Hello Folks,
Ive had a hankering for an EUB for years. This year i decided to do something about it and set about building one from scratch. Im nearly there with the construction and am currently working on pickups for the beast.
Thought u might like a look..
IanM

Looks nice- is the back walnut? Specs! More pics! Keep going!

Yes the back is bookmatched Walnut, the front is also walnut with a nice ripple, neck is brazillian mahogany. 41 inch scale.

That's very nice! I'm using black walnut on my first eub build too......although, your build is much nicer;)

dig the scroll.

Tx Folks:)
Phat5 -- you have any pics of your build? id love to see it.
IanM

Tx Folks:)
Phat5 -- you have any pics of your build? id love to see it.
IanM

I'll try to post some this weekend brah! Thanks for the interest.

Any Progress on the build?

ups and downs m8.
I am applying lacquer at the moment
Wound the pickups over the weekend, I have made the bobbins a bit wider than they need be as i wasnt sure how much wire i'd need on them, but apart from that so far so good, pickup is going to look a tad on the largish size but im more interested in seeing if it works , i can do a new sleaker version later, if i still have the will to live !
Couldnt resist sticking a set of strings on though to see how it feels, had a nightmare trying to wind the E string, im just using Schaller Machine heads, combination of too much string and not enough peg and it snapped . Lucky it wasnt an expensive set. I've done some digging and found a more suitable (shorter) replacement so im hoping that will solve this problem, then i can move onto the next.................:hmm:


Thats about it, i'll try and get a pic this week.
Thanks for the interest :)
IanM

Pickup is now built, just the electrics and finishing to do....

Very nice job M8!

p5

Beautiful!!! Congrats!

I don't care for the looks of 90% of the EUBs I see - this one is gorgeous!

Thanks for the kind words ;)
I'll post some better pics when it's complete. (just dont hold your breath!)
Im going to build another shorter pickup first i think. This one is OK but as i said before its a bit big, i will have to rout out the body to set it properly. ...After seeking advice I ended up using longer magnets than I had originally designed the bass for. Now I see it, i would still prefer to surface mount a smaller one first and try it. If its not good i will rout a hole to take this bigger version.
IanM

After the 3rd re-finish im nearly there. I had a complete nightmare using acryllic lacquer. Finally went back to cellulose and it went a treat.
Would like to do an adjustable bridge now, but im going to have a break and play with it a bit first. Got to try and work out how to set it up now.
http://www.yaskawa.ac.psiweb.com/images/bass2.jpg
http://www.yaskawa.ac.psiweb.com/images/bass3.jpg
http://www.yaskawa.ac.psiweb.com/images/bass1.jpg

Couple of better photos.
I have replaced the temporary bridge and put nicer knobs on.
http://www.yaskawa.ac.psiweb.com/bass/eub1.jpg
http://www.yaskawa.ac.psiweb.com/bass/eub2.jpg

Pure awesomeness. Do you have any sound clips, I would love to know how it sounds like with that pickup.

Pure awesomeness. Do you have any sound clips, I would love to know how it sounds like with that pickup.

Thank you.:)
No sound clips though, im not what you would call proficient on it yet. When I can get past six notes ......in tune i'll let you know.:p

Sounds good though!

IanM

Thank you.:)
No sound clips though, im not what you would call proficient on it yet. When I can get past six notes ......in tune i'll let you know.:p

Sounds good though!

IanM

Fine fine, no worries on that. When you are confident let us know.

Do you also have a piezo pickup installed, or only the magnetinc one. I see two knobs on the side, what are they for? Did you instal a preamp?

Also one more thing I would like to know is if it comfortable playing that EUB? As I see it has no stand and no extension to seperate it from the players body.

Ah yes and sorry for so many question but I'm quite curious. I'm planing on building a EUB or having it build very soon. I don't want to copy your design but want to collect some information.
Thanks.

Fine fine, no worries on that. When you are confident let us know.

Do you also have a piezo pickup installed, or only the magnetinc one. I see two knobs on the side, what are they for? Did you instal a preamp?

Also one more thing I would like to know is if it comfortable playing that EUB? As I see it has no stand and no extension to seperate it from the players body.

Ah yes and sorry for so many question but I'm quite curious. I'm planing on building a EUB or having it build very soon. I don't want to copy your design but want to collect some information.
Thanks.

Cool, im really enjoying playing it but im really rubbish, 20+ years on BG is a hard thing to change for an old git like me !

It has the magnetic pup only, (a seperate coil under each string) a volume & tone knob in a passive circuit. Doesnt need a pre-amp, with plenty of output.

Im calling this one the 'SD' model. (Sittin' Doon).
I had intended to put an extension on it but there doesnt seem much point TBH as im happy with it as it is.
I'll do something for EUB#2 (which is in the planning stage).

Ask away, if i can help you at all just holler.

Let us know what you decide with your EUB.

IanM

Cool, im really enjoying playing it but im really rubbish, 20+ years on BG is a hard thing to change for an old git like me !

It has the magnetic pup only, (a seperate coil under each string) a volume & tone knob in a passive circuit. Doesnt need a pre-amp, with plenty of output.

Im calling this one the 'SD' model. (Sittin' Doon).
I had intended to put an extension on it but there doesnt seem much point TBH as im happy with it as it is.
I'll do something for EUB#2 (which is in the planning stage).

Ask away, if i can help you at all just holler.

Let us know what you decide with your EUB.

IanM

Thanks a lot Ian, it's great to be able to get some help from someone who has made his own EUB.
One thing is for sure that you really made a beauty! How long did it take you for the headstock?

I'm also a compleate beginner on the upright, I tried some out and now I really have the desire to learn. But my space is limited so I'm in the need of a EUB.

One question I do have, have you ever thought about making a hollbody EUB? I'm thinking of doing that but don'k know if it would be wise as the body wouldn't be much bigger than the one of yours.

What else are you planning for your EUB#2?

Thanks a lot Ian, it's great to be able to get some help from someone who has made his own EUB.
One thing is for sure that you really made a beauty! How long did it take you for the headstock?

I'm also a compleate beginner on the upright, I tried some out and now I really have the desire to learn. But my space is limited so I'm in the need of a EUB.

One question I do have, have you ever thought about making a hollbody EUB? I'm thinking of doing that but don'k know if it would be wise as the body wouldn't be much bigger than the one of yours.

What else are you planning for your EUB#2?


The Scroll itself only took about a day, the worst job was cleaning up inside the pegbox. I didnt have a scraper that fitted so I did it with sandpaper. Im only now growing back the skin on the tips of my fingers.

This bass is semi-hollow but its really just to take some weight out. I was considering making it completely hollow but it wouldnt be much of a soundbox with those dimensions, im not trying to emulate an acoustic bass sound so i decided against it.

EUB#2
Main difference will be a seperate neck / body. This one has the neck str8 thru. Im also planning on knocking off an inch from the body depth.
Oh ........... and a humbucker pickup this time.

The Scroll itself only took about a day, the worst job was cleaning up inside the pegbox. I didnt have a scraper that fitted so I did it with sandpaper. Im only now growing back the skin on the tips of my fingers.

This bass is semi-hollow but its really just to take some weight out. I was considering making it completely hollow but it wouldnt be much of a soundbox with those dimensions, im not trying to emulate an acoustic bass sound so i decided against it.

EUB#2
Main difference will be a seperate neck / body. This one has the neck str8 thru. Im also planning on knocking off an inch from the body depth.
Oh ........... and a humbucker pickup this time.

I see that must have been quite some work with sandpaper!

Do you think that the semihollow construction changes the sound in a noticable way?

I didn't see that it is a neckthru design, do you think it gives sustain like a bass guitar?

EUB#2 sounds like it will be a compleatly different animal, will be very interesting to compare it to your first one.

Enjoy furtheron.

I see that must have been quite some work with sandpaper!

Do you think that the semihollow construction changes the sound in a noticable way?

I didn't see that it is a neckthru design, do you think it gives sustain like a bass guitar?

EUB#2 sounds like it will be a compleatly different animal, will be very interesting to compare it to your first one.

Enjoy furtheron.


I dont really think the semihollow makes that much difference not on this bass ..... its still pretty solid. The top alone, although carved is still a good inch of walnut with loads of wood underneath.

It has a lot of sustain, thats primarily why i did it this way, i was never going to emulate an acoustic bass so i kinda went in the complete opposite direction sound-wise.

Have you decided on your design yet?

I see that you did a very special EUB for your self. As usually most of them try to imitate the uprights.

I havn't decided yet what I'm going to do, I went to see a luthier in this area. He had some great ideas to consider, just it would be quite expensive.

My goal is to for the acoustic sound as I actually want a upright but don't have space for one and also need to travel around.

Could you tell me how much the piece of walnut did cost you? I think I'm also going to use walnut as here one has a lot around and I always liked it on electric basses.
Also did you carve de fingerboard your self, I got told that a blank is very expensive and that it's a lot of work to make the fingerboard. I was thinking of buying a finished one.

To get the design right is tuff for me, as I wish to have some curves but want it to be as compact as possible.

Any tips on how to make a hollowbody? I don't find any information on the internet.

I see that you did a very special EUB for your self. As usually most of them try to imitate the uprights.

I havn't decided yet what I'm going to do, I went to see a luthier in this area. He had some great ideas to consider, just it would be quite expensive.

My goal is to for the acoustic sound as I actually want a upright but don't have space for one and also need to travel around.

Could you tell me how much the piece of walnut did cost you? I think I'm also going to use walnut as here one has a lot around and I always liked it on electric basses.
Also did you carve de fingerboard your self, I got told that a blank is very expensive and that it's a lot of work to make the fingerboard. I was thinking of buying a finished one.

To get the design right is tuff for me, as I wish to have some curves but want it to be as compact as possible.

Any tips on how to make a hollowbody? I don't find any information on the internet.

Ta
Yes getting a Luthier to do one is an expensive option. The materials are expensive and its time consuming.

Getting the acoustic sound from a smaller instrument is a big challenge. In my opinion the basses that get closest seem to be the the true hollowbodies whereby all the construction is very close to that of a DB. This requires a high level of skill and specialised tools/jigs/moulds etc...best left to the artistry of Mr Azola.:)

The other option as i see it, is to go with a design similar to a similar BG. If you have a look in the Talkbass Luthiers Corner you will see loads of examples of hollowbodied Basses, you would just follow the same principles. This combined with piezo pups will get you closer.

Walnut is a good option you should be able to pick some up fairly cheaply especially in europe. Cost is dependant on how much you need maybe 30-40 GBP.

I wouldnt recommend trying to carve a fingerboard. David Dyke sells them in the UK at a good price and you can find them on the internet.


Hope this helps

IanM