VariBass Build Thread (post-mortem)

[Lemonbaby]

As you can see in the title, it all happened over the last three weeks but I was too lazy to start a thread and post updates. Still wanted to show show details from the build.

I wanted a new passive 4 string bass with more sound options than the common instruments on the market. 95% available at the big stores are only a handful of models: Jazz basses, P- basses, combined (JP), two humbuckers (typically with active electronics) and MusicMan style basses (sometimes enhanced with a neck pickup). My plan was a very light long scale bass with a Sandberg California shape (slightly adapted for better balance) and both a singlecoil and a humbucker in bridge and neck position. To hide this PU mess, I decided to go with wood covers for each two pickups.

Components used for this build:
- Cedro body with Black Limba top
- Multi-stripe hard maple neck with Padouk/Wenge and Black Limba Headstock cover
- Black Limba PU covers
- 2x Alnico 5 singlecoils and 2x Alnico 5 humbuckers
- Hardware: AliExpress bridge, Gotoh GB350 tuners, Schaller strap locks, spokewheel trussrod
- Electronics: 2x 500k Volume, 250k/200nF Tone, toggle for humbucker/singlecoil selection

Enough said - on to some pictures. First task was joining the top and some cleanup work before glueing it to the body.

 

[Lemonbaby]

The body was designed with Inkscape and adapted to move the contact point with the leg closed to the neck pocket. Jazz Bass shapes are usually too neck heavy when sitting down. As the Cedro block for the body was insanely light, I moved the upper horn close to the 11th fret for better balance on the strap.

 

[Lemonbaby]

As you can see, the body was already quite light even without routed neck pocket, shaping, PU and electronics cavities. The neck has a tilted headstock, but the blank was too high for my bandsaw. I made two angled cuts with my circular saw and finished the job with a japanese handsaw. The resulting surface was a little rough, nothing that can't be fixed in 10 minutes with my hand planes.

 

[Lemonbaby]

Routing the trussrod channel and the hole in the ferret for spokewheel access. After glueing it up, the backside was brought to rough shape on the bandsaw.

 

[Lemonbaby]

Brought the neck to shape, drilled/routed the neck pocket and did a test assembly. I decided to mount the neck without Rampa inserts, so the M5 screws go directly into the hard maple. Made some tests with the cutoffs to make sure I don't screw up my neck.

 

[Lemonbaby]

After routing the electronics cavity and PU pockets, I chopped up a block of Black Limba for my PU covers. I ordered laser cut acrylic templates for this step and glued in the PUs with epoxy.

 

[Lemonbaby]

After that was done, I could go on with shaping and fine sanding the body. Slapped on black dies and sanded it back on the top side. Also sanded the fretboard once more to make sure it's dead flat before hammering in the frets.

 

[Lemonbaby]

After the fretwork, I finished neck and body with TopOil (mixture of quick drying oil with a wax component). I ended up slightly above 3kg which is a good result considering the PUs alone are quite heavy (370g without the wood covers).

 

[CanserDYI]

Looks fucking cool man, looks like you had a lot of fun with this build. You said long scale what's the scale length? Or doesn't that just mean 34" in the bass world?

 

[odibrom]

Nice build!

Personally, I don't like the tops being cut at the forearm contour, I think they should bend with it, but other than that, super cool build.

What is the wiring supposed to do, knobs and switch?

 

[Lemonbaby]

Looks fucking cool man, looks like you had a lot of fun with this build. You said long scale what's the scale length? Or doesn't that just mean 34" in the bass world?

It's a 34" scale.

Nice build!

Personally, I don't like the tops being cut at the forearm contour, I think they should bend with it, but other than that, super cool build.

What is the wiring supposed to do, knobs and switch?

It's basically wired JB style. Volume knob for each PU, global tone and the toggle switches either the singlecoils or humbuckers being connected to the volume pots.

 

[Crungy]

Your builds are master level! Did you wind the pickups as well?

 

[Lemonbaby]

Your builds are master level! Did you wind the pickups as well?

No, bought cheap ones from China/Ali and they actually sound quite nice. Already used Alnico 5 Strat PU from that shop.

Here's a quick first recording. Straight to the interface, no EQ, no compression, no FX. 2x 100% bridge, 2x 100% neck, 2x both 100%.

 

[odibrom]

@Lemonbaby So you manage what pickup is working with their volume knobs, right? Going from bridge to neck means turning all the way down the bridge's and all the way up the neck's volumes...?

 

[Crungy]

Similar to a jazz bass, two independent volumes for each pickup. Plus the toggle switch.

 

[Lemonbaby]

@Lemonbaby So you manage what pickup is working with their volume knobs, right? Going from bridge to neck means turning all the way down the bridge's and all the way up the neck's volumes...?

Exactly, you just dial in the level of the neck and bridge PU while they're permanently connected in parallel. The toggle decides if you're using a bass with two single coils or humbuckers.

 

[bostjan]

This is typical wiring scheme for a lot of basses. It's pretty uncommon on bass to have to do anything to change tones once it's set up. So, the majority of bass amps are simple single-channel operation as well. Set and forget (until the end of the song at least).

By the way, @Lemonbaby , this looks fantastic!

 

[Omzig]

Man you hand work is cleaner than most (inc mine) CNC! Super work...reminds me i need to get around to my BQuad-4 headless tribute....

 

[odibrom]

Exactly, you just dial in the level of the neck and bridge PU while they're permanently connected in parallel. The toggle decides if you're using a bass with two single coils or humbuckers.

Why not a Master volume and tone and a blend pot? Just curious... The 2 basses I had, were like this, master tone and volume + blend pot... plus active EQ... this was late '90s, early '00s...

 

[Lemonbaby]

Why not a Master volume and tone and a blend pot? Just curious... The 2 basses I had, were like this, master tone and volume + blend pot... plus active EQ... this was late '90s, early '00s...

To be honest, I always have tons of 250k and 500k pots on stock, so I didn't even think about connecting the PUs differently. At the end of the day it's the same functionality and takes up the same space.