avengers63

It's been quite a while since I've updated this thread. I've taken way too long to get any actual work done on this guitar, but the end is finally nearing. I buffed out the body, headstock, TRC, and back plate. Next is the final assembly.

Well, that settles the question of are they rails or not. I think you'd be very happy with a set of BL's pups. I also think getting the crunch wouldn't be a problem at all. Part of the basic function of a HB over a SC is more power. They drive the amp harder, making the distortion easier to generate.

A lot. More than mahogany. Bubinga is pretty dense & heavy.

Depends - what does the description of the pup say? I can't access the site at work, so I can't comment directly on the description, but I CAN add this... Bill Lawrence designed the "noiseless single coil" for Fender, and holds the patent for Fender's version of them. They are stacked single coils, not humbuckers. They have MOST of the s/c twang, but with the stacked coils, there is a hint of HB in there. It's just the nature of the beast - you can't have it both ways. If the description of the pups say "noisless single coil", then that's what they are. If it says that they're rail HBs or HBs in a s/c size or something similar, then they're what you're looking for. FWIW: I personally think that Bill's pups are extremely good. You'll not find their level of quality for a better price. The main drawback is that you have to order them directly from them, so there's virtually no way to get a sound comparison.

I saw this saw Friday. I've been debating for a while about getting another bandsaw purely for resawing, but I couldn't justify the price of the whole thing after the riser blocks were put on and it was shipped to me. But this one, with this price, and a stock 7" resaw capacity... it's really making me think. PLEASE... if you get it, let us know how it performs when splitting some 7" stock.

I couldn't disagree more. When I wanted some tele pups for my first build, I gave them a call. Becky was thorough and very informative. I placed the order that day, and they arived pretty quickly. Maybe IPA had a bad experience, but mine was outstanding. As for pup choice, it's really tied to price. You can get some for $100/each, or you can find them for $15/each, both brand new. Sometimes you can tell a significant difference, sometimes you really can't. My suggestion would be decide on what you're willing to pay, then do some homework on those that fall in that range.

Why isn't anyone mentioning mahogany? Based on the described tonal desires.... ...mahogany seems like the go-to choice.

Is this the look you're going for? I did it by staining it black then sanding it back so that only the grain was stained.

Cool. I know I can come off really badly over the internet, so when I'm pretty critical of someone that I'm not trying to piss off, I want to make sure that it's taken the right way.

I don't have the parts for THAT guitar, but I have enough from OTHER guitars to be able to do most of it. I'll get in the parts in the first month of the build, but usually none of them are on hand when I start it.

Where are all the familiar faces with all of the constructive comments and observations? We usually have 3 or 4 every month. God help us if I'm the only one left doing that.

Hey fuzz, I hope you understand that it was all constructive criticism, not just hating on you or your bass.

ScottyD Aesthetically, there is very little about this bass that does anything for me. The one thing that stands out are the laminates. I LOVE the way the pinstripe is revealed on the back contouring. I also really enjoy the laminating on the pup covers. Avengers63 Daniel Sorbera I really dig the rosette inlay. It must have been a real pain to get perfect. There's something really classy about the headstock. I can't put my finger on it, but it's really nice. I've never heard a limba acoustic - how's the sound? Jaden Very clean, very streamlined. Maybe a little bit too simple though. This one says "I'm meant to be played, not looked at." I'm surprised and impressed that you'd do a French polish on a guitar knowing that it's going to get banged up. That's a really labor intensive finish for a guitar. Simo I don't care for the long, straight horn. I understand the balance issues and why it needs to be out that far, but it just doesn't look right somehow. Maybe because it's straight. I DO like the roundness of it. Quilted maple is a favorite of mine, so that helps the overall look for me. The black pinstripe is a nice touch. It really helps separate the similarly-colored woods without taking away from anything. Low End Fuzz I can see that lot of time went into this bass. There are a LOT of laminates there. I applaud you for putting that much time and effort into it. But... (you knew it was coming, didn't you?) there's just too much going on. Too many different things with too many woods and no consistent theme. You have alder, walnut, padauk, basswood, maple, bloodwood, ebony, and purpleheart. You have a bold racing stripe on the forearm bevel, stripes on the headstock (that are VERY well done) that don't match, some other stuff on the back of the neck with an extra piece in the scarf that's been ""outlined", and an inlaid pickguard. Had you taken any one of these themes and run with it throughout the bass, it would have been great. As is, it's just too much. On the good side, the laminating and extra details all look GREAT individually. The attention to detail and precise, smooth lines all seem perfect when looked at one at a time. And I like the idea of an inlaid pickguard. I hope it's on there with magnets instead of glued in. Metz I like the shape. It reminds me of a discontinued Gibson shape whose name escapes me right now. But that paint... It's really... intense. I'm not a fan of monochrome anything. Daniel Sorbera Two in one month. Gutsy. Shooting yourself in the foot a little, too. The square edges and front/back binding look really nice. Despite that little bit of bling, it says "I'm a player", just like Jaden's. It's probably the matte finish w/o a grainfill. It still looks raw. RFR This is the month for unadorned, basic finishes, isn't it? I've never seen the point of the "Nashville Tele". If you wanted a Strat, get a Strat, not a Tele. Apparently, that's just me. Anyway, you always make a really clean guitar. I like the binding in the f-hole. That always adds something to the package. But that's the problem - the f-hole. With it there and it being bound, it seems that the wood should have been grainfilled and the finish polished out. This was an odd month. There are a number of guitars, mine included, that are more basic and raw - daily players, not showcase pieces. I don't see this as being a continuing trend though, just an odd month.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6225640.html Here's an article that some of you might find interesting. It's about tonewoods in guitars, how the sound changes as they age, and being more environmentally friendly.

I just realized I haven't updated this in quite some time. Not that there's anything interesting going on. I have the cavity covers made from leopardwood and the headstock inlaid with the leopardwood J. It all got 2 or 3 coats of sanding sealer. I don't remember how many - it was in November. Right now it's all being bulletproofed with brush-on poly. I'm figuring 4-5 coats will do the trick, buffed with steel wool between coats.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip23.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip24.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip25.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip26.jpg I gotta say... I didn't think it'd look any good at all. I was wrong. I'm REALLY glad I took this commission. I drastically undercharged him, but I wasn't sure if I could pull it off either. With what I learned from this, I'll consider the reduced price the cost of knowledge. The dude agreed with me that the bevels needed to be softened up in order to work with the carve, so here we are. I still wouldn't have gone with both, but overall, it's not bad at all. I think I'm going to get some pine and see if I can make an actual SG Diablo. Some experimenting with the angle grinder to get a recurve is clearly in order.

I really like working with paduk. I smells OK and shapes pretty easily. It just sands like a dream, but MAN does it produce a lot of dust. I just wish it stayed orange.

Don't feel bad. I had plans on having three done before Thanksgiving and they're still not there.

Are your prices listed in Euros? If so, what would they be American?

I'm entirely NOT liking how this one is turning out. The carve looked surprisingly good. The belly cut was pretty decent as well. It's the combination of the carve and the bevels that's dorking it up. The super-deep look of the horns is GREAT, but I don't think it's working as a whole. http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip08.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip11.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip12.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip13.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip14.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip15.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip16.jpg http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...20top/wip19.jpg

So... now you have a reason (excuse) to make a 3/4-scale guitar.

I wasn't trying to suggest the trem looked wrong, just wondering about the choice to use one at all. The style of trem you've chosen fits the body very well. For my eyes, natural wood (not painted) guitars are more reserved, as are most fulcrum trems, so it's the natural choice. A hard tail or a TOM would have been just as appropriate.

That big crack going 3/4 of the way through the piece will limit your options. Were it me, I'd cut off the un-cracked portion ASAP to prevent it from splitting all the way down.

Almost a +1. I don't think they sound like crap, I just don't think they sound like anything. They're too sterile, too... clean. If you're going for the super-distorted/scooped sound, they're fine. Aside from that, I personally don't think they're worth a damn whatsoever.

The top end already looks set to be a V.