archtop bass

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rocket
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archtop bass

Post by rocket » Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:35 pm

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This is my first Bass build and my take on the Gibson EB style, the main difference here is that this has carved plates where as Gibsons are pressed laminates and also Gibson made a short scale and a long scale, this one is a mid scale, 32".

Back and sides/ Silky oak.
Topwood/ Curly maple.
Neck/ silky oak
Evo gold frets on a Ebony f/b with pearl diamond inlays.
Bridge/ Hipshot
Pups/ Vintage Vibe
Tuners/ Grover.
Cheers,,

Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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Bob Connor
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Bob Connor » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:45 pm

Beautiful work Rod. Is this one going to Port Fairy?

Regards
Bob, Geelong
_______________________________________

Mainwaring and Connor Guitars

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martintaylor
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Re: archtop bass

Post by martintaylor » Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:25 pm

Great looking bass. Would love to see some of the build. Did you take any photos along the way?

Martin

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rocket
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Re: archtop bass

Post by rocket » Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:42 pm

Thanks Bob, yes it is, i have a bit of a cross section to choose from now and seeing as this is my only bass i suppose i should take it along, i just have one problem and that is the case, i've ordered it a while back and i'm picking it up tomorrow i just hope that headstock fits in! i gave the guy a paper pattern of the the build but didn't think about those tuners, i hope he's had more insight than me, so if there's no case it won't be going to Port Fairy.
Martin i didn't put together a big portfolio on this one but i'll scrounge through the puter and see what i can get on here.
Cheers,,

Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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Tod Gilding
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Tod Gilding » Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:27 pm

Your on a roll Rod, You got it right again , Another Beauty. Thanks for showing :D
Tod



Music is everyone's posession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.
John Lennon

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Kim
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Kim » Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:50 pm

What an ubber cool look'in bass. 8)

Beautiful work Rod, well done mate. :cl :cl :cl

Cheers

Kim

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DarwinStrings
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Re: archtop bass

Post by DarwinStrings » Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:22 pm

Jeez if that thing could walk I bet it would strut Rod.

Jim
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charangohabsburg
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Re: archtop bass

Post by charangohabsburg » Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:03 am

Wow, this beauty would even make me as a tiny instrument addict play bass guitar if I had such a one!

Sorry for my maybe stupid question: Is this kind of a semi-hollow body? I have a hard time to imagine that this e-bass bridge would be just screwed to a carved maple top. Or is the maple top so thick that this can be done?
Markus

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It's only the others who suffer.

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Nick
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Nick » Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:52 am

I love your work Rod, the quality of workmanship you are building into your archies is fantastic. What brand are the pickups?
"Jesus Loves You."
Nice to hear in church but not in a Mexican prison.

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Re: archtop bass

Post by nnickusa » Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:44 am

Love it. That's one hot bass.
I wish I was half the man my dog thinks I am....

Cheers,
Nick

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rocket
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Re: archtop bass

Post by rocket » Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:06 am

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Markus, it's a semi, the solid block finishes just behind the bridge. Nick thanks for that, the pups are hand wound custom made hum buckers from Vintage vibe, the original EB's only had the neck pup and a genuine after market model was a bullshit price, adding to that was i really wanted to add the bridge pup so Pete built me a matching set at a very reasonable price, the exposed blades extend past the string spread so the strings can't lose the magnetic field and they are also radiused the same as the fretboard.
Thanks all for your encouraging comments .
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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steve roberts
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Re: archtop bass

Post by steve roberts » Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:37 am

Beautiful work Rod .
Love the finish
Regards Steve

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Re: archtop bass

Post by Kamusur » Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:18 am

Bloody hell, now that looks nice.

Steve

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rocket
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Re: archtop bass

Post by rocket » Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:14 am

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Thanks Steve and Steve,,Well i've just returned from the case guys shop and no he didn't have a bit more foresight than me, the bass would have fitted perfectly in the case if that headstock with those [smaller than most!!!] bass tuners had have gone in!! :x :x :x . So he promised me i'd have another case buy late this or early next week, fingers crossed :) :) :) .
I've scrounged up some pics of the build for Martin, One of the sides in the mould withe the rough top lying on top, you can see the solid block and you might also notice that i've used laminated linings, a bit of stuffing around but they fit around those tight curves really well, also silky oak. A couple of the fretboard pre and post fretting, and one of the neck with the truss rod and carbon fibre ready to install.
Another thing i did different to Gibson is the neck to body transition, instead of creating a heel that butts up to the body i continued the back plate around and the binding beneath the neck and ran the neck into the body as a lot of solid body builds are done Telly's and Strat's come to mind, but then instead of having that uncomfortable lip at the neck/body intersection i made up a little transitional filler piece that still allows most of the binding to be seen.
Thanks for looking,,
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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Re: archtop bass

Post by charangohabsburg » Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:15 pm

Thanks Rod, for answering my non-expert question. And for the additional pictures. I like them even more than those of finished instruments! :shock: :D
I know that it works to hang the chisels (or knives etc.) on a magnetic strip, but I think using this system would make me nervous! :lol:
Markus

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It's only the others who suffer.

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Re: archtop bass

Post by nnickusa » Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:36 pm

And, my wife doesn't let me work on the bed!
I wish I was half the man my dog thinks I am....

Cheers,
Nick

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Tod Gilding
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Tod Gilding » Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:53 pm

nnickusa wrote:And, my wife doesn't let me work on the bed!

Just put your foot down Nick and let her know who the boss is :mrgreen:
Tod



Music is everyone's posession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.
John Lennon

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Nick
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Nick » Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:17 pm

Tod Gilding wrote:
nnickusa wrote:And, my wife doesn't let me work on the bed!

Just put your foot down Nick and let her know who the boss is :mrgreen:
Nick KNOWS who the boss is! As does every married man :wink: :lol:
"Jesus Loves You."
Nice to hear in church but not in a Mexican prison.

nnickusa
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Re: archtop bass

Post by nnickusa » Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:57 pm

What Nick said..... :roll:
I wish I was half the man my dog thinks I am....

Cheers,
Nick

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martintaylor
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Re: archtop bass

Post by martintaylor » Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:56 pm

Thanks for the extra pics Rod. It's great to see the hard work that goes into a beautiful instrument.

Martin

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Re: archtop bass

Post by ckngumbo » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:47 pm

What a beauty!
How does the 32" scale work on it?

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EricDownunder
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Re: archtop bass

Post by EricDownunder » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:08 pm

I was having a downer totay until I saw this I had a Gibson bass of similar stile in the mid 60's more in the red tones it made me remember my good friends of days gone by some have perished, next week is the 39th anniversary of thw tragic Whiskyagogo fire in Fortitude Valley Brisbane I lost two good freinds in that fire, Musicians who tried to save there precious instruments
Keep Smiling,
Eric Smith

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rocket
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Re: archtop bass

Post by rocket » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:49 pm

Sorry to hear about your friends Eric but i think i can understand their actions in the face of such danger and trying to rescue their beloved instruments from the fire. I can remember the news reports on television, it was a very sad day. Glad the pics bought back some good memories too!!
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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EricDownunder
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Re: archtop bass

Post by EricDownunder » Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:14 pm

Your right (the late) Colin Folster the drummer loved his drums so much they were rarely apart. allways in the back of hi mini minor panel van or on stage some place
Keep Smiling,
Eric Smith

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Craig
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Re: archtop bass

Post by Craig » Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:26 am

G'day Rod , Wow , that's another outstanding instrument . Superb work mate
DarwinStrings wrote:Jeez if that thing could walk I bet it would strut Rod.

Jim
Jim said it right !!

:cl :cl :cl :cl :cl
Craig Lawrence

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