Jazz Bass: Headstock Shaping and Tru-Oil for the Neck

Sorry guys, it's been a long, long time since I posted any updates on any builds to this little bloggerino. Unfortunately I've been terribly busy with work, and am finding less and less time to either build (which is utterly fucking depressing) or even to write about it. Anyway I'm hoping to address this situation in the coming weeks - with several builds close to completion, I would really like to share the results with you all.

Anyway, today's post concerns the Jazz Bass build which recently changed it's colour to Surf Green and got a few coats of acrylic clear. It's looking pretty good I dare say, and while the clear coats cure, I have finally found some time to shape the headstock and sand the neck smooth.

The standard Fender Jazz Bass headstock template.

I managed to find a bunch of Fender bass headstock templates on the TDPRI site, and hoped they would be enough to seal the deal. I decided on the stock standard jazz bass template and printed the pdf 100% scale. Problem was, the template (as usual) didn't really match the headstock blank from the factory. In the end I was forced to use the template to mark out the circular end of the headstock, and then just free-hand the curved fin along the bottom. Not really a problem - even with my shoddy drawing skills there's nothing a belt sander and drum sander can't fix right? Right. Anyway, the stars seemed to align, the jig saw did as it was told, and even the sanding disc and slap wheels didn't burn out the edges. Sweet

With the headstock shaped, I sanded the neck down to 360 grit and raised the grain a few times with water before staining. This time around I went for a weak solution of Colortone Vintage Amber (I do love those vintage tones) and did 3 passes in quick succession in an attempt to pop as much of the grain on this nice looking maple neck as I could.

Headstock shaped, Vintage Amber applied and 1st coat of Tru-Oil.

After the dye was dry, it was on with the first soak coat of Tru-Oil and the maple just drank it up. Man, I can already see that the grain on this neck is really going to pop when the oil gets in there. About another 10 coats or so to go, so patience grasshopper, patience..