Today, I applied the final coat of clear to both the body and the neck. Finally! Here’s a pic of the body.
I added decals to the headstock, before adding the the last few coats of lacquer.
I’m going to let them cure around 8-10 days, the outdoor temperature is pretty hot and for now the humdity is reasonable.
Time to work on the pickups/controls.
I worked on the first pickup today, I purchased a length of 1/4" x 1/4" steel bar stock. I measured the the inside of the pickup cover and cut the bar to thgat dimension, I also rounded the ends to match the cover.
Next, I drilled holes for the polepieces and the attachment screws that attach from below.
Next I installed the polepieces.
Here’s the completed pickup.
The neck pickup’s next, then comes the control harness.
I officially have tomorrow off!
I’m looking at getting the headstock scuff sanded and the last couple of coats of lacquer on it,
The body is ready for wet sanding, then buffing.
I have all of the switches, potentiometers, caps, etc. to complete this build.
I still have to shape the profile of back of the neck, no big deal, just another process that needs to be done.
more, official pics, soon.
I’ve been busy, but I did find time to wet sand the body and headstock face. The parts have been curing for 2-3 weeks, which is perfect for nitrocellulose lacquer.
I started with 800 grit, then went with 1000 grit. If this was a glossy, non distressed finish, I would continue on with 1200, 1500, and 2000 grit, but for what I needed this was fine.
The finish is hard to photograph, this kind of gives you an idea…
It’s looking pretty good. next I start beating it up.
I think I said at the beginning of this that it was going to be a light relic.
Well, I lied.
It’s amazing how much work it takes to make something look beat up right.
I see what you mean about relicing being hard. Maybe some matte clearcoat instead of gloss may help? Like a light, uneven coat or two?
another idea, maybe sand/scuff the region directly above the bridge pup where your forearm/wrist would rest?
I really love the color you landed on there.
Thanks. I’m really happy with the color(s).
I know it’s over the top, but I actually like it. I’m not trying to pass it off as authentic, I’m just having fun with it.
The worst part is at the bottom of the rim, my already heavy handed X-acto knife scoring took a turn for the worst, so I beat the crap out of the rim with my Luthier Rock… I blame a bottle of really good tequila.
I have more work to do, I will add a little “thumb” wear at the side of the bridge pickup, I will also distress the tortoise pickguard. The next part is assembly/wiring of the body.
The matching headstock is reversed, I still have to shape the profile of the neck to my specs, as well as leveling the frets.
I am attending a media party in New Orleans this Sunday, If I get this bass completed in time, I will be playing it there, then putting it up for auction.
If I get it completed. No pressure. Lol.
Awesome! Love the look it is shaping up in to.
It’s been a minute but I have finally found time to work on this bass.
The neck is mounted, I still need to do final sanding and complete the finish on the neck. The body is pretty much completed, though I still have some more wiring to do,
Even with the two mudbuckers and the Badass II bridge, the bass will still come in under 7 pounds. There are all kinds of switches/controls, which I’ll get into when it is completed.
Between the over the top “worn” finish and having a mudbucker in the bridge position, this bass incites ummm… conversations. Lol.
Regardless, I love it. The proof will be when it’s complete.
Looks cool and janky
Thanks.
I currently have it apart again, mostly due to I can’t leave well enough alone. Lol.
I swapped the two toggle switches for two pickup blend knobs…
I finally found time to work on this. All that’s left is wiring the controls, the strings and setup.
I looked back through the thread but couldn’t see it: where did you get the neck from?
I love everything about this bass @Moonshine
Your projects have always been inspiring.
I purchased it off of Ebay, last year. I just checked and the supplier that I got it from is now gone. It was an import (China) neck, but they shipped from the U.S. I would keep checking Ebay, I’m sure another will show up.
It was inexpensive ($75?), but typical of dealing with an import supplier, The first neck I received was a short scale version, on the plus side, they told me to keep the first one, then they sent the correct neck.
one thing about the majority of cheap, imported necks like this; I had to do quite a bit of carving/reshaping on the heel and volute area of the neck, I also reshaped the profile of the neck as the neck was some what “crude”. Plus, I had to tap and glue down frets, thern level and recrown.
I have come to expect this from any imported neck. Even with a more expensive neck, there will most likely be some work involved to make it right.
Thank you. I really appreciate that.
Very cool!
I always ask myself: why are some pickups not mounted straight but at an angle?
Many moons ago on a different forum in a different galaxy we discussed some fun winter build ideas that included a triple reso flying v bass. That one had always stuck with my brain. I never finished the winter build-off bass I started back then. Lol. Maybe I should do that…
This pickup orientation messes with everyone. Lol.
It’s actually simple, blame Jimi Hendrix.
This is the left hand version of the bridge position of a Fender Strat. I’ve always liked how this sounds. I also prefer a “reversed” position for a P bass split pickup as well.
