Maple is going to have her submission done before I get pencil to paper, never mind sawdust.
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She's produced more work in 6 months than I have in 2.5 years, and it shows, huge ramp up in skills.
That's a pretty good idea. There's a few on eBay for sale. This one is going for $115.00.
I might just wind my own, but I like the aesthetic on the T-40's.
I've been spending the last few days after work just sanding.
I have it pretty smooth, though the "F" holes still need a bit more work.
The T-40 pickup won't work unfortunately. It's too narrow. The string spacing on this bridge is "fender-ish", so I'm thinking about .75" or so. I'll use a Lace Alumitone if nothing else rears its devilish head. There's an interesting set of Kent Armstrong pickups in the classifieds, with bloodwood covers. Like they were made for this bass. Though the color is a bit orange, and I was thinking a single pickup for this one. We'll see.
I may be able to use the discarded first attempt neck blank from my previous build for this one. I have to put it through the table saw to cut off the headstock, and cut in a new headstock angle on the other side. I'll put the truss rod nuts by the body I think. I'll have to play with it.
3 day weekend coming up, so I'll have some time to make some progress on this build.
I have it pretty smooth, though the "F" holes still need a bit more work.
The T-40 pickup won't work unfortunately. It's too narrow. The string spacing on this bridge is "fender-ish", so I'm thinking about .75" or so. I'll use a Lace Alumitone if nothing else rears its devilish head. There's an interesting set of Kent Armstrong pickups in the classifieds, with bloodwood covers. Like they were made for this bass. Though the color is a bit orange, and I was thinking a single pickup for this one. We'll see.
I may be able to use the discarded first attempt neck blank from my previous build for this one. I have to put it through the table saw to cut off the headstock, and cut in a new headstock angle on the other side. I'll put the truss rod nuts by the body I think. I'll have to play with it.
3 day weekend coming up, so I'll have some time to make some progress on this build.
I think that a Devil Bass is just begging for some kind of unique, scary looking pickup. Take some standard known coil set and build a housing around it from wood and bits of metal. It needs to be curved and flowing in shape, dark and scorched looking on the outside, with red glowing through mysterious cracks and gaps. Like something down inside a furnace. The source of the heat and power coming out the amp. You can do it.
Like a Darkstar 
Joe Barden make some killer picks up that have the bladed look. They happen to sound amazing too. Kinda pricey though. :/
I've been spending the last few days after work just sanding.
I have it pretty smooth, though the "F" holes still need a bit more work.
The T-40 pickup won't work unfortunately. It's too narrow. The string spacing on this bridge is "fender-ish", so I'm thinking about .75" or so. I'll use a Lace Alumitone if nothing else rears its devilish head. There's an interesting set of Kent Armstrong pickups in the classifieds, with bloodwood covers. Like they were made for this bass. Though the color is a bit orange, and I was thinking a single pickup for this one. We'll see.
I may be able to use the discarded first attempt neck blank from my previous build for this one. I have to put it through the table saw to cut off the headstock, and cut in a new headstock angle on the other side. I'll put the truss rod nuts by the body I think. I'll have to play with it.
3 day weekend coming up, so I'll have some time to make some progress on this build.
Joe Barden make some killer picks up that have the bladed look. They happen to sound amazing too. Kinda pricey though. :/
Thanks for all the interest and comments. I have a few ideas churning through the magna in my brain. In the mean time, I decided to just go with a new neck. The old neck blank has 2 truss rod routs, and I don't think I'll do 2 rods on this one. It's noticeably heavier, and perhaps I'll try some kind of stiffening rods. I never used stiffening rods. So I started building the neck.
Gotta love a good table saw. I arranged the laminates according to grain orientation.
And then glued them up and clamped.
I'll let that cure overnight.
Gotta love a good table saw. I arranged the laminates according to grain orientation.
And then glued them up and clamped.
I'll let that cure overnight.
Those Dewalt saws are great, rack and pinion fence, riving knife, and built in dust shroud. Pretty much standard issue for finish carpenters these days. I finally saw a guy with the Sawstop jobsite saw. Guy said he's already tripped it once, saved himself a horrible injury. Wish I could afford a Sawstop cabinet saw!
P.S: You know you are a wood geek when you realize you like neck blank glue-up photos.
P.S: You know you are a wood geek when you realize you like neck blank glue-up photos.
Maple, you could reach new heights in sensory richness and employ technology never seen before on a bass guitar. I'm thinking a cigarette lighter and tiny fan hidden behind the headstock with a sulphur payload. When a guitarist goes for one too many choruses on his solos you can hit the button and nail 'em with a smoky little scent of Satan to let 'em know it's time to wrap it up. You'll be the envy of bassist worldwide...
This is the headstock design that I was planning to use on my Devil Bass, back around 2008. It's a derivative of my Series IV AUB-2 headstock shape, but with the added central rib around the head and on the tongue. It's pretty cool looking, but I abandoned it because it would make the bass too complicated and expensive. My current design is simpler and closer to the original Ampeg headstock.
Some more headstock design inspiration for you. Add some holes and 3-D shaping. It isn't that hard, and it can be very effective visually. These are several of the necks I built for the Rockit Guitar project/company about 10 years ago. Some teardrop holes and hand shaping made these really stand out.
Wow, lots of great comments, full of inspiration. I love the flame inlays on those fret boards, Bruce. You don't happen to have a full picture of those, do you? Now my head is reeling. I thought about rear mounting the tuners. We'll see. I'm a little concerned about the friction of the strings going through holes in the headstock, or even a slot.
I pulled the neck blank out of the clamps and started on the headstock angle this morning.
Yeah, my router jig is a little mickey mouse, but it works.
And here's a mockup of what I have so far.
I pulled the neck blank out of the clamps and started on the headstock angle this morning.
Yeah, my router jig is a little mickey mouse, but it works.
And here's a mockup of what I have so far.
Fun build to watch... been wanting someone to make one of these!
I had to google those necks Bruce made to see if they made it onto a guitar, here's what I found.
Special Edition Rockit Guitars
I had to google those necks Bruce made to see if they made it onto a guitar, here's what I found.
Special Edition Rockit Guitars