Custom Bass Build - 5 string fretless

[Kirk Dickinson]

I keep dreaming about this bass design that I did a couple months ago.. I have specked out a Warmoth neck and body. I got to thinking about going to a local exotic lumber shop (Keim lumber) and finding the body woods that I wanted and trying to do glue it up myself. I have a friend with a commercial CNC machine that could cut the body. Just the body, not the neck. Not sure about the finish. I know an Amish guy that does high end finishes on furniture. He could probably do any type of finish, but not sure about the burst. I will see him in a couple of weeks and show him my mock up photos. (can't call him... Amish)

Envisioning a Dusty hill reverse tele headstock vibe, but 5 string and modern components. Zebrawood top, swamp ash body, roasted maple neck, ebony fretless.

Thinking about a P/J configuration + Hipshot A with Ghostpickups. Similar controls to my Ibanez SRF-706 (Portamento.)



In my mockup, I specked a black to clear burst and drew on a "translucent smoked" pickguard.

I priced out a parts list if I just order everything and assemble myself.

Code: Select all

Warmoth Custom Neck                                $475.00
Warmoth Custom Body                                $750.00
Hipshot A with ghost pickups                       $303.55
Ghost Bass Acoustic-Phonic Preamp                   $87.95
Gotoh Bass Tuners – CBT-01 – Carbon-o-lite         $240.00
Nordstrand - NPJ5S Hum-Cancelling Set              $237.00             
Pro Z Preamp                                       $229.00
---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 $2,400.00++

About pickup/pickup configuration. I still don't have a clear vision in my mind but I currently have an Ibanez SRF706 (Portamento) with their Aerosilk system + two Bartollini magnetic pickups. I really like the option of turning off the magnetics and using the Piezo pickups for a more acoustic bass sound on certain songs. I thought that using a similar pickup configuration would give me more tonal options. Haven't settled fully on the Nordstrand pickups yet. The barts in my Portamento are nice too..

Not sure what the normal knob configuration is for using the ghost loaded pickups plus P/J but with the Portamento, I have a Piezo Volume, Piezo tone, Bass, Treble, and two volumes for the magnetics. (6 knobs) Gives lots of tonal options. Thinking I would like to reduce knob holes and combine the Piezo volume with a concentric tone, Combine the bass and treble with a concentric, 2 stage mids with concentric, and volume with balance concentric. That would reduce to 4 knobs. Plus with Andere pre, there is a switch.

At this point, I started the first step to commitment other than dreaming. I ordered tuners first of all things. They come from Japan and take a long time, maybe months. I wanted light and reliable tuners. I looked at several and decided on the Gotoh Carbon-o-lite tuners.

Gotoh Carbon-o-lite 5x 35 grams = 175 grams (6 oz) (28:1 ratio)
Hipshot Ultralites 5x 51 grams = 255 grams (9 oz) (20:1 ratio)
Gotoh Res-o-lite GB 528 5x = 309 grams (10.0 oz) (26:1 ratio)
The Gotoh Res-o-light compacts are only 31.3 grams they would be the lightest option, but I really don't like them as much as the open gear. 156.5 grams (5.5 oz) (20:1 ratio)

The regular Hipshot HB-1 is 82 grams
82x5 = 410 grams (14.5 oz)
vs
Gotoh Carbon-o-lite 5x 35 grams = 175 grams (6 oz)

Carbon-o-lite is 1/2 lbs lighter than standard tuners.

Open to recomendations....

[Kirk Dickinson]

Looking for a good source for the Zebrawood top. Any recommendations?

How thick of a piece do I need for the top? I was thinking 3/4"? I don't want to use a laminate. Not sure how deep the shaping would be on the top but that would not work with laminate.

Looking for a good Fender Deluxe 5 string drawing. DXF if possible.

[Kirk Dickinson]

Found some Zebrawood that I like.




New mockup with this wood.


I am thinking about Zebrawood top, Black Walnut core, and a Maple back. The forearm contour will probably cut into the black walnut. Ebony would be cooler for the forearm contour. Still thinking about that. Heavily chambered for weight savings.


Still earching for a good dxf or drawing of a Fender Deluxe 5. All that I have found tend to be other varieties of Fender P basses and I like the Fender Deluxe better.

Here is my "flowchart" for the wiring that I intend to use. This is not a schematic or a wiring diagram.

[Edgar Jessop]

The images aren't visible to me.

[Barry Daniels]

Looks really complicated. Is this your first build?

[JC Whitney]

If you go the CNC route for the body, save the belly/arm/etc contouring to do by “hand”. That way you can stick a mock-up neck in, hang it from a strap, sit on a stool, lay on the floor with it - and really dial it in to comfortably fit your own (human) body.

As for the cap.. to my eyes 3/4” looks nice at body contours, just remember to CNC-thin it at the controls and such so that you’re not stuck later on thinning those out the hard way.

[Kirk Dickinson]

The images aren't visible to me.
Screenshot (948).png

Not sure why you can't see it? They are links to photos on my website. Maybe your browser is blocking the site because it doesn't have a security certificate?

I uploaded them to a temp site that I manage that has an SSL. See if these work.

[Kirk Dickinson]

Looks really complicated. Is this your first build?

I have done minor repairs, pickup changes, and a lot of setups. Never built a bass before. I wasn't wanting to build a neck, so ordered one from Warmoth. I know this is an ambitious project, but I feel that I will learn a lot and it will be fun and rewarding and I will (hopefully) end up with a bass that checks off all my wishes.

My brother is a woodworker that builds tables, chairs, jewelery boxes, and all kinds of things. He has a fairly well equipped shop and is willing to help.

I plan to build the body out of poplar or pine as a test build to make sure everything fits.

I have access to 3 guys with CNC machines that could cut the entire thing out. The closest guy to me has a lower end machine similar to an X-Carve. I am thinking about having him cut router templates for me and then using a router to build the body myself.

[Kirk Dickinson]

If you go the CNC route for the body, save the belly/arm/etc contouring to do by “hand”. That way you can stick a mock-up neck in, hang it from a strap, sit on a stool, lay on the floor with it - and really dial it in to comfortably fit your own (human) body.

As for the cap.. to my eyes 3/4” looks nice at body contours, just remember to CNC-thin it at the controls and such so that you’re not stuck later on thinning those out the hard way.

Good idea. I hadn't thought of doing the contours that way, but it would definitely make for a more ergonomic bass and since it is custom, that makes it more so.

[Kirk Dickinson]

Here is my working plan for chambering.

[Barry Daniels]

I think the chambering is excessive. Not much wood left in the middle layer. You might get away with it but will have to be careful because the middle layer will be delicate until it is laminated to the top or back.

[Kirk Dickinson]

I think the chambering is excessive. Not much wood left in the middle layer. You might get away with it but will have to be careful because the middle layer will be delicate until it is laminated to the top or back.

I will probably have to leave mor wood at the top for the forearm contour and belly cut. My plan was to rough cut the middle out leaving more wood around the edges and glue the back on before finishing the chambers to final size.

I am thinking of building a body out of cheap wood first. Either glue up the three sections with masking tape and super glue or just screwing them together. Then do the contours and take it apart and see how much chambering I need to reduce the weight… and can get away with.

[Kirk Dickinson]

Thinking of options for finishing....

The Warmoth neck that is coming is roasted maple with ebony fretboard. I am thinking of just using boiled linseed oil on it and nothing else.

The body, I am undecided. I have an Amish friend that finishes cabinets and furniture. He can do a great finish and won't be expensive. His turnaround time is great because all he does is finishing. I have another friend that is a luthier, has a paint booth, and some of his finishes are amazing. His turnaround time is months and months. He has had one of my other guitars that needed some repairs for over a year.

For finishing myself, I have watched so many YouTube videos that I am getting confused at the options. Boiled Linseed, Teak Oil, Tung Oil, Odie's Oil, Rubios Monocoat, Osmo Polyx-Oil - 3043, etc..... From this video, Odie's Oil looks to be the best of the last three, but the most satin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpnyFBXVcw

I thought that I wanted a transparent burst to nearly black on the edges. I watched a couple videos of a guy doing that using RIT dye. Not sure I feel comfortable enough doing that myself on that expensive Zebrawood.

I slightly prefer a gloss finish, but am ok with satin. My brother did some black walnut cabinets with Poly and applied a dozen or more coats using fine sandpaper. Give it a wonderful baby smooth satin finish. That might look nice too.