There are numerous ways of treating a bloated heifer (my Dad’s version of skinning a cat). One way is to wait the 4-5 days for a complete cure, wipe with a damp cloth, scuff up with wet or dry 600 grit to improve adhesion and wipe clean with a damp than a dry cloth. The wet wiping is to remove any amine blush. This is a “patina” that may form on some 'poxys and will make for a milky and poor joint between layers. Modern casting epoxy is much less susceptible to it. However, this way, the “joint” is purely mechanical, and hence the scuffing.
The other way is to let the first layer of epoxy cook off and harden, but then you cast the second layer while the first one is still tacky. While the coat you get is a bit less even (possibly) and may require some more finishing work (not necessarily if the casting is well done). The plus here is that the bond between the layers is not only mechanical, but chemical as well, and therefore much stronger. And added bonus is that the overall process is quicker, because you don’t have to wait for a full cure on the first coat and there is no processing in between. Your resin will have instructions as to cure times and how to do this.
Yes! That was one of the things we tried with some boards, but they were too thick for the router bit to reach well and didn’t have enough to raise the body blank up. We did eventually get it to bite/cut, but then kept getting “steps” for some reason, likely due to the sketchy/imprecise setup.
But this friend of mine mostly does metal work vs wood work, so I might look into building a similar contraption myself vs buying a jointer.
Somehow I did manage a mostly flat/level surface to affix the top woods to just using an electric hand planer set to minimal depth and an orbital sander, though its designed to follow the lines of the board. For next time I don’t think I will have issues with the 2x4s based off what I learned this time around.
Also starting to think if I want a 5-string 35" scale neck that doesn’t cost Warmoth prices, I might just have to make one. Honestly, it does not seem too difficult. The only thing is the angle from body end to neck end, but I think I can manage it; just measure the width across my Schecter at the back end, and at the nut, and draw some lines. I think if I make a longitudinally glued multi-piece/laminate neck it will be plenty strong.
Then route a slot for the truss rod, maybe some reinforcement bars, glue on a fretboard, slot it for frets, radius it, press/hammer those frets in. The tools for that will add up pretty fast $120 for the radiusing board, $75 for the fret caul if I don’t want to trust hammering (can be used with a drill press ), but I can use my handy contour gauge to steal the C-5’s neck…
This project is growing beyond what I initially started, but so far, not too deep, yet…
So set this up tonight finally and here is what I think.
For $185, I have no idea how they make this and make a single cent.
It’s not a high end bass, nor should it be, but it sure is better than the Glarrys et al that are sold all the time here in the US. There is no serial number - perhaps they have learned to clone basses.
The body and neck (set neck, not neck through) are nice (both mahogany), electronics look well soldered.
Much better than I have seen in much more expensive basses.
You get a single volume knob for both pickups and a 2-band EQ (bass/treble).
The volume knob is push pull which switches from humbucker to single coil mode on both pickups. This does not make for a lot of versitility. I’d have paid an extra few bucks for the second volume knob or a blend and a concentric bass/treble.
The preamp is actually quite decent and the pickups sound good. There are some reviews saying the pickup output is weak. It isn’t, they are just miles away from the strings, and need more foam under or other support to get them to somewhere reasonable (I didn’t bother as this will get modded too much to care.
The tuners are junk, lots of play in them etc but serve their purpose.
The bridge grommets in the body are plastic and were not pushed in all the way and were wonky, but as I set up the string height it self resolved. THe bridge is basically crap metal and the adjustments for intonation needed some help to move to and fro. I am going to guess that the bridge is going to move a bit under string tenstion and cause some tuning issues over time but time will tell.
Playability is fine, neck is fine. Fretboard is some monkey business called Roseacer (thermally treated maple wood). It’s not great and you can see some seams and other oddities, but it appears to serve its purpose. Frets are a dull grey metal of some kind.
The tone is very modern and agressive and actually quite good, impressed for sure, even with the stock strings.
For what you pay and the $75 two-day shipping across the globe this is a great deal and a great platform to mod.
Will it hold up over time? - no idea
Should this be someone’s starter bass? - it could be for sure, along with any of the other HBs I would think).
Would it withstand gigging? - not to sure about that
The bridge is the thing that bothered me and I had to replace it. I changed the pickup, that was a given, and the pots, but that’s more of “I am soldering and pots are cheap” than any other reason.
But I hated the bridge. I like my Amaranth (purple heart) fretboard. More than some Pau Ferro fretboards out of Fender. Not putting Pau Ferro down, I’ve had some nice ones from ESP. But not the Fender MIM one.
The bridge will allow me to jack it up pretty high which is what I need for the slide bit, so I am good with that, and these pickups are actually awesome with the preamp (no passive mode on this bass).
I am going to try my slide thing with these pickups first before swapping to Ps and if they work as is I will leave it. If not, passive Ps will go in centerlined with the strings, one in each position, and I will put V/V/T instead of the active circuit. A project for a few weeks from now.
I had a problem with the opposite. The strings were jacked so high the action was ridiculous, and I couldn’t get the strings lowered. And the holes for the strings were so small that a 105 E string barely fit. I needed a screwdriver through the ball to pull it out it was so tight.
The neck is definitely cracked at the headstock >_> not all the way, but there is movement. It would have snapped as strings were tuned up I am sure. So… I will either have to break it all the way and glue it, or get some high viscosity glue to dribble/run down in there and clamp it. I’ll have to think on that one or get some ideas…
$120 for the radiusing board, $75 for the fret caul if I don’t want to trust hammering (can be used with a drill press 
), but I can use my handy contour gauge to steal the C-5’s neck…
