No. 35 is alive...and ordered.

[ozzbike]

All the bits fit....the strings are on. I get two huge differences in sounds in the first and middle position....middle and back position sound very similar.

Pickguard, strap locks, full setup, final shine to go.

I have to say that Adam was right...this is a standard KIT Tele six string neck pickup. He said that he had good reports from builders on this pickup in Bass bodies. Well, add me to the list. No setup and just tuned it has a very full sound....nice rumble on the fat E string and a lot more tingle on the D and G.

This has prospects.

I will have to hang it up...the wax picked up the carpet pattern overnight...quick wipe over the bottom edge this morning and all is good....just the wax.

I will let the neck adjust to the strings...then do a setup.....in about a week. Can't wait.

[McCreed]

Nice work!
What is the switching configuration? Different cap values?

[ozzbike]

As per page one wiring diagram. Works fine..just needs a setup I think.

[Bakersdozen]

Looks spectacular Ozzy!

[ozzbike]

Thanks guys...painful for me...don’t think I will do many more with paint.

[ozzbike]

Today this one gave me the shits....so I have ordered a Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounder four string single coil precision bass pickup from the USA. I then decided to fit the standard control cover and pots to the guitar and see if everything fitted better.

Yes it did. I now have a CRL 3 way switch with correct knob....2 x 250k CTS pots...3 x 0.047uf caps...1 x 3.3k resistor in the cupboard for safe keeping.

There was not really a wiring diagram and the kit switch is one of those long eight lug import switches. I did notice the the middle pins 4 and 5 had been bent together and soldered in this place.

I hooked up some alligator clips and worked out that soldering the hot wire from the one and only pickup to the bent over lugs 4 and 5 and the black wire to an earth point was getting me sound in all three switch positions. Nothing changes any tone with any of the three positions.

Fitted:-

Bone nut.
Gotoh Tuner set.
Wilkinson Bridge.
Schaller genuine chrome strap locks.
Chrome square top metal control knobs.
Switchcraft 1/4 inch jack socket.
Recessed Electro-socket Chrome Tele Jack Socket cover.
Under pickup black foam to lift pickup somewhat higher towards strings. (Used in conjunction with springs and screws supplied.)

Used:-

Standard control set...including plastic wires....green flat capacitor...and box pickup position switch....and chrome cover to match.
Kit White 3 ply pick guard fitted.
Kit strings used.
Kit electrics except the changes listed above.

Waiting:-

Seymour Duncan SCPB pickup from USA...to arrive middle October.

Finishing:-

Neck/Fingerboard:-

This was a revelation to me. The spray Cabots Poly is magic. Learning curve is to do all the stain and then poly....no sanding etc after stain. Straight from sanding to the grit you want to spray poly. About 3 lots of 3 coats, being a total of 9 coats in all.

Don't get ham-fisted like me when doing the final wet sand, compound and polish and wax.

I used an alcohol base stain on the neck...Feast Watson Golden Teak. I found that on the maple neck that this stain went on well at 240grit. Then three coats of poly sprayed 10 minutes apart.....leave for a week...wet sand at 600 grit. Three more coats at ten minutes apart....leave a week and then 800 grit wet sand.

Leave about 1 month...or no smell...then 1000 grit...1200 grit...1500 grit...2000 grit...auto medium compound x 3 coats....meguiars ultimate compound liquid x 3 coats...meguiars X extreme cut or something like that x 3 coats...Bowdens Own Body cleaner and prep x 2 coats...Bowdens Own Carnauba Wax...3 coats. Leave for about 1 week then Bowdens Own Fully Slick to seal it.

Body:-

FOR ME, AND ME ALONE.....don't use paint again...you suck at it.

Lots of sanding...primer....wet sanding....base coat...clear coats...then wet sand and polish. The finish is pitted and not perfect. It looks glossy and feels smooth under my fingers.

I may suggest the body also gets Cabots spray polyurethane if gloss is your poison.....but paint is the Blackest you will get.

Oh well.

Full setup and fret levelling completed. One issue I am finding...I have been spoilt by other Basses and now have nowhere to hang my thumb when plucking the strings....may have to consider a thumb rest.

As it is it sounds amazing.....it looks great from a distance....and feels smooth to the touch.

The sounds from the standard kit stuff is getting lots better. This is a 6 string guitar pickup using the crappy pots and dodgie green cap from the kit. It lights up my AMP really well. (Insert cheeky grin.)

When the pickup arrives and is fitted...full playboy photo shoot to happen.

[ozzbike]

Except for the pickup coming from the USA, to arrive 17 October, she is done.

Last post has all the things I have done. Here she is.

[ozzbike]

And a couple more.....

[DarkMark]

Yes, get a thumb rest onto that post-haste. Looks tops and you’ve gone to so much effect in the finishing steps. Well done!

[ozzbike]

Yes, get a thumb rest onto that post-haste. Looks tops and you’ve gone to so much effect in the finishing steps. Well done!

Thank you for the nice comments. Paint is not my area of skill.