Lyn #13 - MMB-4 (Fretless)

[andrewdosborne]

Awesome work again Robin, inspirational. I'm also a big fan of hand-tools partially out of necessity and also for my own safety lol! I also prefer the control that hand-tools offer.

[andrewdosborne]

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

Awesome tip. I may use this for my fretless (and in the world of Bass I'm a relative beginner so may help lol)

[Arzi]

Hi Robin

Japanese saw rasp is a rasp but wider, has to different grits one on each side and also a "grill" looking shape - not solid. Saw one used in a Crimson guitars youtube video when they were shaping a neck from a blank and decided to buy one. Pretty cheap less than 20 Euros delivered from ebay

[robin]

@Andrew
Thanks Andrew.

I find that using hand drills gives me much more precision that power drills. It also maybe that I'm a bit of a klutz lol.

@Arzi
Thanks for the info on the Japanese Rasp, I might have to start saving for one, they sound good. If the guy from Crimson uses one, they must be good. I have learnt so much from his videos.

Cheers Guys

[Arzi]

Great Robin. The Crimson guy told that if he'd have to pick one favorite tool it would be that one. Seemed to bite really well when he shaped the neck - although he is a professional builder...

[wokkaboy]

Hey Robin, great progress mate, can't wait to see the fingerboard unveiled.
DB has a japanse rasp and he loves it. It can tear material off really quickly as the waste goes through the holes in the mesh pattern. He even used it to shape a nut for my 7 string iceman, which he said at least the cricket bat will have a decent nut hahah

bet you are learning heaps as you go Rob, nothing like learning new skills. Keep up the good work mate

[robin]

Thanks Warren, yep learning all the time. Never too old to teach this old dog

I am getting really interested in these Japanese rasps. I might have to bite the bullet and find some money from somewhere. They're not cheap, but what good tool is?

cheers mate

[robin]

Darn!

Don’t know what I did wrong when gluing the fingerboard to the neck, but the neck WAS pretty straight before I started and now has an up-bow (I think it’s way too big to be called relief) of approx 2mm.

I think it’s asking too much of the truss rod to fix this, and although I can level the fb out when I radius it, I would prefer to have it at least a bit straighter than it is now.

Apart from taking the fb off and starting again I’m not sure what to do.

So I decided to try some easy fixes first. I have put some clamps on the neck and I will let it sit for the rest of the day and see what happens. It’s going to be pretty hot and humid up here in Brissie today so that might help a bit.

Apparently we learn more from our mistakes, so it gives me a chance to find ways to fix an up-bow.

Yep Woks, learning heaps. lol

Pic 1 & 2 - the up-bow.
Pic 3 – all clamped up.

[Nickosaurus]

Ive fixed upbow once by clamping a caul in the middle of the neck and clamping either side to pull it down

[robin]

Thanks Nick, I am doing something similar to that now. Can you remember how long it took for the wood to adjust? I don't want to give up after 12 hours if 24 or longer would have done the trick.