Anyone building a Bass?

[jjlong]

I'm still dreaming of a CNC machine, because I've been a musician for a long time and have always wanted to make my own instruments.

Anyway, I've been following the guitar threads and wondered if anyone was attempting to build a bass? If so, I would love to hear about it too. I play guitar and don't own a bass so I thought it would make a good project, that is if I ever my CNC machine built!

[sdantonio]

bass as in bass guitar or upright (orchestral double bass) .

I've done electric bass guiatrs before, nothing different from a traditional electric except a longer neck and fewer, thicker strings. I have an outline for a Rickenbacker I can digitize if you want.

Double bass... now that's there the fun starts.

Steven

[jjlong]

You're right, I should have been a little more clear. I did in fact mean an electric bass guitar. If you wouldn't mind sending me the file(s) for the Rickenbacher, that would be much appreciated. I'm really curious about the neck.

As I said, I haven't build a CNC machine and the size of the project will dictate the size of my machine. I'm just hoping I can afford it all!

[sdantonio]

all I have is a body outline, I don't even have pickup positions or anything like that since that changes (humbuckers, jazz or p-bass pickups) as per the customer request. And I always use my own signature headstock

[jjlong]

That's ok. If you don't mind I would still like to see it.

I've always liked the Rickenbacher shape. I can always figure out the scale/neck length on my own. Duplicating the shape is the hard part.

[sdantonio]

I'll work on it this weekend and see what I can put together for you

[jjlong]

Thanks a lot.

[sdantonio]

Specifications
Body Type Solid
No. Frets 20
Scale Length 84.5 cm (33 1/4'')
Neck Width at Nut 42.9 mm (1 11/16'')
Neck Width at 12th Fret 54.0 mm (2 1/8'')
Crown Radius 25.4 cm (10'')
Body Wood Maple
Neck Wood Maple
Fingerboard Wood Rosewood
Weight 4.1 kg (9.0 lbs.)
Overall Length 113.8 cm (44 13/16'')
Overall Width 34.3 cm (13 1/2'')
Overall Depth 31.8 mm (1 1/4'')
Neck Binding Yes
Fret Marker Style Triangle
Tailpiece RIC
Bridge RIC
Neck Type Through body
No. of Pickups 2

The Rickenbacker web site says that the overall width of the instrument is a little over 34cm. When I try to expand the drawing in 1 dimension to this size it just doesn't look right. This was drawn by directly tracing a early 1970's instrument.

Steven

[sdantonio]

note: I have included information directly from my sketch regarding the actual length of the body at the centerline

[sdantonio]

For those folks looking at the rickenbacker body outline I posted earlier, it is not a "zip: file. It is a rar file (winrar) that got mislabeled.

[belgrado]

JJlong ,

I've been building basses and guitars (+ repairs ) for about 14 years now .
Recently I starded to build my own cnc router .
It's going to be able to rout 900mm by 400 mm and a Z movement of 90mm .
This should cover all the construction of standard electric basses with bolt on necks or glued in necks .
If you want to make a neck-trough body bass you could rout the neck in two steps when you construct a gantry type machine that has an open workbed .
As far as ready drawings for machining (dxf) I am still working on it .
You will still need to rout or plane stuff by hand .
But with a machine like that you'll be able to make jigs for any operation you will need .
I hope to start test running it in two weeks and hopefully it wil make my life as a luthier a bit easier .
If you need some tech info don't hesitate .
Good luck ,
Paul

[Drakkn]

I am interested in any dxf files you guys have - I too am in the process of making a cnc machine to help me build guitars - I am in the UK if anyone wants to get together to talk guitars or cnc building