Winter Build Off 2024 - Scalawag 5: Best Bass to Replace the Best Bass for Me

Beej

Beej

Supporting Member
Feb 10, 2007
13,493
26,552
5,251
Vancouver Island
#1
This is my entry thread for this: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/winter-build-off-2024-best-bass-for.1633650/

Specs:
Neck: Three piece hard maple, tapered centre stringer, flamed side stringers, aluminum stiffening rods, 7 degree tiltback headstock with maple veneer cap.
Truss Rod: Double acting double rod, headstock access
Fretboard: Obsidian Ebony engineered hardwood
Fingerboard Radius: 15"
Scale Length: 33"
Frets: 25 nickel silver (zero fret design)
String Spacer (Nut): fretboard material, 45mm zero fret neck width
Tuners: Black Gotoh GB350
Strings: Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Bass 5
Neck/Body Join: bolt on
Body: Radiused Poplar back/core with figured hard maple top
Pickups: Nordstrand Big Blades
Electronics: Active Filter Preamp x2 J-Tex Distillers
Controls: Volume, Blend, Neck Tone, Bridge Tone, Filter Switch x2, kill switch
Knobs: Black Aluminum Audio
Bridge: Black All Parts, 16.5mm spacing
Finish: Wood bleach with Osmo Polyx Raw Pigmented

My playing has changed a bit in the last while and I figured it was time to build something new that incorporated the things I'd like to have at my fingertips. I'm hopeful that I'll be happy with this one for a few years. :D

20231221_180200a.jpg
 
Last edited:
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#5
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#6
Poplar is such a nice wood to work. I got this 8/4 plank for a song from a local guy who builds furniture. He was closing up shop and I got all his poplar, walnut, sapele, cherry and teak for about half price wholesale. This is the 2nd last poplar set I have, and I'll probably pick up some more. :)
 
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#7
I de-clamped the body core and router planed down both sides flat. Here's the side that will be under the maple top.
topside of core

topside of core

top of core

And here's the back of the bass, neck to the left.
the back

the back

the back

I also took the neck out of the fixture and then planed down both sides as well.
neck blank planed both sides

neck blank planed both sides

done

Because the blank is a little thinner than my usual ones, I sawed a portion off the front of the headstock and glued it onto the back. That way I can make my 7 degree headstock.
cut 'n glued

cut 'n glued

cutnglood

The obsidian ebony fingerboard is 9mm thick (23/64"). It will end up 6mm.
9mm thick fretboard

9mm thick fretboard

overly thick
 
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#8
Beej said:
I de-clamped the body core and router planed down both sides flat. Here's the side that will be under the maple top.
topside of core

topside of core

top of core

And here's the back of the bass, neck to the left.
the back

the back

the back

I also took the neck out of the fixture and then planed down both sides as well.
neck blank planed both sides

neck blank planed both sides

done

Because the blank is a little thinner than my usual ones, I sawed a portion off the front of the headstock and glued it onto the back. That way I can make my 7 degree headstock.
cut 'n glued

cut 'n glued

cutnglood

The obsidian ebony fingerboard is 9mm thick (23/64"). It will end up 6mm.
9mm thick fretboard

9mm thick fretboard

overly thick
Click to expand...

Hey Beej;

Cool project overall. I think you've made good choices.

I'm particularly curious to hear your comments on the Obsidian Ebony, as you work with it. I haven't seen any in person yet, but it's on my list for interesting ebony replacements.
 
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#9
Bruce Johnson said:
Hey Beej;

Cool project overall. I think you've made good choices.

I'm particularly curious to hear your comments on the Obsidian Ebony, as you work with it. I haven't seen any in person yet, but it's on my list for interesting ebony replacements.
Click to expand...
Thanks - I'll be sure to go over my experiences and put them up in the ebony alternatives thread too. I've used Richlite and also Rocklite, so I can do a little small sample comparing. :thumbsup:
 
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#11
Next, I mapped out the chambers and started drilling holes to save router work.
chamber prep

chamber prep

body work
router relief holes

router relief holes

body work

Then I used the chamber template to rout them out smooth.
chambers done

chambers done

body work

After that, I put the 50" radius in the body core. Next up will be gluing down the top.
radius on body

radius on body

body work

I also cleaned up the headstock in a router planing fixture.
headstock

headstock

headstock
 
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#12
I also planed down the Obsidian Ebony fingerboard from 9mm to 6mm. So far, I like the looks of it, but I'm not really digging this stuff as a fretboard, mostly due to the stench and difficulty working it. I've put my more detailed thoughts in these posts over here:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ro...or-fingerboards.1311057/page-17#post-28069646
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ro...or-fingerboards.1311057/page-17#post-28070982
Planed fretboard

Planed fretboard

fretboard work
Planed fretboard

Planed fretboard

fretboard work
Planed fretboard

Planed fretboard

fretboard work
 
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#13
The fingerboard sanded quite nicely up to 220, and I gave it a wipe down with methyl hydrate. Today it smells a lot less and looks quite nice.
fretboard work

fretboard work

keepin' on
fretboard work

fretboard work

keepin' on
fretboard work

fretboard work

keepin' on

I also glued the wings on the headstock.
headstock work

headstock work

keepin' on
headstock work

headstock work

keepin' on

And I spent some time sanding the nibs down on the poplar core/back.
body work

body work

keepin' on

I also pulled the top out of the clamps and then scraped and sanded it smooth. I ended up with a pretty good joint.
top work

top work

keepin' on

If you have heard me blather, you probably know I love my epoxy, for gluing things and also for grain filling the final product. One thing about epoxy though is that when I use it to glue up light coloured woods and then further bleach treat them, the epoxy does not respond to bleach and it has shown up as a very faint line at the joint. On this entire build, I'm using good old carpenter's glue to see if I can avoid those faint lines in the end. The exception is the headstock veneers - no way I'm getting moisture near them. They'll be glued with a sparing amount of epoxy. :)

Speaking of grain filling, I looked into using a UV activated resin to give this bass a once over post bleaching. The rationale is that they are supposed to be much clearer as a final product with no yellowing. I have yet to test it thoroughly though. I'm still planning the Osmo 'raw', which has a pigment added to it to keep it looking light. I'll be doing some finish tests soon.
 
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#14
I glued the top down to the body. First off, I clamped it in place and drilled pilot holes for the screws that clamped the middle for me.
top gluing

top gluing

gluing the top

Then I quickly slathered both pieces in wood glue, screwed the middle down to align it, and then laid some cauls down to try to get even clamping down to the edges. I really would have appreciated the extra working time that epoxy would have afforded me. :meh:
top gluing

top gluing

gluing the top
Artsy clamp forest pic.
top gluing

top gluing

gluing the top

After drying, I removed the clamps and inspected it. It looks and feels okay, but I'm not completely enamoured with the glue joints at this point. Epoxy is just so much better as a glue. :(
top glued

top glued

top glued
 
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#19
I used poop tons of UF when I worked in the furniture / cabinetry shop in my 20s, so I'm worried I already got my exposure then. I've had bad luck with occupational health and safety issues and so I'm extra cautious these days. I worked for a chemical distributor in my teens, before things got very tight with PPE, then I was an asbestos removal tech for a couple of years, did insulation for a year, and did wood scaffold frame work for a couple of years in a pressure vessel manufacturing site that had a cobalt source for inspecting welds. The source was in a lead lined case right next to my workstation the whole time I was there. Looking back, I can hardly believe I did any of that crap!
 
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