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I don't think you'll have a problem with the pickups, you might have a problem where the strings come on to the fretboard. If the spread is too wide the strings will come too close to the edge of the fretboard. You could do a mock up on a piece of paper (or three), draw a centre line, mark the width of your nut, measure scale length and plot out the spread where the bridge is gonna go. Connect the dots and you've got your string spacing.
yer I'd do that Tim, sure the pickups are wide enough but from memory the strings on the standard bridge had a bit of distance on the outer strings to the edge of the frets but wouldn't want to push them out much wider.
Maybe if you can give me the overall width of the upgrade bridge from outer saddle to outer saddle and I'll see how it would look on my IB-6S
Hey Wokka, the dimensions are on here - http://www.hipshotproducts.com/files/all/6stgastyle.pdf
It's the first diagram - "6 string .669".
The measurements are in inches, but it translates to 84.963mm. Close enough to 85mm that it makes no difference.
no worries Tim, I'll have a look tonight if I remember !
if you have the supplied bridge handy can you please measure and post the outer saddle distance ?
I just read in a previous post you mention supplied bridge about 0.61" spacing so that equates to about 77.5mm.
This may be a bit tight being about 3.8mm further out each side but with the taper of the strings will be less than this over the fretboard.
Cheers, bloke. Just got home from work. The saddle spacing on the stock bridge from B to C is somewhere in that 76-77mm range.
That tight spacing is apparently pretty common with the less expensive Ibanez etc basses.
I have a solution... rather than take a risk on Hipshot, I'll hang onto the existing bridge for now, and upgrade later to a Schaller 2000. I can adjust that to the appropriate spacing without any dramas.
http://www.realparts.com.au/bridges-...dge-black.html
sounds good Tim, I forgot to check mine lastnight but think the Hipshot would make the outer strings to close to the fret edges. Whats the latest on the staining, haven't seen pics for a while ?
No progress on the staining except more sanding thus far. It's all I've been able to do, since these days I'm hard pressed to even be able to afford to order the finish! I'm on an extremely low income at the moment, while I finish my degree.
Fortunately I sold that kit over the weekend and I was able to order the stuff I needed to continue.
In lieu of progress pics, I've given the body a once-over with turps to bring up the grain after the sanding so far - it's on 220 at the moment, I still need to go over some spots around the edges, then take it down to 240 before I start applying the finish.
http://i.imgur.com/5oihQrp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/R0gP2jz.jpg
wow that looks sensational Tim, this is by far the best looking cap I've seen on these kits, the bookmatching is perfect. The figure is off the chain.
What colour stain did you end up ordering ?
Its well worth spending time on the sanding process, the finish will be much better
I'm keeping things as natural as possible, Wokka, so I'm going with colourless Wudtone. Satin with ageing tint, to deepen the natural tone of the timber a little. I considered using Tru-Oil, but I didn't think the high gloss was appropriate for this kit.
sounds like a great plan Tim, satin ageing wudtone should come up a treat. So same for back/sides and neck ?
Yeah... one finish option is all I can afford for this one.
If I had an option I would have liked Black Magic Woman or Colombian Gold on the back and neck, but the funds just aren't there, especially since I splashed out on a bone nut. Not to worry, it will still look good once it's done.
Id head down to the big green shed and get a 50ml bottle of Feast Watson prooftint stain costs $8 or $9, will be more than enough for the back/sides of the body. There's some nice blacks/browns/varying red stains. Think I did my back/sides in FW jarrah stain is a nice rich brown with a hint of deep red
Totally agree with the simple satin, Tim. I decided on satin for mine so that the cap was more dominant (not lost in the shine) and I'm very happy with how it turned out. I also ended up putting clear on the neck to show off the skunk stripes. You're gonna love this axe when she's done.
I got a bottle of FW Japan Black from said mass-retailer of hardware and gardening supplies yesterday. However after further thought, I'm going to stick with the natural finish. The remaining mahogany stain in the timber has left some nice flaming and grain action that I've taken a shine to, so I'll save the Feast Watson for the next project. This project will be (nearly) au naturale.
Update on the stuff.
- The Wudtone is winging it's way across the continent to me as I type.
- I presume the bone nut won't be too far behind.
- The Tone Monster is somewhere in transit and I'll probably see that in the next 2-4 weeks' time, after the finish has been applied.
- I pre-emptively ordered a concentric knob and I received that about 3 weeks ago, ready to go on.
Stuff is happening. Not as fast as I'd like, but the upside is that it has meant that I'm forced to take my time and the kit will be properly sanded.
sounds good the natural look Tim, all the upgrades coming it will be a nice sounding beast when its done. Will sound like mine and Lozza's except Lozza removed the speed bumps. My next bass will be a fretless. I'll even let DB remove the speed bumps I know he loves to do that !
You will love the FW Japan Black on your next project, great colour Tim !
I have the Wudtone in my hot little hands... clear base coat and tinted satin top coat. I'm doing some more 240 sanding before I start to apply coats.
I'm just waiting for Dingobass to weave his magic with my bone nut.
Then to await the arrival of my Tone Monster...
I love it when a plan comes together. :D
God, I'd forgotten all about The A Team. And that's a good thing!
The Tone Monster arrived today! Not bad considering I ordered it on the 21st of July.
The only piece of the puzzle left is the nut...
But I have a question to the other IB-6 owners - did you shield the cavities? This may be something else I need to consider.
Hey Tim, good news the plan is coming together (like the A team haha)
yes I shielded pup cavities and control cavity. You will have to route out a small part of a cavity wall for one of the pots with a circuit board above it. Most important thing to do is make sure no lugs or wire threads short out on the shielding. Sometimes it causes a few headaches diagnosing where its shorting out but in the long run the bass will have less background interference. DB is probably up to his neck trying to release the Dingotone so hopefully your bone nut isn't too far off. You can probably use the plastic nut if you are waiting to drill the bridge in place
Tim here's how I fit my preamp in the control cavity, before it was shielded. I can't remember the configuration but can let you know in terms of where each pot went - master volume, low/mid/high pots and volumes
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-23.47.57.jpg
Sweet, thanks Wokka.
Got an email from dB. He's on it, but was waiting for more of the larger blanks to come in. I'm in the process of applying base coats at the moment, so no rush there.
I'll have a play around with the Tone Monster once the latest coat dries. See where I need to rout a bit of cavity away.
I guess I'd better order some shielding tape... did one pack last the distance, or will I need more than that?
get DB to send the copper shielding with the bone nut. Up to you if you shield the pup cavities, for $7 a packet might as well get 2 packs
Good point. If I have some tape left over it'll give me an excuse to order another kit!
And yet that show was vastly superior to most of the garbage on TV these days.Quote:
/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from lawry on August 1, 2014, 17:22
God, I'd forgotten all about The A Team. And that's a good thing!
Hi Tim. I did pretty much a carbon copy of what Wokka said. Definitely shield the cavities, it's just one more thing you can do to stop noise. But, as Wokka said, make sure the electronics don't touch it because it gets a bit tight in there. As for the nut, I went bone too and am very happy with it. I needed to do a bit of filing because I ripped the frets out. But I'd definitely recommend it.
Copper tape is on it's way. Shielding will commence in the near future.
With the Tone Monster, do I need to run a grounding wire to the bridge? It doesn't look like I have one to run.
Yep. There's a connection point for extra earthing on the loom of the electronics. Easy!
Sorry, Lawry, but I can't find where the ground wire goes...
Is it on one of the circuit boards, or somewhere else, like off one of the pots?
http://i.imgur.com/9Tmhifi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/oSTouaz.jpg
from memory Tim think I just ran the ground wire from bridge to back of one of the pots. With the shielding all other pots make contact with the shielding and don't need an earth wire
It's been a little while since I posted last...
Here's a couple of update pics. I've put on 4 clear base coats and 2 tinted top coats so far. I'm going to applying a few more top coats this week, see where this ends up.
http://i.imgur.com/ZJVHnOi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uta1j14.jpg
I would say that what you've got there is an instrument with CHARACTER.
The finish really showcases that super grain.
Thanks, maxaxe. I do appreciate the beauty of the natural grain, and I think that it's great that we can achieve these sort of results without having to spend thousands on a custom jobbie.
I know it sounds trite, but I mean it when I say that PBG is seriously making a dream come true here in every sense of the phrase.
Looking really amazing Tim. Love the subtle colour tones you've achieved with the tinted lacquer. That's one beautiful bass you've got yourself there.
cheers,
Gav.
looking awesome Tim.
These are one of the best looking kits I think
Tim, you have done a great job in getting the most out of that guitar, nice work
Looks a treat there Tim! Gotta be stoked with how this one is coming out.
It's coming along nicely now.
The bridge is measured up and screwed in.
All the hardware and electronics are installed.
The only thing is... it's not making a noise yet. I'll have to go back through with the multimeter and check everything. :?
Is there anything I should know about the Tone Monster kits? Did anyone else have issues with them, or is it just me? It could be me... Maybe there's a contact or wire touching the shielding.
A few more pics, with all the bits in the right spots.
It doesn't make any noise yet, but it's looking the business!
http://i.imgur.com/IsgqawX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ri7xsJ5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1xkgIF9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mH5Esy0.jpg