Introduction

This page contains pictures of a few of the instruments that I’ve built over the years.

One thing to note is, as a kind-of luthier, all of these instruments are subject change as time and the situation warrants. For example, the lipstick pickups just weren’t working so I changed them out, along with a few other changes.

AG03

My first serious attempt at a bass.

This is a simple PJ-style bass with 20 frets and a VVT control set. The body is made from old kauri floorboards, the faceplate from an old garage door (the wood is called Queensland walnut which is from Queensland but isn’t a walnut), the neck is laminated Queensland maple and jarrah, with a jarrah fingerboard.

AG05

An experimental 5-string headless bass.

A not entirely successful bass, though an excellent learning experiment. This is a headless five-string active with custom electronics, 24-frets, shop-made bridge and headstock (both in brass). The body is in two parts: a main piece in jarrah, and a thin body in aged pine.

AG07

A semi-hollow body with a combination of early bass design elements.

Body is in floorboards (it is a thing), looking a little like a Ric; top is in masonite, a little like a Danelectro; pickup is a Gibson-style bar, with a piezo kicker; add a swoopy 60s style pickguard, the kind that never existed but should have: what more could you want? Oh! And add some flat-wounds for a cool tone.

AG09

A lightweight six-string piece of awesomeness.

A compact, 24-fret passive six-string with a single soapbar pickup with a coil selection switch (series, parallel, single). It features a number of innovations for me, including a neck mounted using a Howe-Orme joint (adjustable for set angle), and laminate edges on a sculpted laminate body. It is great to play, though it takes a bit of getting used to.

AG10

This is a four-string PJ-style bass a friend asked my to build for him. He had some old floorboards from the house he grew up in (now demolished) and asked me if I could use them to make a bass to honour his grandfather. I was very happy to help and this is the result:

I used the floorboards to create the fretboard and the control covers. The body is a sculptured laminate with laminate edges; it has a volume-tone control set with a P-PJ-J switch (under the right hand–I am happy with this innovation). It is comfy with a tone that can really cut through the mix, ideal for its intended use as a salsa bass. The new owner is happy, so I’m happy.