Author Topic: Marc's "Simple" Bass  (Read 14208 times)

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #90 on: April 16, 2004, 06:28:28 PM »
hi mica
 
i'm leaning toward style 2, the functional grouping, with the pickup selector on the lower horn as they used to be on very old series basses.  i'd strongly prefer for there to be no controls above the pinstripe
 
four comments
 
first, as you suggested, the new knobs from roger will be small cylinders instead of hats; the pickup selector will, of course, still be a teardrop.  i've asked roger to scale all the knobs down in size by about 10% or so compared to the knobs on randy's cocobolo custom.  perhaps they'll be small enough that a staggered configuration will be possible
 
second, we had discussed a side-LED on/off toggle.  will it be possible to fit that in as well?
 
third, i love ron's idea of a small scallop above each knob.  it's a detail that would bring a smile to my face for many years to come, so let's definitely do it!
 
finally, if the new smaller knobs don't make a different layout possible, could the master volume be placed down on the hip, centered below the bridge-Q and stereo/mono toggles?
 
thanks for this beautiful work
 
best regards
 
marc

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #91 on: April 16, 2004, 06:35:58 PM »
p.s.
 
i love the idea of putting the tai-ji on the switch plate!  thank you!  let's do it!
 
 
marc

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #92 on: April 16, 2004, 06:47:37 PM »
p.p.s.
 
forget about my idea for a baby's-butt peghead; your comment said it all
 
let's have a beautiful crown as we originally planned
 
thanks for being the voice of sanity
 
 
marc

mica

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #93 on: April 16, 2004, 07:14:29 PM »
Yay! Glad you like the secretive back inlay. I love little inlays on the back of instruments. Don't know why.  
 
I think in this case we'll need to get the knobs here to allow for the exact layout and scallop pattern. I will contact Roger next week and see what materials he'll need from us and also get the dimensions of the knobs so I can finish up the layout right away. The smaller knobs really make sense on this one.  
 
Was I really that bad about the peghead? I still may sketch it out, and if it's cool, I'll even share!
 
Have a great weekend!

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #94 on: April 16, 2004, 08:10:10 PM »
mica, i have a special request.  when mike takes the nearest-neighbor slice for the big back plate, could you please ask him to take a second-nearest-neighbor cut as well?  here's why
 
i have a new friend who makes beautiful jewelry in silver and gold, based on the archimedes spiral.  if things work out in the longer run, i'd like to send the second-nearest-neighbor back to you with one of her pieces, and ask you to inlay it for me.  would that be possible?  please let me know
 
as far as the peghead is concerned, i had a brain spasm and lost it for a moment; your perception was clear and correct.  i love the crown; please forget i ever mentioned the mini-baby's-butt
 
have a great weekend!
 
 
marc

mica

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #95 on: April 29, 2004, 08:33:46 PM »
Roger and I are talking back and forth on those knobs. I'll be incommunicado tomorrow, icky tax filing stuff day! Hope by Monday I'll have everything square with him and get your body assembly on Mike's list for next week.

mica

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #96 on: May 20, 2004, 12:42:41 PM »
Here's the first stage of body assembly:
 

 
Lookin' good! We've settled on a knob diameter of .85-.90. I'll get you a shot of the final control layout soon.

mica

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #97 on: June 01, 2004, 06:56:19 PM »
Top in place, with the outside cuts done:

  Caught Mike mid-carve with the "sea of black" I told you about:

  After the rough carving:

  The fingerboard is now in place, and the bass is ready for routing, should be on Thursday. That little gap between the truss rod cover and the cavity is where one of your pickups will be. Mike arranged it so that when Bob routs it, the truss rod cover and the cavity will be trimmed at the same time. Pretty slick, huh?

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #98 on: June 02, 2004, 06:41:25 AM »
hi mica
 
what can i say?  you and i and mike imagined it, and mike is making it real  
 
i love it.  thank you, and thank mike too
 
 
marc

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #99 on: June 04, 2004, 12:51:54 PM »
hey mica!
 
it looks like there's a routed channel down the centerline.  what's it  for?
 
 
marc

bob

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #100 on: June 04, 2004, 05:35:35 PM »
I'll take a wild guess and suggest it might be a depth guide for sanding, that will eventually disappear. ???

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #101 on: June 04, 2004, 07:00:22 PM »
thanks bob!  that makes perfect sense

mica

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #102 on: June 05, 2004, 05:29:27 PM »
Bob's right - you'll also notice two other routed channels along the edges.  
 
Here's another picture with most of the sanding done:
 

 
The little sticks protruding past the bottom of each ridge are brass strips to guide the maximum on each side.

marcm

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #103 on: June 06, 2004, 08:00:31 AM »
wow!
 
so cool
 
thanks

hollis

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Re: Marc's "Simple" Bass
« Reply #104 on: June 07, 2004, 12:32:46 PM »
Very very nice!