Cardboard bass on Youtube

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I'm not kidding.

The maker sent me a link and mentioned that he thought the absurdity of it was fun and the tone was not bad for cardboard. He mentions that these are NOT intended to replace a real wooden instrument, but that they are kind of fun and might be useful in some situations. The maker was very polite and did not wish to be seen as spamming the forum, so decided to post the link here because I thought some folks might find in interesting. If well known bassmakers all over the world start to go out of business because of my decision, I'll assume full responsibility.

[Chasarms]

A few questions:

• It is kiln dried or naturally dried cardboard?
• Is the box of European or Asian origin?
• French or German bow?
• What kind of strings is he using?

And of course:

• Does he have a box bass teacher?

It does sound pretty nice, and he does a nice job playing it. I wonder how much of the sound is the PU and how much is the bass?

[Johnny L]

That bass is bad to the bone.

Some months ago I saw James McMurtry, and his drummer was using a cardboard box for a kick drum. It sounded great too!

[billyfalconer]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

It does sound pretty nice... I wonder how much of the sound is the PU and how much is the bass?

I think most of the sound comes from the strings.

Helps put in perspective things like whether brass, aluminum, ebony, or maple bridge adjusters sound best .

[TSP]

Originally Posted by Johnny L

Some months ago I saw James McMurtry, and his drummer was using a cardboard box for a kick drum. It sounded great too!

Reminds me of an important discovery I made while playing folk around campfires at festivals. At night, it gets cold and damp, and if you're not right by a campfire the bodhrans go slack[1]. Fortunately, this tends to happen at about the same time someone decides to go and get pizza, and pizza boxes make excellent bodhrans.


[1] Of course, many would say this is no loss....

[theshadow2001]

that guy has posted that all over the internet at least twice here (this being the third) and another time on an irish based forum

[PoorPlayer]

I understand that the neck is too thin and will result in permanent physical harm.

Stay away from the instruments made from Chinese boxes, as they tend to self-destruct.

A good set-up is crucial. Take the box to a reliable UPS Store for set-up.

If you replace the stock fingerboard, bridge, soundpost and tailpiece, it will play like a more expensive CORRUGATED box.

The best bag is the ForceFlex, the corners of the bass won't rip through the bag.

[Doug Ring]

I had a brief correspondence with the maker, and yes - it's amplified with a pickup.

Getting a sound that good from cardboard alone would just be too good to be true...

[anonymous8547j7d7b]

Sounds like poorer quality '50's recordings - like some of the stuff horn players idolise . Hang on, if we all make the switch to the Bogdon Bass we'll save a fortune; trumpet players everywhere will be ecstatic with the "authentic vibe, man" from the rhythm section and best of all - prob won't notice it's a cardboard bass 'cos they never look at us anyway . oh how we'll laugh! [takes pills, goes for a lie down] Erm, yeah.

[Mohawk Freak]

Holy resurrected posts Batman!

Ok, I normally post over in that 'other' side of the forums (Bass Guitar). Long story short, I stumbled across the Bogdon Box Bass a few days ago and have been fascinated since. Having run a search on the forums I really can't find much discussion about it.

Now I REALLY don't expect respectable DB players to rave about a cardboard box, some sticks and strimmer line but I would like to genuinely get some input.

Let's state up front that I KNOW this is not meant to replace a 'real wooded proper bass innit'. As a player with a deep seated and long standing desire to dabble with upright and see how I get on I would like to buy (or make if I can get a decent box) a Bogdon Box Bass.

Now there seems to be a fair amount of latent hostility in these forums to the BBB. Some of it seems to be snobbery and some due to the history of how the BBB was discussed here in the past so I wanted to ask what peoples' opinion.

For what it is it seems perfect. Cheap with an (apparently) reasonable sound. It seems it would allow someone to get a handle on DB playing with an instrument that they could actually gig with. Personally I love the ghetto look and am the process of building a cigar box guitar anyway.

So... opinions? Snobbery aside if possible, what is the harm in this instrument? In the '30s people made music with plenty of improvised instruments. You may not become a Bobby Timmons or Charles Mingus with it but if that's not what you hope to achieve then what's the problem?

Ok... I'll stop waffling. Anyone wanna chip in?
Cheers!

Oh.. and just to update... here's the the youtube vid of the 3-string version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w9Nq9vwkJ4

[bassist4dalord]

Ah yes, the Bogdon Bass. I think Bogdon is from Detroit; I know he's been to a coffee shop in my hometown of Plymouth, MI, and actually left a Box Bass there for a while. I played it, unplugged. The strings are E and A, and some nylon or rubber material. It's a novelty, but fun for sure.

[Mohawk Freak]

Cheers for that. Good to hear from someone who's actually played it. You can now get them as 3 string versions (see the vid). The strings are strimmer (or 'weedwhacker') line.

What's your opinion of it for a DB newbie who is skint?

[Ed Fuqua]

It's not a value judgment, just trying to answer the question you implied - "would {it} allow someone to get a handle on DB playing "..
Look at a double bass, look at that. The only thing that they really have in common is that they both point in the same direction when you play them. It's not going to give you any better "handle" on playing upright than putting a P bass on a stool and playing it in a vertical position will.

The neck's different, the fingerboard is different, the tension is different, the mensure is different, the physical approach to the instrument is different.

Play one if you want to. But it's not the same as playing a DB and that has nothing to do with snobbery...

[Mohawk Freak]

Cheers Ed. Certainly the snobbery comment on my part was an attempt to get at the reasons for people's opinions rather than just their gut reaction so I appreciate you breaking it down.

I've not really had my hands on a DB (apart from an electric, very briefly, in a store a while ago) so some of the things that might be obvious to you are less so to me. The sound seems fairly authentic, but then I have an Ashbory which is as close as you're likely to fine to a DB without having one but that doesn't mean it FEEl anything like playing a DB!

Anyone other DB players actually played a Bogdon?

[steelhead2]

and here i was all set to build one of those`2X4' basses(on you-tube),,,what's wrong with Squiers XS's and all the rest,at least you can spill beer on them and they don't get(very) soggy

oh,,i should mention my band has a `gas can guitar' a `tuna can banjo' and a `garbage can drumset',then there's the `tamborine girl' she's ok!!!!

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by Mohawk Freak

You may not become a Bobby Timmons

[JtheJazzMan]

I think its designed for the player that wants to throw their instrument on a bon fire mid show.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

[Ed Fuqua]

Maybe Bobby Timmons' left hand....

[Mohawk Freak]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

*Places hand in the air and declares himself a spaz*
I think the point still stands though... you DEFINITELY won't become a Bobby Timmons playing this!!! You can't deny that!