LeftyBassist 4-string bass build

[andrew]

Hi, Rod,
I do care about it
I think it is a little bit straight,it brake the general curve of the body,perhaps it will be better to follow it ?

Cheers

André

+1.

[Basshappi]

Rod that looks amazing so far, I am in total lust!

[lefty68]

Hi Rod,
Is it in stand by for the moment ?
Cheers
André

[Rodent]

not intentionally ... just day-job work, real estate agents bringing clients thru our house, and two builds that are presently wrapping up so I can deliver them to their new owners (one ships on next Monday, the other hopefully late that same week)

I want to have the added time to document what I'm doing so everyone can see the progress steps. this has kept me from taking advantage of small time windows I could have used to progress this build

look for more progress on the neck build late this week.

you'll see more on the body when I finish prototyping a control cavity coverplate that secures with magnets instead of screws. I'm currently working thru the design process that enables pressure in a key point to pop the cover ... it's down to finessing the where and how much relief part before I can proceed

all the best,

R

[andrew]

How goes the build guys? Is this officially turning into Lefty68's next bass?

[lefty68]

How goes the build guys? Is this officially turning into Lefty68's next bass?

Hi Andrew
I wish it could,i'm still saving some funds to buy it,but i think Rod is a bit busy at this moment,
So i'm waiting desperately for some news everyday here

Cheers
André

[Rodent]

ya, sorry ... I've been slammed by work the past couple of weeks (business travel, meetings, and family visiting from out of state) and when I've had opportunity to get out to the shop I've had to vacate our home for real estate showings.

I really, really, really am hoping to get the neck started this weekend. I'm going crazy not getting to spend any shop time

all the best,

R

[lefty68]

I really, really, really am hoping to get the neck started this weekend.
all the best,

R

Yesss ,yesss,yesss!!!
You know Rod,it is soon my Birthday !!!!

[Rodent]

I can make progress with a 2 hour window, as I need to route and epoxy the two graphite stiffening bars into place. they need a full 24 hours of cure time before I route the trussrod channel

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

graphite stiffening bars installed yesterday and trussrod channel routed tonight. it's looking like I have time to rough cut the neck tomorrow

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

no time to get the neck roughed today, but I did get the fretboard slotted. due to day-job activities, I won't be back in the shop for 10-12 days






(note: these two images are displayed at differing scales - the fretboard does really fit properly to the neck blank )

all the best,

R

[lefty68]

this fretboard is simply ssssssplenndid !!!!

Cheers
André

[andrew]

Wow, that's a lotta birdseye!!

Have fun in Philly Rod.

[Rodent]

just got back from a l-o-n-g business trip to Philadelphia, and I'm definitely looking forward to taking some build time out in the shop this week

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

I had time this morning to detail the headstock and heel outlines - details of this activity are in the neck construction thread.

Here's the first official test fit of the neck shaft and body



still quite a bit of work to do on the neck before it's ready, but I'm relieved to finally have some time to get back out in the shop again ... sanity is slowly returning

all the best,

R

[lefty68]

I 've been pleasantly surprised at every steps of the construction of this bass, but the more it advances, the more i think i will need waterproof keyboard!!!!
I simply can not close the mouth!!!

Cheers
André

[Rodent]

I'm working on expanding the control cavity to accommodate a different control pattern that will flow more with the body. In doing so I got to rethinking the use of Cherry for the cover material. The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that the Cherry grain pattern will be totally different causing it to look like the cavity cover was just an after thought. So ...

What to you guys think of utilizing a dark wood like Black Walnut instead? The Walnut would tie in nicely with the Wenge accent veneers, and it would look like the cover was intended to be a different wood material from the first thought. Here's a quick snapshot of Cherry and Walnut together



Opinions anyone?

p.s. If you look closely you can also see the significantly larger control cover outline traced onto the body. This will be held into place with three rare earth magnets, and feature a depression in the cover plate so that a solid push on the cover will allow it to pop open

all the best,

R

[lefty68]

Why not,if a matching cover is not possible,i think it is a good idea to accentuate the difference,so using Black walnut,is not a bad idea at all!!
I do not find it annoying, and it adds a touch of originality
For me it is a total go go go!!

[andrew]

Yes, if the wood you use for the cover matches an accent wood it will tie it all together nicely.

[Rodent]

Progress as of this morning, when I removed the clamps that held the fretboard in place overnight while the glue was drying. I just had to see how the fretboard was going to look against the body, and I'm quite pleased to say the least



I'll trim the excess fretboard material away before radiusing the fretboard and thicknessing the headstock. Things need some drying time before I can do that, so I most likely won't progress the neck any further until the weekend

all the best,

R