What's on your workbench?

[Omzig]

Dam i need to start logging my build processes again......

Decided to start building some of my own designs, this one is a 32" headless 5 BM Zebra top on a one piece Idigbo body, mohog neck,Xylia fretboard with green side LED's?markers (the Zebra cap is to cover the neck bolts) atm it's going to have a Peavey VFL +EMG preamp (i might pop a SC in the neck postion)

 

[Asdrael]

More progress. Maybe for next build i will do a pic story.



Joint is nice and tight. Since then I routed the control cavity too. I need to make sure where my intonation line will be before I route for pickups and bridge now. Then it will just be the finishing stretch (and fretwork).

 

[Soya]

Well I'll call this one finished up. Setup still kinda sucks but it's my first bass and I don't know what I'm doing heh. After this pile of problems I think it's time for a building break.

 

[CanserDYI]

Well I'll call this one finished up. Setup still kinda sucks but it's my first bass and I don't know what I'm doing heh. After this pile of problems I think it's time for a building break.

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What sort of problems are you running into?

 

[Soya]

Oh man, countless. Whole build felt like 2 steps forward and 1 step back, probably spent more time fixing stuff than actually building. Had to shim the neck pocket, headpiece didn't turn out very nice, routing problems with the super soft body wood, fit on the cavity cover sucks, stain isn't as even as I wanted, spray can for clear coat had an issue and the whole body has a speckled texture now.

 

[Omzig]

Oh man, countless. Whole build felt like 2 steps forward and 1 step back, probably spent more time fixing stuff than actually building. Had to shim the neck pocket, headpiece didn't turn out very nice, routing problems with the super soft body wood, fit on the cavity cover sucks, stain isn't as even as I wanted, spray can for clear coat had an issue and the whole body has a speckled texture now.

Ive had this with a fair few builds in the past and it can be soul destroying (still get little niggly things pop up on every build) but i found that taking a break just caused me to make the same mistake over again!
what i do now is keep 2 note books and when i mess something up i write it down in the "fucked it up book" & when somthing works out great i also note that down in the "Nailed it" book, reviewing both these books from time to time or before a new build has stopped me repeating the same misteps again and again.

Id say keep an it and try to not let it get you down.

 

[Soya]

That's a good idea with the books, it may have been too long since my last build to keep from making the simple mistakes.

 

[CanserDYI]

Finished, insane ground hum somewhere but not dealing with that right now.

So happy with the result, first finish I've done that looks semi-factory.

 

[Grindspine]

A coworker was given a Tobias "Toby" Standard IV for her daughter. When she showed it to me, I commented that the action was pretty high, so she asked me to do a cleaning and setup on it. After a touch of relief, conditioning the fretboard, wiping the dust and sweat stains off the finish, and intonating, it played pretty damn well for a passive import 4 stringer.

She was even nice enough to pay for my guitar tech work. It kinda makes me miss my old guitar tech job.

 

[Asdrael]

Last stretch: some holes and routing, then finishing the fretwork then doing the stain and hardwax finish. Looking decent so far.

 

[Berger]

getting there

 

[Omzig]

Changed the bridge on my "fuck it mod it" J&D strat, this thing was dirt cheap £130 new and has a single piece swamp ash body hardware was a bit trash and has been changed a few times for tester parts

I got this Guyker 2 piont trem off Amazon for £46....it's crazy well made and really soild heavy base plate and a massive brass block + steel saddles, came with 2 sets of coated springs (high/low tenstion) super smooth action & comes back to tune bang on,really impressive unit id be happy with it at twice the cost

 

[Berger]

getting closer, and first try dying a burst

 

[cip 123]

getting closer, and first try dying a burst

Looking fantastic, well done on the burst!

 

[lost_horizon]

Fitting some Kent Armstrong USA noiseless P90 pickups into my pickup mule (with a dimarzio Virtual Solo in the middle) these are super angular so fit fine in the pickguard but if you have rounded corners they won't fit.



Hacking with a Dremel 10 mins later


Worst job ever!! Lucky I have another pickguard but will just neaten this one up later.

 

[Asdrael]

getting closer, and first try dying a burst

Honestly looks good, even if it were not your first. Seeing the streaks in the raw wood a few posts before I really think you did a good job working around those. What finishing technique will you use?

 

[Berger]

Honestly looks good, even if it were not your first. Seeing the streaks in the raw wood a few posts before I really think you did a good job working around those. What finishing technique will you use?

I am going to use tung oil. just dont have the ability to do a spray finish at this time with the rainy weather we have been having.

Also thanks for the kind words!

 

[ChAoZ]

Elm burl on Elm core,

 

[Asdrael]

I am going to use tung oil. just dont have the ability to do a spray finish at this time with the rainy weather we have been having.

Also thanks for the kind words!

Don't overlook hard wax finishes, I have been running some tests with Osmo Polyx stuff and it seems as easy to apply as Tru Oil but you only need 2 to 3 coat and yet have better protection. So far, looks great and works as advertised.

 

[Omzig]

Just getting over having Covid (just out of wack for 3 weeks this time not 8 weeks like the first time i got it...) & as the Sun is now out and temps are up in the UK (finally) i decided to surf green a strat body i had kicking around & 2K clear my RG HS body that i had to strip & respray last year because the clear id used would just not cure...hope this batch of cans is better (time i got a gun setup and ditched the rattle cans. i think...)