Unconventional Bass Build

Andyjr1515

Hi

Just finished a very unconventional build that was kept under wraps until Tom, the chap who asked me to try the build, and I knew it wasn't going to fall to pieces!

It's actually complete and plays so Tom is happy for the wraps to come off!  There is a full build thread on the Basschat Forum here if anyone is at all interested in the detail, but the thumbnail version is that it started off with a piece of wood like this:

 

which some contacts of Tom's in Africa had hand-carved for him...

... and now it looks like this:

Different, isn't it!

Andy

Sassafras

That's a real beauty. Lovely piece of wood.

WezV

Well done! That's an impressive result given the starting point

TTony

Wow.

That's a very tasty looking piece of wood, and some pretty impressive (as usual) looking workmanship too.

Lucky Tom. 

Drew_TNBD

Not digging the socket, but I like wood!

UnclePsychosis

Read through the full version on basschat. Incredible work. Great stuff.

Hate that socket though, its all wrong on that bass. Sorry... 

Sarge

Beautiful, well done! Deserves a wow!

Andyjr1515

Drew_fx said:

Not digging the socket, but I like wood!

Yes - quite agree @Drew_fx .  

You need to read the whole thread to understand why that is like that, suffice to say that Tom wanted a locking Neutrik in that position.  Trouble is, the Neutrik was twice as long as the body was deep...

The whole build was about the art of the possible!

Andyjr1515

UnclePsychosis said:

Read through the full version on basschat. Incredible work. Great stuff.

Hate that socket though, its all wrong on that bass. Sorry... 

Yup - fully understand, @UnclePsychosis ...as above 

UnclePsychosis

Andyjr1515;646116" said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Read through the full version on basschat. Incredible work. Great stuff.

Hate that socket though, its all wrong on that bass. Sorry... 





Yup - fully understand, @UnclePsychosis ...as above 

Totally understand. Socket aside its astoundingly great.

Andyjr1515

This was the alternative I did, which softened the lines a bit, but Tom preferred the small square one:

Still a great lump, though.  This 'feature' was devised when the bass was still likely to be in the 'weird but works' category.  Post this stage, some of the fancier features have evolved and, although it still looks highly unconventional, it now has a sort of elegance which makes the utilitarian Neutrik stick out (literally) even more.  I think longer term, we will modify this...perhaps popping the Neutrik on a backward facing angled block.  It's only screwed on so can be easily changed in the future.

To be honest, it's only in the last couple of weeks that we could be sure it wasn't going to end up as a fancy-smelling BBQ firewood 

)  ... elegance was the last thing on our minds  

Andyjr1515

So the deed is done  

 

The bass has been passed over to Tom to try out in real life.  Tom played it quite a bit this morning as we sorted the final action height, etc, and it looked and sounded GREAT.  Helped immensely, of course, by Tom's playing but nevertheless a source of great satisfaction to me the builder

 

We've left the neck as initially carved (a flat-backed D profile) for Tom to play extensively and consider fully how it feels before the possibility of either moving towards a 'C' profile or asymmetric.  I think that's wise because it is a relatively unusual scale (34.5") and sits on the strap in a slightly different position to how you would expect - a quick judgement on final profile might turn out to be a rushed judgement. 

 

The interesting thing is that it doesn't actually feel like a long scale at all.  I thought that but Tom also confirmed the same.

 

We've also left the acoustic strings on.  Whether it is the strings or the position of plucking or what, but it sounds very much like an upright double bass to my ears!

 

So - here's muggins, the (very relieved and) satisfied builder:

......and here's Tom, the (hopefully will continue to be) satisfied owner:

Andy

Andyjr1515

Incidentally, ref the jack position, I worked out a slicker version - with the block tapered and angled backwards - but Tom's preference was very much to leave it as it is...and I never have a problem sticking with a customer's preferences 

mart

That's an absolutely beautiful instrument! Very jealous indeed!

Andyjr1515

mart said:

That's an absolutely beautiful instrument! Very jealous indeed!

Thanks @mart ... it was a shame to let it go!

GuitarMonkey

Andyjr1515 said:

... it is a relatively unusual scale (34.5") 

So if this is the short version, what is the scale length on the longer one?

Andyjr1515

GuitarMonkey said:

Andyjr1515 said:

... it is a relatively unusual scale (34.5") 

So if this is the short version, what is the scale length on the longer one?

lol - it's just me confusing everyone....

The short version referred to the thread...on Basschat it goes on for pages 

I'll edit the post title...

Andy

GuitarMonkey

Now you've spoiled my joke

BigMonka

That's looks fantastic Andy, amazing work. How does it sit on the strap, I'd imagine it's quite neck heavy as the body is so thin? Does the lack of body weight give it a thinner sound?

Andyjr1515

GuitarMonkey;661957" said:

Now you've spoiled my joke

Lol... I can always put it back

Andyjr1515

BigMonka said:

That's looks fantastic Andy, amazing work. How does it sit on the strap, I'd imagine it's quite neck heavy as the body is so thin? Does the lack of body weight give it a thinner sound?

To my great surprise, it balances on the strap very well. Not so good sitting down. One of the things I made sure was that the neck and bridge were as far back as possible so it sits slightly differently on the strap but balances well. It has a lucky side effect that the neck hangs further to the player's right than normal which makes if feel like a shorter scale than it is. I stole that idea from the Cort Curbow It sounds fuller than it deserves to - especially with acoustic strings! Tom thinks that maybe from the same effect - his picking hand is likewise further towards the neck. It's a lovely tone...very articulate but full. Total luck....