Arzi's first own design scratch build bass - the "Firewood bass"

[Arzi]

Hi everyone

It,s been a while since my last post. I've been lurking your amazing builds here now and then, but been occupied with scratchies I've built for my friends. Not so much building kits anymore but if anyone has asked about the best route to start building, I've guided them to this amazing forum and best supplier of kits.

Anyways, since my main instrument is a bass, I finally got to designing my own. Always have wondered what the offspring of a Jazz bass and a Rick 4003 would look like. Then I started to draw free hand with help of just jazz bass measurements.

Made the upper horn 2cm longer since the jazz feels a bit neck heavy. Also chose the tuner configuration of a Rick to balance it even more.

Since almost everyone said that pine and birch are bad choices for tonewood - I stubborn as I am chose to prove them wrong. Made these for myself and my cousin who supplied the pine from his own yard. All domestic wood and two most common firewoods here. Wanted to make something that would look good hanging in an old log cabin. Would love to try out some Aussie woods for builds but can't get them to Europe.

Specs:

* 34" scale and 12" radius on fretboard, 6 degree angle on headstock (plenty enough for string tension)
* Bodyine dead while standing (hence the natural gray color in the middle)
* Neck : birch from a carpenter wood supplier
* Fretboard: flamed arctic birch found from back of my father-in-law's garage
* 3mm x 7mm Carbon fiber rods to support the neck
* Two way truss rod
* Wilkinson tuners
* Abalone dots and black plastic side dots
* Jescar stainless steel frets
* Bone nut
* Schaller 3D4 bridge
* EMG MMTW active pickup with coil split and tone+volume positioned on the calculated "sweet spot"
* Black pearl scratch plates
* Strap locks
* Body water based mild gray stain sanded off topped with Tru Oil
* Neck treated with Tru Oil
* D'Addario stainless steel strings
* Weight only 3,7 kg's and very well balanced
* the neck is a hybrid between a jazz and P neck. 40mm nut width and P profile from 5:th fret up. 21-23mm thickness.
* Action on 12:th fret is 1,5-2mm with no buzz unless you start digging

These I made to my liking and no one else. Nothing fancy, very simple config but they play like a charm.

Keep up the good work and hope you like these ones. More pics in comments

[Arzi]

more pics

[Andyxlh]

Wow that is really fantastic, how does it sound compared with other basses?
I bet it gets a lot of looks when you gig it!
Great work, you are very talented!

[Sonic Mountain]

Very cool, that's a great result - wish I could have followed along on a build diary.

I'm keen to start doing total scratch builds once all the planets align. I also feel like there is way to much emphasis put on 'tone' woods. There are so many contributing factors its ridiculous to say things like Birch wont work.

[Arzi]

Hi Andy

Thank you for your kind words.

It has some of the characteristic sound of a MM Stingray. But because of the stainless steel frets and strings plus a hardwood fretboard, it has more "klang". I wanted mainly to get the stingray qrowl with added trebles that I could adjust with the tone pot - seems to have worked. The coil split gives a somewhat jazz neck pick up - ish sound.

[Arzi]

Very cool, that's a great result - wish I could have followed along on a build diary.

I'm keen to start doing total scratch builds once all the planets align. I also feel like there is way to much emphasis put on 'tone' woods. There are so many contributing factors its ridiculous to say things like Birch wont work.

Hi and thank you. There's no need to be afraid of scratch builds. As long as you get good pieces of wood and take your time planning each step you'll be fine. If they are properly sawn and dried they should work.

The woods do matter, but I believe it's more about how you work them, how well you make a joint and how well you choose the parts that contribute to the vibration of the strings. As you said these all affect on how the string behaves and after this the choice of a pickup and wiring takes care of the rest. And still after all every player sounds different - it's how YOU play.

I could dig up some pics of the building process and post them on this thread.

[Sonic Mountain]

Oh yeah, I'm not scared . Just need to tool up a bit and finish some other projects, but I'm well into the planning stages. I'm pretty proficient with vector design so I'll be getting a bunch of router templates etc cut from my designs. Hopefully it'll be kicking off in the new year - or over Christmas depending on other commitments.

[WeirdBits]

They look great Arzi, very nicely done.

[Fretworn]

Great job Arzi. That is a great looking design.

[JohnH]

What a wonderful result - well done