MIMF

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 ...

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 ...

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 thei...

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 m...

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 recomm...

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...

New question. The plan I'm using as the basis for my design specifies a 1/4" thick fretboard. Both of the conventional 6-string builds I've done used a 3/16" FB. My first build, a Tele, started with a 1/4" FB but looked terrible, even after putting a 9 1/2" radius on it. I ended ...

I'm assuming that you've warmed up your fish glue and that it's working ok now?

From what I understand, fish glue has a much longer shelf life than liquid hide glue, though many (including me) will store it in the refrigerator when not being used for extended periods.

I'll second the recommendation of Highland Woodworking. https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/bandsaw-blades-accessories.aspx Some people think I'm stupid for paying the top $ for the woodslicer brand, but a) they custom-make them for my odd-sized (99 3/4") band saw, and b) they seem to cut throu...

Split design aka P pickups are pretty great in that they are noise-free, loud (efficient) and have a musically useful tonality with a minimal magnetic pull on the strings. You can balance volume across the 4 string easily and the controls are dead simple. They are a pain to rout for and once routed...

Thanks, Mark. I agree with your points re profile. However, the thickness is only one element of that. In practice, I'm finding that I carve the profile until it "feels right". I've been using profile cards as an initial guide, and to check symmetry but then go by feel to get it to the fin...

Something I forgot to check on the basses at the guitar store - neck profile. The only bass I have for comparison is a Bass VI, which obviously is somewhat wider at the nut than the one I'm designing, which is 1 1/2" wide. My Bass VI is about 1 5/8, and the thickness is .825 at the nut and .913...