Lyn #13 - MMB-4 (Fretless)

[robin]

Thanks DB, nice to know it will be ok. I will have to exaggerate the lower cutaway as it is to get to the 24. I might have to play the higher register like the "real" double bass players and move my hole hand over the fingerboard.

Hope you back continues to improve. mine's from carting heavy band gear around for goodness knows how many decades. lol.

cheers mate
rob

[robin]

Robin. I think you have inspired me! I think I'm going to buy just a cheap prebuilt bass and knock the frets out and the fret markers, and I just watched a vid where a guy uses a wood filler to fill the gaps back in! It's cheap and nasty way to do it, but I will get my frettless haha

Be careful Shazz, I read somewhere that wood filler in the vacant fret slots compresses too much under string tension and the fingerboard acts like its been kerfed. Apparently filling the slots with slivers of veneer prevents this from happening. I am an amateur and have no experience at all in any of this stuff, so it might be worth getting some advice from our resident experts before you go too far down that track.

Just a thought mate.
rob

[Brendan]

Shazz / Rob - alternative is to stabilise the whole lot with CA. Tim did a fretless neck (from memory on his Hellboy) bass and used CA to stabilise the stone in the fretboard inlay.

DB's secret alternative is the plant pot labels - perfect width and leave a white line on the fretboard where the fret should be (great for beginners).

[ShazzRandom]

Be careful Shazz, I read somewhere that wood filler in the vacant fret slots compresses too much under string tension and the fingerboard acts like its been kerfed. Apparently filling the slots with slivers of veneer prevents this from happening. I am an amateur and have no experience at all in any of this stuff, so it might be worth getting some advice from our resident experts before you go too far down that track.

Just a thought mate.
rob

Ahh yeah true!! I might buy 2 cheapies and try both as an experiment! Only looking at maybe $100-200 each haha so nothing I'm going to be really attached too.
I did think of the veneer but the filler is just quick and easy

[wazkelly]

DB's secret alternative is the plant pot labels - perfect width and leave a white line on the fretboard where the fret should be (great for beginners).

Great tip Brendan and will use that if I get around to doing a fretless.

[robin]

Managed to get a bit more done on the fingerboard.

Got the old hand saw out and roughly cut the fingerboard (fb) to size. It was really hard to see the pencil line on the Rosewood so I had to use painters tape to contrast the line. I also noticed how fragrant Rosewood is. I guess that’s why it’s called Rosewood.

After rough cutting I clamped the fb to the neck and started the final shaping. It gave me a chance to finally use my mini plane that I bought for $10 a few months ago. I didn’t think that I would ever have a use for it, but it was perfect for the job. Unfortunately in my wild enthusiasm I got a bit carried away, the clamp slipped a bit and I cut a fraction too much off the fb, but it should be OK.

I then put 2 small locating pins (one at the nut end and the other at the heel end) in the neck and fb to stop the two from squirming around when I glued and clamped them together. Lesson #1 for noobs like me, put the locating pins in BERFORE the final shaping and I wouldn’t have made the mistake of shaving too much of the fb.

I wasn’t too sure when to cut the nut slot, but figured I had better do it before I glued the fb in case I stuffed it up. I use a Tenon saw to make the initial cuts and then tidied up the “floor“ of the slot with a small square file.

Glued and clamped the fb to the neck. Lesson #2 don’t use too much glue!

I made a right mess, but I should be able to clean it up. I have now got to wait 24 hours before I do the final sanding and then on to putting a radius on it.

Pic 1 – rough cutting the finger board to shape. Painters tape was used as it was hard to see the pencil line on the Rosewood.
Pic 2 – I think it’s a bit big to be called a “thumb” plane but it worked an absolute treat. I love it!
Pic 3 – The pins I used to locate the fb on the neck. They are only round toothpicks but they seem to work OK.

[robin]

………...


Pic 1 – The nut slot. I am using a small square “hobby” file after initial cuts with a Tenon saw.
Pic 2 – The neck and fb glued and clamped. The white straight edge that I am using is an off-cut of that marbly stuff (Corinthian stone??) that is used to make kitchen bench-tops.

[Arzi]

Incredible job Robin. You truly are an inspiration. Gonna get myself some planes, radius sanding blocks etc for my cbg project too and start practicing those skills. Japanese saw and japanese saw rasp are already on their way. Just got a wenge fretboard in the mail. You've already given me a boost to try new things on my ongoing project. The pine Tele was the last push. Thanks for that.

Will be watching this one closely.

[gavinturner]

Really amazing work Rob. Looking forward to the fretboard unveiling! She's gonna look awesome. Mad skills you're demonstrating. Jealousy abounds here in Holgate.

cheers,
Gav.

[robin]

@Arzi
Thanks so much mate. Its more out of necessity that I use hand tools, but now having gotten used to them I find them very therapeutic, and have no inclination of changing anytime soon. I'm certainly no expert, and I don't have expensive tools, so if I can do it anybody can.

Very envious of the Japanese saw and rasp. A fine blade saw would have come in very hand for cutting the nut slot. To be honest I have never heard of a Japanese rasp. Are they also a "pull" tool?

@Gavin,
Thanks Gav, no mad skills, just lots of spare time and a rather masochistic mindset. lol.

Mate, each of your guitars are works of art, I would be happy to claim any of those as one of my DIY's.

Cheers guys,