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Hey Ads, on the subject of the IB-5 can you please ask the regular factory to route the control cavity recess for the cover. This is a much bigger job than making pot holes deeper is an easy fix with a spade drill - cheers and keep up the excellent service !
Also I think it was the other factory but can you please mention ash veneers on solid ash was a waste of time !
Hey,
Thanks Adam.
I'm glad that wasn't my first kit as there was a fair bit more to do to prepare it than the STA-1!
But all is good now.
Hopefully I'll get the new bone nut and DT delivered early next week and I'll get this one back on track :-)
Hey guys,
I haven't updated my build diaries too much, but I've been slowly progressing the IB-5.
After a few tests, mixing DT walnut with Black Stump, I found a mix I liked, and I started applying to the neck.
I also added some black stump to the body walnut Intensifier.
Always look amazing when wet... a shame it doesn't keep this look when it dries!
Attachment 8678
Attachment 8679
With the neck, it got 4x coats of stain, and I managed to get it to the colour I wanted.
It looks very dark in the garage / mancave:
Attachment 8676
Attachment 8677
But in the sun, the body and neck are now colour matched:
Attachment 8680
So now that the staining is finished, I've applied a first final coat to the body, and a first top coat to the neck (I had left over clear neck DT from the STA-1). We'll see how it cures...
Now that I'm starting the top coats, it's start to think about the electronic side of things. I am considering getting a blender pot to blend between pickups since there's no switch. So I'm thinking: 1x master vol, 1x pickup blend, and 2x tones.
Any better suggestion?
Also with the blend pots, the CTS or Bourns I see onoine seem to have 10mm diameter shafts instead of 6mm for the standard pots.
Is that correct? I can't seem to find actual data sheets...
Thanks!
Hey guys,
I haven't posted any update for some time now, but good progress have been made!
After an initial attempt with DT final coat where I wasn't too happy with the result (it was DT Mk1), I decided to do the top coat of the bass with Aussie Oil. I really liked how it worked out with my 12 strings, so easy to apply and looks great. So I applied five coats, then wen ton holidays for 2 weeks, and then reapplied 5x more coats.
Got a pretty nice finish. I didn't buff this one with the Meguiar products this time as I didn't want a super glossy finish:
Attachment 11423
Attachment 11423
I then painted the pickups cavities in black as I didn't want bare wood showing:
Attachment 11424
Made the hole for the pickup cables to control cavity larger to allow the cables to sit under the bridge pickup:
Attachment 11425
Then prepared the electronics outside the guitar:
Attachment 11426
And I reckon I used the .047mfd orange drops that were meant for a normal guitar instead of the .022mfd I was planning to use... may have to change them later...
I then installed the 5x bridges, earthed each of them with the copper wires I had laid before finishing, and managed to get them looking almost parallel! Wasn't a given... I never thought it would be so hard to drill 2x rows of 5 holes perfectly equally spaced... I guess I know now!
Attachment 11427
Attachment 11428
I then fitted the electronics in the body and soldered the earth wires, jack and pickups:
Attachment 11429
And I closed the control cavity with the brass plate I custom made months ago!
Here's the back:
Attachment 11430
And the front:
Attachment 11431
Just needed installing the neck:
Attachment 11432
Then bone nut and strings!
Attachment 11433
It's still with the chinese strings as I'm finalising intonation and I prefer to mess around with cheap strings.
Pretty happy with it, and now, I only have to learn to actually play the bass! :-)
I'll take proper photos with the SLR, outside later.
Cheers
Nicely finished. The individual bridges make this look high end and love the brass control cover.
Agree, top notch bass looks like it would be a nice player
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thats looking fantastic, I really like what you've done here.
Wonderful work, really do like those individual bridges and you can see the work put into polishing that cover plate. Great job Fred!