Finished my Db build....

mark koschik · #1 11-30-2010, 01:27 PM

http://gs120.photobucket.com/groups/o176/ON1HOABQIA/ On Nov 6th 2010 I finally played my bass (Amati copy, Chandler`s book), that I started four years ago.

I`m going to try to include pic and link to my Photobucket acc. I`ve been a professional woodworker for 30 years (piano restoration) and a bass player for longer (big bands,comm. orchestra, musical theater), and I`ve been using the plywood that I payed $500.00 for in 1976. When I saw the book ("So... you want to build a Double Bass", Peter Chandler), I thought "Well it`s only wood...", I`ll give it a shot. Long story short in the last 3 weeks I`ve done two big band gigs and one orchestra concert, and I love the sound (the look, not as much), and more important, it hasn`t fallen apart yet. I welcome ANY comments especially criticism,since if I do fall into some money I would like to make another. I know what I would do differently, I`m curious how you would do it....

George700DL · #2 11-30-2010, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark koschik

http://gs120.photobucket.com/groups/o176/ON1HOABQIA/ On Nov 6th 2010 I finally played my bass (Amati copy, Chandler`s book), that I started four years ago.

I`m going to try to include pic and link to my Photobucket acc. I`ve been a professional woodworker for 30 years (piano restoration) and a bass player for longer (big bands,comm. orchestra, musical theater), and I`ve been using the plywood that I payed $500.00 for in 1976. When I saw the book ("So... you want to build a Double Bass", Peter Chandler), I thought "Well it`s only wood...", I`ll give it a shot. Long story short in the last 3 weeks I`ve done two big band gigs and one orchestra concert, and I love the sound (the look, not as much), and more important, it hasn`t fallen apart yet. I welcome ANY comments especially criticism,since if I do fall into some money I would like to make another. I know what I would do differently, I`m curious how you would do it....

Why don't you like the look? I think it looks beautiful!

George

Big B. · #3 11-30-2010, 03:05 PM

Nice job! I think the bass looks great.

bassist14 · #4 11-30-2010, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big B.

Nice job! I think the bass looks great.

+1

Cody Sisk · #5 11-30-2010, 03:41 PM

Amazing! You're my inspiration to get my tonewoods together and get started!

Meddle771 · #6 11-30-2010, 04:20 PM

How many hours of labor? And how much $ for parts, if you don't mind me asking.

**Matthew Tucker** · #7 11-30-2010, 04:28 PM

it all looks strangely familiar ... and looks like nice professional clean work. I envy your big workshop. Did you say you built the bass with PLYWOOD?? It doesn't look like plywood!

There's a lot to look at there. I think for your next build you'll probably want to try to lighten up the build. Bracing on the first bass is always conservative! Also the top arching looks very strong, but the ledge at the perimeter and the rather abrupt rise of the arch from the edges is going to make it a very stiff top. Would be better to have a nice smooth transition.

If I were to be really picky I'd say try to get the purfling corners joining at a bit sharper angle ... harder to do, and looks better.

But, well done!

james condino · #8 11-30-2010, 06:37 PM

Mark:

Looks great!!! There is nothing like the satisfaction of giging on a bass you built! I've got three lined up next week on my bass....

As for advice on number two, here is what I did. Now that you've got it up and fully running, make the bold move and call up Arnold or one of the other great builders in your area. It is potentially very intimidating, but throws you right into the fire. It looks like he is within easy driving distance of you. Pay for a couple of hours of his time and get some honest feedback. He'll likely help you tweak a few things that you may have missed, and while you are there, you'll see and play some basses that cost as much as your house and will send small children running in fear a couple of miles away because the low end is so strong....

The biggest standout thing that I've learned since my first build is that there is no substitute for a big box and as much as fancy high figured curly maple distracts me with all of the bling bling visuals, the sound of relatively boring looking Lombardy poplar back and sides blows me away comparatively, so my next will have my primary focus on that tone ( while also saving me a LOT of ruppees by not buying the nicest figured woods).
Great setup skills come from experience and time in the saddle.

From having built over 300 total instruments in 3+ decades of work, I think I worked longer and harder on the first than any one after that.

j.

Treyzer · #9 11-30-2010, 06:43 PM

The bass looks great. Nice job!

Heifetzbass · #10 12-01-2010, 04:53 AM

Incredible work for your first!

Gotta get off my butt...

Congrats!
BG

mark koschik · #11 12-01-2010, 10:27 AM

Thanks for the feedback. There were several parts of the job that I went into with a pre-conceived notion of how hard they would be and how long it would take, and was blown away by the reality. The purlfling and varnish were two that stand out. Making the purfling my self I new I would have to pre-bend it, but after bending the sides I thought that would be easy. I remember thinking I`ll spend a nice quiet week-end purfling the front and back, and a month later I was losing patience and the work shows it. I watched a guy varnish a violin on a DVD, and it looked almost like fun........ I can believe how hard it was to lay down a nice even coat. Maybe the size diff. has a little to do with it. But It came out a little more blotchy than I hoped, I think my $200 camera hides alot of that. Also I spent a total of $2,800.00 but that includes the tools that I didn`t already own- endpin reamer, radius plane, and a couple of gouges.

rgarcia26 · #12 12-01-2010, 11:18 AM

U should be very proud of your job it looks fantastic, some day i will do mine

MIKMAN · #13 12-01-2010, 11:35 AM

Marc if it sings as it looks it's a piece of art!

arnoldschnitzer · #14 12-01-2010, 04:30 PM

Nice going Mark! I remember seeing the project in its early stages. You must be really excited, especially as you get to play it. I look forward to seeing it in person.

forester · #15 12-01-2010, 05:57 PM

i wish that money you fall into was my deposit on # 2.
keep it up

perfect Hall for it's debut.

Waltjie · #16 01-24-2012, 10:15 AM

Sorry to raise an old thread from the dead, but this is just absolutely amazing IMO. I almost cannot believe what an outstanding job you've done here Mark! Wow!! That bass is really beautiful.

DC Bass · #17 01-24-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waltjie

Sorry to raise an old thread from the dead, but this is just absolutely amazing IMO. I almost cannot believe what an outstanding job you've done here Mark! Wow!! That bass is really beautiful.

Concur! I don't know how I missed this back when this thread was in "real time". Great job indeed!

BTW- I LOL'ed when I saw the thumbnails named "Green" and "Not Green"- Having just refinished my bass over the past summer I am well acquainted with blotchy coverage and "Green?- How the hell did THAT happen?" lol!

FWIW- All the work was done in my friends shop- and he is also a RPT.

Joe

T-Bird · #18 01-25-2012, 12:27 AM

Hi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waltjie

Sorry to raise an old thread from the dead

Sorry?

THANK YOU for resurrecting it. This was done before I wandered over to the "dark side" so I missed it completely.

Absolutely amazing workmanship.

I'm about two thirds of the pics/videos ATM, and I have to say that these kinds of build documentations are one of the blessings the internet has made available.

I'd also say that the videos are amazing (don't be too hard on Your camera Mark

), and anyone who is wondering why the double basses cost what they cost, should look through 'em.

Anyone who has ever wondered whether it's possible to make a DB, should also look through 'em and then decide whether it's something they're capable of. I'd bet more people would be encouraged to start the project if they saw more build documentations like this one.

Regards
Sam

tez123 · #19 01-25-2012, 03:12 AM

Looks right and if it sounds right it is right. I am also a piano Tuner/ tec /restorer which has helped me tweek my hybrid bass to my needs

mark koschik · #20 01-25-2012, 01:02 PM

Thanks everybody. I finished that thing about a year ago ( I should have a party) when my piano fixn' business was slow, now I have six grand pianos in that space (including a 9` concert grand), so I don`t have time even to figure out why my computer no longer "sees" my camera (bad wire?). Anyway the bass still sounds great to me, but as soon as I have some time I'm gonna take another swing at making the bridge. Version 1.5 still has some spacing issues.......