Since my last update, I've discovered a couple of things:


  1. The plan to use rosewood dust and epoxy in the position marker holes was a non-starter. My tests were not successful.
  2. My plan to mix blue and rosewood veneers in the fretlines was also killed. The blue didn't stand out enough to be accent marks due to the darker shade of blue.
  3. So, now my plan for the fretboard is:
    1. Paua abalone dots for the position markers. I ordered a set of 20 last night for US$10.
    2. Instead of mixing blue/rosewood in the fret slots, I'm going to do all frets with the blue veneer, except for the 12th and 24th frets, which will get green veneers. I ordered a sheet of green veneers last night, nearly a full meter long, for US$18. Of course, I'm just going to use a cm or two of it! Maybe I'll find a use for the rest in the future, along with the unused rosewood, and leftover blue veneers.
    3. I'm still testing using CA glue or epoxy for sealing the board for fretless use. I'm not sure which I'll use, but both are promising.

  4. I need to enlarge the holes for the preamp's knobs, as well as make a little more space in the control cavity for the preamp. I bought a Forstner bit set for my drill the other day and have been having fun testing that.
  5. I've also tested the drilling for the bridge and string-through ferrules. I'm happy with that.
  6. The stacked knob for the hi/low mids control was the wrong size, so I need to order a new one of that.
  7. I'm also going to order a new 18V battery box, because I'm pretty sure I can't fit two 9V batteries with the preamp in the control cavity.


So, things are still moving along, but slowly. I was rather discouraged by the unsuccessful fretboard tests when I returned from my weeklong trip for New Years, but my wife helped me get focused again. That's one reason why I'm naming the bass after her. :)