MIMF

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 f...

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 incorp...

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.

I do most of my headstocked basses at 8º. Ok - Thanks, David! I see I'm going to need to come up with a different method of sawing the scarf joint! I used a tenon jig for my last build w/a 14* headstock, and the 10" blade was cranked right to the top of its range to get through that, and the neck w...

Breaking the corners at the back edge of the blade keeps the thrust from the thrust bearing centered on the blade. It has nothing to do with how tight a radius the blade will cut. The sharp edges at the back of the blade will catch on the side of the thrust bearing and that constant plucking sets u...

Angles on a fender style headstock I made long ago (using x=arctan0.5/d, using 1/2" as the headstock drop from the nut and d = the distance to the tuner from the nut) are E=15, A=10, D=7 and G=5 degrees. The last 2 need a string tree, so I would say around 10 degrees is a good angle. These angles o...

Thanks again, Mark. It would seem that any angle would work (I kinda like the angled headstock) as long as I'm sensitive to the issue you raise. My Bass VI has a flat Fender-style headstock, and can use the over-nut angle on that as a guide to the minimum.

Thanks, Mark. I'm using plans for an Alembic short-scale as the starting point for this design. It specifies a 15° angle on the headstock. Sounds like you're recommending something less. Would appreciate your thoughts on this. In looking at that Gretsch Junior Jet you mention, it looks like maybe 10...

Daryl Kosinski wrote:Rounding over the back of the blade with a course sharpening stone will improve the smoothness of the cut.

True, but only on very tight-radius cuts.

As to spring tension, another area that is shrouded in excessive mystery. Use the tension guide on your saw unless you have a problem (excessive breakage or "flutter" of the blade under no-load conditions). The saw will function perfectly well with a broad range of tension values. I think you're cor...

Thanks, Mark. Great info!!

I just realized that I failed to mention in my OP that this will be a short-scale (30") bass. Hope that doesn't change any of the kind advice I've gotten thus far in this thread!

Brian - I'm not able to answer your question, but let me offer my heartfelt concern for what you're going through. So often, as a woodworker dealing with very sharp tools and spinning bits, plus developing some minor balance problems as I age, I worry about what I'd do if I lost some functioning in ...

$3.99 (and less) on ebay for sealed bearings. I found myself overthinking this problem. I really don't like this bandsaw. Its a 14" saw that seems fairly well built and I purchased it new but a little 10" Craftsmans that was recently given to me cuts so much cleaner and is so much easier to keep on...

One last suggestion (though the local bearing shop is usually a good source, but can be $spendy for inexpensive bearings) is McMaster-Carr . You can look them up by dimension as well as part number. You're right that you want sealed, not shielded bearings. Buy a 10-pack and you'll never need to hesi...

1/4 is what old Fenders used. Right. But David is suggesting that the 3/8 he originally suggested might be too low for the bridge I have, and I'm hoping to confirm my thinking that adding another 1/16" might do the trick. That should put the bridge saddles (as he suggests) near the top of their ran...

So you're suggesting a scrunch more height above the body deck -1/16??

I could also angle the neck.

Thanks, David. So, with that advice, and the specs for the hardware I have in-hand, it looks like I should be good by planning to have the top of the FB 3/8" above the deck, as that should put the bridge saddles a little less than the upper third of their range (see the diagram below). As you mentio...

Since we're on this subject, what advice have y'all for string height? This will be a bolt-on neck, or a no-angle set neck (depending on whether I decide to glue it or screw it! :D ) My pups (as mentioned above, an active PJ set) are 3/4" tall, and I understand that a 3/4" recess is recommended, so ...

John Clifford wrote:Warmoth.com is a good resource for Fender specs. Their standard bass fretboards are 1/4" thick.

Thanks, John - that's good to know!!

Thanks, John. I'm still in the early design stages, so I can make any adjustments needed. And yes, I was speaking in terms of the max thickness, not the "edge" thickness after radiusing. It sure helped when doing my first two guitars to have some examples hanging on the wall to refer to. I have to d...