The Details
This Is the almost final version. After this sample, I changed the pickups to non exposed pole pieces and reduced the headstock size and increased the headstock angle.
When I start to design a new project, first it needs a purpose. This bass was designed to make a five string bass easy to play.

This is the design part. Once the basic spec is finished I make a detailed drawing to see what it will actually look like in 3D.
After getting the details drawn to scale, and checking the file in 3D, it really gives the perspective of what I am trying to achieve.

After the drawing is finalized, The file gets broken up into parts that will make the tool paths.

Some parts will be programed in 2D for speed and others need to be done in 3D with G codes.
I save the file as a DXF and move the 2D file to the machine and program all the 2D parts. The DXF file shows the pockets and contours. Once I get it to the machine, I just need to add the Z (Depth) to the program.

To cut the shape it is impossible to have any clamps around the body, to avoid this I use custom made vacuum tables (A different table for each job) This holds the parts down without the need for standard clamps. The holding force from a vacuum pump removes the atmosphere from between the table and the part, Then the atmosphere outside the part actually presses on the part causing the clamping; At sea level I am getting around 25 lbs per square inch of holding force.

Here is the basic DXF file on my machine, Using this I can cut the outside shape and all the pockets.

To get better results and save the life of my router bits I plane the part to the correct thickness and rough out the shape before machining.

After the profile is cut its time for the 3D.

In this photo it’s easy to see how vacuum is used, this allows the cutter to move around the body doing all the shaping. This process allows the body to have a 3D edge that is impossible to do with a router and a round over bit.
Here are some finished bodies off the machine, Above is a quilted EB, On the side is a Spalted EB and below is the standard flamed EB.

Using the left over body pieces I make the pickup covers and back plates. This method allows an exact match to the body.
Here is my first affordable EB bass. It has a 2 dimensional mahogany body and one pickup. If all goes as planned I should be able to sell these in the $800.00 range.

The neck is still the same; and the pickup is the same design with a slightly different wind for the mahogany.

So far I have not decided on the pickup cover material, the mahogany seems little weak on the sides for the cover.
Here are two finished basses, I use Birchwood & Casey gun stock oil. The system produces an amazing finish plus It can be stained or burst.
I need to keep a good stock of body and neck woods in house. I keep a decent inventory of flame, quilt and spalted maples, alder and mahogany for the body woods. The neck woods I use are hardrock maple, Birdseye maple and walnut.

I also keep a one year supply of rosewood for the fretboards, I don't use ebony because of shrinkage that causes the necks to back bow," It works fine for guitars but for my bass necks I am trying make them as stable as possible."
For the neck, I use a combination of maple and walnut. The necks are completely made by CNC. You can see the cutter above shaping the neck and on the side is a finished profile, This is right off the machine with no hand work. So every neck is exactly the same, They fit universal to all the 5 string instruments I make.

You will not find a more comfortable neck than a ball milled one. The reasons are simple, a standard cutter has only one shape so the neck will always wind up flat in the middle and as the neck gets wider the neck will flatten out, not so with a ball mill. I also do all the inlay, fret slots and dots on the mill.
Here, you can see the fingerboard making process, In the mill is a .022 bit for cutting the slots. It also does the Inlay.
Once the first prototype is finished its time to make some pickups and correct and problems that I run into.
When I start to make a pickup I start from my experience and then add or remove winds, Test the pickup and make more adjustments to the winds. The Magnets are staggered to the fret board radius also the covers are made to the same radius; I use 9.5mm alnico5 magnets.
The final part is to make the hardware. below are the parts that I havemade, I will actually have these produced at a local machine shop. The parts are all made from solid brass.
Here are the final basses.

The headstock has a direct string pull and the machine heads are located so that the heavier strings are longer, This stops any flopping. This headstock is just too ugly; I will do a modification to make it smaller and cleaner for the final production pieces.

And yes I am a nut!