Yep, that's what I've been following too Simon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
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Yep, that's what I've been following too Simon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
So, we're certainly reading from the same book!
Make a pickguard, he said. It'll be easy, he said... Well, not that easy!! Today I played around with the custom pickguard. The general advice is to do a rough cut with a Dremel then file and sand. What no one ever tells you is "how" to Dremel it. After a bit of searching it seemed the Dremel 561 bit, a general purpose cutter, was the right attachment. Well, it was, but it wasn't easy. It was a bit like using a rogue router - although maybe I just need to spend more time getting to know my Dremel. Anyway, rough cut was done, then a bit of filing (lower left of the photo below). I think I'll get there okay. The interesting challenge is going to be the two pickup holes to put in it!! Stay tuned....
Attachment 14894
I'd have tried fixing the Dremel in position above or underneath a flat surface with the cutting bit poking up through or into a hole, so that you move the pickguard, rather than the Dremel. You can then clamp strips of wood to the flat surface to act as guides when cutting straight edges. I'll need to knock something up for making my pickguard, but I won't be doing that until the pickups are in place and I can measure the correct distance between them.
In lieu of making anything myself, I just ordered the Dremel routing table. Looks like its the right size for pickguards. Hopefully it will be robust enough to do the job.
Bit of a hiccup that should probably also go in the "great mistakes of guitar building" thread! I've realised that I've cut the pickguard upside down!! The film you peel off is on the bottom - god knows how I didn't notice when I started! I thought I might be able to get away with it by polishing the "top" when I'm done but last night noticed there is a very fine line running across the middle of it that I doubt I'll be able to get out. Ah well, another bonehead play ;-) I've decided to keep going and finish it off, if only to get a bit more practice on the process. If indeed it does look too bad then I'll make another one.
If you ever build a left handed version of the same guitar, it will come in handy. ;)
Ha! I've actually made another left/right stuff up on a different thing recently. I'll take some pics and post later...Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
Might be able to polish it with some ultra fine cutting compound or the stuff they use to take the dull look off headlights as they are mostly acrylic based plastic which is same as a scratch plate.
Cheers Waz, I'll give that a crack. I tried some ScratchX but it's probably not harsh enough. Even if I do need to another one I have certainly learnt a great deal about how to get the next one right!Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Super Cheap has small kits for doing headlights as I needed to do that on an old Mitsubishi Lancer I sold on Gumtree earlier this year. This is what I used and it comes with micro mesh pads too... http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Pro...rer-Kit/283622
Attachment 14956
I had a crack with some different products to fix the pickguard but decided to go with a new one - and it has worked out really well. I also had the lightbulb moment when I realised the only key points on the new one are the neck pocket and the place where the control plate joins - the rest can be whatever I want! I know that's obvious but it didn't hit me initially. What I've done is close to a jazz bass shape but not an exact replica. Still need to do the bevelling around the edge and the pickup holes but getting close. On another positive note I've finished polishing up the body so not far off the interesting bits with the electricals!
..and that's the ticket really isn't it with most of these things. The amount you learn from your mistakes is immense, and sometimes a "Screw Up" can lead you to an unexpected beneficial outcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck
Dremel Router Table??? I must investigate!Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
They have a bit of flex in them and can be awkward to adjust quickly, but work ok for small jobs:
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...uter_table.jpg
I use mine to bevel the edge of pickguards/plastics etc.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con..._making_04.jpg
Absolutely! Although that doesn't make it any less frustrating at the time!Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
I see. Very handy. The ply is a template, or just to prevent the Plastic riding up over the bit?
The ply is a template with the pickguard/plastic face down on its underside using double-sided tape. The Dremel bits don't have a guide bearing just a 'pilot' shaft and due to their speed will melt the plastic if you try to run directly on its edge. I normally cut the pickguard using my full sized router and table then switch to the Dremel table to bevel the edge.
Good to know, I have yet to build anything that required a pickguard, but its always handy to have these little tips tucked away.Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
After a couple of painfully slow evening sessions I'm almost there - and the process has ensured that next time around I'll spend the $50 to get the routing table like WeirdBits! Everything seems to have lined up okay and while it's not as perfect as the perfectionist in me would like, I'm ready to move on to doing the wiring!
Attachment 15104
Although now looking at the picture again I think I might to do a little more bevelling on the edge of the pickguard, although it looks okayish in person...
Looking good. What bridge have you gone for in the end? I preferred the look of the bigger bridge (though it was maybe a touch too big). I always like chunky bridges on basses, especially if you are top-loading the strings. A thick string retaining bar goes towards making up for the body mass of a rear-strung arrangement.
Just in case it's slipped your mind, before you go on all the way with the electrics, don't forget to install the bridge earthing wire.
You know I haven't even had a look at the bridges in ages - like you I preferred the larger one's shape but it felt a bit too big, so at the time I figured I'd go with a Badass style bridge. I'll have another look though as now everything is in it's place it might look a bit different.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
And thanks for the bridge earth reminder - I hadn't forgotten (yet!) but your reminder will make damn sure I don't!!
Here's another mockup pretty close to scale length - the big one doesn't look quite as crowded in on the bridge pickup now, but I'm still not sure about it...
Attachment 15105Attachment 15106
It really needs something in between, but barring that... go big or go home.
The small one looks a bit too small/short. Depending on the string gauge, you might also find you run out out of forward intonation adjustment (Wazkelly has on his with a .050" G string). I like the look of the bigger one, plus it's got more intonation range. But if the large one does feel a bit flimsy, then I'd be looking for a chunkier replacement with a decent range of intonation adjustment.
Okay, here's another idea - I've just taken this ashtray off one of my other basses. It means I can use the more solid small bridge, but I still get the larger look! I don't mind this at all.
Attachment 15107
And I think I'll be okay with the intonation adjustment Simon, comparing the amount of range I need with other basses I have set up with the strings I'll be using.
Hi Chuck, last shot looks good.
A lot depends on where your hand is positioned when playing. Whether your are near the bridge, where your hand will mostly likely obscure the bridge from spectators view, or if you play nearer the neck as then it could become a show piece.
With the 'Ashtray', does it need to be unscrewed for string replacements?
Yep, this is the pick of the lot. Like the others have said, your other options were both too big and too small. You could almost call this the Goldilocks Bridge!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck
Nice one Zandit, that's a cracker!Quote:
Originally Posted by Zandit75
Yep, you do need to take it off, but I'm from the James Jameson school of string replacement - I don't! Almost all my basses have flatwounds and it's very rare that I change them over.Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
So that would tend to suggest Ash Tray might be the way to go?
That's what I'm thinking!Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Yes, the ash tray option works for me. Might you need to add a thumb rest at some point, or is the middle pickup in the right place for you to use the edge of that?
I reckon the middle one might work okay, and I like basses with ashtrays as it's a nice place to rest the heel of your hand when playing with a pick. Still, like all instruments you never quite know until you play them a bit!Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
I like the chrome cover version best... great looking guitar too!
Good progress this afternoon on the build - finally mounted the bridge and other hardware bit and pretty much got it fully assembled and ready for wiring... Thought I'd see if I could work through getting just one of the pickups firing, and after a bit of mucking around it was working well! I could see the end in sight as I worked my way through getting the other two done... and you can see where this is heading! Yep, finally got it all done, plugged it in and... NOTHING! Not even a feeble buzzing!! I've decided to give it a rest and come back to it one night this week and restart from scratch. Ah, the joys of guitar building!!
You'll fix it. When I was restoring my harmony H59, I had a similar result. I didn't have a TS (mono) jack socket handy so I'd used a TRS (stereo) one and cut the unused ring contact off and its associated solder tag. A test run of the wiring harness outside the guitar with bare wire connections to a guitar lead showed all was working. I then soldered on the jack socket. Then after a very smooth 1st attempt at feeding in all the components into a hollow body and pulling them through with cotton, I plugged it in and... nothing. maybe a very slight noise but not at all right. So out it all came, at which point I found I'd cut the lug off the tip connection, not the ring, so it was never going to work. So, one new TS jack connector later, and after a much more lengthy 2nd harness install, I plugged in and got the sweet sounds I'd been looking for.
Cheers Simon, I'm sure there something simple I've missed! I'll approach it in a slightly more structured way when I have another crack!
Well it’s done! Finally got a chance to have another crack at the wiring and thankfully there was life in her after all. A quick polish and set-up and I have to say I’ve very excited about this one. I feel I’ve met my original goal of replicating the three pickup/selector switch setup of a Bass VI, and the fact each of the pickups has its own dedicated vol/tone concentric pot setup makes for some pretty interesting tonal variations. Once I’ve had a bit more of a pay with it I’ll certainly post some sound bites. The other thing I love so far is how easy it is to play – those three pickups make for nice thumb rests – and the neck may be my favourite among all my basses!
So here it is: a standard JB-4M kit, with a modified body, new DIY pickguard, additional JB pickup, “Jaguar” switch plate, concentric pots and a bridge “ashtray”.
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