Flame Koa/Swamp Ash Jazz Bass

jackthehack

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Decided to try using Fender Neck Amber for base color; as can be seen below, turning out nicely, still need to go back and even application of amber in a couple of places. Working on getting the Jasco oil based grain filler the right darker shade of brown to do the enhanced grain effect on the one piece swamp ash back; can't make up my mind if I should fill the koa grain with the same darker color or just do clear on front. What do y'all think?

Koa flame popping out nicely...

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If you put anything but clear filler on that Koa, legions of Hawaiian zombies will forgo their graves to make sure you pay the penalty for committing such sacrilege.
 
The pictures above don't really do it justice. I've been looking at this every time I go out for a smoke and have about completely changed the original plan to finish this. Was going to do a dark enhanced grain on the back and put a custom exotic wenge or ebony neck on it, but the more I look at it, the more I love the natural look of it.

Now I'm thinking of sanding it back to #600; redoing the Fender Neck Amber in the body, and just doing shooting it with satin nitro; not even filling the grain just leaving it as close to natural with the amber tint. Adding this high grade birdseye/Brazilian rosewood neck shot with Fender Neck Amber and satin nitro top finish:

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...and all black hardware; Rio Grande Muy Grande Jbass pickup set; DR black strings...

Here's a little bit better shot of the Koa coloration/flame, but in person it looks better:

Jbassflame.jpg

 
Man, I love that Koa; you can't get figure that pretty anymore, not even from the Unique Choice section.  I remember when I first started perusing the Warmoth site, that Koa was only 20 or 30 bucks more than Mahogany (same price bracket as Black Korina), but since then, it has gone up in price, and now it's not even a standard option.  I really wish now that I had gone ahead and done a Koa build when they were affordable and great pieces could still be had.
 
If you saw the other thread on this body, I was shocked as hell to get it for less than my max lowball bid off of an eBay auction; $285 including 2nd day shipping. Only issue were some scratches on the back easily sanded out.

 
I like it.  I was going to take a pict of my Koa acoustic, but my camera has crapped out, finally died.  I like the way the body looks right now, I wouldn't change it.  The grain is plenty visible in the Ash with the amber on it.  That neck looks pretty sweet, and I am sure that the amber would be great on it.  But, as an alternate suggestion and only because I am currently in love with this wood, how about a Pau Ferro neck?  A bit pricier, but it might look good with the colors you have going already.  This perhaps?

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Just a thought.
Patrick

 
That happens to be one of the necks I was looking at, but the one piece swamp ash back is "extra light"; the body weighs just under 4.5 pounds. Based on the weight of the Pau Ferro neck I have on a Strat build, I'm afraid that particular neck would make the build too neck heavy
 
Just pushin' the Warmoth crack...  I put an ebony neck on a basswood strat, and while it is heavy it doesn't seem to dive.  I have to try the heavier necks on a bass for more research info.  More justification for another project.  I just thought that the koa and pau ferro colors would go together nice.
Patrick

 
I don't really think that birdseye will match very well... Or full maple or other full wood... could work also a matching veneer on headstock, but would look the more "good manner"...

I don't think I need to do any comment about the Koa and your lucky  :icon_jokercolor: :icon_thumright:
 
well, "dogs can look up", so I wouldn't doubt it.






+50 to who ever guesses the movie that quote is from.
 
Completely committed to do this as "au natural" as possible; finished the Fender Neck Amber tinting and since I'm going a uncharacteristic satin finish on this I decided to try a new product, the Deft Satin Brushing Lacquer. This stuff seems to rock, you need to buy a high dollar paint brush like a Purdy to minimize brushstrokes, but it flows pretty even. The other trick is extremely thin coats. Will post pic of the satin lacquered body when I get another coat on and it dries.

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Well, this turned out to be the simplest, easiest finish I ever applied to a guitar; will give it to tomorrow for the second coat to dry and buff it out with #800. Would recommend the Deft Satin Brushing lacquer to anyone thinking about doing a satin finish on a guitar, will give me some additional options in winter when I can't go out and spray due to temperature.

To apply; just finish whatever steps you were going to use to fill/color/dye/stain/seal the body, then brush on real light coats of the Deft with a super high quality brush. Looks like two coats will do the trick.

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How Do you make a Hawaiian Zombie Float? :blob7:


(hint: two scoops of vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup diced pineapple, 12 oz. papaya juice....)
 
Got the neck and all the rest of the parts in; the pics above in no way do the neck justice; the figure and coloration on the Brazilian board are nicer than any I've ever held in my hand before, almost like some flaming in the board at the end over the butt; birdseye galore. It's off to the shop to get the logo laser burned in and then I'll finish the build....
 
It keeps getting taken apart; I still haven't made up my mind whether to use that neck with the Brazilian rosewood fretboard, or an identical one with a jet black ebony fretboard.
 
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