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Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=40081		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Greetings folks. Long time, no see!

I'm working on build number 10. This one is called Apostate.

It is to be a 5-string bolt-on bass guitar. Specs:

34" scale
19mm/0.75" string spacing at the bridge
Hard Maple and Peruvian Walnut neck, with Honduran Mahogany veneer accents (9 pieces total)
Honduran Mahogany and Peruvian Walnut body, with Hard Maple veneer accents (10 pieces total)
East Indian Rosewood fretboard with 24 frets
Peruvian Walnut headstock cap, with Hard Maple and Honduran Mahogany veneer accents (3 pieces total)
Paua abalone fretboard face markers
Brass and aluminum fretboard side-dot markers
EMG 40HZ passive humbucker neck pickup
EMG 40HZ passive humbucker bridge pickup
Passive master volume, tone, and pickup blend controls
Bourns pots
Orange drop caps
Gotoh tuning machines
Carvin bridge

Here's the design:
Image

Here's the neck wood, spread out before gluing:
Image

Neck wood in clamps:
Image

Closeup of the neck beam after gluing:
Image

Here are the electronical bits:
Image
The little red cap is for the treble bleed on the master volume pot.
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
I decided to give knucklehead's Circle K Strings a go with this one, so I've just ordered a 5-string Balanced .136 set (.136 .102 .076 .057 .041).
Author:  Frank Cousins [ Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Lovely design! Will watch with interest!
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Thanks, Frank!

Aaand 12 minutes after I ordered the strings, I have tracking info.
Author:  Chameleon [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 11:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Nice headstock. What are the weird pots for?
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Volume, Tone, Pickup Blend.

They are just Bourns 500K-ohm sealed pots, designed for guitars.

http://www.bourns.com/ProAudio.aspx?name=pamm

The black ones are Model 95, the blend pot is PDB182-GTRB
Author:  Chameleon [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Ah, I hadn't yet seen a bourns pot but I have heard they make them well.
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
I got the body wood surfaced and such.

Image

Walnut, Maple, Mahogany, Maple, Walnut
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Gluing the body pieces.

Image
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Gluing the body slabs together:
Image

Routed the truss rod slot:
Image
Author:  dzsmith [ Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Looking good, Mark!
I look forward to seeing the build progress.
I'd like to make a bass for my best friend, but I may start with a kit to get a feel for neck size, assembly, weight, etc.
Regards,
Dan
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Cut the body out and routed the pickup cavities:
Image

Sorry for the crap photo.
Author:  Brad Way [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Looking good.
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Thanks, Brad.

Headstock is shaped and fretboard is glued/clamped:

Image
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
I got a little done on the body profile today.

Image

For this, I am using a 17" farrier's rasp and a set of short stewmac dragon rasps.

And here it is, wetted with denatured alcohol to see what it'll look like with a finish on it:

Image

I love those colors.
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
More body profile work:

Image
Image
Author:  Frank Cousins [ Sun Apr 28, 2013 4:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Very Very Nice!
Author:  VirgilGuitar [ Tue May 07, 2013 11:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Looking awesome!
Author:  dzsmith [ Wed May 08, 2013 5:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Sweet!
Author:  Wednesday [ Thu May 09, 2013 12:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Wow man!
Very elegant. Real nice design.
Author:  Chameleon [ Fri May 10, 2013 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Excellent headstock 8-)
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sat May 11, 2013 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Thanks, folks.

Got the neck roughed:

Image

And the fingerboard radiused, dots installed:

Image

And the headstock face veneer sandwich glued on:

Image
Author:  Mike Baker [ Sat May 11, 2013 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
Lovely bass there.
Author:  HaMMerHeD [ Sat May 25, 2013 2:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
I Finally have all the goodies to finish this thing. So ill be doing the last bit of work this weekend. Then...finishing...my nemesis.
Author:  dzsmith [ Sat May 25, 2013 2:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolt-On 5-string Bass Build
dzsmith wrote:
Sweet!

Even Sweeter!
Love the carving!
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