Thread: Bass Build - Leah

Nice old Rickenbacker sort of design, I've always liked the shape of them. Bit of an odd scale length for it there, what made you choose that particular measurement?

From the picture the neck doesn't look like it joins in the right spot for a bolt on, it would need to be in a bit further, but if it's a neck through then that isn't really a problem. Is that three humbuckers you're using on it?

Originally Posted by IWieldTheSpade

Nice old Rickenbacker sort of design, I've always liked the shape of them. Bit of an odd scale length for it there, what made you choose that particular measurement?

From the picture the neck doesn't look like it joins in the right spot for a bolt on, it would need to be in a bit further, but if it's a neck through then that isn't really a problem. Is that three humbuckers you're using on it?

Thanks for taking time to reply

33 1/4" scale length - 34" with a 2 1/4" bridge string spacing is a little bit uncomfortable for me. One of my mates has a 33 1/2" scale and it's a lot more comfortable to me. So I decided to try a 33 1/4 with a 2 1/8" string spacing at the bridge.

The neck body joint is actually a bolt on but the neck will slide into the body and bolts to the body via the pickup cavities (6 bolts). I never seen a neck bolt on this way before but I'm going to give it a try. Since it's a new neck joint I'm calling it a piston or pocket fit neck. The reason for a bolt on verse neck though is I want to make two necks for the same body a fretless and fretted.

Changing necks should be pretty straightforward... remove strings, remove all three pickups (12 screws) remove hex head bolts (6) slide neck out of body, slide new neck into the body, bolt new neck in, replace pickups, restring and setup then away you go.

As for the pickups I'm going to try and wind my own - actually there are 6 single coil pickups, 2 per cover.

That's the plan, of course it's rare that anything I do goes exactly as planned

Here's the latest face drawing, I think I'm settled in on it now after 7 revisions



Just started working on the wiring - here's my first thought. Not sure about the cap values on the rotary switches. I may need to start with a higher value range and the staked pots may need to change to 500K instead of 250K. Anyone see any gotcha's?



Thanks

Here's are the full sized measured drawings in inches, sorry I didn't do them in metric. I sure would appreciate if you guys could glance the drawings over for any gotcha's. The chips start flying after the first of the year.

Face Measurements
Keep in mind I still need to build this thing, so please don't consider these measurements final. I already know some things may change a little bit... like the hole locations for the Schaller machine heads based on what the measurements are when I receive them. Since I'm going to build my own bridge, that measurement and location might move a little also, which may also cause the pickups to move around a little.




Side Profile Measurements
Body is 2" thick, there's a 9 deg body sculpt for the tail piece and the peg head is angled @ 6 deg, pickup covers are 7/16 high, the neck sits 1/2" above the body and the bridge height is adjustable. The rest of the major measurements are in the .jpg




Thanks

I finally finished Jan 2nd 2012 Monday evening, A LOT changed from my original plans but I like the way it turned out and plays as smooth as any other bass I've played.

Man did I enjoy this project and I learned a ton.





Next I would like to build a 8 string octave - but am having trouble finding a 8 bridge I like

Thanks for looking questions and comments are welcome.

Legend, that looks amazing Jeff... Few questions, what sort of timber did you use? Also, how did you go making it hollow, was it difficult or done by cnc? And how does it sounds?

Did you look on eBay or StewMac for a bridge? I just had a look on ALS (Australian Luthier Supplies) and they didn't have anything..

Im just in the process of building my first guitar, is all quite exciting

But what you have done looks fantastic, well done...

Dave...

EDIT: Also what program for the drawings???

Originally Posted by dlannetts

Legend, that looks amazing Jeff... Few questions, what sort of timber did you use? Also, how did you go making it hollow, was it difficult or done by cnc? And how does it sounds?

Did you look on eBay or StewMac for a bridge? I just had a look on ALS (Australian Luthier Supplies) and they didn't have anything..

Im just in the process of building my first guitar, is all quite exciting

But what you have done looks fantastic, well done...

Dave...

EDIT: Also what program for the drawings???

Hi Dave and thanks for the reply.

I'll do my best to answer any question you may have. I also have several more pictures of various stages of the build, so if you have a specific question I may have a picture to help answer your questions.

Timber - the body and neck are laminated poplar and hickory. There is a 1/4" wide poplar center strip, on each side of that is a 3/4 wide hickory strip followed by more poplar to make up the total width. I went with hickory because poplar is not very strong but poplar has nice tonal qualities. They make tool handles out of hickory, Hickory is very strong wood so both truss rods and neck body connections are made in the hickory strips. The fingerboard is quatersawn hard maple. The electronics cover and truss rod covers are 1/8" thick maple. It's very solid I stood on it and jumped up and down to try and break it before I went on with the build. I'm a pretty big guy so I figured if it can take me jumping up and down on it - it should be good.

Hollowing - The body is in two pieces a 1" top and a 1" bottom. I hollowed them out with a forstner bit on the drill press followed up with a plywood template and a 1/2" straight bit and router.. I then glued them together to make the 2" thick body.

Sound - It sounds and plays real nice. I had custom single coil pickups made each wound to about 8k - so it's very clean sounding. Since it's a semi-hollow body it has a tremendous amount of resonation.


Parts - came from all over but basically the bridge and tuners came from Hipsot, the vintage nut came from the Music Zoo and the rest of the parts came from Stewmac. I can make up a detailed parts list and suppliers if you like.

Drawings - I used Visio only because I've been using it for years and am very familiar with it.


Let me know if you have any further questions - I would be more than happy to answer any you may have.

I'm no expert by any means this is only my 3rd build and 2nd neck - if I can build a bass guitar anyone can. Just remember it's all about keeping things square to the center line and you'll do just fine.

This is my favorite shot - minus the sawdust from drilling the strap button hole and the fingerprints. It's a good perspective how everything lines up all the way to the nut at the far end.



Thanks again

Hello Jeff, i must say, you've got me inspired, i always wanted to make a hollow body guitar and was never sure about it, but now i think i could do it, and i make build it in to my second guitar.

One thing i kept telling myself to do before i routed my body out was to draw a whole lot of square lines from the edge of the block of timber, which i accidentally forgot to do, so i have gotten this as correct as possible by putting it in a big square clamp, thus giving me something to square from again, in the end it will be mostly correct, probably nothing noticed by eye.

I was just looking at my build thinking i might try and add a real big fancy round on the outside of it to, but after looking at yours, i really like the nice simple rounded corner technique.

That view from the bridge down the neck looks pretty good to, looks like something that comes from a professional factory, its all dead straight.

Also, how is the neck mounted to the body?

David...

Originally Posted by dlannetts

Hello Jeff, i must say, you've got me inspired, i always wanted to make a hollow body guitar and was never sure about it, but now i think i could do it, and i make build it in to my second guitar.

One thing i kept telling myself to do before i routed my body out was to draw a whole lot of square lines from the edge of the block of timber, which i accidentally forgot to do, so i have gotten this as correct as possible by putting it in a big square clamp, thus giving me something to square from again, in the end it will be mostly correct, probably nothing noticed by eye.

I was just looking at my build thinking i might try and add a real big fancy round on the outside of it to, but after looking at yours, i really like the nice simple rounded corner technique.

That view from the bridge down the neck looks pretty good to, looks like something that comes from a professional factory, its all dead straight.

Also, how is the neck mounted to the body?

David...

David Thanks for the reply. Go for it man build your second guitar. I found it easiest to just measure everything off the center line.

You hit the nail square on the head, good eye on how straight everything lines up, it's really due to the neck/body joint. The neck/body joint is my own design and something I have not seen done before. It's pretty much a fool proof design to get the neck exactly dead on straight in relationship to the body center line, plus it has an adjustable tilt. I'm very sorry but, the neck/body joint is the only part of the build, I'm not willing to share in detail other than what I said in my prior post above, because I just started the paperwork for a patent.

Thanks again

Jeff, I like the sounds of the neck, sounds like a really good idea, especially with the tilt function, i look forward to seeing another build from you sometime, i like your work, its of high quality..

Dave..

Guess I bored everyone - I suspected I would. I'm preparing for my next build, I would like to do an octave 8 string along the same body style. I really struggling finding any octave 8 string bridges and nuts does anyone know of any suppliers? Thanks

I have a Schaller 8 string bridge waiting for a project. It's a nice bridge, with individual intonation adjustment for each string, although from memory no spacing adjustment. I have had mine for a while now, so no idea whether they still make it, but you may find one around.

Bass or Guitar Jeff? And are you specifically after Chrome, black, gold or something else? I've had a look around for you and all i can't find much at all, but I'll keep looking . I did however find on the all parts website single string bridge's, ever heard of them? Neither have i .
Chrome ABM Single String Bass Bridge | Allparts.com
I don't know how you go making it fir your string size and it could either look really good or really average but if an eight string guitar is what your after, its always a last resort i suppose,,
Dave..

EDIT: do you remember where you picked yours up Peter?

I may not be naming it correctly a eight string octave bass is 4 string bass guage strings and 4 guitar strings in pairs closes to each other. So the two E's, A's, D's and G's for example - are close together. When you finger a string pair your actually playing two strings as one as both strings are tuned an octave apart.

A picture is worth a 1000 words.


Peter is this the bridge you have, a Schaller 471-8? If so are the saddles pre slotted or are you going to have to file slots in the saddles yourself? I was hoping for a pre slotted bridge and this one only comes for a 14 degree neck radius. My plan calls for a 10 degree neck radius. 4 degrees isn't that much. I suppose I could get it to work but I would ruin the finish on the bridge. Or I guess I could go with a 14 degree neck radius, to match the bridge - not what I really want but sometime you gotta work with what's available.



Schaller 471, 8 String Bass Bridge, Chrome

Slim pickings on 8 string octave bridges - that's for sure...

Another couple favorite pictures






Sound sample #1
Rush is on the left the bass is on the right. This is raw input, no floor toys, the cable is hooked directly from the bass to the microphone jack of the computer.

Both tone pots are barely open, both volume pots about midway. The middle pickup is grouped in series to the bridge pickup for almost a wha like tone.

I'm playing over the bridge pickup and I used one of my wife's cute hair scrunchies one the neck about midway between open and the first fret position to muff the sustain down. It's got a fretless vibe going on maaa...wha.

Sound sample #2
CCR is on the left the bass is on the right, use your balance to hear the bass better. This is also raw input, no floor toys, the cable is hooked directly from the bass to the microphone jack of the computer.

Middle pickup is off, neck pickup tone pot set to about 3/4 open, neck volume pot is about 1/2 way open and the bridge pickup tone pot is barely open, the bridge volume is about 1/2 way open.

I attempted to duplicate the vintage P-Bass tone with the exception that Stu Cook is playing a fretted P-Bass with round wound strings and I'm on a fretless with flat wound strings. I tried to keep the Mah...Wah to a minimum by playing supper soft over the middle pickup, but it's just the nature of the fretless beast some Maaa...wha did escape, not much sense in trying to fight it.