the bass!!!   (Did I say how much I hate routers ) :

Andyjr1515

And now the fretted fretboard can be attached.  

If you remember, I had some real challenges with the fretboard of @impmann ;  's Alembic-esque electric and, since then, I've tried the alternative of radiusing, shaping, trimming and fretting the fretboard before gluing to the neck.  I think it works a lot better (hope yours is still doing the biz, Tim, but any issues, let me know because I know now how best to replace it!).





And then the top could be carved and curved:


Next was carving the neck using templates taken off Neil's favourite playing bass.  Every bass has its own feel but this approach usually gives the owner at least a familiarity of feel:


Next, a couple of wings and a slice of poplar for the headstock plate:


And the inevitable swifts - this time using NZ paua:


Another slice of poplar for the control chamber cover:


And some home-made knobs using the same woods:

Andyjr1515

And that pretty much brings it up to date.  Doing a mock up with the first sealing coat of finish:




Final playing weight is going to be between 6.25 and 6.5 lbs, depending on how much of the finish (Osmo polyx) is absorbed

The Osmo has had it's last coat last night and I've just got to level the frets and add the final finish to the fretboard and I can start assembling it all.


As always, thanks for looking
Andy

impmann

Looks lovely Andy, as ever!! :-)

Bridgehouse

You're making my 51 Partscaster Semi seem like a lardy fat boy now!!!

Love the top - really nice piece of wood that, and brilliant job as ever...

Andyjr1515

Bridgehouse said:

You're making my 51 Partscaster Semi seem like a lardy fat boy now!!!

Love the top - really nice piece of wood that, and brilliant job as ever...

Not at all - what is really impressive about your Semi is that it is lightweight and yet is pretty conventionally proportioned.  In comparison, mine has got to its weight by going super slim in places.


I'm really pleased there is a second, 'Tell me again....WHY do bass guitars have to be so, so heavy????' experimental build on the go

Andyjr1515

impmann said:

Looks lovely Andy, as ever!! :-)

Thanks! 

Andyjr1515

The Osmo Polyx is pretty much done, pending full hardening time.  While that's going on, I'll finish off the hatch magnets, fret dressing, electrics, etc..

I've had some issues in the past with the gloss version of Polyx, but the satin version is super easy to use - real bedroom builder stuff - and produces a nice result quite quickly:

Bridgehouse

Andyjr1515 said:

Bridgehouse said:

You're making my 51 Partscaster Semi seem like a lardy fat boy now!!!

Love the top - really nice piece of wood that, and brilliant job as ever...

Not at all - what is really impressive about your Semi is that it is lightweight and yet is pretty conventionally proportioned.  In comparison, mine has got to its weight by going super slim in places.


I'm really pleased there is a second, 'Tell me again....WHY do bass guitars have to be so, so heavy????' experimental build on the go

7lb was always a pretty optimistic target I thought - and it’s really pleasing it’s going to be close to that. 

These things are always a compromise tho - it will be fascinating to see how it compares sound wise to a good solid body...

Andyjr1515

Have spent pretty much all day on this.  Two or three small jobs to finish - including soldering up the installed electrics - but should be finished by the morning.

Here's a sneak preview - final playing weight 6lbs 6oz

Bridgehouse

Away to Basschat with you and your professional grade uber builds. Us rank amateurs don’t appreciate you posting this bass related porn. It just makes us all look crappy. 

Andyjr1515

Bridgehouse said:

Away to Basschat with you and your professional grade uber builds. Us rank amateurs don’t appreciate you posting this bass related porn. It just makes us all look crappy. 

BluesyDave

Nice work and a very pleasing original design.  Lots of genuine hand crafting as well.   It has Fodera leanings to my eyes....which is no bad thing!

Andyjr1515

Two more jobs to do - soldering the wires and fitting the strap buttons.  However, took the advantage of a little bit of cloud (not often in the UK we say THAT!) to take the arty-farty shots - taking photos in full sunlight is not an easy thing to do!

Before those shots (and forgive the self-indulgence!), someone asked me why I've started scooping the back.  Two reasons that can be seen in these two shots:

• It takes out a LOT of weight.  Just look at how much wood has been removed - and this is a relatively thick body this time:

• It allows a superslim transition of the neck to the body.  Again, this one has been made a little deeper (this one is 30mm at its minimum - my last build was 25mm where the body was basically the same thickness as the neck!) but still retains those pleasing lines at the transition.  I've also left the transition relatively modest starting with a taper just past the 13th fret - I can always get the surform out if, after he's had a proper play with it, Neil wants it slimmer further up  

 

Anyway, enough of the technicals - here are the fancy shots:

 

As always, thanks for your kind words and encouragement - always very much appreciated  

Andy

PhilKing

That looks superb, as a bass and a work of art.  The weight is also amazing.  As someone who quite often plays 1970's Les Pauls, I'd really like something lighter occasionally.   I'm also a bass player and love the curved shape you have on the body (it would let me hide a bit of extra weight).

normula1

Lovely work

paulnb57

As usual Andy, top class and different, bloody lovely!

Bridgehouse

Yes - beautiful work and a real eye catching look to it - new owner will no doubt be pleased as punch!