Update!!! 6/7/2010

Well I was able to get some good work done yesterday, on the Koa Top TBM-4 neck. I am going with a Wal style headstock where it is a 2+2 with a Fender style drop down headstock. As you can see in the pictures I have used my Safty Planer to do most of the work and this is the first time using it on a neck and it worked great. Also I used the same planner for the back of the neck to taper it from the nut to the heel making it thinner at the nut and getting thicker towards the heel. Once I got that done I started on rounding the back of the neck and I got that done. The only thing left to do to the neck is clean the back of the headstock wher it transissions to the neck and give it a final sanding. I almost forgot I have to radius the f-board and add the side marker dots and drill the tunner holes. Take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think.

Play On!

6/2/2010 Update!!!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! I was not able to work on the Koa top TBM-4 but I was able to work on the design of my first guitar model (no name). I also got the Mahogany body blank for my new guitar. The Guitar will have an all Mahogany body and neck with a rosewood f-board, chrome hardware with a tunomatic style bridge with tail stop. It will be a simple set-up guitar 1 volume knob and 1 tone knob with a 3 way pick up selector switch. I have not deceided which pick ups I want to go with yet P-90's or Humbuckers. This guitar is going to be all about bare bones simple and to the point. It will have a pick guard and black speed knobs. I will continue to work on getting this guitar ready then built. As you can see in the picture it is going to be a single cut design. The template is a shout from the back of the guitar or a left hand version because the other side of the template has so many lines on it you would not know what you were looking at. Let me know your thought on the new design.

As in my last post I had mentioned my router went out on me but it is magically working again and I am happy about this now I can continue to work on the Koa top bass. Until next time, Play On!

Update!!! 5/25/2010

Koa Top TBM-4: This week I was able to get the Truss Rode epoxied into the neck along with the f-board glued on. I also was able to get the neck pocket shem shaped and ready to be glued in. I did it out of Figured Myrtle and I think it will give a nice contrast. That is all this week. Next week I hope to get the f-board radiused along with the back of the neck and the headstock recessed.

I am also starting the scetches for the Guitar I am wanting to build and offer. It will be a semi hollowbody with a mahogany neck rosewood f-board and a mahogany or Poplar body. I have the body shape "I think" complete. I will need to cut it out and see. I am also considering shaping the top like an Archtop. It should be cool! I am going for a guitar when playing the neck pup it will be able to get that fat Jazz tone and when playing the bridge pup I nice dirty rock tone ala Jake White. I will post pic once I feel it is a good rendering of what I want in the end.

Until next time, Play On!

Update 5/17/2010!!!

Well this week I got some more work done on the TBM-4. I was able to get the neck surfaced down to the final thickness and straight as an arrow. I also got the truss rode c hannle cut along with slotting the f-board frett slots. Durring the truss rode routing my router started shooting flames out the top. The router still works but it want turn off so I think it is time to get a new one. I can't be to made because I have been using this router for 8 or 9 years now but still who wants to spend $300 on something. Anyway enough crying.

UPDATE!!!

Nothing to show this week. It being Mothers Day I was not able to get an work done. That was OK with me becaue I got to see everyone but I did not get to spend as much time as I would have liked with my Wife who had her first Mothers Day this year.

I did get the parts I needed in to continue working on the current bass and also I can start on my first guitar and I will be doing another MG-1 model as well. Well I hope to work on the bass this week, so until then Play On!

5/3/2010 UPDATE!!!!

I was able to get some work done on the Koa Top TBM bass this weekend. I was able to get the neck pocket routed out and it fits like a glove. I will have to make a peace of wood to go in the pocket to build it back up, so the neck will not sit to deep in the pocket. I also got the f-board milled down to final thickness and I am ready to start the fret slots. This is about all I was able to do this week because I need to get more parts in to move forward. I was able to order everything today to finish the bass and I hope to have everything by this weekend so I can get somemore work done. You will also see a picture of the TBM template for a five or more string bass body. Well I hope you like what you see and until next time. Play On!

4/12/2010 Update!!! It is about time!

Wow it has been a month since I have got to work on anything new. I did get some good work done yesterday and I am happy with the progress. I got the neck cut out and ready to route the truss rod, and get the final thickness of the neck done. Once I do this I can begain to shape the neck and attache the fingerboard. I also was able to make a new template for my truss rodes so I will not have to worry with that any more. I have been making templates more latley because I want to be able to reproduce everything I build more quickly and easier. They make life so much better. Anyway please look at the pictures and let me know your thoughts.

You can see in the pic to the right the neck blank with the fingerboard lying next to it. Below is the neck blank getting cut out before I add the neck template to rout it to it's final shape.

Here you can see the neck after I have routed out the shape of the neck and pre-drilled the tunner wholes.

Here you can see what the bass will look like once it is done and I am ready to see it finished because it is going to be a looker. To the right you can see the back of the bass with the matching control plate. Let me know your thoughts.

Play On!

3/18/2010 Update

Well I did get some work done this week, not nearly the amount I wanted to but what can you do! I was able to make my neck template for the 4-string TBM Koa top bass, you can see it in the picture. I also put a picture of some of the wood I got in, 3 Hard Maple neck blanks and a Mahogany neck blank. I did do what I thought was going to be the final sanding on the Koa top body but after I got it sanded down I saw some spots on the sides that needed some attention and one spot on the top. I think this should do it I HOPE! Well let me know your thoughts post some comments if you like. I should be able to get the neck cut out and ruffed in this week. Until then, Play On!

3/12/2010 Update

No pictures this week but I now have more wood in to finish the TBM Koa top bass and more. I do need some parts as well but I have enough to get started on getting things cut out and shaped. I hope to get some work done this Sunday. This TBM Koa top bass is the main bass I am working to get finished at the moment. Since this is the first in a four string design, I need to creat the template for the neck. I will be doing that this weekend along with the final sanding to the body. I will also if time allows start on another MG-1 4 string, which will be for sale and you will have the choice in color and hard ware. It will have a Poplar body, Hard Maple neck with Rosewood f-board. Let me know if you are interested. I hope to have some real progress done this week and some photos to prove it. As always PLAY ON!

The Bass Builder

3/1/2010 update

I don't have much to show in way of completed guitars. I did get the TBM Koa top bass body grain filled minus a couple of spots on the back which you can see the shinny spots in the photo. I need to do one final sand all the way around it and it will be ready for paint, I HOPE! Swamp Ash just takes a while to fill those grains, you think you have it and you sand it down and then you see all the spots missed. So I hope this will be the last of the grain filling. Also I am waiting on wood to come in which it should be here today. I am getting some Hard Maple for necks and a Hard Maple f-board in, for a future bass. Check the Pictures and I will hope to have more soon.

Thanks,

The Bass Builder

Play On!