Finished Pics! Ultra Modern Bass

Sporky

If this goes well I'll be a hero.

Gagaryn

Andyjr1515 said:

Gagaryn said:

I'm no woodworking expert but I would worry about making that wall too thin - cack handed knob twiddlers or a jolt to the cable could be a disaster waiting to happen.

I know what you mean, but the tops for many guitar control chambers are just as thin - it's simply that you don't see it.  

 

Oh yeah - didn't think about that! Now that I have I'm worried!

Andyjr1515

Sporky said:

If this goes well I'll be a hero.

With that workshop of yours, @Sporky , you already are

Having said that, there is a slight flaw in our logic, I've realised: 

Because it is the shaft itself that is also short (the choice of centre indent 10k mini linear pots is...erm...limited), the insert doesn't actually give you (me) any minimum wall thickness advantage over a normal nut!  What it does, give, however, is a much more supportive fixing

- which still makes you a hero

- if it works  

Andyjr1515

I've lengthened the chamber to give a bit more space between the jack and the bottom knob and, barring a final tidy up, done also the rebate for the cover.  The rebate widens in places to give room for the magnets.  


Once the rebate is finalised, I'll be trying to coax my little bandsaw into cutting a 3mm-ish slice of sycamore-offcut to use as a cover...

Andyjr1515

Gagaryn said:

Andyjr1515 said:

Gagaryn said:

I'm no woodworking expert but I would worry about making that wall too thin - cack handed knob twiddlers or a jolt to the cable could be a disaster waiting to happen.

I know what you mean, but the tops for many guitar control chambers are just as thin - it's simply that you don't see it.  

 

Oh yeah - didn't think about that! Now that I have I'm worried!

Don't be overly worried - the advantage of the 'normal' pot holes is that the wood grain is across the hole.  In my case the holes are with the grain and so are indeed a little more vulnerable.  

Still should be OK.  I did think about setting in an aluminium plate rather than a wooden fence, but I think this will be fine.  We'll all be able see if I'm right or wrong soon!  

Gagaryn

Andyjr1515 said:

Gagaryn said:

Andyjr1515 said:

Gagaryn said:

I'm no woodworking expert but I would worry about making that wall too thin - cack handed knob twiddlers or a jolt to the cable could be a disaster waiting to happen.

I know what you mean, but the tops for many guitar control chambers are just as thin - it's simply that you don't see it.  

 

Oh yeah - didn't think about that! Now that I have I'm worried!

Don't be overly worried - the advantage of the 'normal' pot holes is that the wood grain is across the hole.  In my case the holes are with the grain and so are indeed a little more vulnerable.  

Still should be OK.  I did think about setting in an aluminium plate rather than a wooden fence, but I think this will be fine.  We'll all be able see if I'm right or wrong soon!  

Funnily enough, I was wondering if a rebated metal plate could be an elegant solution - I was struggling to understand how the bushings would help the short shaft issue.

Andyjr1515

Gagaryn said:

Andyjr1515 said:

Gagaryn said:

Andyjr1515 said:

Gagaryn said:

I'm no woodworking expert but I would worry about making that wall too thin - cack handed knob twiddlers or a jolt to the cable could be a disaster waiting to happen.

I know what you mean, but the tops for many guitar control chambers are just as thin - it's simply that you don't see it.  

 

Oh yeah - didn't think about that! Now that I have I'm worried!

Don't be overly worried - the advantage of the 'normal' pot holes is that the wood grain is across the hole.  In my case the holes are with the grain and so are indeed a little more vulnerable.  

Still should be OK.  I did think about setting in an aluminium plate rather than a wooden fence, but I think this will be fine.  We'll all be able see if I'm right or wrong soon!  

Funnily enough, I was wondering if a rebated metal plate could be an elegant solution - I was struggling to understand how the bushings would help the short shaft issue.

Yes - with a long shaft it would solve the issue nicely, but with a short shaft....you have to get the pot pretty close to the knob whatever = thin wall, bushings or no bushings

Andyjr1515

Worked a treat @Sporky




Thanks for the suggestion

Sporky

Aces - I am most pleased it worked and may steal the idea back in future.

Gagaryn said:

Funnily enough, I was wondering if a rebated metal plate could be an elegant solution - I was struggling to understand how the bushings would help the short shaft issue.

They don't really solve the short shaft thing, but they let you have a thicker mounting wall as you don't need the threaded part of the pot to poke right through the wall.

Andyjr1515

Having built a couple of acoustics in my past, I am acutely aware that the saddle intonation angle has to be accurately predetermined - it's pretty non-adjustable once the slot for it is cut.

Because the intonation varies from bass to bass from a number of factors, I need to be pretty certain what this needs to be before I cut the slot. 

The starting point is usually "G string at 1/2mm behind scale length, bottom E at 3mm behind scale length" but I want to be more certain than that. So what I planned was this:

• Drill the string exit holes in the headstock

• Fit the underside headstock clamp

• Fit the tuner block

• String it up with a temporary loose saddle, tuned to normal pitch, fully set-up truss-rod wise, etc

• Sort the intonation as you would with a floating bridge (like on Hofner Violin Basses)

• Mark the position

• Cut the saddle slot

So that's what I've done.  At the moment these are a spare set of strings to see if there are any issues and only single clamped at the headstock (but holding just fine!) and not trimmed.  For the actual intonation check I will use Mick's proper strings but, at the moment, I want to mess with those as little as possible (bass strings are sooooo expensive!)


 


The temporary saddle is sitting on a strip of veneer to avoid bruising the top.

It's starting to look (and sound) like a bass....

impmann

Andy,

Are you planning to fit ferrules to the body to stop the strings cutting into the wood?

BigMonka

:-O that looks f-ing awesome Andy!!

Andyjr1515

impmann said:

Andy,

Are you planning to fit ferrules to the body to stop the strings cutting into the wood?

For the body, no - that's one of the reasons for trying with a spare set of strings - checking the angles so my oblique cutaways can be done so there's no contact at all between the string and the wood.  The strings are angled like that direct from the tuner clamps so there is intended to be no contact at all:



  For the headstock, however, maybe - although that might be just a hidden tube to stop the hole elongating...

Andyjr1515

BigMonka said:

:-O that looks f-ing awesome Andy!!

Thanks!

Andyjr1515

Someone asked me what the back looks like with the hatches, etc.  I still have to sand the main hatch flush, but it's like this:

Andyjr1515

I've added some smaller Luminlay in the fret overlap area for the frets beyond where the neck meets the body:


I think that works OK.

Still loads to do, but it's another one off the list....  

DartmoorHedgehog

Andyjr1515 said:

I've added some smaller Luminlay in the fret overlap area for the frets beyond where the neck meets the body:

That looks really good. I can't help feeling it should have a double dot at the 24th fret, but that may not look so clean.

Andyjr1515

DartmoorHedgehog said:

Andyjr1515 said:

I've added some smaller Luminlay in the fret overlap area for the frets beyond where the neck meets the body:

That looks really good. I can't help feeling it should have a double dot at the 24th fret, but that may not look so clean.

Yes - we're going for the minimalist look.  Other than the finishing will darken the wood a touch, this is it - there won't be any staining or tinting at all.  

To be honest, I think Mick is pretty grateful there will be dots at all (I tried playing it without and it's pretty confusing!) so hopefully he will know the end of the fretboard is the 24th fret

Andyjr1515

By the way, a few thread followers are still a bit confused to the actual shape -it is a bit Dali-ish and difficult to stand up to take shots!

So while the test strings were on I took some straightforward plan and elevation shots.

Please bear in mind that the final sanding and rounding hasn't yet been done, one of the test strings I'm using is a bit short, the hatches are't yet located and there is a carved feature still to put on the back of the headstock!  

...then this might give a better idea of the actual shape:




As you can see from the side view - it's slimmer than it looks and therefore is quite light...

impmann

Bonkers but brilliant and beautiful