Bill's first build - JBA-4

[billb]

Hi all,
This is going to be a lot of fun.
My first kit arrived today, a 4 string jazz bass, with a lovely ash body (JBA-4). The plan is to do a good enough job on it that I can actually use it with the 'band' (otherwise known as a bunch of old farts making noise).

The factory finish is definitely better than I expected, there's no obvious glue or tool marks and it already seems to have a nicely sanded finish. The neck seats in really well, with a gap of ~0.5mm at the back and everywhere else seating really well (gap looks slightly bigger in the below pic as the neck has rocked forward a bit).

I managed to get a set of EMG JHZ passive p/ups cheap off gumtree, the set includes all the pots and output jack and doesn;t need soldering, so they'll be the first upgrade (I'll have to slightly remodel the bridge p/up routed hole). I may also upgrade the bridge as time goes on but will see how I go.

For the finish I'm trying to show off as much of the wood grain as possible so plan on using timbermate to pop the grain and then Coolangatta Gold dingotone followed by tru oil. As i'm trying to show off as much of the wood as possible i'll probably get a custom pickguard that's smaller than stock one. I'm thinking of doing the pickguard and any replacement hardware in black. I was thinking of changing the body shape a bit to make it look more like a Jaguar body but now I've seen it I think I'll leave it as is and not risk stuffing it up. Maybe next build...

The neck also has lovely grain so I might just do that with tru-oil, and I have some Gilly Stephenson's gun polish which is a canuba/beeswax polish that I may use on the fretboard(?).

This is all based on me having thought bubbles - I would really appreciate any suggestions, comments or thoughts from the forum members here, I'm going to rely a lot on your experience! Thanks in advance - and time for sanding!

Anyway, here's pics:

[Chuck]

Nice one Bill! Now I would go the body customising because I can't help myself (see my JB-4 build in my sig)!! I'll watch your pickguard creation with interest as I'm always after tips on how to nail reshaping them. And perhaps think about a very light stain on the neck and headstock to give them a slightly aged feel - it's hard to tell from the pic but sometimes the maple is very white, and when the body is darker it can look a bit stark. I've used Feast Watson Old Baltic stain, very sparingly, just to age the neck a bit before truoil. Looking forward to following your build!

[Brendan]

Looks like a great guitar! Finish ideas are good - the Coolangatta Gold will come with a top coat that is matched to the base, so you may not need Tru Oil. As for the fretboard, some Lem Oil, Dr Ducks Axe Wax or something like that for cleaning and hydrating the fretboard will be fine. I'd avoid non guitar waxes on the fretboard as I'd be worried that they'd build up on the strings.

As for being able to play it in public, I only use my kit built basses when I play in our local church. I've got an Ibanez bass with active electronics, but my preference is still for my basses as they're mine.

As for changing out the pickguard, one thing to watch out for on the Jazz basses is that the screw recesses for the pickups are not quite the same as genuine Fender and therefore may need to be opened up a touch to get your EMG's in. This will be the same for pickguards as they may be a bit off the pickups as well. An easy fix - you can open the holes up with a small file / sandpaper and a touch of time, but its something that needs to be considered in the build.

[G-Axe]

No real advice from me, but I think you're on the right path in celebrating the timber it's made from. Some nice grains in the body, and even the fretboard has plenty of character to it. Looking forward to seeing it pop with some grain filler!

[Simon Barden]

The rosewood fretboards are normally very dry when the arrive, though I mast say yours doesn't look a dry as many I've seen. It will probably soak up several applications of lemon oil to start with, and at the same time take on a darker appearance. After the initial application, it's worth applying some more lemon oil every six months or so. If you rub it on with a cloth, it will also help keep the fretboard clean.

[billb]

Thanks, I'll sort out some fretboard wax /lemon oil, it will probably be good for my other basses too.
Chuck, it was your customised Bass VI body that gave me the idea in the first place so, as you've posted here, I had no choice...

Also, I have some questions already - they are in bold type below, any thoughts would be appreciated.

So, with much trepidation I took the jigsaw to the lovely ash body this morning. The decision was made slightly easier by my lovely, and supportive, better half telling me to pull my finger out and just do it, and if it all went to poo she'd buy me a replacement. Got to be happy with that!

So, first some rough pencil guides and clamps


Then after a few very enjoyable hours I have something i'm definitely happy with:




These pictures are after reshaping and sanding to P180 grit, then wetting down to show up any imperfections. I almost stuffed up the tight curve where the top horn joins into the neck pocket but I think it's all worked out well in the end. The obvious reshape is the front end but I also gave the whole bass a bit of a reshape to round and soften all the edges and shape transitions. You can;t really see it in the pics but it does change the 'slab sided' look of the body. I've also widened the bridge pickup cavity screw recesses to fit the new p/ups.

Next step is to work out exactly what I'm going to do with the pick guard/control panel/ bridge pickup channel. Would there be any problems if I use a plastic control panel rather than the metal one in the kit? I've got an idea for a shape that is different and plastic is easier (thanks to pablopepper).

Then I'll sand to 240 grit before mocking up the bridge, p/up and neck alignment and drilling all the attachment holes for down the track.

Then I'll start finishing the body with dark timbermate sanded back to pop the grain. is it right to sand to 240 grit before applying the timbermate or is 180 grit better to keep the grain open? The colours in the wet shots above are pretty much how I want the finished wood to look - I'm thinking of getting clear finish dingotone and mixing it maybe 70:30 with the coolongatta gold rather than straight coolangatta gold?

While the various finish coats are drying I'll work on the neck

Anyway, thanks for the comments to date and until the next update - keep sanding!

[wokkaboy]

Hey Bill nice looking kit some nice ash grain there.
No problem to replace the control panel with plastic, be worth copper shielding the bottom but that's later.
I'd sand 180, 240 grit then apply your timbermate and sand off with 240 up to about 320 grit.
You will get much better colour intensity if you apply the stain coat and intensifying then the final coats. Staining is like sanding there's no short cuts. Depends what look you want, if you want a less intense gold then mix it into the final coats.
Best of luck !
How does the neck fit in the pocket ?

[Rohster-70]

Looks like you're going to have as much fun as I have with me first LP-1s kit

[billb]

I've been working very slowly on this over the last few weeks and finally have something to show for it. I've lined up and drilled the bridge and neck screwholes and finished the shaping and sanding. But most importantly to me I finally got my first coat of Coolongatta Gold Dingotone layed down. & it was really easy and, I think, has come up really well. I used Mahogany timbermate with some blackartists ink mixed in to fill and darken the grain and then sanded up to P400 grit.
before stain (but after timbermate):


after 1st go at staining, there's just under half a stain bottle's worth on this.


Thanks for looking

[Simon Barden]

Now, that does look really nice. Well done indeed!