Scratch Bass Build

[dmraco]

MMMMM....Mahogany.  It smells so good!

I will be cursing off 5 inch slabs of this to serve as the wings.  What I have left over I will use as a center block for another build.

 

[bagman67]

That's a handsome slab.  And it is of course always fun to watch you work your way through a project.  Your practical approach to problem solving is encouraging to the rest of us duffers.

When you find yourself headed into another project, I happen to have a one-piece 14"x 21" (approx) mahogany blank that's already thickness-sanded to 1.75".  It has a nice swervy figure to it. Let me know if you're interested.  It's the lower photo in this post:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=22549.msg334447#msg334447

 

[dmraco]

When you find yourself headed into another project, I happen to have a one-piece 14"x 21" (approx) mahogany blank that's already thickness-sanded to 1.75".  It has a nice swervy figure to it. Let me know if you're interested.  It's the lower photo in this post:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=22549.msg334447#msg334447

That is nice.  I would hate to have cut that up for this.  Maybe for a one piece build.

How much shipped to Philadelphia?  PM me.

 

[dmraco]

The wood is planed and mocked up.  Time to glue.  I really like the color contrast.  The Roasted maple is almost the exact color as the mahogany.

After a night in the clamps I will trace the body and cut.

 

[dmraco]

Rough cut.  I added some wings on the side of the neck.  My son wanted to have the neck set like the LP Jr. guitars and that leaves very little material around the neck joint.  This was a compromise.  I will shape the so they are not obtrusive.  I think it looks great so far.  Now to the sander to finish shaping.

 

[dmraco]

Starting to take shape.  I still need to shape the horns a bit, round the edges on the entire body, route the PU and control cavities.

The pick guard will be a piece of purple heart and all controls will be mounted to it.

 

 

[Hendrix]

The wood is planed and mocked up.  Time to glue.  I really like the color contrast.  The Roasted maple is almost the exact color as the mahogany.

After a night in the clamps I will trace the body and cut.

nice  :cool01: where did you buy Roasted maple and other wood ?

 

[dmraco]

The wood is planed and mocked up.  Time to glue.  I really like the color contrast.  The Roasted maple is almost the exact color as the mahogany.

After a night in the clamps I will trace the body and cut.

nice  :cool01: where did you buy Roasted maple and other wood ?

Sorry if I was not clear.  The neck is roasted maple.  the other wood I got on eBay.

 

[mayfly]

It's looking like a Peavey T40!!  ccasion14:


... and I don't mean that in a bad way  :headbang:

 

[DangerousR6]

Very cool... :headbang1:

 

[rgand]

This is looking great.  :icon_thumright:

 

[dmraco]

Lots of poly needed to be sanded and buffed.

 

[dmraco]

I had some areas I did not like to I sanded and cleared again.  I have to wait 72 hours till final buff.

The woods really play well together. 

 

[Cagey]

Lookin' sharp!

 

[dmraco]

Lookin' sharp!

Thanks Cagey.  I figured I would ask you your best thoughts on polishing poly.  In the past I have treated like nitro but it usually is only about 95% as good.  Have you used poly and what method did you use?

 

[DangerousR6]

Very cool Dave.... :headbang1:

Kinda reminds me of the Kramers of yore..

 

[Cagey]

Thanks Cagey.  I figured I would ask you your best thoughts on polishing poly.  In the past I have treated like nitro but it usually is only about 95% as good.  Have you used poly and what method did you use?

Not on guitars. Used to use catalyzed poly on cars years ago, and it didn't need buffing/polishing. Came out looking like wet glass, and stayed that way. I don't have a good place to shoot it anymore, so I use nitro.

Now that I think about it, I did shoot a couple guitars with it along with the cars. One was a '58 Tele, and the other was a '61 Melody Maker. Sounds foolish now, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. They weren't "vintage" back then, they were just old and in need of finishing. Never gave it a second thought.

 

[dmraco]

This came out very good.  I ALMOST could leave it be.  As you can see by the reflection there are a few waves.  It may improve as it drys.  I have polished before but a few ultra fine scratches remain.  I may let this cure a bit longer and try to decrease the wheel speed and pressure on this attempt.

 

[Cagey]

Poly's not as heat-sensitive as lacquer, but slowing down the buffer certainly won't hurt anything. Might stretch your time out, but probably not so much that it'd be a problem. It does almost look like you could leave it. I can't tell from here if what I'm seeing is orange peel or underlying surface prep. I think I see join lines, which isn't unusual - different densities of wood are tough to level. One wants to sand faster than the other.

 

[dmraco]

the wood levels are the same.  It took forever and a day to get it right.  Sanding purple heart is like sanding Granite, especially when the wood next to it is basswood!

There is a slight wave if you look at the reflection, or that could be because it was still wet.  I am going to let it sit thru Monday and evaluate from  there.  I guess I have to accept if I sand I will NEVER get that untouched poly shine.