 5 String Fanned Fret Wenge Fretboard Maple Body Quilted Maple Top with Custom Red Dye Wenge Bolt-On Neck Hipshot Single String Bridge and Tuners Ebony Nut Nordstrand Fat Stacks Pickups Nordstrand Preamp All Gold Hardware February 27, 2009 I just made the body template and put it next to another neck template to give you perspective.  February 28, 2009 Here is my CAD drawing of what the fanned frets will look like. I'll go ahead and plot this out full-size to make sure the frets are aligned perfectly. It has a 35" scale B string and a 33" scale G string with the 9th fret straight.  March 1, 2009 Tons of work done in a few hours today. I bookmatched the quilted maple, glued to body blank up with a black veneer between the 2 sides, made a wenge fretboard blank and pretty much made a neck blank. I just need to glue all the boards together.     March 5, 2009 Nothing really new to report here just yet. I am gluing the top to the body with a black veneer between the layers. Tomorrow I will be able to shape the body. I also glued up the wenge neck, you can't even tell it is 5 laminates.   March 6, 2009 Well it looks like a bass now. Everything is rough right now, but you get the idea. The headstock angle wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I also did a test board of quilted maple to see the red dye...    March 17, 2009 I spent a lot of time getting the fret slots cut properly, then I glued the fretboard on the neck. I also started shaping the neck and various other contours. This Friday I plan on shaping the neck all the way, making the neck pocket, putting the bridges in and possibly making the control cavity.    March 20, 2009 I pretty much finished contouring the front and back. I made the neck pocket and recess for the bridge. The headstock veneer is drying as we speak. The back of the neck is pretty much done, I just need to do the transition to the body once it is done drying. I should be getting the pickups and preamp in from Nordstrand next week.   March 23, 2009 How it sits now with most of the parts on.    March 27, 2009 I hammered in the frets and trimmed them flush with the fretboard. I still need to level, bevel and all that. The neck mounting screws/furrels are done. I should be getting in pickups from Nordstrand next week. Then I can do the pickup cavities as well as the control cavity.      April 8, 2009 I got the pickups and preamp in just now from Nordstrand. All I can say is that it was worth the wait, they are absolutely flawless. Thanks to Carey, Stew and Mike who helped make everything. As you can see in the picture I ordered a template for routing, which should really help getting everything lined up.  This friday I should be able to get the pickup and preamp cavities done. Then I am on to finish sanding/dying/finishing. April 9, 2009 I found a little time to sneak out to the shop today. I finished the pickup routes and almost all of the control cavity. I just need to make a cover and the recessed area it goes into.   April 9, 2009 Just a little update for good fun. It turned out a little orange, so I need to change the mixture ever so slightly.    April 16, 2009 Well??   April 30, 2009 Some older pictures I haven't updated yet as well as the first coat of oil shot.    May 6, 2009 I just got it back from getting its electronics taken care of. I still need to make the nut and put a finish on the control cavity and truss rod cover. Then it is pretty much done.    May 8, 2009 No explanation...   
-Jared |