New Bass Build (Curly Walnut Content)

djohns74 · 01-14-2012, 10:04 AM

Hey guys, here's a build that I finished up a short time ago and have neglected to share up to this point. I decided that I wanted a new 5 string bass as my old one was a major cheapo model that never had good definition from the B string no matter what I did. Plus, I had to have something new to build as I was getting rather antsy not having something to work on. I saw someone comment on here the other day that building is REALLY addictive and this is absolutely a true statement. This is my fourth complete build and I don't plan on stopping any time soon!

The inspiration for the shape clearly comes from Ibanez (no real surprise if you know me) specifically the RD707 from the late 80s, which itself was obviously derived from the RG. Other than the basic shape though, I pretty much went my own way with it, expanding it to be a 5 string with a 35" scale, going with a more natural wood look rather than a loud 80s paint job and fitting a pair of EMG 40DC pickups along with my own electronics layout. It also uses a set-in neck design with a contoured AANJ-style heel. The neck wood, in this case, extends to about an inch shy of the neck pickup underneath the top wood.

Finding the top was what really kicked this project off. It's curly Claro Walnut with really nice figuring and a cool transition to a lighter color at the center, neither of which was picked up particularly well by my camera for some reason. The top is about 3/8" thick and the rest of the body is mahogany. The neck is a 5-piece mahogany/maple design with a mahogany headstock piece and matching walnut top. The fretboard is padauk, which I thought would be a little different. Everything (other than the fretboard) is finished with tung oil.

Sorry, no pictures of the construction process as this time around I decided to focus on the build rather than the documenting of the build. I'm not too happy with the quality of these pictures either, but I wanted to get them up here at some point. I'll try to get better ones if the sun ever decides to reappear.

Full specs:

Mahogany body
Curly Claro Walnut top with matching headstock
5-piece Mahogany/Maple neck
Padauk fretboard
35" scale length
22 frets
Abalone dot inlays and side dots
Dual EMG 40DC pickups at 18V
Master vol/tone
Blend pot
Hipshot brass "A Style" bridge with .687" string spacing
Gotoh compact bass tuners

jarnozz · 01-14-2012, 10:18 AM

That's a great looking Bass! man that top just looks amazing, you're a very skilled craftsman

BlackMastodon · 01-14-2012, 11:42 AM

I don't think I've seen many basses with that headstock shape, I like it a lot!

djohns74 · 01-14-2012, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackMastodon

I don't think I've seen many basses with that headstock shape, I like it a lot!

Yeah, it's based on the same Ibanez that inspired the body shape. It's not quite as similar to the RG headstock as it first appears, but obviously comes from the same family. I had to elongate it somewhat to fit the fifth tuner of course, but the compact tuners kept it from getting out of control pretty nicely.

Konfyouzd · 01-23-2012, 06:02 PM

How's it sound?

in-pursuit · 01-23-2012, 06:25 PM

I love the 5 in line headstock, got any clips? looks very nice.

ThePhilosopher · 01-23-2012, 07:41 PM

Sexy bass; really liking that 5 inline headstock.

9voltchicken · 01-23-2012, 09:49 PM

Damn I love walnut...

Ruins · 01-24-2012, 03:03 PM

wow this turned out so smooth and rock loaded and ready to

how did the B on this one turned out? how is the weight?
is there any chance to hear some sound samples of it?

vansinn · 01-24-2012, 04:04 PM

Very classy, I love the simplistic lines and wood choises

Jontain · 01-24-2012, 04:33 PM

Nice looking work man, really clean craftsmanship.

Konfyouzd · 02-14-2012, 12:40 PM

Kind of a necrobump, but do you have any more pics of the back of the neck? I just re-read the OP and noticed it's a 5pc maple/mahogany. Sounds tastey but you can only barely see the maple strips in the pics. Sorry... I love guitar pr0nz...

djohns74 · 02-14-2012, 01:13 PM

Nope, haven't had a chance to get better pictures yet. Maybe I'll stop pretending to be an elitist anti-flash photographer type and just take a few shots without waiting for decent natural light.

On a side note, I haven't so much as touched another bass since I finished this one, so I guess in that sense I'm quite happy with how it plays and sounds. The tone and volume of the low B string is several orders of magnitude better than that of my previous 5 string, which was my main goal for the project. As far as tone, the neck pickup by itself and the two pickups together don't sound all that different on the low strings, but on the higher strings the difference is quite pronounced so that's kind of cool. Otherwise, I'm not actually a bassist, I'm a guitarist who occasionally plays a little bass so I don't feel qualified to discuss the merits of bass tone in depth or post clips of my terrible playing.

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01-14-2012, 10:04 AM	#1
djohns74 SS Contributor Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 313 Thanked: 7 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	New Bass Build (Curly Walnut Content) Hey guys, here's a build that I finished up a short time ago and have neglected to share up to this point. I decided that I wanted a new 5 string bass as my old one was a major cheapo model that never had good definition from the B string no matter what I did. Plus, I had to have something new to build as I was getting rather antsy not having something to work on. I saw someone comment on here the other day that building is REALLY addictive and this is absolutely a true statement. This is my fourth complete build and I don't plan on stopping any time soon! The inspiration for the shape clearly comes from Ibanez (no real surprise if you know me) specifically the RD707 from the late 80s, which itself was obviously derived from the RG. Other than the basic shape though, I pretty much went my own way with it, expanding it to be a 5 string with a 35" scale, going with a more natural wood look rather than a loud 80s paint job and fitting a pair of EMG 40DC pickups along with my own electronics layout. It also uses a set-in neck design with a contoured AANJ-style heel. The neck wood, in this case, extends to about an inch shy of the neck pickup underneath the top wood. Finding the top was what really kicked this project off. It's curly Claro Walnut with really nice figuring and a cool transition to a lighter color at the center, neither of which was picked up particularly well by my camera for some reason. The top is about 3/8" thick and the rest of the body is mahogany. The neck is a 5-piece mahogany/maple design with a mahogany headstock piece and matching walnut top. The fretboard is padauk, which I thought would be a little different. Everything (other than the fretboard) is finished with tung oil. Sorry, no pictures of the construction process as this time around I decided to focus on the build rather than the documenting of the build. I'm not too happy with the quality of these pictures either, but I wanted to get them up here at some point. I'll try to get better ones if the sun ever decides to reappear. Full specs: Mahogany body Curly Claro Walnut top with matching headstock 5-piece Mahogany/Maple neck Padauk fretboard 35" scale length 22 frets Abalone dot inlays and side dots Dual EMG 40DC pickups at 18V Master vol/tone Blend pot Hipshot brass "A Style" bridge with .687" string spacing Gotoh compact bass tuners synrgy, astm and rick0link like this.

01-14-2012, 10:18 AM	#2
jarnozz Let´s Get Wasted! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: maasbracht, netherlands Posts: 761 Thanked: 15 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	That's a great looking Bass! man that top just looks amazing, you're a very skilled craftsman heaven's closed, hell's sold out. So I walk on the earth.

01-14-2012, 11:42 AM	#3
BlackMastodon \m/ (ﾟДﾟ) \m/ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Windsor, ON Posts: 3,216 Thanked: 12 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I don't think I've seen many basses with that headstock shape, I like it a lot! "Metal is for Vikings; if you're not a Viking, get off the boat." - The Beard "He doesn't even like Metallica, that's how metal he is." - My friend describing my musical tastes to her friends.

01-23-2012, 06:02 PM	#5
Konfyouzd Dread-I Master Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mars Posts: 15,665 Thanked: 191 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	How's it sound? "... and on either side of the river was the tree of life. The leaves of this tree were for the healing of nations." "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and the herb for the service of man." "Lifes too short to hate Floyd Roses."

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01-23-2012, 06:25 PM	#6
in-pursuit SS.org Regular Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Rosewood, QLD, Australia Posts: 936 Thanked: 20 Feedback Score: 5 reviews	I love the 5 in line headstock, got any clips? looks very nice. Jazz influenced Prog//Experimental http://soundcloud.com/frogherder Incoming - Oakland Axe Factory 9 string, multiscale, headless, single cut, piezo! Did someone along the line not love you enough, because you were always failure? If you make plans around custom guitar build ETA, you're gonna have a bad time.

01-23-2012, 07:41 PM	#7
ThePhilosopher All 5ths Lover Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 989 Thanked: 17 Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Sexy bass; really liking that 5 inline headstock. "Congrats on joining the man-fan club " - EtherealEntity My Photography: www.bartkophoto.com My Bandcamp: http://dbartko.bandcamp.com/ My Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/dbartko

01-23-2012, 09:49 PM	#8
9voltchicken ss.org Regular Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 61 Thanked: 15 / 1 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Damn I love walnut...

01-24-2012, 03:03 PM	#9
Ruins Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 2,061 Thanked: 18 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	wow this turned out so smooth and rock loaded and ready to how did the B on this one turned out? how is the weight? is there any chance to hear some sound samples of it? My baritone creation: http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ext...s-of-pics.html Carved content: http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sev...nfriendly.html] CAD parts Freebie : http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/lut...ml#post2402269

01-24-2012, 04:04 PM	#10
vansinn such a shredneck.. Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: AnyWhichWhere Posts: 1,403 Thanked: 18 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Very classy, I love the simplistic lines and wood choises van Sinn... plays progressive metal, jazz/rock fusion and Hindu-ambiance says, stop second guessing the past, keep pushing, or risk getting left behind opposes mind control, has no tv - but has a fully functional pineal gland is single stringed, and does truss rod adjustments to those in need...

01-24-2012, 04:33 PM	#11
Jontain SS.org Regular Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UK Posts: 1,103 Thanked: 13 Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Nice looking work man, really clean craftsmanship.

02-14-2012, 12:40 PM	#12
Konfyouzd Dread-I Master Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mars Posts: 15,665 Thanked: 191 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	Kind of a necrobump, but do you have any more pics of the back of the neck? I just re-read the OP and noticed it's a 5pc maple/mahogany. Sounds tastey but you can only barely see the maple strips in the pics. Sorry... I love guitar pr0nz... "... and on either side of the river was the tree of life. The leaves of this tree were for the healing of nations." "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and the herb for the service of man." "Lifes too short to hate Floyd Roses."

02-14-2012, 01:13 PM	#13
djohns74 SS Contributor Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 313 Thanked: 7 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Nope, haven't had a chance to get better pictures yet. Maybe I'll stop pretending to be an elitist anti-flash photographer type and just take a few shots without waiting for decent natural light. On a side note, I haven't so much as touched another bass since I finished this one, so I guess in that sense I'm quite happy with how it plays and sounds. The tone and volume of the low B string is several orders of magnitude better than that of my previous 5 string, which was my main goal for the project. As far as tone, the neck pickup by itself and the two pickups together don't sound all that different on the low strings, but on the higher strings the difference is quite pronounced so that's kind of cool. Otherwise, I'm not actually a bassist, I'm a guitarist who occasionally plays a little bass so I don't feel qualified to discuss the merits of bass tone in depth or post clips of my terrible playing. Konfyouzd likes this.

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