Finished Pics! 4 string electric? Piccolo bass? Pete's next build

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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    Not as diddly as an Ashbory
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  • That's true. It's a Zon VB4 bass. 34 scale.

    Now this is a diddy bass

    http://www.marleaux-bass.com/marleaux-bass_consat_sopran.html

    WezV said:
    Not as diddly as an Ashbory

    Ok, not as diddy as a marleaux or as diddly as an ashbory, but pretty diddley compared with the basses I've been building recently ;)
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23968
    I've got a Countryman Bass Ukulele, now that is diddy!

    Sounds brilliant too.
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  • I've got a Countryman Bass Ukulele, now that is diddy!

    Sounds brilliant too.
    Some of these bass ukes are fantastic.  Had a go on Len_Derby's - splendid :)
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  • With the fretboard now on, I have done the rough-carve of the neck and volute. These are my main weapons of choice:



    The main one of the three is the cabinet scraper - very controllable and yet quite quick to shape. I take the bulk off with the spokeshave but go to the scraper quite early because it is very easy to dig just a tad too deep with a spokeshave!

    The micro-plane (I have also a curved one) I just use as is (ie not attached to the handle), holding either end wearing thick gloves. I use the microplanes generally to tidy up the area round the volute.

    For most builders, doing the neck is the most enjoyable bit - certainly my favourite bit of a build.

    Here it is, rough-carved:




    Having now got the neck broadly shaped, even though there are no strings, I have been able to feel what the unconventional skew on my multi-scale feels like.  This particular arrangement is a bit of a leap in the dark - my vertical fret is at 5th, whereas most multi-scales seem to be closer to 9th.  However, compared to most multi-scales, the scale difference is relatively modest and, because it is significantly shorter than a standard 34" bass, it actually feels like playing a 'normal' multi-scale bass from the 5th fret upwards...

    Time will tell! :)  
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23968
    I am thoroughly enjoying this thread.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    Me too. It's a beautiful build, I'd love a bass of this size.
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  • I rarely follow build threads but this one is top notch. I'm so looking forward to seeing and hearing the  final article being played.
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  • Thanks, folks :)

    I'm pleased with the shape, the feel and the weight.  I'll see how it hangs on the strap (this particular one is primarily designed for sofa noodling), but if it's OK (and it feels it so far), I'm very tempted to build a 6-string electric version of the same thing...
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    And so to the headstock. 

    I will be following the recent theme of trying to reflect the essence of the body shape in the shape and carve of the headstock. It will be faced with walnut from offcuts of the body top, filed away at the end to expose the maple and mahogany underneath.

    The challenge is trying to create a bit of harmony shape-wise, while still trying to fit the practicalities in (physical size and accessibility of the tuning heads, straight string-runs, etc..

    This is what I've come up with so far:


    I'm going to have a bash at slicing a 3-4mm sliver of walnut on my extremely cheap and small bandsaw today. If I am successful, I can cut the headstock shape from it, including the tuner holes, and make absolutely sure that everything fits, is straight, etc, before taking a fretsaw or rasp file to the headstock bit of the through-neck! 
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    After a few goes at it, finally got a plate of the right thickness:

     

    Next tasks are a couple of swifts on the headplate and a couple of small mahogany wings on the headstock :) 
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Added the wings to the headstock and sorted the positioning of the pickup ring:


    I have to say, I'm pleased with the look of this so far.  I think I will definitely do another one sometime as a standard 6-stringer.

    Also routed the rebate for the control chamber and made the cover from an offcut of the neck. The concept is the same as the recent Mouradian-style bass build and, like that, the cover will be held on with magnets with an access thumb channel. Here's how the back is looking so far:



    This is most definitely the fastest build so far! Unless MrsAndyjr1515 insists I do some useful and necessary stuff in the next few days (which as you can imagine is quite likely, based on that I haven't done anything useful or necessary non-build wise for past few weeks ;)  ), the basic build will be complete maybe even before the end of the weekend! I'm certainly at the 'final list' stage.

    Much of the speed is down to the relatively small number of snags and boo-boos. It's not the sign of a new trend but more probably that, statistically, at least ONE of my builds had to be major-stupid-mistake free! :)
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  • StrangefanStrangefan Frets: 5845
    Truly amazing, how much would something like that cost? 
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  • RavenousRavenous Frets: 1484
    That matching cover really is excellent. Pity the audience can't see it... maybe you should get your bassist to do that "playing with the teeth" thing!
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Truly amazing, how much would something like that cost? 
    To buy or to make?  Either way, drop me a pm and I'll let you know :)
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Ravenous said:
    That matching cover really is excellent. Pity the audience can't see it... maybe you should get your bassist to do that "playing with the teeth" thing!
    Yes - and that will do his arthritis a world of no good too!  Sounds like a win-win ;)
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    I'm not coming back to this thread again.

    It's taking a lot of willpower to not PM @Andyjr1515 and get him to build me a Thunderbird-a-like...
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    I know there are cheaper alternatives, but I do like the look and ease of installation of the original black-surround Luminlay. As long as you are using an accurate brad-point drill, it really is a piece of winkle:


    ...even for the difficult bits:




    I'm not completely sure about the contrasting washers, but this is broadly how the headstock will look. It will, of course, finish darker:


    This is what I mean by trying to reflect the body shape in the headstock in terms of the top and bottom horns and the offset:



    ...and - excusing the unfinished volute carve - the tuners similarly angled:



    I don't know if it makes a jot of difference, but it keeps me amused at least ;)
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    I haven't decided yet whether this will be a satin tru-oil slurry and buff, or subsequently gloss varnished. However, I do get the tru-oil sealer on early in the process because it gives me a decent idea how much the wood is going to darken and also shows up any missed sandpaper marks or PVA glue patches.

    This is typical of the degree of darkening once pretty much any finish goes on:


    Black walnut usually lives up to its name and REALLY darkens:



    One of the reasons this might be a candidate for a gloss final finish is that I can see quite a bit of quilting around the top horn and also where the controls will be. Quilting really only comes into its own with a built-up varnish on top. I suspect the overall colour of this top once its all done will be very similar to the back of my home-built OM acoustic although probably with less quilting (although this on the acoustic only showed through at all once I started varnishing!):


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  • eSullyeSully Frets: 981
    Lovely work @Andyjr1515 - Love these thread. I think a gloss finish would look great on that.
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