DIY Guitar Messing About (2 Viewers)

[JohnnyRaz]

You're away for the weekend, JR? Might need to borrow some clamps.

Mis clamps estan tus clamps.
But yes - away at the moment.
Back on tues!!

 

[magicbastarder]

Mis clamps estan tus clamps.

for those not familiar with woodworking, this is latin for 'there is no such thing as too many clamps'.

this is not enough:


also, this is she after routing out the chambers, which knocked less weight off than hoped (approx 400g); the belly cut and arm relief, as well as finishing the body all round, will knock of more weight. i had to leave the main channel (actually, the opposite of a channel) down the centre very wide due to the large pickups.

 

[magicbastarder]

Mis clamps estan tus clamps.
But yes - away at the moment.
Back on tues!!

actually, i may have some coming to me for a chap who lives nearby. not sure how many.

 

[magicbastarder]

Mis clamps estan tus clamps.
But yes - away at the moment.
Back on tues!!

i got sorted, cheers.
minor whoopsie in that i managed to gouge the top with the router, which meant taking the whole body down to 40mm to fix; i'd been aiming for about 42mm.
the 'stain' is just water to bring out the colour of the wood for a look.

 

[JohnnyRaz]

i got sorted, cheers.
minor whoopsie in that i managed to gouge the top with the router, which meant taking the whole body down to 40mm to fix; i'd been aiming for about 42mm.
the 'stain' is just water to bring out the colour of the wood for a look.

View attachment 16642

Coming together!
I’d say the makore would come up nicely with a bit of linseed oil..you’ve got some of the nice burly grain in the pieces there

 

[magicbastarder]

i was thinking of danish oil possibly, as the linseed oil might give a yellowish hue to the oak. i'm going to glue up some offcuts tomorrow, sand them, and try some different finishes.

i probably should have done this after getting the correct router bit (if i can get one - might have to go steam powered for the whole thing) to get the edges at a perfect 90 degrees to the top, but i was itching to do some more so rasped out the belly cut and arm relief. it's very satisfying. i'd have had to make the arm relief a little shallow to avoid going into the oak, so went deeper to make a point of it.

 

[JohnnyRaz]

i was thinking of danish oil possibly, as the linseed oil might give a yellowish hue to the oak. i'm going to glue up some offcuts tomorrow, sand them, and try some different finishes.

i probably should have done this after getting the correct router bit (if i can get one - might have to go steam powered for the whole thing) to get the edges at a perfect 90 degrees to the top, but i was itching to do some more so rasped out the belly cut and arm relief. it's very satisfying. i'd have had to make the arm relief a little shallow to avoid going into the oak, so went deeper to make a point of it.

View attachment 16643View attachment 16644

+1 for rasp love.

you'll be radiusing all the edges - so I would be too worried about having it all square - unless you've a huge chunk out the rasp will be able to tidy it up

 

[magicbastarder]

current plan is for a small radius roundover on the top and a much larger one underneath,

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

You guys need to up your game.

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[seanc]

Personally I think this thread is amazing.

 

[magicbastarder]

Coming together!
I’d say the makore would come up nicely with a bit of linseed oil..you’ve got some of the nice burly grain in the pieces there

someone on boards has suggested this for the wood ID:

Lauan | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

www.wood-database.com

the light red meranti does look like a decent match visually, but it says there it's not known for rot resistance, but was sitting outside for a couple of decades AFAIK.

 

[magicbastarder]

also, i was showing some photos to a friend of mine (known to some thumpeders) and mentioning that i was hesistant about routing out holes for the pickups, as JR said to me that it might be worth getting better ones. but he sent me a photo of his '77 jazz bass, and they look like copies of those.
however, is it standard for the bridge pickup to be a little longer than the neck one? the ones i have, one is 9.4cm and the other 9cm.

 

[JohnnyRaz]

also, i was showing some photos to a friend of mine (known to some thumpeders) and mentioning that i was hesistant about routing out holes for the pickups, as JR said to me that it might be worth getting better ones. but he sent me a photo of his '77 jazz bass, and they look like copies of those.
however, is it standard for the bridge pickup to be a little longer than the neck one? the ones i have, one is 9.4cm and the other 9cm.

would still plump for makore for that timber based on what I've read, based on its overall hardness and weight (meranti is a lot lighter/softer based on the bits I've worked with), the little burly features, the grey/white as well as pink/red bits, and the fact it turns black anywhere there's been a nail.

issue with pickups is less the specific type, and more the grade. most jazz bass pickups would have a similar spec in terms of size, but better materials etc. The ones you have are likely pretty cheap and nasty ceramic ones. I could recommend a relatively cheap upgrade from a supplier/brand I've bought a lot of stuff off over the past few years.

 

[magicbastarder]

cheers, it's not so much the quality, it's the size and shape - i.e. if i routed this out now for the pickups i have, it'd be nice knowing that if i did upgrade them in future, i'd have the option of a straight swap, without needing to further rout the body.

 

[JohnnyRaz]

cheers, it's not so much the quality, it's the size and shape - i.e. if i routed this out now for the pickups i have, it'd be nice knowing that if i did upgrade them in future, i'd have the option of a straight swap, without needing to further rout the body.

sounds like what you have is more or less standard.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/jazz-pickup-size-database.588342/#:~:text=That's%20an%20odd%20size.,are%20about%2091.5mm%20%26%2094mm.

sometimes pickups can vary very slightly in size - JB pickups have plastic covers which you can pare the edges of if needs be.

 

[moose]

also, i was showing some photos to a friend of mine (known to some thumpeders) and mentioning that i was hesistant about routing out holes for the pickups, as JR said to me that it might be worth getting better ones. but he sent me a photo of his '77 jazz bass, and they look like copies of those.
however, is it standard for the bridge pickup to be a little longer than the neck one? the ones i have, one is 9.4cm and the other 9cm.

Yes totally normal to have two lengths. The taper is quite substantial on jazz basses from the bridge to the nut so generally pickups will be slightly different widths with bridge pup being wider.

My 00 American standard Jazz bass is 92 and 95mm and my 90s Korean Squire is 92mm and 94mm. I also have a Chinese Fender Player series in the house that's 91.5mm and 94mm.

I'll DM ya some pics of the fit on all three in a wee while. The US Fender is worst of the three.

 

[magicbastarder]

My 00 American standard Jazz bass is 92 and 95mm

sounds like that would be a sensible pair of sizes to rout to; should cover most bases?

 

[magicbastarder]

i just noticed that pun. i wish i could say it was intentional.

 

[moose]

sounds like that would be a sensible pair of sizes to rout to; should cover most bases?

yeah. Let me measure all the half moon cut outs for the screws too, they may vary.

Actually I might be able to get a lend of a jazz routing template for ya. even just to measure it.

 

[magicbastarder]

ooh, that'd be helpful...