My first Warmoth: Fretless JB, ebony/ebony with chambered walnut

[Rens]

Hi everybody.

Two years ago I ordered a showcase fretless JB neck, all ebony. And now the time has come to finish what I started.

Yesterday I ordered a custom 'J'. I decided to go 'purist' with chambered walnut and a figured walnut unique choice laminate top. I'm fitting it with Nordstrand DC's and a Mike Pope Flexcore. All black hardware, hipshot ultralite's, Badass 2. Everything is ordered, so now I have to wait 2-3 months unntil it all arrives in the Netherlands.
I've designed the bass to match my 'naked' Fender JB '78 (maple neck, swamp ash body, clear gloss, no pickguard, all chrome hardware) and to be it's dark counterpart.

I couldn't help myself and had to make a visual in Photoshop...so check the image below. My soon to be fretless all ebony neck, chambered walnut body...I'm so excited....I just can't hide it!  :hello2:

 

[croquet hoop]

Oddly enough, I dig the metal plate without pickguard. This is going to look sharp!

 

[bagman67]

Congtratulations.  The wait will be killer, but worth it.  She's going to be a beautiful girl.

 

[stratamania]

I just can't hide it... I like it.

Heel mooi...

 

[Rens]

Thanks guys.
Received the first package yesterday, a black badass2 bridge. Unfortunately Leo Quan seems to be out of business, so I'm glad to have been able to obtain one.

A year ago I moved to a new adress and in the chaos of moving all my stuff somebody dropped the ebony neck  :sadit wasn't me!) head down on the street. Lucky enough, the guy could catch it, and thank god the fingerboard is still unscratched, but some splinters chopped off the top of the head.
I've been able to find a luthier nearby who can fix it and I'll be visiting him somewhere soon. Check the pics for the bridge and the damage to the head.
I'll also post some pics of the head after it's repaired.

So...I'll keep you posted!

 

[klangster]

That is going to look sweet. I think you should be able to hide those little chips on the headstock pretty well ebony is forgiving like that. Speaking of ebony I have never encountered an all ebony neck what is the sound characteristic supposed to be?will it be brighter than maple, or about the same? I am sure it feels awesome.

 

[Rens]

That's what I like about this build.  I've never seen a combination like this before, so it's really something new (and exciting!).
A luthier I know expected the ebony neck to sound clear but warm, not quite as harsh as maple. Walnut is kind of clear too, so I think the natural sound of the bass will be clear, but not thin. The combination of the chambered walnut with the ebony should be stiff but resonant and sustain for ages (but of course this is all speculation). The Nordstrand DC's wound for series are also a kind if mystery sound-wise, since everybody seems to be opting for the 'wound for parallel' version. The DC 'series' seem to sound less scooped and have warmer mids, which to me seemed great for this build.
I will be posting sound clips/video when the bass is finished, to showcase both the woods and the pup's.

 

[Doner Designs]

Very nice!  I was tempted to go with walnut for my recent project but ended up with mahogany and a birdseye top - trying to manage the cost a bit (though it still cost a small fortune).  I do love the walnut however and ended up putting a figured walnut pickguard on the 72P I just finished.

 

[Rens]

That's looking really nice. That pickguard rocks, beveled edge and all. I'm really anxious to see how the walnut top is going to look with the gloss lacquer.

 

[Rens]

Much sooner than expected (5 weeks after ordering) I got my package from Warmoth and....it's an amazing looking body! I even has this flamed glow which I didn't expect at all.
Today I put copper foil in the control cavity and installed the bridge. Within the next week I'll receive the pu's and electronics and I have to wait a week to get my neckplate engraved so...in about two weeks this axe will be ready to go!  :blob7:

 

[SlartiBartfast]

That is a beauty! Well done.

 

[DocNrock]

That's going to be a sharp bass!

 

[Rens]

Today I fixed a problem with the holes in my headstock, described in  this thread: http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=24391.0. Then I toook my damaged headstock (described earlier in this thread) to a luthier for repair, it will be ready in a week.
Then I took a drill and drilled some holes in this beautiful body just to mess everything up....no just kidding, to install the strap holders. I tried to position them similar to my vintage Fender Jazz Bass and I did a nice job (I think).

 

[Rens]

And she's finished...and she's great...better than expected...and plays like a dream...and sounds even better! I'm a happy man!

 

[stratamania]

Nice job, it looks elegant  :icon_thumright:

 

[DangerousR6]

That's bad ass... :guitarplayer2: