Left Handed Parter Bass

[Eben]

Hi, Brian!

Welcome and good on ya for posting right up!

E

[buzzardsbass]

Hmmm, I thought I knew of all the forums around. I generally frequent Talkbass. I just did a short walkabout and saw the other Builders and Builds. Very cool. Where's Steve? He turned me on to the place. Dang southpaws, always underfoot when you don't need 'em and never around when ya do~!

I was mentioning to Steve in an email that lefty parts are not easy to get and it's a good thing tuners are mostly interchangeable.

I like the grain on that lefty Pbass. Looking for a yellow? A transparent stain would be great with that grain.

[Eben]

He mosies here now and again, I'm sure you'll cross paths!

Glad you found us, we're not your normal mallard, but it's a great bunch of folks!

E

[Dennis Leahy]

Hmmm, I thought I knew of all the forums around. I generally frequent Talkbass.

Well, Brian, before the buzzards start circling, quick create a post and show some of the basses you've made.

Also, we need some perspective from a bass player about acoustic basses, as it seems there are half a dozen of us lined up to build one.

Oh, yeah, welcome!

Dennis

[SteveM]

Ok, after breaking off to fixing some Gibson SG guitars, Glen and I are back at the bass. Last week we put all the hardware on the bass body and neck. Above was the most difficult part - EXACT placement of the Bass Bridge. This is an official Fender 4 string "Antiquie Bass Bridge" for a Precision or Jazz bass. The placement was done using the following:

1. A bass diagram made to scale.
2. Masking tape to place at exact 0 deg and 90 deg angles from the end of the neck and between the neck sides using a ruler.
3. A protractor.

By measuring the diagram we got the placement from the bottom end of the bass in inches 1.25". Then we checked the standard bass lenth of 34" from nut down to the E string saddle on the bridge (for left handed of course) and it all lined up (top to bottom). Finally we marked the masking tape left to right using the ruler from the neck sides and doublechecked all angles with a protractor to acquire the exact 90 deg crossreference between the vertical and horizontal markings. We hit the bullseye on the first set of measurements, BUT double checked it all again to make sure.

[SteveM]

After positioning all the metal parts we drill the hole for the grounding cable from the base of the bridge to the control cavity. The angle is tricky so it is important to measure and position several times to get it right the first time.

[SteveM]

After putting on the wood filler then we went onto putting on layer upon layer of white primer. In between each step we sanded again and again until the body was as "smooth as glass" each time. We used the spray can sitting on the paint bench and cut into the thick paint with water. Again since we met once a week so this phase lasted several weeks.

[the Padma]

Yo Steve,
boy do that bass you buildin bring back memmories...
Did mine about 25 years back...fretless... one piece maple neck, no fret board with the nut being a 1/16" narrower than a Jazz bass nut, she be a very fast neck...the natural oil fininsh turned into a yellowish ocher patina over the years.
Still plugs it in once in a while
Never gonna sell her.

Bet that bannana yellow gonna shine real pritty.

blessings
the
Padma