4 String Driftwood, Cherry, Maple & Walnut

Beej

Beej

Supporting Member
Feb 10, 2007
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Vancouver Island
#1
I started a new build today, to fill in time while I'm working on another guitar. I find it's good to have a second project to turn to when there are gaps in the work. It may go slowly as a result though... :)

This will be a 4 string bass, 32" scale, 24 frets, 40mm nut, 19mm bridge spacing, bolt-on neck, and single humbucker in the P position (at the moment). The body will be weight-relieved American cherry with a 40" radius, and a 10mm driftwood top separated by a walnut veneer. The neck will be three laminates of maple, separated by two cherry laminates, and walnut veneers between all of them. The headstock will have a body-matching driftwood overlay. The fretboard will be walnut with driftwood inlays. Double acting truss-rod with aluminum stiffening rods.

Here's an obligatory wood pic. :D
20201026_215110.jpg
 
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#2
Beej said:
I started a new build today, to fill in time while I'm working on another guitar. I find it's good to have a second project to turn to when there are gaps in the work. It may go slowly as a result though... :)

This will be a 4 string bass, 32" scale, 24 frets, 40mm nut, 19mm bridge spacing, bolt-on neck, and single humbucker in the P position (at the moment). The body will be weight-relieved American cherry with a 40" radius, and a 10mm driftwood top separated by a walnut veneer. The neck will be three laminates of maple, separated by two cherry laminates, and walnut veneers between all of them. The headstock will have a body-matching driftwood overlay. The fretboard will be walnut with driftwood inlays. Double acting truss-rod with aluminum stiffening rods.

Here's an obligatory wood pic. :D
View attachment 4032038
Click to expand...
My time fillers are a second house, 1929 Chevrolet and various amplifiers. I mucho like your driftwood:hyper::thumbsup::drool:!
 
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#8
TerribleTim68 said:
Yeah man, I'm on board with the drift wood. Get it, on "board". :roflmao:

I do want to ask (mostly 'cause I have visions of stealing your driftwood goodness some day), how do you plan on filling the "wormy bits"? o_O
Click to expand...
:D

So far, I've had success by filling with epoxy. I've got some System Three general use epoxy that I'm planning to use. The nice thing about clear epoxy is that you can still see the depth of the tunnels through the finish. :woot:
 
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#10
TerribleTim68 said:
Doesn't that epoxy stuff mean pressure tanks or vac systems or something? How do you deal with bubbles?
Click to expand...
It's not really deep enough to get bubbles in it - mostly on the surface. The deepest of the channels are around 5-6mm, shallow enough to get any bubbles to rise up with a torch after it's been applied. :thumbsup: The biggest pain I guess is that it will probably require 3 epoxy coats to get everything smooth and glassy before finish application. I didn't mention it yet, but I'll be using some kind of sprayed water-based finish. Probably not Varathane Ultimate, cuz it's just too much of a pain to get here right now. It will probably be something I can easily get off the shelf. :)
 
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#12
It’s fun. We’ve been beachcombing a lot lately, but on the Eastern shore. Looks like Vancouver Island is where the really choice stuff is. Guess I’ll just order some genuine stuff from Beej’s Canadian Pacific Driftwood Emporium. Hey Beej, when is your virtual storefront coming online?
 
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#13
No joke, my brother thinks I should do just that :D Way too much work for too little return IME. Just like building basses. :smug: Speaking of which...

I used a couple of router planing jigs and planed 4 sides flat.
20201027_203930.jpg



But, since the cherry is 8/4 and I only need 5/4, I also had to take a slice off of each board. Those slices will make a nice accent board in another instrument. :thumbsup:
20201027_202417.jpg


I then planed the newly sliced edges flat and prepared them to be glued up. I also marveled at how dark the walnut became after being brutally roasted in my oven at 385F for the afternoon. I put some wipe-on poly to see what it looks like; I'll be router planing both sides shortly anyway.
20201027_213202.jpg
 
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#14
I glued the body halves together with epoxy glue using a router planing jig. :thumbsup:
Preparing the Body

Preparing the Body

driftwood, maple, cherry, walnut

I also glued up the top in preparation for carefully thinning it to the final specs once dried. Here, it's glued up, and I've applied the first coat of general purpose epoxy to half of it. This is the underside of the top - it needs reinforcement before being glued up. :) The epoxy gives a sense of what it may look like under finish.
Preparing the Body

Preparing the Body

driftwood, maple, cherry, walnut
 
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