pics of new bass

delbass · #1 01-04-2004, 08:10 PM

Hey folks-
I finally got that bohemian bass....I love it! Check out the pictures.

delbass · #2 01-04-2004, 08:11 PM

another pic...

delbass · #3 01-04-2004, 08:12 PM

1 more

Paul Warburton · #4 01-05-2004, 06:59 PM

If it sounds as good as it looks, you got it del!!!

Don Higdon · #5 01-06-2004, 07:17 AM

Very nice.
Now then, DO NOT keep it in that corner next to the baseboard heater. That's inviting a seam to open up, or worse, a crack in the wood.
Move it.

Michael Nickerson · #6 01-06-2004, 07:34 AM

Nice looking bass, del. I agree with both Paul and Don. Have fun!

Paul Warburton · #7 01-06-2004, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Higdon
Very nice.
Now then, DO NOT keep it in that corner next to the baseboard heater. That's inviting a seam to open up, or worse, a crack in the wood.
Move it.

Hey, and what about that door to the left???
Don, because of the door, I'm thinkin' del just posed the bass in that corner for the fotos...right del?? I better be right del, "cause the BASS POLICE are watching you!

delbass · #8 01-06-2004, 01:23 PM

Thanks for the heads up, but yes, the bass was only there for about 3 minutes for photos.....the humidifier is running full blast right now, and I have a humidity gauge. After playing this fine instrument, I can see I'm going to have a hard time going back to the plywood for the combat zone gigs.
Anyone have any ideas on who the maker might be? There is no label inside. It has an interesting exposed neck block...I'll attatch a picture of it and the scroll. My teacher seems sure it is a Jager.

delbass · #9 01-06-2004, 01:25 PM

scroll picture.

Michael Nickerson · #10 01-06-2004, 01:34 PM

Del, you might consider posting a whole new thead with all the pix, and asking the most knowledgeable TB membership for help in identifying it. Provide all the details you can and I'll bet you'll be amazed at the response. Good Luck, she's a fine looking instrument!

Jeff Bollbach · #11 01-06-2004, 10:26 PM

That neck block is a dovetail. Not the conventional way of doing it. I have a bass apart in my shop that prolly came out of the same factory. Here's a pic of the block-

delbass · #12 01-07-2004, 12:27 AM

Jeff-
Dovetail eh? Interesting. Is that a good feature or a bad one? It seems to be pretty sturdy. Does it mean that this was a factory made instrument? Is there a label on the one you have at your shop? There is this fake strad label on the inside that some joker stuck in there 10-15 years ago. Regardless, the bass sounds great.
-Del

Don Higdon · #13 01-07-2004, 05:27 AM

"Factory" can conjure up images of big machines spewing out bass parts, but in the context of your bass, it can simply mean that a group of humans worked on different components to a standard plan. Uncle Vaclav doing necks, cousin Mikhail was great on backs, etc. The Strad label could be original and refer innocently enough to the model.

Jeff Bollbach · #14 01-07-2004, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by delbass
Jeff-
Dovetail eh? Interesting. Is that a good feature or a bad one? It seems to be pretty sturdy. Does it mean that this was a factory made instrument? Is there a label on the one you have at your shop? There is this fake strad label on the inside that some joker stuck in there 10-15 years ago. Regardless, the bass sounds great.
-Del

No, a dovetail does not necessarily connote a factory bass. But it is almost certainly a factory one in the way that Donosaur described. Doesn't mean it is not a good or better bass-just that it is not a maker's instrument.
A lot of us luthier's have structural issues with dovetails. They are much harder to make and keep straight, and their nature makes them very difficult to modify in the future[angle,projection changes]. But the worst aspect is that when the neck is bunked sufficiently there is often more trauma to the bass then with a conventional mortise, This is because the dovetail is like a keyway and it really locks it in place. It can't pop out. The bass in my shop is such a case. The neck was RUN OVER! in the case on a sandy road. Not a scratch to the neck but it split the neck block and ripped out the back button in an ugly manner. 3K to fix it. Not trying to alarm you or suggest you go out and change necks-just don't drop your bass or PO anybody while its lying in the road.

ps- my client's bass has a Maggini label in it.

Chasarms · #15 01-07-2004, 11:31 AM

I am not sure if a dovetail would make it any tighter, but it does seems like it would make it a total PITA to get the neck off if needed.

I have seen a few basses where the back has been sawn through just below the heel. I am guessing this was done so a dovetailed neck could be slipped out the back without removing the whole back.

I would guess that with the traditional method, almost like mortise and tenon joint, you could soften the glue and pull the neck up and out without sawing through anything.

But remember, I'm just a guy.

mje · #16 01-09-2004, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chasarms
I am not sure if a dovetail would make it any tighter, but it does seems like it would make it a total PITA to get the neck off if needed.
...

It is. On this old Kay I'm sloooowly restoring I was thinking aboutdoing something similar to the way you take the neck off a guitar. I was thinking of removing the fingerboard, drilling holes and injecting steam into the dovetail.

But since I'm putting a new Englehart neck on it, I sawed off the old neck as close as possible to the body with a Japanese saw, and used steam and chisels to remove the old dovetail.

(I finally found some nice 1/4" maple to add depth to the neck- it has straight grain and it's sanded two sides. Now at least I can do some work on the neck while putting off doing more paint and bondo removal from the body)