Seattle, WA area

[SkuttleFunk]

here's the first 4-string fretless to be birthed of my M-Series model

Koa top on ultra light weight Mahogany body core with contoured heel
Mahogany / acrylized spalted birdseye Maple neck with satin finish
Nordstrand Big Singles pickup set
Passive electronics (optional dual battery boxes for future upgrade potential)
Hipshot Ultralights and Type A alum block bridge

final weight: 7-1/2 pounds  :icon_thumright:

it left my shop this afternoon and headed directly to downtown Seattle where it'll spend the weekend accompanying a 19-piece orchestra in the studio recording a movie soundtrack. the other electric bass for this soundtrack session will be my 5-string M-Series prototype that I'm loaning to the guy who's playing this fretless ... it's an all Regenerate soundtrack weekend here in Seattle  :hello2:

more woody goodness to come late next week  :glasses9:

all the best,

R

 

[Jusatele]

you know, I want a double cutaway body out of that redwood sandwich, symmetrical like the old DC150 Carvin

 

[Nando Vallart]

Ok, if you don't stop I'll have to click on "Report to moderator" OR send the bill of the exotic wood's purchase to you... What do you choose? :icon_biggrin:

 

[SkuttleFunk]

this post of a highly figured Eastern Maple flame top on a Spanish Cedar body core has been moderated by the Brazilian Wood Porn Police in an effort to keep Fernando out of the padded room while he's at work  :icon_jokercolor:

all the best,

R

 

[SkuttleFunk]

strangely, the BWPP somehow missed moderating this post to exclude this image of spalted Western Maple burl

this is a 1-1/2" x 8-1/2" x 24" bookmatched set (2 pieces of this size) that I'll be re-sawing into thinner 3/16" thick top sets for upcoming builds

all the best,

R

 

[AutoBat]

strangely, the BWPP somehow missed moderating this post to exclude this image of spalted Western Maple burl

this is a 1-1/2" x 8-1/2" x 24" bookmatched set (2 pieces of this size) that I'll be re-sawing into thinner 3/16" thick top sets for upcoming builds

all the best,

R

I hope this doesn't upset the Spalted Burl Viking that lives in the wood.

 

[Nando Vallart]

:sad:

 

[SkuttleFunk]

I came to the sad conclusion this afternoon that, given the turn time of the paint shop I use, I'm not going to have this Koa topped M-Series 5-string (seen here with body just rough cut at the bandsaw) ready in time to take with me to the NAMM show next month.  :sad:

still, I will have a couple other basses there at the booth of one of my suppliers

all the best,

R

 

[Nando Vallart]

Lovely!

 

[SkuttleFunk]

the 5-string M-Series from posts 69 & 71 is wrapping up and should make it to NAMM (unless I do something really stupid that can't be fixed tomorrow)

here it is right after oiling the fretboard

the frets are leveled, the neck detailed, electronics wired-up and installed ... this is just in need of the bridge and nut to get instaled (plus some minor things like knobs, string retainer, strap locks, control cover plate, etc ...) so I can give this a set-up and make some noise prior to packing it up for travel to NAMM.

unless there's a snag with entry, this will be hanging at the Hipshot booth (Booth #5737 in Hall B) ... many thanks to Hipshot for their generous offer to hang one of my basses in their booth!!

all the best,

R

 

[Cagey]

That's gorgeous! Makes me wanna play bass! <grin>

 

[Jusatele]

I wood love to come see you next week but unfortunately, this has been the first year in years that I have not been able to score tickets to the namm show. I live about 30 miles from it so usually I can scare up tickets, this year has been real scarce for pickings.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Oh good, that wood porn :sad:

Congrats for this help from Hipshot! Surelly will help you to be seen better

 

[SkuttleFunk]

hey Fernando - more wood porn for you indeed  :icon_thumright:

here's final images of this bass right before I pack it up for NAMM

it's going to be a near sleepless week in Anaheim I suspect. I'm hoping to snag a couple live video clips of several well known bassists showing off their chops

all the best,

R

 

[SkuttleFunk]

and an image of the bass on display in the Hipshot Products booth next to a Spector bass

I wish I had images of the numerous 'big name' players who gave this bass a test drive during the show. feedback from everybody I chatted with (including many custom bass building peers) was very positive. I also appreciated those who took the time to share ideas to consider as potential options for this model.

all the best,

R

 

[AutoBat]

The fifth tuner looks a bit funny upside down.  Fairly sure you can reverse the key on that type of tuner.

 

[SkuttleFunk]

a pair of flatsawn flame Maple neck blanks I scored this week. the larger one is easily wide enough for a 6-string bass, the smaller one will just fit my 5-string headstock

front side

back side

I'm thinking these would look good with a black painted headstock ( ... kidding ... just kidding!  :laughing3: )
all the best,

R

 

[Cagey]

Wow. Those are some nice pieces. I'll bet they weren't just giving those away.

 

[SkuttleFunk]

at $25 more than what I pay for a plain figured flatsawn Maple blank, I wouldn't say that they were too out of line. I'm sure it'd be an entirely different story if I were obtaining these via eBay

all the best,

R

 

[SkuttleFunk]

here's a link to the entire article: http://leftyfretz.com/regenerate-guitar-works-left-handed-custom-bass/#more-3422

all the best,

R