For the fretboard scratch, I’d scrape the board between the frets with a single-sided razor blade. Scraping a fretboard is a standard method of removing dirt from the top layer of the board plus of removing small marks. You’re going with the grain, so you end up with a smooth finish.
I’d rub some lemon or mineral oul (chopping board oil) on the board afterwards.
Looking good Jarro.
The body is looking great with many layers of poly on and I got it shiny with car polish. I'll post more photos later, for now I was doing some electronics and have a question about the pick ups.
Does the spring go on top of the pickup, or under the pickup next to the body?
To ask another way, does the pickup go all the way into the cavity, or does it sit up like I am holding it in the photo?
The screw is also quite long, if the head goes much past the top of the body the tip will come out the other side.
Hi Jarro,
the pup should sit out similar to your picture (though it will depend on the final height of the strings). The springs go between the body and the pup to push the pup away from the body (which allows for the adjustment distance from the strings). The screws should not come out the other side of the body.
Hopefully you have the correct size screws - but double check that they are quite a bit shorter than the body thickness!
My TB-4 kit had pups which worked the same way and the top of the screws are about 5 mm above the top of the body.
PitBull Builds: FVB-4, LP-1SS, FBM-1, AG-2, TB-4, SSCM-1, TLA-1, TL-1TB, STA-1HT, DSCM-1 Truckster, ST-1, STA-1, MBM-1.
Scratch Builds: Pine Explorer, Axe Bass, Mr Scary, Scratchy Tele's.
The little voices in my head keep telling me "build more guitars"
First, the springs go under the pickup, or you could say, between the pickup and the body. The spring is meant to push the pickup "up" toward the strings keeping a tension on it so it doesn't flop around.Does the spring go on top of the pickup, or under the pickup next to the body?
To ask another way, does the pickup go all the way into the cavity, or does it sit up like I am holding it in the photo?
The height of the pickup is going to be relative to the final height of the string action. The distance between the pickup and the string will be adjusted up or down to balance pickup volume and string tone. Typically with a normal string action, the pickups sit above the top of the body to varying degrees.
You may need to just get shorter screws that are more appropriate to accommodate the pickup adjustment.The screw is also quite long, if the head goes much past the top of the body the tip will come out the other side.
Making the world a better place; one guitar at a time...
Thanks, I thought it was probably that way around, it makes sense that the spring holds up the pickup so that I can adjust the height. The screws are 35mm and the body is around 38 to 39. Given how high the fretboard is the pickups will probably sit up a bit and it should be fine.
It is pretty normal for the pickup to be supported by a block of neoprene foam rather than springs. It does provide a more sturdy support for the pickups. But the neoprene is not as springy as the spring, so you need to get a block the right size. But if you bought say a seymour Duncan soapbar, it would come with a foam block rather than springs.
Just a question about lining up the bridge. Since it's a bass, and string length needs to be longer, do I want it to sit at the scale length with the saddles fully forward, or do I go a bit further back than that?