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Hi, we'll I've been planing and thinking about making a new instrument ever since my mandolin. I have had so many ideas and changed my mind about what I'm going to build but I've finally decided

I'm going to be building a electric bass. The body is a three piece, and will consist of an ash middle and walnut wings (the woods in picture bellow). Im starting today by getting every thing cut and planed to size so I can start the body.

Looks like a white bass in a snowstorm to me.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I just got the body blank done, i decided to use tiger maple for the middle peice because it looks à whole lot better then ash (I'm trying to get à picture up of the blank).

I was gonna say, why ash in the middle with walnut for wings? I'd rather have the heavier wood in the middle and something light for wings. Flame maple sounds good though, for visual effect. Remember these are heavy woods though, a smaller body might be worth thinking about.

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Pictures?

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Old growth, shmold growth!

Yeah the tiger maple is a much better choice and looks great, and it is a smaller body bass so it's a good weight.

Picture of the body blank.

Looking good, Cameron.
Keep us up to date.
Dan

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Thanks and I surely will, I just ordered the some of the wiring, hardware and a template so ill be on my way To building the actual bass very soon.

The most fun is the rough cutting of the body and neck. I get the neck and fret board near completion prior to cutting the body to final shape.
It's easier to fit the body to the neck than vice versa. The worst part? Sanding and finishing of course.
Good luck Cameron,
Dan

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Some parts......

Could anyone give me some tips on carving the neck and the head stock? I believe I'm going to be using some kind of maple (curly probably).

Ask us questions, and we will ask you more questions. What kind of neck did you plan on constructing? Angled headstock or flat like fender?

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Flat, like a fender p bass/jazz bass neck.

Have you bought your neck wood yet? Start with some measurements, make sure you get a piece with enough LxWxH. I assume you will be gluing on a fretboard? And have you purchased a truss rod yet?

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If you scroll down, there's a pdf of a 51 P-bass neck template. You should be able to print this out at 100% at a kinkos or wherever. Just check the measurements of the actual print. From the nut to the 12th fret should be right at 17". You can use that printout to make yourself a neck template out of MDF that you can use to route out the neck shape. I would route your truss rod slot first though, and don't do that until you have your truss rod, so you can check the fit.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bass-place/105784-need-50s-p-bass-tele-bass-drawing-tracing.html

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Ok thanks I will look at that plan. And I'm planing to order my neck wood soon (when I have enough money), once I get it ill try to lay everything out and get my measurements. After I have all that ill get what length truss rod I need and go from there with the routing than shapeing of the neck then the making on the fretboard.

Sounds good. Do you have a router and a router table? I've got a tip or two on making a clever neck template when you're ready. I highly recommend the truss rods from Allied Luthiery (link at the top) their two way rods are very nice and low profile so you can carve your neck quite thin if you like them that way. Walnut is another great choice for bass necks.

Keep up the progress.

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Ok thanks and yes I have both a router and a router table. I'll be sure to take a look at that truss rod.

Do think making a three price neck just like the body, walnut wings with a maple middle would be A good Idea? I think It would look pretty cool but would just a one peice be a better idea?

One piece would be a lot less work. Gluing takes patience.

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Yeah I guess but I still might try it anyways I have the time and kinda want to expeiment a bit.

I just got the last of my wiring supplies, a bridge and a template. I'm all ready to make the body! And I'm going to order my neck wood and fretboard, since I want everything to kind of match what would a good fretboard wood be? (Ebony?)

To match the walnut? Ebony would be a bit dark to call a match, maybe one of the brown-colored rosewoods, they'd be much cheaper anyway. If you want ebony though, nothing wrong with that. Katalox is another good one, AKA Mexican ebony. It's dark brownish purple when cut fresh and oxidizes over time to almost black.

Happy wood hunting!

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Matching is nice. Contrasting is better. I think Indian rosewood goes well with walnut. It's what I used on my most recent project. It's a darkish brown, but with some purple-ish and reddish coloring, which sets the chocolate brown of the walnut off pretty nicely.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd60 ... 09d15a.jpg