# Bass build thread (56k)



## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 2, 2008)

So this time last year i designed a guitar and had a time limit of around 14 months to build it.
This year, i have 4/5 months to build, FUN!

So what we got here? 
-34" scale
-fretless
-2 jazz bass pickups (will be replaced for higher quality when funds allow)
-special neck shaping*
-set thru neck design
-Brass nut
-Huge bridge (LOL)
-P bass style tuners, classy 

Got wood? 
-bubinga fretboard
-Brazilian mahogany/ rock maple neck
-African mahogany body (1 piece)**
-Flamed maple top

*the shaping is interesting, it goes from a full, almost rounded profile at the top; and a thin, flat profile at the body end.
"Sounds like compound radius?!" you say?
similar, because this one has a hard shoulder on the "bass" side of the neck profile, and a flatter, thinner shoulder that blends to the fretboard on the "treble" side.
Very comfortable to play and was a blast to shape!

** the body wood IS all the same piece, yet i had to cut it in half to allow the body shape to fit on the piece i bought.

Influences?
AHA!
wellllllll
lots 
-memphis design school, new york
-Warwick buzzard
-Ibanez xiphos
-Ibanez iceman
-Ernie Ball music man petrucci
-Gibson explorer

Very subtle bits from each, but they are there.

To sit down, the shape is magnificent, it balances well stood up and is rather heavy..okay for a guy built like myself 

Oh, and i forgot..double bass headstock..but a modern take.
*Pics up VERY soon*


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## Apophis (Apr 2, 2008)

Sounds nice, but as you know


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 2, 2008)

you... couldn´t have waited with the post until you had photos? this is torture!


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## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 2, 2008)

Shaping the bubinga fretboard to be tapered..
this was done with a plane, patience and sweat.
LOTS of sweat..as it was a big fucking piece to begin with.










The body roughly cut..nice grain eh? 








Notice the pencil drawn tummy cut? 






And now the neck after routing for the truss rod and tapering for the fretboard.




Headstock pre-angling.




Looking down the truss channel




13* angle cut..




...and glued!





Shaping the neck with a spoke shave..notice ive left a chunk at the nut and the heel?
that



s for when im gluing the fretboard on so clamps fit well.


oh, and for laughs..here are some pics of the one i made last year 













ANYWAY.. =]
Neck and body together for a mock up..nowhere near finished..but you get the idea..








Maple top not on yet..


"look mum, no glue!"
a tight neck joint is a good neck joint 





and then
UH OH!
CRACK 
see if you can spot it 





recently:
The crack is repaired and the neck is glued into the body, headstock shaped a lot and the maple top glued on.
PICS SOON!


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## Randy (Apr 2, 2008)

Looks great, d00d!


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## Ramsay777 (Apr 2, 2008)

Man this is gonna own!!

Looking good so far man


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## yevetz (Apr 2, 2008)

awesome so far


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## Michael (Apr 2, 2008)

Looking good.  

Have you got anymore pic's of that guitar? I think it looks awesome.


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## skinhead (Apr 2, 2008)

At least you're not lazy as me 

That bass looks very good. And the guitar is sick.


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## Thrashmanzac (Apr 3, 2008)

shit that is looking good, nice work!


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## thedonutman (Apr 3, 2008)

Looks great.

Where did you get your woods from?


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## Coryd (Apr 3, 2008)

Dude, looks really good so far!!!!


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## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 3, 2008)

Michael said:


> Looking good.
> 
> Have you got anymore pic's of that guitar? I think it looks awesome.




ill take some more with the bass when its done, they always go on display at my college when they do open nights as a show of what students can achieve.


the top has been glued on and moderatley tidied up now, more pics later on today hopefully guys!



thedonutman said:


> Looks great.
> 
> Where did you get your woods from?



craft supplies..ask to speak to andy there if you want anything special


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## thedonutman (Apr 3, 2008)

NiCkMiLnE said:


> craft supplies..ask to speak to andy there if you want anything special



Ah right.

I'm actually going to pop in tomorrow or on Saturday to buy a fretboard for my guitar project, since Royal Mail broke my last one........

This is actually the one benefit of living in Sheffield that I've found, since I'm about 10 miles away from them


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## Ramsay777 (Apr 3, 2008)

Wow. Nick, you're 16?! I just had a looky at your profile.

By fuck you're talented man! I'm 16 and there's no way I'd manage that!


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## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 3, 2008)

yeah, i was 14/15 when i finished the 6 string guitar and im 16 now.
you can see i more in some of these pics

*these are of a PAST build btw.
*































Woodworking has been in the family for years, my dad has passed down all these skills.
he used to make guitars for his brother, but in his words "nothing this incredible."
i like to make him proud, it justifies me carrying on.
cheers
nick


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## Ruins (Apr 7, 2008)

good work man!! *waiting for more pics*


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## Shawn (Apr 7, 2008)

Nice work. Looks awesome!


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## Apophis (Apr 7, 2008)

Looks really nice


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## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 12, 2008)

sorry for the long awaited updates
pics tomorrow


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## Desecrated (Apr 12, 2008)

Looks nice.


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## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 19, 2008)

some teaser pics..please know that there has been a lot on since these pics..so it looks a massive amount cleaner 

Pics are in reverse order, going from "soonest" to "earliest"
Again, its a LOT cleaner..and nearly finished now 

maybe some more later tonight of it so far!


neck heel rough shaped, and rear cut aways..VERY rough!










Headstock volute carved roughly..that thing is beautiful in person 





Neck shaped, headstock cut!









Neck shaped, headstock widened for the design









Neck shaped









Neck and fretboard clamped up


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## Ruins (Apr 19, 2008)

looks great man


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## Apophis (Apr 20, 2008)

Looks good so far


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## NiCkMiLnE (Apr 20, 2008)

cheers guys, some more pics up later today hopefully


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 4, 2008)

SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY!
moar pics
*its finished now*
so pics of the finished thing when tomorrow 























mock up? 









me planing the maple tops so that they will line up well





chiseled away at the tennon before putting the maple top on..









headstock tiem













yes there are a few woods used in the back of the headstock, because i believe on conserving woods and the wood used is the mahogany from the body to pad out the back..which allowed for the brutal as hell neck volute 






















heres the first coat of stain on


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## Ruins (May 5, 2008)

looking great! dude. i like this pics
it seems like you have an access to the whole workshop there that is so great.
in my case i am stuck with few hand tools at home, got to to make it with what i got :/

next thing you got to build is 6 string bass 35 or maybe even 35.5 scale


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## Ramsay777 (May 5, 2008)

^I second this man's post!!

It's looking sweet man, can't wait to see it finished


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## Desecrated (May 5, 2008)

Ramsay777 said:


> ^I second this man's post!!
> 
> It's looking sweet man, can't wait to see it finished



+1


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 6, 2008)

Ruins said:


> looking great! dude. i like this pics
> it seems like you have an access to the whole workshop there that is so great.
> in my case i am stuck with few hand tools at home, got to to make it with what i got :/
> 
> next thing you got to build is 6 string bass 35 or maybe even 35.5 scale





cheers
yeah, i have access and premission to use it all now im in my first year of college 

its finished totally now, so some pics later on today

i had to mill down the bridge and its base plate today due to the action being massive lol.
i like my action on bass's reasonabley high, but this was like 10mm LOL!
so i milled down the base plate by 3mm, the nut by 3mm and the saddles will have 2mm removed form each tomorrow when i have access to the milling machine..but due to there being no technician there tonight i couldnt as im under 18.

cheers for patience!


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## Ramsay777 (May 6, 2008)

NiCkMiLnE said:


> cheers
> yeah, i have access and premission to use it all now im in my first year of college
> 
> its finished totally now, so some pics later on today
> ...



So.... Where's the pics?!


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 6, 2008)

tomorrow you will get them eager beaver..tomorrow


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## Ramsay777 (May 7, 2008)

NiCkMiLnE said:


> tomorrow you will get them eager beaver..tomorrow




Well boy, today is yesterday's tomorrow  You know what that means!!


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 7, 2008)

hopefully if my camera batterys are charged..you will have them tonight.

cheers
nick

my phone cam isnt the best, but heres ONE teaser pic till i upload em later


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## Ruins (May 7, 2008)

that is a real teaser!
this bass looking great man! i love that red body
i can't see so well what are this orange blocks on the fretboard but it looks damn cool.
i am waiting for the better quality pics 
would it be possible to hear a clips of how it sounds like?


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 7, 2008)

Ruins said:


> that is a real teaser!
> this bass looking great man! i love that red body
> i can't see so well what are this orange blocks on the fretboard but it looks damn cool.
> i am waiting for the better quality pics
> would it be possible to hear a clips of how it sounds like?




the blocks are zebrano in the lesser positions, and quilted maple on the 12th fret


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## yevetz (May 7, 2008)

awesome


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## Apophis (May 8, 2008)

looks really nice, post better pics please


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## hmmm_de_hum (May 8, 2008)

Wahey looking smooth Nick, really liking the deep red you got going on. Plus the quilt maple fret inlays are a really novel idea, you should so do that with a fretless 5/6er.


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 8, 2008)

Apophis said:


> looks really nice, post better pics please



coming later today,
PROMISE


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## Uber Mega (May 8, 2008)

Looks good matey!


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 8, 2008)

pic tiems


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## ibznorange (May 9, 2008)

well the end of your fretboard is kinda messy, but all in all that looks totally badass dude


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## Ruins (May 9, 2008)

the offset inlays look really cool i am not big fan of the tunning keys looking down but over all good job man


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## NiCkMiLnE (May 9, 2008)

ibznorange said:


> well the end of your fretboard is kinda messy, but all in all that looks totally badass dude



i had a week to get it from jsut having the maple top glued on..to that

so i did it as quick as i could lol


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