Hello wood working gurus! I’m a woodworking neophyte and would like to do a project with my Dad- I’ve built lots of parts instruments, so hoping that a bass body won’t be too hard= Long scale, 34 inch bolt on- Buying everything except the body
I could use input on a wide range of topics- Concept follows and totally open to ideas!
1. Wood- I have a eucaliptus trunk that has been drying for a few years and would like to cut into planks, join and make a bass body from it and wonder if this makes sense?
a. Eucalyptus Trunk is roughly 12’ long * 5”circumfrance
b. Cut into strips
i. Maybe 2”*2”*2’
ii. End up with a solid hunk of wood that is 2 inches thick
iii. Band saw shape and rout as if we were making a solid body
iv. My Dad has a lot of joining and non-guitar woodworking experience
v. Does this make sense so far?
2. Design-I understand that eucalyptus has great tone, but is very heavy, so we were thinking
a. Bass sized, L5 shape with a flat top (would look something like a Rumblecat)
b. Rout out the wings from the backside
c. Keep the complete center section from neck pocket to end pin intact to support neck, bridge, pups
d. Will end up with 2 symmetrical, routed sections on either side of the center
i. Bevel those edges and cover with plastic covers that are significantly larger than the average back plates
e. Does this make sense?
3. What would it Sound like?
a. Technically it won’t be a hallow body, but I image it will have more thump and less sustain- like a chambered electric?
b. I imagine eucalyptus is bright
c. I imagine that this design might do well with 3 passive pups
i. Neck mini-humbucker, maybe get a somewhat thin thump similar to a 60s hollow body
1. The size would be nice
2. Or alternatively, a big Gibson EB3 L neck pickup that would be less bright?
ii. Pbass center, normal placement for somewhat traditional Pbass thick sound
1. I’m a jbass nut and could imagine J pup in the center could work- But trying to make up for the ‘hollow’ nature and image the pbass pup would be the only ‘heavy bottom’ pup
iii. Jbass bridge pup-
1. As I said, I’m a J nut and Joco rules, but if eucalyptus is bright, this might be rather bright
iv. Probably a standard Jbass bridge
v. 3 vol and master tone
vi. Will probably go with a 5 position blade
1. Jbass bridge
2. Jbass + Pbass
3. Pbass
4. Pbass + Neck
5. Neck
d. Does this make sense and what would it probably sound like?
4. Questions
a. Appreciate feedback on all question above
b. How deep should we rout the wings?
i. Leave ¼ inch of top?
ii. Is this strong enough and the top isn’t really acoustic, so no reason to go thinner? Any reason to go thicker
c. Controls- Would have to route controls sections much farther to allow pots and switches to make it through the top- I guess these are standard thickness, and we are depending on the strength of the rest of the top to keep control cavities from collapsing
d. How wide should the sides be?
i. I image that we would route the wing cavities to leave ½ sides?
ii. Would this be strong enough, considering that the center section will be solid?
e. Ideas on a free design app?
i. Google markup?
ii. Something better?
Appreciate any additional ideas, thoughts-
|
