I'll be back!

Life got in the way and a computer problem made me loose the continuity of my posts; I'll be back where I left off -- but with another bass -- soon (ish). There is the scroll I made, for now....

Final graduation....

Today I did the final graduation of the top -- with a 9mm plane and a single, low light to show the contours well. A couple of more steps and I can glue the sucker on.

Blocks, clean-up and label....

Ok, I've been readying the body for the top to be joined..... Shaping the blocks -- cleaning it all up -- making the inside smooth and sound-reflective -- and adding my letterpress label........

The upper block is shaped specially for two reasons. 1. It makes future repair easier (if the top needs to come off) as there isn't too much gluing surface, and 2. It increases the effective length of the top by about an inch -- and I like to think it's one of the reasons for these bass's killer bottom ends.....

ok

The Bassbar

Ok, now it's time to add the spruce bassbar. I chalk-fit it perfectly using dark brown conté and I don't stop trimming and scraping until it fits 100% and there is an even transfer of chalk from the top to the bar when clamped. This takes hours -- sometimes three or four -- sometimes eight or ten.

After it is glued in, the shavings fly and I get the satisfaction of big, picturesque curls of spruce. Sweet.

f-hole action

At this point -- when the top is ready for the bassbar -- I cut the f-holes just so. It is very important to me just how the f-holes lay on the arching -- and if the top is carved just right, they just work. I'm very sensitive to the fairness of curves, so here I really get into it and make their forms flow.