Buzzard's 4-String Fretless Jazz Bass Project

>> Workshop >> Buzzard's 4-String FL Jazz Bass Project

BZD Extended Jazz Neck Berlinia - Bolt-On ~~Thru-Body~~ Design
Shit happens and this project is no longer using a through body design.
This is due to the choices in lumber and cash available at the time.

Jazz Bass Neck

Headstock: Bender - Fender Jazz by Buzzard ~ View rough cut Headstock
Some may cringe, and some may scold, and some, like me, just don't give a rats arse what Fender Corp, or you, have to say about these two projects having the Fender Jazz Bass headstock. I'm NOT mass producing basses with Fender copies. I'm building only two Fender Jazz basses, and these are for Dave H. and myself.
Do not ask me to reproduce one for you. This is a one time deal between Dave and I as we want something different but love the Fender platform.

Headstock Fabrication: June 9th Photos: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

Tuning Machines: There's a company out yonder somewhere that makes tuners with wooden keys . . . http://www.thgknobs.com - he calls them head "buttons" ~ WTF~? Bass tuners made to fit your existing machine heads. Please specify which tuners you are using. $35.00 PER BUTTON. Not gonna happen, I'll make my own~!

Truss Rod: 23.5 Dual Action - Received 5-28

Straight bit (.25") to route main channel. Cove bit (.375") to route nut channel

Truss Rod routed and inserted on June 16th. Here's the truss rod router rig.
Truss Rod installed with epoxy on June 19th. Here's the blurry photo.

Truss Rod Cover: not gonna happen . . .

Fingerboard: Brazillian Ebony. Here's a few juicy photos: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
May 31st: Ripped Fingerboards to 3/8" thick.
Dimensioning: 2-3/4"W x 27+"L x 3/8"TH radiused to 9.5"
Width at the nut is between a Jazz and a Precision: 1-9/16"
Width of the neck at the heel (none) is standard 2-1/2"
June 19th: Planed my fingerboard backside to 5/16"
FB Photos: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 ~ Neck Installed: 1 - 2

Fingerboard Extension: FB runs back to about 1/2" before the first pickup.

Fret Size: Frets~? We don't use no stinkin' frets~! No frets, no lines, just a dot marker at the 2nd octave, just the way basses were always made . . . fretless~!

Strings: Rotosound RS88LD Tru-Bass Flatwounds: .065, .075, .100, .115
Super smooth, ultra low tension for an upright bass sound.

String Nut: FAT Bone ~ perhaps a black buffalo horn . . . or ebony. See Bridge

String Guide: Hipshot 3-String Retainer - Gold

Special Setup Specs: just a c'hair higher than "as low as you can go"