I decided to build this bass after nearly 15 years of not really playing the instrument.

Tossing the idea to build back and forth in my head, I can't really call it my first as I built one in high school. That body was finished by Rudy's Guitars on 47th street. They did the routing and the wiring and such. Still plays well, and looks great.

I've always wanted a Warwick Thumb 5-string but couldn't justify spending the 2-3 thousand that it would cost. I walked into Guitar Center and spotted a used Spector NS-5 (Korean) and popped down $460 for it, which was a bargain. I played it for a week and discovered that the neck had a bad bow to it and promptly returned it. I really wanted a Warwick now. Especially after finally playing that low-B string after all these years of playing 4-strings. It's REALLY deep.

So I figured I could build a bass just as nice, if not better if I just acquired a few tools. A jointer was the most important, but I also had the luxury of my brother leaving his drill press and table saw with me while he explored life in Texas. (Thanks, Justin!) Anyway, I also bought a band saw, some files, a few wood clamps and some router bits.

I started looking at hardwoods on eBay and bought several pieces that I thought were attractive. Cocobolo, some Ebony and these pieces, Goncalo Alves. I had some Padouk that I purchased a few years ago but never got around to using.

The building process was long and I did it a bit "Bass Ackward." It could have been easier, but that's OK. I learned a lot.

Ideally, I should have bought a luthiery book and acquired all the parts first. But I dived in and began shaping the body, basing it off measurements I took in local guitar shops. Explaining the tape measure to the salesman was always awkward.

I came across the Talkbass Luthers Forum via Google. The forum is where builders hang out and post questions. It's very active and the moderators and guest luthiers are the best in the business. Bill Conkilin, Michael Tobias, Rick Turner, just to name a few. Basically all my questions were answered. I also bought,

The Internet has really enabled this hobby to take off. The Stewart Macdonald web site offers anything and everything a builder would need to complete a project. Ebay has any wood you can imagin and Googling "Exotic Hardwood" brings up a wealth of hardwood suppliers.

Piece by piece, I acquired the neck, the pickups, the preamp, tuners, bridge, brass nut blank, nut files, finishing supplies, and the custom knobs by Roger at THG Knobs. The process of building was both relaxing as well as nerve wracking. Shaping the body was great. A little off here, some more there. Nice and smooth. But the agony of dropping the plunge router or drill press into the piece was one that took a lot of thought. "Measure Twice and Cut Once," they say. Ha!. It's more like stare at this for three days and imagine every which way you can ruin it. Then, measure four times, and cut. Repeat.

But little by little it progressed and I finally strung it up on March 13th. Here are the specs:

Goncalo Alves top/Padouk back.
Warmoth 5-string neck. Maple/Purpleheart/Ebony. I added the Goncalo headstock laminate.
Hipsot bridge. Solid brass
Bartolini HR4.6 preamp
Bartolini Jazz pickups.
Gotoh GB-7 tuners.
THG Knobs made of Goncalo Alves.
Brass nut.
Tung Oil/wax finish.

Looking back now, it really wasn't that difficult. It sounds better than anything I've ever played, It looks nice, And, t's designed to fit, MY body and hands.