DHB-5 Semi-Hollow Electric Bass CUSTOM

[DarkMatterResist]

STRINGS ARRIVED AND THEY FIT!! And I have just realised that the July Guitar of the month goes by Perth time, so I gained an extra 2 hours to get it finished, final polished, pictures taken, and uploaded. That gives me 5 hours so I will be fine. I might focus on that and then come back here and finish the documentation process (for next time!).

Have you seen the July entries? The other builds are amazing and the competition is going to be fierce. I have had fun and I will also have my very own custom bass - that's the most important thing. Winning that will be an extra pat on the back for all entries, but saying that, I will give it my best shot! Best be off. I gut me a bass to finish!!!!

[Simon Barden]

Good news. All the best!

[DarkMatterResist]

@Simon Barden Thanks mate. You have been so helpful in this whole process!

[DarkMatterResist]

Hoorah, it is finished and the strings fit!!! Just uploaded into GOTM and will update this build page tomorrow ... must sleep ...

[DarkMatterResist]

So after much stress and mucking about, these arrived! DR NGB5-45. For those in the same situation as I was in, these were the longest 5 string bass guitar strings I could find ... and they glow under black lights ... yet to test them out!


And, although it is a tight squeeze, they fit by the skin-o-their-teeth. It looks strange in the picture, but it does work trust me!

[DarkMatterResist]

I did a mock run, after measuring the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge (17") and smiled once they all were on!


Did some minor adjusting to the truss rod and bridge height and fine-tuned the action. Next step Intonation ...
This proved more tricky than I had hoped.
First attempt, the open G versus 12th fret ... was a little sharp
Open G


12th Fret G

[Simon Barden]

You're going to need the bridge set fairly flat I'd imagine. The saddle already has an angle on it so it shouldn't be too far off. 0.045" string saddle position nearest the neck and the 0.125" string furthest away.

[DarkMatterResist]

After adjusting the bridge it is looking better ...


Open G


12th Fret G


Once the G was sorted, I placed tape so that I could remember where it was before adjusting for the E. I only had a 4 string tuner on my phone so focused on this string rather than the low B.


This was tricky and after 3-4 hours it finally worked!! That floating bridge is a tricky sucker. I think I might pin it so that it doesn't move.

[DarkMatterResist]

The pressure from the strings had made slight depression in the timber bridge, but not enough for my liking. I used a blade to mark these lines ...


Then used a file to create slight divots in the bridge to hold the strings in place.


After it was all tuned, it was time to pat myself on the back and give it a good polish.

[DarkMatterResist]

Thanks for coming along for the journey, it has been so nice. Thank you to everyone who has offered support, without your help it would have been much more difficult. Such a wealth of knowledge out there with so many generous humans!!

Here is the finished piece ...