You're half-way there then! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
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You're half-way there then! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
Yes! I think I will try the compressor and gun for the next one.Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
The body was given about 25 coats of tru-oil. It has been rested for a week. So today I had a go at a Cut and Polish.
I used Maguire’s Ultimate cutting compound, then Maguire’s Scratch X - rubbed on with Random Orbital Polisher. Wipe off with microfibre cloth. I will let it sit for a few days before I put the neck on.
Assembly is complete! At the moment the 3-way switch is not being used. I will think about how I want it wired later!
I have used the kit strings and have rough tuned. I will leave it for a few days and then do the string setup.
Looks great TD! I actually forgot this one was a bass!
I'm sure you already have wiring ideas, but here's a link from a post a few years ago with a couple of 1 pickup/3-way switch options.
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post202915
Better memory than me.
LOL! Just don't me to remember anything important! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
I actually bookmarked that thread for my own reference!
Thanks McCreed. The wiring looks like a good option!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
No worries. Thank WeirdBits. He did all the the work. All I did was pinch it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
Thanks WeirdBits. Very helpfull.:o
A couple of spraying questions.
Finally got to try my STAR 0.8 mm spray gun, with a LINCOLN 24L oil-free 1HP compressor. Not for a guitar project though.
Just trialing it on some 140 mm x 260 mm pine boards using Cabot's water based poly. I diluted the poly to a 50% mixture. It seemed to go on quite well, giving quite a smooth finish. I ended up giving them 5 coats - probably should have gone higher - but it worked out to be a nice finish for the project.
Soooo,
knowing nothing about spraying poly, a few questions:
1. Should the poly be diluted for better spraying? Is 50% reasonable?
2. How many coats should I expect to do?
3. I recall reading that necks are more playable with a satin finish. Is this just a player's preference?
4. Is spraying a water based poly still not recommended during times of high humidity?
Thanks for any assistance.
Today I shaped the headstock, routed the body shape, routed the pup cavity and control cavity, and routed the neck pocket. Also routed the body a 1/4 inch round edge.
Also, patched a few dents with pine coloured timbermate, and gave the neck and body a good sand up to 240 g.
I have drilled the jack plug, and the channels for the pup cavity to control cavity and the bridge ground to the control cavity. Also created a pickguard template and routed out a "tawny stripe " pickguard.
I needed to add a small "graft" to the inside of the control cavity to take the top screw for the "51 control plate. I thought this was an easier option than changing the shape of the control cavity - since the pup wire channel was easy to drill to the top section of the control cavity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
I have not sprayed the water-based stuff yet, BUT my wife just refinished our kitchen table with it (also Cabot's) so I had my first look at it...
1. re: thinning, I think Cabot's recommends only thinning by 10%, and I can see why. It definitely has a lower viscosity than oil based poly. My gut tells me 50/50 would be too much. I typically thin my oil based at 60/40 poly/turps for spraying and wipe-on (have also done 65/35 for spraying).
2. Until you're happy! :p (sorry)
Again, based solely on observation, the water-based poly did not seem to have the same build up as oil-based. ie: 6 coats w/b poly looked thinner than what I would expect from 6 coats of o/b poly.
3. I would say it's mostly personal preference, but more and more production guitars are using satin on their necks and advertising it as a "feature". Presumably because "it's what customers want" but it also reduces production costs!
So who's the real beneficiary??? (maybe win/win)
I personally prefer the feel of satin and have been using it exclusively for 3 or 4 years. I have even stripped gloss necks and resprayed in satin!
4. IME, applying most coatings in high humidity is a bad idea. The Cabot's w/b shows their drying times based on 25° C with 50% humidity but does not state "Do not... over such & such". I personally won't spray if the humidity is higher the 60% or the temp is over 25°. But that's just me, and I'm probably being over cautious. And again that's with o/b poly.
I really want to try the water-based stuff, as my work area has changed since moving house and the low odour/VOC is *really* appealing. (I used to have a big detached shed :()
It's worth noting that water-based poly still has some amount of solvent in it. It's just less and somehow attached to water molecules by means of which I have no f^%&#*@ understanding of!!!
Thanks McCreed. Very helpful. Sounds like I need to experiment a bit as well!
Next time, I will try spraying "unthinned".
I will plan for more than 6 coats.
I will give a satin neck a go.
The low odour/VOC is also important to me (and the family, and dogs, and neighbours). I had complaints when using rattle cans for the DCSM build! Luckily the dogs do not hang around whenever I wear a mask!
Hopefully, one day, I will get a better single coil p bass pup.
But, until then, I have created some faux pole pieces, from silver vinyl, for the pup.
There are some good pups out there, but they are a bit spendy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
I have stained the body, neck and fretboard with FW Old Baltic (diluted to 25%). I was a bit worried that it was too light, as seen in the first picture.
The body had 2 brushed coats of Tru-oil and then, everything has had a few coats wiped on. Very happy with the colour after a few coats. Lots more coats to go!
The vinyl stickers were put on after the 5th coat.
Worked on the neck today: levelled the frets, filed and polished. Added the nut and did a rough check of the nut slot action. All seems good!
Also, getting up to tru-oil layer 20.:p
It doesn't show on the PB site, but Benson actually makes a '51 Precision bass pup. You might check with Adam what price he can get it for. Judging by the prices on his other Benson's it would be comparable to what we can get them for in the US...so at $65 US for a '51 P bass put it would be surprisingly reasonable.
Oh great. Just checked out their site. I will check with Adam. Thanks for that!Quote:
Originally Posted by fender3x
After resting for a week after the tru-oil coats, I have given the body and headstock a polish with Maguire’s Ultimate cutting compound, and finished with Scratch X. I will let them rest for a few more days.
There are factories with lower output. That is truly impressive! And they look great. Hope they play as well!
Thanks fender3x. Doing scratchies was meant to slow me down a bit! Well, that is what I told my wife would happen. I'm just having too much fun! I also have way too many plans for future builds. After the 4 basses (1.5 down already!) I have some plans for a couple of scratch LP specials (I already have the necks), and there is also a PB Mockingbird kit under my bed (plus a spare neck and hardware pack due to a shipping error!).Quote:
Originally Posted by fender3x
I also have a build at work!!!
The first bass seems great to play, but I do not have a great standard to compare it to - since I have never picked up or played a real bass. Maybe I should go to a store and have a play for comparison!
All assembled. Wiring complete and tested. String action and intonation is done. Everything seems to work as required, and seems to play well. Hopefully, the person it is going to will be happy!
Nice work! Traditional yet unique. Recipient should be pleased with that.
Longhorn's a nice touch. It looks great! I agree with McCreed...just the sort of build I like, traditional and unique at the same time.
Where'd you get those knobs, BTW? I have been looking for something similar...
Thank you McCreed and fender3x.
I was actually trying to find a longhorn coat hook or drawer puller to use as a thumb rest (like that used on Dusty Hill's bass), but could not get anything like it with a reasonable postage fee from USA.
The knobs came with the control plate - Ebay search "51P control plate". I had intended to swap them for the barrel type metal knobs, but decided that I quite like the look of them. I cannot find that style as individual knobs!
Nice work sir.
Thankyou blinddrew.
I have recently purchased a 5 cm deep template following router bit so as to be able to route a rough-cut body in one pass. So today I tried it out on my last two pine tele' basses. This makes it much easier, and quicker, and gets a much better result. I wish I had bought one earlier.
I'm a bit undecided with how I want to finish the last two bodies.
I had originally intended that the jarrah striped body would be natural, but now I'm thinking orange (possibly with a red burst). And possibly no pick guard.
The knotty body will be finished similar to the Dusty Hill tribute I have just finished - diluted FW Old Baltic.
I cannot decide on the necks though!
2˘ - Maple fretboard with Jarrah striped body.
Thanks. Good choice:oQuote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
Routed out the control cavity, pup cavity and the neck cavity for both bodies. Also drilled out the jack socket recess, the channels linking the pup cavity to the control cavity, and the bridge ground to the control cavity.
I did a lot better job of the bridge ground by making a little jig - a block of wood with a drilled hole at the correct angle (basically a pocket hole jig) which I clamped to the body. This stabilized the long drill bit and kept it at the correct angle.
Headstocks have been rough cut, and then routed to shape using my templates. The necks have been sanded to 240g.
I have changed the nut on the rosewood neck to a bone nut.
Also did a rough job filing the nut string slots to get them just above where I want them (down to a nut action of 1.7 mm). I forked out for some Hosco Bass Nut Slot files - which seem very easy to use. I like the fact that these files are slightly triangular as it makes them a lot more rigid.
Quote:
Also did a rough job filing the nut string slots to get them just above where I want them (down to a nut action of 1.7 mm).
I know action can be a personal preference, but 1.7mm sounds like a lot to me. Even if that's your unfretted string height, I would expect intonation issues when fretting on the lower frets.
I generally go for between .010 -.020" (.25-.50mm) at the first fret with the string depressed at the 3rd fret (depending on the instrument). With that fretted height, it leaves the unfretted height around .5-.75mm above the first fret.
For the rest of the set-up, Neck relief .012 - .015" (.3 - .4mm) and string action at the 12th is E = 5/64" (1.98mm) G = 4/64" (1.58mm).
This is my rough (pre-setup) guide before the strings are on. It is also the height of the nut slot above the fretboard (not above the first fret). It probably leaves the E quite close to 0.35 mm above the first fret.Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
They will need more precise filing with the final setup.
Ah, I see. Now that you explained your method, I get it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
Did you measure the actual height of the first fret before using the 1.7mm depth? Fret height will vary and you don't want to get caught short (or deep in this case! :o)
Yes I do check the height of the first fret. I'm sure I will get caught short one day though!Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
I find this technique really useful when I remove a nut and sand the base. I can do a quick check of the slot heights against a feeler gauge on the fretboard so I know when I'm getting close to the wanted height.