Building the Beatle Bass

[Daryl]

Interesting clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qCOycca1ezo

[Pappy]

Scanned thru it. Saw enough to sit and watch it all tonight when I have time...

[RAFlorida]

Thanks for that url for the Beatles

guitar maker posted on you tube. It is an interesting thing to watch how they built those instrument. And all that nice wood going for just stringed musical instruments...

[SSO720]

I watched it and was impressed by the amount of hand work they do on the bass.
Was kind of blown away watching the fretting being done around the 9 minute mark. I know how precise I am and the jig I use so each fret is where it needs to be to play in tune. He just appears to eyeball it.
It is a real quality build.

[gsmittle]

I hope one of our luthiers can help me out here: When the guy was cutting the fret kerfs, I didn't see him using any kind of jig or marking the neck. Is that even possible?

g.

[SSO720]

gsmittle-
That's exactly what I was talking about. I tinker with lutherie and that just blew me away. I have spent hours designing/making fretting templates (because I'm too cheap to buy one). Fret placement is crucial if you want the neck to play and intonate properly. I was amazed at what/how they fretted.

Paul

[cabinetman]

Very cool video. Lots of patterns and jigs.

.

[Tom Slick]

I was surprised at their fret cutting process also. When I worked at a guitar manufacturer the fret cutting gang saw had to be set up within .010 and square. There is no way he was cutting those purely by eye.

There book matching veneer process was interesting also.