Fingerboard questions

moody · #1 04-08-2007, 05:24 AM

Hi people,

About a year ago I picked up a cheap double bass 3/4 but on the large side without being 7/8th??. It generally seems to be sound but has not been well cared for and is in what I call an unplayable condition. Basically the action is way to high and it hasn't had any sort of maintenance in years.

I decided that based on the amount I had spent on it that any work that needed to be done I would do myself. This is a hobby to me and not something important or urgent. I play electric bass but due to wrist problems an upright bass will never be anything more than a hobby to me.

The most urgent thing that appeared to need attention is the thin and not overly straight fingerboard. The nut end is way to shallow and the action is incredibly and unplayably high - adjusting or replacing the bridge can not help this much.

At the time I got it I was promised some appropriate timber to make a fingerboard out of - ironwood. Fast forward a year and I've given up waiting for it to appear.

I found these for sale on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/AAA-Quality-E...QQcmdZViewItem ,they are slightly oversized compared to what i have but not by much. Would I be making an incredible mistake if I bought one of these boards?

Would there be any reason why this wouldn't work for my situation? Can anyone give me a better supplier to go to given that I live in Australia and am not willing to spend extaorinary amounts on this?

Any other suggestions or things to worry about?

arnoldschnitzer · #2 04-08-2007, 07:47 AM

For that price, give it a shot. Don't believe that the wood is adequately seasoned, though. Put it in a dry place with good air circulation for a couple weeks before you use it. You might get some checks, which can usually be filled.

moody · #3 04-08-2007, 07:06 PM

I would have assumed several months would be better than a couple of weeks?

Anyway, I'm looking at buying it before the auction runs out in about 12 hours, can anyone disuade me or give me other options?

(I know the go to a luthier crowd is out there somewhere but I'm ignoring that).

Thanks

moody · #4 04-09-2007, 07:34 AM

Well it's done. I'll hope for the best when it gets here that it is decent enough to match the quality of my bass (which shouldn't be difficult).

Michael Case · #5 04-09-2007, 09:00 AM

I applaud your bravery. Replacing a FB seems like a huge job. Good luck and keep us posted.

moody · #6 04-09-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Case

I applaud your bravery. Replacing a FB seems like a huge job. Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks, I will, and I'll probably have plenty of questions once I've got it as well!