Number 36 is happening.

[ozzbike]

I'd probably use a tinted lacquer rather than a stain. 2-3 coats of that will sit on top and colour everything.

Ding Ding Ding....now that is an idea I like. Thanks Simon.

Investigation for alternatives to follow.


Edit:-

This is one of a number of colours available.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/bondall-...rosol_p1580425

[ozzbike]

I ventured to the big green shed today and grabbed a can of this tinted varnish stuff.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/bondall-...rosol_p1580425

I had a choice of only CEDAR and JARRAH. Cedar on their website looked very red....the Jarrah not so much.

I put another group of coats over the veneer today....three sprays separated by ten minutes each.

This veneer has some very deep holes....heaps of them.

I will let it hang now and then do a light sand over it and see if I can fill some of these pits. Wow.

[ozzbike]

Lots of coats of the spray poly had not filled the veneer. Even though I did three chunky custard coats of timber mate beforehand.

So YouTube prowling I did go.

Well I tracked three different consistency CA glue down for a good price on E Bay....did two coats of each, and a sand with 320.

I have a couple of pits left...but wow is the finish hard.

Back to work now, so will attack the pits next week.

https://youtu.be/-YNF0O7Zjvc .....the video

The glue....from here in Australia...and delivered quick.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/324261161494

[ozzbike]

I put her together today. The headless part is a pain....had to replace the E string with another A string to get the string through the top of the headstock. The E string lip where that fat section tapers down would not pass through the mount and there was not enough adjustment at the bum end.

Have to say that the Overlord of music bridge is an interesting effort in futility to get in the right location, mount, get strings on, and adjust.

I did not notice that this neck has a zero fret and no nut until I started to add strings. This may prove interesting to get a low action with.

Intonation is the next issue.....the zero fret to 12th fret measurement was 432mm. I allowed an extra 5mm for the run to the bridge saddles....and even then it was not enough to get the big adjusters out in the space at the bottom of the guitar. I had to go back about 12mm all up. I hope that once I get the string height etc down....the intonation is close.

Pic 1 is a headless bass kit neck photo with a nut. (Google search of one from an E-Bay listing.)

Pic 2 is the kit neck with a zero fret.

Pic 3 is the TIGER in her glory.

[Simon Barden]

It looks very nice indeed.

Are the stings new ones or are they the kit strings?

Drill out a bigger hole for the low E, or is it the physical orientation that's wrong?

[blinddrew]

Looking very nice. I just took a small round file to just about every aspect of the nut casting to clean it up and it was enough to get the thick part of the e string through. Just.

[blinddrew]

Out of curiousity, what's the action height like on yours?

[ozzbike]

Out of curiousity, what's the action height like on yours?

I have it together and settling. The action height is enormous and I will have to think about what I do from here. With a normal Bass I would use a cut up business card deep in the neck pocket to try and reduce some of this.....not even close on this build.

I think I may have to make a wooden veneer full length neck pocket shim this time.

Nice thoughts with the E string...thanks. But my A substitute sounds just fine at the moment.

[ozzbike]

It looks very nice indeed.

Are the stings new ones or are they the kit strings?

Drill out a bigger hole for the low E, or is it the physical orientation that's wrong?

Simon....the string end mount has two bends of 90 degrees the string must traverse. The fat section of the E string will not make even the first bend.

I see Drews idea of the small file....but right now I think I will let the neck settle in under tension and then look at my options.

"The Action" is a chasm away from the fretboard, and I will have to consider options on this.

I like the feel and the look of the Bass....just the correct mechanics for it to be instrument will need some caressing.

[blinddrew]

Yep, the action on mine is huge as well. I've ordered some maple veneer to make a shim, or two...