Bass guitar design advice

[David King]

I cut the scarfs on a bandsaw and clean them up with a low angle block plane (or on the milling machine which isn't much faster).

[Peter Wilcox]

I cut the scarfs on a bandsaw and clean them up with a low angle block plane (or on the milling machine which isn't much faster).

Ditto. More or less like Cumpiano here, though I don't tack them together, just clamp. https://www.cumpiano.com/classic-neckblank

[Steve Sawyer]

Yup. Band saw and plane seem to be de rigeur. My hand planing has never been known for its accuracy, so I might dig put the safe-t-planer.

[Steve Sawyer]

Okay - before I start cutting wood & stuff, I'd really appreciate any critique of this design. The basic dimensions and profile for the body were taken from plans for a short-scale Alembic bass.

A quick note re that "rabbet" you see around the top of the deck face of the body. I was trying to incorporate a design element from a Parker Fly guitar - the variable-width "fillet" around the body. Unfortunately, after struggling for months with Fusion 360, I was only able to get this element to work in one case, and unfortunately it was just a test project, not my actual design project. What I'll be doing with these drawings is making a template and using a flush-trim bit followed by a rabbet bit both set so as to create the tiniest of reference "ledges" that I will then use as a guide to hand-carve the "fillet".

The body thickness is only 1 5/8". This is to accommodate the big walnut slab from which I plan on making the body. If y'all think this is too thin, I can always cut the body in half, re-saw a plate off the front of both halves and glue in a contrasting layer which actually might look pretty cool running along the edge of that fillet I describe above, but I'd like to keep this as one solid piece if I can.

As you can see, the body will be routed for an active EMG PJ pickup set, and the control cavity is a bit oversized to accommodate a battery and holder without too much crowding.

If you'd like to see an interactive 3D model of this, go to the first link below. Note that I can't guarantee how long that link will remain active, but it's pretty slick. Also, your anti-virus may give you all kinds of dire warnings when you follow that link. Norton did for me, and when I dug down into it, Norton is getting hammered for the warning as there are literally thousands of engineers and designers who use that site to collaborate with their design teams. It is perfectly safe.

https://a360.co/2vHutMU

If you want to see that 3D rendering but can't or don't want to use the web tool, let me know and I can take some screen shots.

Unfortunately, the full-size dimensioned drawings are PDF's and this board doesn't support that, so the links below will allow you to view or download the three PDF drawings for the body, neck assembly and headstock. Note that you can view these online but can't zoom in farther than full-screen, and the dimensions are pretty small (the body and neck drawings are 34"x22") so feel free to download them if you want to give them a good look.

Oh - one other thing. If you look at that 3D interactive view, you'll notice some funky stuff going on around the transition between the headstock and the neck shaft. That is just my Fusion 360 noob skill set showing. Obviously that will all be carved and faired properly!

Thanks!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DRuWu ... 3zuxSIltLy

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OqkRm ... 0FONcdgprJ

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1z5RID ... kBz6wVYqiS

[Barry Daniels]

That 3D tool is pretty cool, Steve. Nice guitar design too.

[Steve Sawyer]

Thanks, Barry. I have to say that Fusion 360 is an amazing design tool, but wow - one hell of a learning curve!!

In addition to the thickness of the body, I'm wondering if I have enough "meat" around the tuner holes, or if I should change the headstock profile a bit - or maybe move the tuner holes farthest from the nut a little closer together.