My "wild and crazy" idea...

[dieselcruiser]

I thought I had myself a "wild and crazy" idea when I "came up with this" and started talking it over with a local double bass maker and he said it was nothing new...

My ideas are:
Take some sort of beater bass that hopefully plays well (like a $500 beat up plywood bass) and have a luthier basically make a cut out of some sort so I could have easier access to the higher notes etc...

Second, while he is in there, add some sort of pickup system that was nice and bold with little feedback unlike most of the setups I have played....
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So he tells me "the cutout idea is not new" -it is a called a "cutout" and they are pretty sought after actually, mostly from Germany from the 30's-50's and he had a friend in San Fransisco who had one and it was actually even stolen from him... Also I remember access to the higher notes being somewhat cumbersome but I could do it. The theory was the cutout would give quick and easy access to the fingerboard...

Second there are lots of neat pickup ideas for double bassed out there and to check here and elsewhere on the web, some guys have come up with some pretty interesting ideas...
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My big goal is to basically play an upright like a bass guitar, loud and somewhat agreesively and play mostly funk-esque type music. Sounds somewhat odd I guess... But basically I am not feeling my bass guitar and though its been some years since I played upright regularly I really miss it and would like to play it probably more than I play bass guitar with my little group that I play with... I think with practice I could have the speed and skill that I have with my bass guitar if not more so...

The big thing is I feel like the doulbe bass has a little more 'soul' if you know what I mean. At the same time I don't want an electric upright, I would want a larger and traditional double bass. Please advise - thanks!

[bSharp]

Given the nature of the fingerboard on the double bass and the fact that the player has to reach around the bass from above the shoulders to get to it I don't understand the purpose of a cutout. If the bass shoulders are to broad, then having them cut to have more slope seems sufficient but maybe not a good cost/benefit ratio on an old beat up plywood bass. Keep in mind that IANAL so what do I know?

[KSB - Ken Smith]

In 1937 Giovanni Andrea Scalzilli cut down a large square shouldered Neopolitan Bass by Loveri to this size and shape; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...veri_fullF.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...veri_fullB.jpg

Talk about slope; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...eri_stamp2.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...veri_stamp.jpg

This Bass is currently over 42" string length and I can reach the notes easier than on my 41-41.5" SL Basses.

This is the Bass here; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...eri/Loveri.htm

Those German style Cutaways still have big shoulders and deep ribs. This Bass is only 6" at the neck block across the Ribs.

Now that is what I call a CUT Bass.

[ToR-Tu-Ra]

Hell, I need to keep a dry cloth or something around when I'm reading these posts. Mr. Smith, you always get me drooling. I usually dont like "blondes" or light coloured basses but this one is absolutelly gorgeous! Well, back to the topic. Cutout basses right? It's a grear idea to have "smallish" shoulders if you play a lot up there. Just, please, PLEASE, not one of those ugly cutaways!

[Mudfuzz]

Originally Posted by ToR-Tu-Ra

Hell, I need to keep a dry cloth or something around when I'm reading these posts. Mr. Smith, you always get me drooling. I usually dont like "blondes" or light coloured basses but this one is absolutelly gorgeous! Well, back to the topic. Cutout basses right? It's a grear idea to have "smallish" shoulders if you play a lot up there. Just, please, PLEASE, not one of those ugly cutaways!

+1
Plus those cutaway basses only give you a few more inches then you will still need to go in to thumb position anyway. See it an't all tht much room down there
Even on my EUB where there is no shoulder I still play in normal thumb position. Playing with your thumb under the board like it is bass guitar neck could mess your wrist up. So just get the bass set up with low string height and light strings and just play the thing.

[RSalvador]

Go this this link and download Rythym Changes, or Blues in F by TB'er Jazzbass72 Marco Panasia. Marco "don't need no stinking cutouts!"

Some new video clips from Marco Panascia