GW Custom Basses and Lutherie - Grandon Westlund, The Bass Kahuna

A 6 string SC1 for myself!

After much deliberation (ie: I couldn't decide on what woods I wanted...), I have finally started on a 6 string SC1 for myself! Here are the wood specs:

Neck:

5 Piece neck through. Center of Cobo Bolo, two maple stringers, then two pieces of Padauk

Pau Ferro fingerboard, 34" scale

Thin strip of Maple between fingerboard and neck blank

Macassar Ebony headstock overlay and thin strip of Maple bewteen headstock and overlay

Body:

Black Limba (Korina) body wings and back

Highly Figured Walnut top

Thin piece of Maple between the Limba back and Walnut top

Hardware and Electronics:

Hipshot ultralight tuners and "A" style bridge. Haven't decided yet on either gold or black hardware

Two Bartolini Pickups with two Aguilar OBP-1 pre-amps, wired for stereo outputs

Status and Updates

15 Jan 2004 - The wood is on it's way! I'll give it about a week or so to acclimate to the climate here, and then it hits the tools! A large Thanks to Gallery Hardwoods for exceeding my expectations again.

Here are the initial pics of the body woods and neck blank (click on image to view larger version)


Neck blank and body wings	Macassar Ebony and Maple Headstock Overlays	Highly Figured Walnut Top	Body wings and maple laminates	Pau Ferro fingerboard blank and maple underlayment

20 Feb 2004 - I allowed the wood to acclimate to my climate for two weeks before taking tools to it. The 11 degree headstock scarf joint has been cut and glued. The headstock overlays are on and the truss rod channel has been routed.


Scarf joint completed	Headstock overlays are on and truss rod is in

16 March 2004 - I'm a bit behind in updating the site, but here are some additional in progress pics of my bass


View of rear of headstock	Detail view of headstock overlays	Just need to do final carving of headstock, and the neck is ready for the fingerboard

24 March 2004 - Fingerboard is on, and drilled and ready for the inlays. Inlays are going to be Black Mother of Pearl


Headstock final carving done	Fingerboard ready for inlays	Close up of fingerboard ready for inlays	Close up of headstock and fingerboard layers

26 April 2004 - Inlays are in (after setting the Black MOP inlays on the neck, I decided to switch to White MOP instead for more contrast...) and body wings are glued on


Inlays are in, body wings clamped and glued	Rear view, neck heel roughed out	Full view, clamps off	With the clamps removed, another view

03 June 2004 - Almost Done! I managed to carve (pun intended..) a few hours out in the last week or two from other projects to work on this 6'er for myself. Got the frets installed, the copper disc for the headstock logo, the walnut top on, the control cavity routed out and brass inserts in, and the pickup routes in. All it needs now is final sanding, finishing, and installation of the hardware and electronics.


Control cavity done including brass inserts	Upper horn view where it joins the neck	Full frontal view	Top down view	...And!... the top wetted with naptha to get an idea of how it will look finished. How's that for figured walnut!

08 July 20004 - The first few coats of oil are on, the walnut top is really eye-popping!


First few coats of oil, front view	Rear view

28 July 2004 - Congratulations Mr. Westlund, it's a new Bass! I'm extremely happy with this baby. I've yet to name it, but it will have to earn a name over the next few weeks. I've got a show in two weeks with a band I've been working with, so that will be it's "coming out" party.

Note: This bass does not have the standard forearm and "belly" body contours that are standard on my other basses. I left them off on purpose as I was going for that 50's "slab" body style.


Full Frontal Nudity!