Sonics 4th Build - YB-4 - The Steampunker Bass

[Sonic Mountain]

Cheers Grubsta (and others, sorry been a bit slack responding lately)

Bit more progress today. I got the first coats of the satin clear on. Had a bit of trouble with the nozzle clogging so its a bit rough. Will do to seal it up, I'll give it a block back and a finishing coat later. As always it's shown up a few spots I should have worked a bit harder on and a couple of marks from all the mocking up and kicking around in the shed. Overall I'm pretty happy though. I think with a finishing coat and all the embellishments on it should look good. It's supposed to be a bit 'used' looking anyway.

The flame popping on the neck is pretty spectacular. (excuse the blur- its so bright outside I can't see the phone screen)

[FrankenWashie]

WOOF WOOF! Flamey maple goodness me! that is looking schmicko Sonic.

[blinddrew]

That neck is exquisite!

[Sonic Mountain]

Yeah it’s actually a crazy piece of wood. The front of the headstock is really cool as well. I’ll get some better pics next coat. Forgot to mention that I stained the fretboard with leftover black from the sg build. The contrast is really nice.

[Sonic Mountain]

Back to the tentacles and bridge, tidying up the details and curves.

I'm now a bit concerned about the longevity of the gears/knobs arrangement.... may go back to the drawing board there. I'm now considering just using black knurled knobs and tuners - if I do a brass neck plate/TRC and jackplate in the same style as this and have everything else either black or the dark wood I think it will look really nice. Not as complicated as a lot of Steam punk stuff... but probably more practical.... I guess I'll see how it goes as I put it together!

[Sonic Mountain]

Still plugging away. I can nearly see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Body is pretty much done barring drilling some holes for the string through. My ferrules and a few other bits and bobs came this week.



I'm going to take it around to a mates and use his press to try and get them as tidy as possible.

I did a bit of experimental sanding on the tuner pegs and saw some copper poking through. Great! I thought, I'll strip of the chrome and they'll be perfect.







Yeah.. I forgot that bit about chrome stuff is sprayed or plated with copper first to get good current for the chrome...what ever they were actually cast from does not like hydrochloric acid. Whoops, back to the drawing board there - I've just ordered some black ones - If I can get some nice brass washers they should look good.



Interestingly a lot of the components you would expect to be solid are in fact hollow in the kit hardware.. including the saddles which I thought was a bit weird - surely its more effort to cast them than turn them out of a bit of rod??



I also started work on a TRC. My wife found some small compasses on Etsy so I'm setting one into the cover.











I think that brings this up to date....

[Dedman]

So unlike a woman to give directions.....

Take a look in the auto parts stores there are some spray paints that are designed to spray over chrome and give a pretty good effect of gold/brass. Failing that if your parts are actually steel, some copper sulphate and a battery charger will do copper plating.

[Sonic Mountain]

I'm really trying to avoid the painting route as it feels like cheating ... but yeah it's looking more attractive. I'll see how the black tuners look. The pickups are just black so it all might work OK like that.

[phrozin]

did you make them octopus arms i see where your going with this that's going to look killa

[Sonic Mountain]

Yep the bridge, octopus arms, and trc have all been carved with a dremel from a 3mm bit of brass plate donated by Frankenwalshie. It’s been a crazy amount of work, with a lot of back and forth trying different things. Looking forward to having it finished as it’s taken over a bit.