Yesterday I had left a combination of wood glued onto the top horn of my bass, and wrote about the uncertainty I had attempting this technique. No practice run, with real bullets on my first try. The sequence of Maple veneer, Mascassar Ebony, Maple Veneer was shaped this morning and too my surprise it came out better than expected. I’ve attached the second eye that will cover the input jack, and with any luck it will come out like the first. Over the next few days I’ll be reassembling the body and scraping, sanding, and planing. The Bolivian Rosewood fret board has been stickered and weighted down to assume a flat plane. I’ve come along way, but still have along way to go.

Walking around my bench more times than I remember puzzling over one of the coolest touches I’ve seen on a bass guitar. The “Cat’s Eye”, something I’ve only seen on basses made by Carl Thompson. I’m almost sure he invented this trick and if not the technique the name for sure. Unfortunately I hadn’t seen a cats eye until I had already begun shaping my bass and just in my general knowledge of woodworking, this is something that should be done before the rasp even comes out. I’m working a few steps backwards here but, I’m not worried. I can live with some of the imperfections here in this first bass. If I’m careful they will serve as reminders later on.

-Inscription on the face frets of an Elizabethan lute

I have a strong suspicion that I’m apart of a vast group of amateur luthiers who pay a daily tribute to the work of William R. Cumpiano & Jonathan D. Natelson. This book which has been accurately categorized as the “Bible of the craft” by none other than C.F. Martin IV, takes an eager mind through every aspect of guitar making one can imagine. It’s safe to assume that many who take up guitar making have some sort of back ground in furniture or cabinet making, and understand grain direction and how to look for a plank that has been quarter sawn from one that is flat sawn. Even if I’m wrong on this, Cumpiano & Natelson throughly explain how to seek out such planks. The book begins with some ideas on the tools you’ll need and some work bench appliances you can build that you will use throughout the project. From here you move through every stage, including finger tapping for tone, building and carving the neck, hand planing the sound board to the correct thickness, making and cutting rosettes, fret work, and the finish. There is much I left out, but hopefully you can get a picture of how complete this book is.

The two guitars being built for the book was steel string,and a classical. How do I find tips on building my Bass from a book like this? The chapter on making and installing a truss rod is one example I’m using now. I could buy truss rod, and a super special router bit that is only for cutting the slot for the truss rod I just bought, all this for about $40 plus shipping/handling. Or I can go buy a piece of 3/16 for about $12. You know the same place that will sell me that truss rod and bit will also make me a pre-slotted, pre-radiused fret board in ebony for about $45! While I’m at it why don’t I just scrap what I’ve poured my soul into and buy a guitar kit! That might work for some people but I’d rather spend my money on some more tools, and rest at night knowing I made this Bass. I use handtools where I can, and believe in making something as far away from a production/factory setting as possible. This idea too was something that I had, and after reading this book I was amazed at how unwavering this thought had become. If you own a copy of this amazing book then by know you’ve already seen the quote up above.

So now the bass has been prepped for a neck through design. I’m venturing out of the traditional maple neck and using, an African hardwood known as Padauk. This plank was purchased from my local guild for $23! It’s a very straight and perfectly quartersawn. I’ve taken the extra precaution and laminated two strips of quartersawn hard maple. The padauk neck has been in clamps for a little more than 24 hrs. I’m going to allow a full 72 hours to make sure all the glue has fully cured. The plan for the back of the neck is an inlay of Macassar Ebony and Mahogany. Looks like the Nicholson files will be back out very soon.

Now for those of you that had commented on following my original blog, Ive sent you private messages letting you know of the existence of this new blog, and so you know I didnt abandon ship, nor do I plan too. Here it is, up to date. Thanks for reading, comments always welcome.
John A. Thomas
www.the7thfret.wordpress.com

Here in the South we have a saying about Prior Planning, and what will happen if you don’t do it. The Bass that initiated the creation of this blog is shelved. Forever. This entire project so far has been filled with lessons on patience and how to elevate and adhere to highest standard as a craftsman I’ve ever been. The flaw in the walnut bass began with the book match. The neck pocket should center on the seam of the book match. While this wouldn’t hinder the function, it’s aesthetically offensive to me. The profile had its highs and lows (literally) and I was never content with its final design. Eager to begin, I rushed through the planning stage and once that realization took hold I knew I couldn’t go forward.

Moving forward my enthusiasm for another go at making a bass guitar is unmatched by no other project I’ve ever completed over the last 18 years. So far this week I’ve spent my off time sketching body profiles, planning some shop made jigs to aid me, and preparing templates. One thing I quickly learned is drawing a guitar to scale isn’t as easy as one might think. Since most guitar bodies are continuous curves, the angles and radius must be carefully planned to create the shape I’m after. I’m not out trying to reinvent the wheel, but I’m somewhere in-between. I’m taking cues from modern bass guitar, but not to the extreme. I may venture down the road of a traditional style bass later on, but for now the Jazz, and Precision styles will have to wait. I’ve somewhat developed a drafting plan that works for me. It maybe the long way around but until I find some software, or come up with something else, I will use this method.

I started out with regular 1/4 , 8 1/2″ x 11″ graph paper, and made a “master template.” This template displays a rectangle box that measures 14″ x 21″. I scale the 1/4″ graph blocks to represent one inch. I chose the dimensions of the rectangle after seeing a consistent number of body blanks sold using these measurements. My next step was to scour the internet for body styles I liked, and mix and match until I had something I liked. I’m taking my time on this, and as I mentioned before, I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but I do want to make whatever I come up my own. I’m planning about 4 different styles and will pick one from this group. I may mix these styles up and create something else who knows? The idea here is build an instrument that I love to play and look upon for many years. The orignal walnut bass will not be thrown out, or burned, but will be fashioned into a clock I believe. I need one in my shop anyway.

Since my last post, I thickness planed the peghead down to just under 5/8″. I’ll build it back up some with the headstock veneer, but this component has to be thinned to allow for the tuning machines to be installed. After much debate I settled on making a few pieces of walnut veneer to match up with the body. Splash but no clash. I had previously intended on using zebrawood, until a friend brought me to my senses. The zebrawood will have to wait for another bass down the road. What you see here is the “ears” being glued to the sides of the peghead. I miss no opportunity to add inlays and interesting details not found in factory made guitars. Once the ear work has cured, Ill plane it flush, then apply the veneer. The veneer will cover the entire top face of the peghead, but once the profile has been cut out, and after a little work with the files, the inlay will shine just enough.

…A delicate taper, multiple layers and precise dimensions=a standard guitar neck. With this being my first, the true test can’t be conducted until I’ve strung this puppy up, which will be once I’ve invested in pick-ups, wood for the finger board, and cut fret slots. I remind myself that I’m making considerably awesome time on making a string instrument that were just planks in a lumber yard barely a week ago. So now I must admit the first two attempts at a neck failed. Third time right? It’ll have to be. I learned a few things on the first attempts, and feel better about the third neck. The scarf joint is a true 15 degrees, and isn’t quick, and certainly isn’t simple. Luckily there are some great books on this, and of course plenty of advice online.

The scarf joint being a true 15 degrees is tricky to cut, tricky to glue. Tricky if you havent read “Guitar Making-Tradidtion & Technology” by William R. Cumpiano & Jonathan D. Natelson. In this treasure of a read, there is great detail on how to cut and successfully glue this joint together. The joint is made true with a block plane and checked frequently with a straightedge.

The next best test is a dry fit to see if your straightedge is really straight and if the joint closes properly. Now here is where the book really comes in handy, how to glue this awkward joint flat and square. I placed the neck blank on its side on top of a piece of scrap granite. I clamped the neck to the granite then checked for square, making sure the neck was 90 degrees on edge from the surface of the granite.

Then using a few small clamps I glue and clamp the peg head onto the neck. Here great care in spreading the glue is observed, because of this is like an elongated end grain to end grain joint. I applied a liberal amount of glue and kind of pushed it into the pores of the wood. It will end there anyway so why not help it along. Then add a little more glue, align the peghead to the neck. I used the mahogany inlay to help in alignment. Now it’s time to wait for the glue to cure….

I’m not into production work, and to me the phrase, ”one-at-a-time” means exactly that. Taking the time with hand tools means closer examination of the material, and the discovery of perfections, and imperfections. Machines certainly have a place, they are great for dimensioning wood from rough to usable, but nothing is quite like the human element of hand tools. However, dimensioning rough lumber with strictly the use of hand tools is draining, and time consuming. In my shop, hand tools are saved for the final touches, and used for more delicate matters. While physically I do only work on one piece at a time, cabinet, box, or a bass guitar, I’m still planning the next one.

I’m entering even more into unknown with construction of the neck. The margin for error here is smaller than a cabinet or piece of furniture. I’m using ribbon striped mahogany, with a couple of strips of cherry for looks and added strength. Each glue surface was carefully planed, and made flat, a little insurance for the unknown factors. I’m basing a lot of dimensions on Carl Thompson basses, he knows a thing or two about making bass guitars. Check out his site and see who plays his basses- http://www.ctbasses.com/

With the body profile cut free from the waste, I began shaping the edges to reveal the contrast between the mahogany & walnut. I sketched some lines directly on the guitar body to guide me along.

The mahogany core blank was removed from the clamps this morning and flattened and smoothed via a jack plane and a card scraper. The walnut back and face plates were edge joined also with the jack plane and now its time for the race against quick-setting strong adhesives. This is the body, that doesn’t look like a guitar body yet but pending a successful glue up we’ll see something that resembles a guitar in the next 48 hours.

This is how it begins…I’ve selected the mahogany, and the top plate of walnut. Today I spent the afternoon resawing, and jointing and general prep work necessary for a successful glue up. I found a piece of walnut with the most figure out of the stack I had to choose from. One of the most exciting moments in woodworking for me is opening up a freshly resawn plank. This piece of walnut once open showed the years of strain and struggle as a branch was extending from the trunk, just another mouth to feed in other words. I’m excited about the wood I’ve prepared, and with the mahogany currently in clamps, I’m off to a good start.

This is the first of hopefully many posts about making bass guitars. I’ve decided to provided insight on the purpose of this journey on the “about” page. My first bass is a 4 string, with a Honduras mahogany core, and a walnut top. The finger board is wenge, followed by a headstock veneer of either walnut, or zebra wood. The work will be done as I can get to it, so day 1 to-day 2 might be a week apart, hopefully not but just so you know. Happy Thumping!

For those of you who wanted to follow this blog, Im updating it from my main blog on wordpress. This project has taught me a great deal, and Im eager to share my journey. The failures, complete changes in my methods, and sucesses, each provide a glimpse of just how different luthierie is from building cabinets and furniture. The post below, “Kill the Treble” was the first from my blog www.the7thfret.wordpress.com

Kill the Treble February 28, 2012
This is the first of hopefully many posts about making bass guitars. I’ve decided to provided insight on the purpose of this journey on the “about” page. My first bass is a 4 string, with a Honduras mahogany core, and a walnut top. The finger board is wenge, followed by a headstock veneer of either walnut, or zebra wood. The work will be done as I can get to it, so day 1 to-day 2 might be a week apart, hopefully not but just so you know. Happy Thumping!