Black Dog P Bass - First build

[VoxMechanica]

Hello Fellow Kitters,
The PB4 build continues apace.....I suppose the weather will improve and allow the DB Nullarbor Ochre to fully cure...eventually...
Question is, why did the early Fender P Bass have a thumb rest/rail positioned below the strings (looking from the playing position - see the picture 1959 P Bass)? Is it a thumb rest?
I would have thought the thumb rest would would be above the strings. Obviously I'm missing something here, but what is it?

[Simon Barden]

It is a rest, but Leo Fender just got it wrong to start with. After all it was the first electric bass and the first bass with frets (hence the 'Precision' tag as players could hit the notes in tune with ease compared to a fretless) and thought that the strings would get plucked with the thumb, so the original rest is a finger rest, not a thumb one. But the bass players converting from upright basses played the strings with their fingers and so they themselves moved the rest to the E string side, but it took Fender until 1974 to move it above the E string on their production basses.

[VoxMechanica]

Ahhh.... Now I understand!
Thanks for the enlightenment Simon!

[VoxMechanica]

Time for a status update. Neck and bridge placement.
The neck is now properly located and the neck screws inserted - enough to hold it all together. The neck pocket needed a shim pack (0.75 m/m brass shim stock). I chose to place this on the E string side because that is by far the largest bearing surface. (It's logical to me anyway).

The E and G string Gotoh tuners are clamped in, I'm still lacquering the headstock so I didn't want to fit the tuners yet.
The Dingobass bone nut is pushed in - the height adjustment comes later.

Builder's string in place so that I can set the bridge location with a high degree of accuracy. I had managed to obtain a Fender drawing of the 1950s & '60s P Bass body, showing all centre lines of the body itself and the various items of hardware, that was a big help. The bridge is a Fender High mass, I know that 'Leo got it right' but the engineer in me doesn't cope well with a bit of bent metal on what is otherwise a precise piece of gear.

[VoxMechanica]

Just had to share this!
As per my first post, where I was thinking of a rather special neck plate design based on the logo for the Black Dog Institute (www.blackdoginstitute.org.au). I intend to get an outline facsimile of the logo engraved on the neck plate - stay tuned!

Well, it's happened! I now have a 3-D engraved neckplate. Get the light just right and all the details of the hand show.

Not bad for $29 from Mister Minit and his amazing machinery!

[Simon Barden]

That looks great!

[VoxMechanica]

Greetings all,
The build has progressed to the truss rod adjustment stage.
Question is, what size allen key to use. 3/16" isn't right but 4m/m feels right. Because it's dark in there I can't tell if the 4m/m key is right, or am I just burring the hex socket on the truss nut?

[wokkaboy]

Hey Vox, the allen key should have come with the kit but pretty sure it's 4mm. The truss rods are dual action so should be able to turn it both ways. Try turning it the other way but don't force it

[VoxMechanica]

Hey Vox, the allen key should have come with the kit but pretty sure it's 4mm. The truss rods are dual action so should be able to turn it both ways. Try turning it the other way but don't force it

Thanks Wokka. Don't recall seeing a truss nut key in the kit (but I wasn't particularly looking). The 4m/m feels right but I though it best to ask first. I do remember reading Gavin1393's comment that a broken truss rod is not an afternoon's repair job!

[wokkaboy]

no worries Vox, sounds like its tightened to the left or right. Hopefully once you loosen it a bit it should free up