Joe's JBA-4M Bass build

Well its started and here is what I have The only thing I am replacing will be the scratch plate as I want a black one the rest will be keep stock, out of the box parts. Well i'm off to watch the videos and read some more then come up with a plan.

Some more pics.

looks like a nice kit you scored Joe. The photo looks like the neck pup cavity isn't there, is that an illusion ?

yes its just an illusion, I really like the grain on the neck it should come up nice.

ah nice one Joe. It's worth doing a full mock build before you start sanding, make sure all the tuners, pickguard/pups fit.
Hows the neck fit in the pocket, nice and tight ?

That is some awesome grain in the ash body. Looking good.

Great kit Joe! Some really nice Ash grain there. I have just finished grain filling my Ash LP with walnut Timbermate and I really like how the grain has been highlighted. Just something to consider. Good luck with the build - should be a great one!

cheers,
Gav.

Can't wait to see the progress.

bit slow on starting, work is hell at the moment with the christmas madness. I have 3 days off over christmas so will use that time to do a mock up and get everything messured up. Then I hope to sand it down and get it primmed ready for the color coat, when I make my mind up between the two colours I have in mind.

Edit: Forgot to mention I am also finishing this one

Got it out to make a start today, I measured the distance from the nut to the 12th and then the 12th to the bridge and it worked out to be a total 34 inch. I have marked the distance, now I just have to clamp it up with the strings on and make sure it all aligns, then drill the holes. First question with the pick ups which is the neck and which is the bridge?

Cheers Joe

Joe - good question - generally one will be marginally bigger (couple of mm) than the other - that's the bridge.

String spacing (pole position) or size: Bridge wider than Neck
Wire length: Neck longer than Bridge
Resistance: Bridge higher than Neck

It could be any/all/none of the above. The wire colours seem to get swapped around in different kits at different times, so you can't always rely on one colour being for a particular position. Compare what you can from the above list, and if you still can't decide which is which just install them anyway... it's easy enough to swap the positions once you hear how they sound.

Thanks Guys
come to think of it, one was a bit tighter for the scratch plate when I was test fitting them. I might do a resistance just to see what the outputs are.

Cheers, Joe

Joe, please check the thread / video's on the bridge set-up. There is an element called compensation that usually means that the measurement from 12th Fret to Saddles is longer than the measurement from nut to 12th fret. You do not want to drill your post holes and find that the saddles will not screw out far enough to get your guitar intonated.

Joe - may want to check your length from the brige and nut to the 12th fret - regardless of the overall scale length, these need to be the same. As Gav's indicated, check the How to's on setting the bridge location and building your guitar for some detail on how / what to do.

a good start Joe, and some good advice there. Enjoy the build

This is what I have from the nut (messured from the fretboad side of the nut to 12th is 43.3cm
12th to saddles is 43.5ish cm
12th to bridge edge is 46cm. Dose this look ok?

Joe - start measuring from the 1cm mark (or another easy to find point). Tape measures are great for bulk measurements (walls, etc) where you've got a bit of tolerance, but for guitar building, I'd skip the chrome end bit as it may be adding a mm or three depending on how it is sitting. If you start from say the 1cm mark, you may be a bit more successful. The two measurements you are looking for is from the centre of the 12th fret each way - to the nut and to the centre of the saddle. I'd also go as close to the E string's path as possible and do it as well for the G string - as my grandfather once said - measure twice and cut once. In this case - drill once. Give those a crack and update this thread and we should be cooking with gas.

Thanks Brendan, I have a 1 meter metal ruler somewhere I might use that instead. I will get the measurement with the ruler and let you know the length I get.

Sounds great Joe - hopefully it'll work out a bit more accurate.

Looking good

Thanks Tim
I just finished my LP project on the weekend, its all put together now and sounds unreal.My son wired it up as my eyes are not what they used to be. So now the Bass build will be in full swing, and on with this build now. The plan is Lake Placid blue and high gloss neck. I just have to double check the bridge measurements with the guru's, before the fun starts.

Did some more work today I shaped and cut the head shape.

Dose this look right? I put a straight edge on the neck to check the nut to bridge length and when the rule is placed on the rear frets there is a pretty big gap at the front?

I checked mine today and found the same thing, I slackened off the truss rod and it straightened itself out, I'm letting it settle overnight and will check again to make sure it's straight before I check fret levels.

Thanks mate will do the same and check.

Joe - it's not unusual for the truss rod to need a little tightening - be careful though - only adjust by about a quarter turn each time - the truss rods are double action so you turn the business end once, the rod in the neck is turned twice. With a bass, it can sometimes be helpful to have a little front bow - remember you are putting a LOT of tension on the strings. That will cause the neck to bow out backwards (hence the truss rod) so a tiny amount of front relief can be useful.

Also worth noting that you may need to do a fret job on the frets to make sure that they are all level.

Thanks Brendan, I will wait till the strings are on to see what adjustments are needed.

Hi Joe

I am interested in your intentions for the Lake Placid Blue colour. Are you doing a transparent or solid colour, and which paint are you going to use, and how will you apply it?

Paul

Hi Paul
Its going to be solid color, but might be ice blue now. I will use auto acrylic paint in a spray can. Then I will hit it with some acrylic clear I have left over from fixing my sons car, using my compressor and spray gun, but the color will be easier out of a can for me. No cleaning :)

The codes for the Dupont paint codes I found here Vintage Colors most guitar colors are old chev and ford colors.

here are some pics of some of my cars I have sprayed. If the old mantra "sand, sand and sand some more" sounds like hard work doing a guitar, try doing it on a EH wagon :)

Nice looking cars Joe, always been a fan of the EH :)

excellent looking cars and paintjobs Joe, lovely shine. Sure if you can get a finish on your JB you will be stoked/ Colours sound awsome.
What model is the yellow bonnet, a GTS ?

I wish it was a GTS, it was my son's toyota corona mark2

I put primer on the body today now the fun starts :) I will let it dry for a couple of days, then sand it back and fill in any holes then prime and sand again with a guide coat to make sure she is nice and smooth ready for the color coat.

Did some more this weekend I got the paint down and gave the neck some more clear. Its got a couple of pinholes and some of the grain is showing through but overall its pretty good just have to fix it up a bit then clear coat it. I went for a ice blue color. I would love a white mother of pearl pickguard, they have strat and tele ones in the store but not bass ones. I have seen some on ebay but would have rather spent my money here. gettin close now:cool: I am really digging some of the builds going on here as well.

very nice. i reckon the white pickguard will look better than mop with that blue

DIG that blue dude!!!!

that is a sensational colour Joe, and nicely done too

Looking great Joe! Nice finish.

Love the blue joe! Almost a "gunmetal" blue finish. Really great.

cheers,
Gav.

Thanks Guys

The color is pretty good, my daughter pick it out. I have one can left and think a matching tele with hot rail pickups would look nice :) Tomorrow it gets the buffer, so should be nice and shiny and ready to be put together.