Mark Stanley Bass Guitar finished, with a rough setup

[johnnparchem]

Based on discussions with a local bass player, I am adding a rosewood thumb rest to my acoustic bass guitar. The rest is about 1/4" sqr with the corner chopped out with a 1/2" diameter drill bit. I am placing it where a 5th string would be. As as classical player I try to place my thumb one string away from the string I am playing if I can for the most support. I am quite willing to hear people tell me I am crazy. I figure if it does not work out I can always take it off. I still need to clean it up a bit.






I also made a shorter thumb rest. But at this point I am thinking of going with the longer rest.

[johnnparchem]

At least the top was ready to finish I have another day on the back and sides. I polished the top so I could glue on the pinless bride. I had already postioned the bridge with 2 1/16" holes in the saddle slot. I never seem to be able to find the right side brad when I so I have just started using the upside down drill bit as a position pin. I first drilled the bridge on the drill press to get nice straight holes. Then I used the bridge itself pinned to the guitar to start the hole in the top. I finished the hole with the bridge off.

And yes, as you can see in the pictures I did have a bit of tearout when I routed the binding channel, fixed it best I could and let it go.






I took a bit of 1/4" dowel and chucked in my drill press and with a sanding block made the exact 15/64" inch dowel I was looking for. Cut them to the right size and CA glued them into the bridge.





A lesson to always dry fit. The sharp eye will note the bridge is slightly lifted. The dowel was a hair to long and when clamped against the gluing caul lifted the bridge. I sanded a bit of the dowel, rechecked and glued it on.

[RnB]

Are the dowels in the bridge for assuring you'll sleep better at night...knowing the bridge isn't going anywhere? Looks like an effective measure on your part rather than just gluing it down.

[johnnparchem]

Are the dowels in the bridge for assuring you'll sleep better at night...knowing the bridge isn't going anywhere? Looks like an effective measure on your part rather than just gluing it down.

Yup just to sleep at night. Supposedly it should hold with just glue ....

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Nice John. Wondering how do you clean up the glue squeeze out around the bridge? Water, rag, piece of wood, when liquid, when leathery?

Kevin

[johnnparchem]

Nice John. Wondering how do you clean up the glue squeeze out around the bridge? Water, rag, piece of wood, when liquid, when leathery?

Kevin

After about 10 minutes (leathery) I go at it with a plastic straw. I clip the end of the straw to give it a point. I want to go at it when it is soft enough to grab but firm enough to avoid smearing. I get most that way. I use either a combination of just water and a rag, or is there is some smeared dried glue I use de-glue goo to clean the rest

[Kevin Sjostrand]

ever have a problem marring the finish with the straw? I've used a small chisel made from wood, but have managed to disturb the lacquer more than I'd like to

[johnnparchem]

I did not have marring problems with a straw. I am just scoping up the glue that I can scoop up. I have found with other guitars, that anything hard can still dent the top. That includes finger nails. I do not scratch off the film left behind. If I get the glue film early enough I use water and a rag.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Basically what I've been doing. I may try the straw, probably softer than the wood

Kevin

[johnnparchem]

I polished out the guitar, I still need to make the nut and saddle and properly mount the tuning machines. But I could not help sending photos.