Constructing an EUB

[6-stringer]

I've been tossing around the idea of building an electric upright. I want a 34" scale, so I'm thinking of using a Moses steinberger-style graphite neck, mounting it on as small a body peice as possible, and building, or buying an appropriate bridge with piazos. I like the design of Kydd's basses, that's what I'm going for. I've also thought about using the neck off an old doghouse, but the larger scale gets to me. Am I crazy, or is this a relatively doable project? Buy a neck, slap a body, hardware, bridge, and pups on it, mount it on an endpin and voila, EUB. Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Kraig99]

Sounds like a cool idea. I've been considering the same type of thing because there does not seem to be an affordable electric upright available. Let us know how it goes!!

[JAUQO III-X]

Go to this site and you will find some helpfull info on building yourself an EUB http://urbbob.com/basslink.htm/

[embellisher]

If you don't want to be able to play it arco, that would work. But the radius on a regular neck is too large for bowing.

[rablack]

For general building advice and discussion also check out http://www.mimf.com if you join (free) you get access to the archived discussions. Nothing particularly EUB specific but great general luthiery information.

[Francois Blais]

You can also join the EUB_list on Yahoogroups.
The URL is Yahoogroups EUB_list

[6-stringer]

Originally posted by embellisher
If you don't want to be able to play it arco, that would work. But the radius on a regular neck is too large for bowing.

Yea, i've thought of that. That's why i've considered using a double bass neck. I just want to stick to a 34' scale. I really suck on standup bass. The action, and scale really throws me off and I don't want to have to learn a new instrument.
If I use an arched bridge of some kind, I wouldn't be able to use a bow? That's dissapointing. I do think the cheap way to go would be to buy an old beater neck and use that. I'll let you all know how it shapes up once i figure out which route i'm going with. Gonna check those links out now, thanks fellas.

[Jukes]

I have often thought of this myself...it is within my woodworking capabilities although I will have to borrow the use of a bandsaw. I am intimidated however by the electronics and the inletting of the same.
I have thought of buying a cheap imported BG, maybe fretless, cutting down the body, installing a new neck and stand. What I fear however is unexpected expenses that are not immediately apparent...belly brace that may be prohibitive when bought alone. Expensive strings...maybe the need to replace the pickups, etc.
Any thoughts on this approach?

[mydoglikessalsa]

I suspect that, tonally, you guys won't be making anything other than a funny looking fretless. Uprights sound the way they do from a combination of factors. The body, which we eliminate with an EUB. The choice of body woods may mitigate the change somewhat, but you still lose a lot, which you have to try to remedy with electronics. There's still a lot of wood in an upright neck though, both in length and girth. That will vibrate a lot. Then you have string selection and tension, which is markedly different from a fretless bass largely because of the scale length. So if you put a fretless 34" neck on a solid body, you have altered body wood, neck wood, scale and string tension. In short, you will sound like you just slapped a piezo pickup on a fretless.

Which may actually be a better plan. If you're not hung up on sounding like an upright, but just want some acoustic flavor, go for it. But if you want to sound like an upright, 34" scale won't do it. (At least, not without compensating elsewhere, like with a body. But, putting upright strings on a cello does not sound like a bass, no matter how you tune it.)

[jonas_oxide]

is there a place to buy those polar pickups that ns uses on their eub's? Id really dig getting my hands on one of those

[scojack]

You would have to try EMG direct ....
http://www.emginc.com/pages/oem