Building a Starcaster Bass with Laminated Archtop Panels

[2groggy]

The annual winter build off is under way over on talkbass.com and one of my submissions is a Starcaster with laminated archtop panels. Because of the offset nature, I'll post some of the pictures related to the body in this thread too.

I built and hand carved molds for the front and back, against which plies of maple veneer could be vacuum bagged into shape.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qWaIp- ... sp=sharing

The panels are three plies thick of maple, with the middle ply's grain running crosswise.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qXdjVh ... sp=sharing

For more details and pictures, the full build thread is at https://www.talkbass.com/threads/winter ... r.1543474/

Edit - the images didn't come our right. I switched them to links to my google drive. Please let me know if you can't see them.

[Steadyriot.]

That's rad! What's your vacuum setup like?

[2groggy]

The vacuum setup in an inexpensive manual system from a company hat markets to people making skateboard decks. Check our roarockit.com or roarockit.ca. They might have some form of distribution in Europe.

[2groggy]

I just found my old IMGUR password. I'll try posting pictures inline with the text later today.

[2groggy]

Starcaster front panel in the vacuum bag:


Front and back panels:

[nnieman]

Starcaster front panel in the vacuum bag:


Front and back panels:

I love seeing the updates on this

I think im going to spend my xmas money on that vacuum setup lol

I build guitar in peterborough area - right now I carve my tops by hand, I didn't realize that a vacuum setup was that reasonable.

What are you using for your laminations?

Where do you get it?

Nathan

[2groggy]

@nnleman, which Peterborough? Ontario Canada, England, or somewhere else?

I picked up the vacuum bag and the maple veneers at roarockit.ca . They have a storefront in the Leaside neighbourhood of Toronto, near Eglinton and the DVP. I know, for sure that they ship across North America. They may have resellers in Europe.

[nnieman]

@nnleman, which Peterborough? Ontario Canada, England, or somewhere else?

I picked up the vacuum bag and the maple veneers at roarockit.ca . They have a storefront in the Leaside neighbourhood of Toronto, near Eglinton and the DVP. I know, for sure that they ship across North America. They may have resellers in Europe.

Ontario
About an hour from the gta

Nathan

[2groggy]

I've done the neck thickness and tapers, and started coarse shaping.

[2groggy]

Neck is carved, rasped and filed. I'll sand it tomorrow.

[2groggy]

Laminating the headstock to hide a mistake

[Norrin Radd]

What a cool looking project! Nice work, man.

[2groggy]

Here's my handy-dandy fret slot depth gauge. I can't even remember who I stole the idea from.

[2groggy]

Aaaaand the frets are pressed in. I use a fret caul in my drill press.

[JSett]

Aaaaand the frets are pressed in. I use a fret caul in my drill press.

Took me a minute to notice why something looked weird until I saw it. Using a zero fret is interesting