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And because I've got soooooo much spare time, I decided to get an IB-6S as well. Progress will probably be slow.
Anyway, unboxing!
http://i.imgur.com/beAepwLh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vd5NI2Vh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yx8FArlh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0rTzG0ch.jpg
another nice looking kit Sam, wow you are going to be a busy boy !
I built one of these kits they are an amazing bass.
Have a think of a pre-amp system and you will get more sound variations and a clearer sound
Love the figuring on the headstock.
http://i.imgur.com/hp1MX8Rh.jpg
but speaking of that, is this normal?
http://i.imgur.com/Z2YUpiAh.jpg
Has the maple front been sanded all the way to the basswood or is it still there and just that it changes appearance when it's that thin?
I was thinking of doing something there. More room inside the control cavity than the IB-5. Tone Monster SBK-3 I think I saw in the gallery that you used? I admit I got quite confused when I looked through the different Tone Monster models. That's why I gave up on one for my IB-5 (that and the spacing of the holes and routing in the cavity).Quote:
Originally Posted by wokkaboy
Looks like spalting to me... should be fab under a trans finish!!
Oh, DUH, it's a spalt top kit! Never mind, carry on, nothing to see here.....
Should I put grain filler/ sealer into this before applying stain? (Could ask the same thing for the jr-1m (jr-1dc) I'm doing as well. I didn't for the IB-5 before applying the Dingotone stain, it seemed to be ok but may have sucked in more top coat than otherwise.
I've seen grain filler done both ways Sam, seems to work either way.
The top caps can be VERY thin. Wipe your with a damp cloth and see if you get much of a change looking at the timber, might show more if it is just a change or sanded through
What do you mean both ways? Do you mean before and after the stain? Not what I was asking, didn't occur to me. :) I was just asking if I should use grain filler at _all_ or if it isn't needed for this sort of top.Quote:
Originally Posted by stan
aahh sorry misunderstood. Yes before and after stain is what I meant.
At all? Not sure, personally I wouldn't , but check a couple of the other IB threads and see what they did
So as suggested, I gave it a slight damp wipe to enhance the grain.
http://i.imgur.com/c1rhhpJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/i06rAZ1.jpg
Looks to me like the cap continues to the edge based on the continuing grain lines - just that there's a rather major change in colour.
Makes me wonder what that will look like with stain on it. Might affect what stain/darkness I use.
It might affect the hue of the stain, but it's symmetrical so it will still be appealing. Spalt is always a bit random like that.
Hey Sam I wouldn't worry about the lighter edges, as its symmetrical it will be a feature. That is typical of a spalt top can have random colours. I think it will look fantastic with just clear coats and stain the back/sides
You think just clear coat the front? Does that mean just top coat, or a "clear" stain? I got some wudtone in the clearance (Amber, Burning Sun and Goldenrod) and I was thinking of a light colour for the front and a darker for the back and sides - wasn't sure what to do with the neck. The same as the body on the face of the headstock perhaps.Quote:
Originally Posted by wokkaboy
Hi Sam, clear or top coat yes, but up to you. I put amber wudtone on mine and got good results so see how one coat looks on the cap.
Beautiful cap Tindrrel! It's going to look great whatever you decide to do with it.
Funny because I was thinking of using the amber on the front, but the specs in the shop page say not to use on maple.Quote:
Originally Posted by wokkaboy
Sam, don't worry amber will soak into the cap fine. It's probably not as recommended to use on the tighter grain of the maple neck
Is this the sort of top you apply any grain popping to? Is it likely to be thick enough veneer to sand back the dark dye?
If that's the look you're after this would be a perfect candidate. It's definitely possible to sand back the dye on the caps. Just don't over do it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tindrrel
I'm not quite sure what look I'm after. I liked how it looked after a wipe with turps - Previously mentioned: http://i.imgur.com/c1rhhpJ.jpg. Still need to decide between the Amber and the Burning Sun stains - arriving in the mail tomorrow.
It'll accentuate the flaming, but the spalting pattern will get hidden to a degree. Also, much less of a 3d effect.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tindrrel
Laying all the parts out, doing a partial mock build.
There's a lot more movement in the neck pocket than the IB-5 kit that I'm also working on. (I say a lot, but the IB-5 had almost none, it was pretty snug.)
http://i.imgur.com/wO4MDuel.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/bsD7TLfl.jpg
Results in about a centimetre difference at the tip of the headstock. I guess I'll need to be wary of the angle when I mark out the neck bolt holes. Clamp bridge and strings and then neck.
Similar to the IB-5, the neck washers could use a little more depth.
http://i.imgur.com/l0KzqKWl.jpg
They're nicer flush, but it also gives the screw more thread reach to go into the neck heel.
With the IB-5 I used a bore to drill the holes deeper, but still had to use a dremel to flatten out the bottom of the hole. This time I'll proably just use the dremel. The bore changes the size of the centre hole entry slightly.
Turns out the bridge has a pretty horrible paint job on it.
http://i.imgur.com/SeeG6Iel.jpg
Considering swapping in one of the Hipshot A style bridges. Then doing through body stringing with ferrules on the back.
Attachment 4049
The hipshot bridges are very nice. Nice and smooth, quality pieces.
If I'm figuring this right...
The provided bridge string spacing is 75mm across, 15mm between strings. I actually think it's fractionally less.
That puts it smaller than any of the hipshot bridges. Their smallest 6 string bridge being 83mm.
The fretboard at the heel is 81.5mm across, so a 83mm spacing is not going to work.
(Allparts quick release 6 string bridge is 80mm, Gotoh 6 string is 90mm, Schaller gets down to 78mm.)
Guess I'll stick with the provided bridge.
The hipshots have adjustable spacing, should be able to fit it. I have two five stringers with the "A" style bridges on them.....
81 mm fretboard means 3 mm from centre of string to edge using a 75mm bridge if placed equidistant (which it probably wouldn't be but I don't think it matters for the example).
The hipshot 6 string bridge is 83 mm. The outside saddles would both have to move 4 mm to reach 75 mm spacing. Seems unlikely.
On a different note. I wonder if anyone has any experience cleaning up the paint job on a bridge. Either re spraying it or sanding out the bubbly paint?
If you've got access to a sandblaster or know someone who does, that would strip that rough paint in no time. Otherwise, you could just do it by hand until it's smooth and respray it, no need to get it all off. Make sure you get some metal appropriate paint though.
I thought of a sandblaster too but I reckon paint stripper might be a less invasive way to go. That will get everything off and give you a nice clean canvas to respray.Quote:
Originally Posted by pablopepper
Good call, Barge. I don't like using stripper, because it's messy and smelly, but for a small job like this it's probably a good option.
Is the nut also 83mm? Seems the strings run at an angle, so perhaps that 85mm bridge spacing is closer to what you need than it appears. To strip your bridge, I would look for a glass bead media blaster, as its much less aggressive and leaves a finer finish on the part.
The string spacing at the nut is more like 43 mm. Yeah they run at an angle. The 24th fret though is only 81.5 mm. I think the provided 75 mm bridge is probably about as wide as things can go.
Of course, looking back at the gallery at Lawry, wokkaboy and dallasn's IB-6S builds; they all had an A type bridge such as is shown in the photo on the IB-6SL store page - while I've got the B type shown on the IB-6S store page.
Just for fun, theirs looks like it could be string through body as well. The extra holes are there, not used for mounting.
So I'd ask what their string spacing turned out to be... but it's not the same bridge. Still it might show how much wider is possible, if the A type is wider.
Starting to think about preparing the body for the stain and finish. Using wudtone stain.
Here's what I think I need to do, hopefully someone can pull me up if I've gotten it wrong.
Sand the spalted maple veneer gently, starting high with say 400. Just get it smooth.
Sand the back and sides of the body, starting 220, then 320 and finish at 400.
No grain filler on the spalted maple veneer. Would change the look too much.
No grain filler on the basswood body. Apparently basswood doesn't need it, grain is tight?
Then start the stain coats. One colour on the top, rubbed to the edge. A different colour on the back and sides.
sounds like a fair plan Sam. You can probably start the cap on 220 grit but only sand lightly. Then move up to 240 and 320 grit should be high enough.
You could grain fill the cap but I'd choose a darkish colour. If you don't grain fill the cap the surface won't be flat but I left it that way looks nice in a natural state. Run your fingers over the cap and you will see what I mean
I'd seal the basswood, and I have. Whoever told you it was "tight" was on acid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tindrrel
Seems to just as flat in either direction with or across the grain, just a bit rough.Quote:
Originally Posted by wokkaboy
Hi Sam, sorry I used the wrong word, I meant there are little channels that flow over the cap so small dips and high points.
I actually figured that's what you meant. I can't feel them.Quote:
Originally Posted by wokkaboy
Definitely felt them on my IB-5, before and after the oil coat. I don't mind it so much on that one.
Starting on the mods needed to the body before doing any sanding.
Checking the fit of the Tone Monster SBK-3 preamp.
I managed to get all the pots flush except the mid with the large PCB on it by some elaborate winding of the leads.
Attachment 4303
Neither PCB is near the edges so I'm pretty happy I can copper shield the cavity.
The areas marked in pencil will need to be carved out to allow the mid pot to sit flush.
Attachment 4304
Checking that the pup leads reached to the small PCB on the balance pot I noticed the bridge pickup sticking out much too high. I hadn't noticed when I did the original parts layout.
Turns out the hole from the pup route to control cavity is misaligned.
Attachment 4305
The normally the pup would have to lift a little to let the lead out from underneath. This lifts it another 3mm.
I filed down the hole to let the lead run flush to the floor of the pup route.
Attachment 4306
Pencil markings are considering creating a channel for the leads giving even more flexibility in the pup height.