Grofiller Bass project

ctregan · #1 07-14-2007, 05:17 AM

I have begun building a Double Bass in my barn/workshop using the Mateo Gofriller plans from Peter Chandler. The instrument is intended for my son who plays in the school orchestra. We currently have a good plywood bass that he plays now but I am hoping a hand carved solid wood bass might have a better, or at least more "interesting" voice for bowing classical music.

Here is where the project gets interesting (or goes astray); I have been collecting old lumber for quite a wile and I plan on using this reclaimed material to fabricate, or "craft" the Bass. The good side, most of the wood is old, very old and rather unique. On the other side, i hope it works and does not prove to be a source of embarrassment for my son. The teen years are hard enough with out being forced to play some crazy homemade bass your Dad built. Anyway I am off to the barn... wish me luck!

First issue, I have some old beams for the top, ( 20+ rings per inch, straight grain) it is not Spruce, but Douglas Fir. I may have to change things a bit to make it work. The wood is bit heavier than spruce (and stronger) so i may try to make the top thinner to make up for the difference or i could adjust the arching (stronger wood-less arch?).

arnoldschnitzer · #2 07-14-2007, 06:31 AM

Keep the doug fir for furniture. It splits horribly when used in a bass top. I say this from personal experience.

ctregan · #3 07-14-2007, 07:53 AM

Thanks for the reply, maybe this will be my practice top for learning the carving process. Doug fir has a beautiful color that gets darker with age, It would look good on a bass; but not with cracks. It could also make a nice wall hanging.

This explains why there was no info on double basses with doug fir tops. I did find this on doug fir and violas http://www.josephcurtinstudios.com/n...Erdesz_bio.htm

1st Bass · #4 07-14-2007, 10:00 AM

CTRegan;

One thing it took me a while to appreciate was that I was going to spend 500+ hours building the bass. (In reality this first one took me a good deal more, because of inexperience, trepidation, false-starts, re-work, etc.)

Saving money by using sub-standard material is false economy at best...the most costly thing going into that bass is your time, and you will spend MORE time, not less by doing things odd--especially when it comes to the top. Beside all this, you want to start with wood that you KNOW will sound good.

Don Harris · #5 07-14-2007, 10:24 PM

I appreciate this post, as I've been wondering about douglas fir as well. I know that some acoustic guitar builders like it and a local guy built a crude looking violin with a doug fir top that sounded very good. He has since died and left a bunch of the wood that he cut and seasoned for the folks in our luthiers group. I'm glad to get Arnold's advice before spending a bunch of time on a top. Would it make good back braces I wonder?

Good luck on the project! -don

Jnichol · #6 07-14-2007, 10:47 PM

CTRegan,

I have purchased 2 basses from Mr. Chandler and think that they are very fine instruments. In fact, I came very close to purchasing a Gofriller copy from him; it was a very beautiful bass and had a nice, orchestral sound. However, the response was rather stiff.

The Chandler basses are made in Canada without huge fluctuations in humidity, but changes in temperature. If you were to select a top that was supposedly stronger than spruce, be careful that it doesn't have brittle qualities that could lead to cracks.

Good luck with the copy! Mr. Chandler was a wonderful man and produced some very beautiful instruments.

**Damon Rondeau** · #7 07-15-2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

Keep the doug fir for furniture. It splits horribly when used in a bass top. I say this from personal experience.

ESPECIALLY old doug fir that's been seasoning for a century or more. It's about as splinter-prone a wood as you can imagine. I love the stuff, but it doesn't want to be curvy. It wants to be straight, holding something up.

ctregan · #8 07-15-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1st Bass

CTRegan;

One thing it took me a while to appreciate was that I was going to spend 500+ hours building the bass. (In reality this first one took me a good deal more, because of inexperience, trepidation, false-starts, re-work, etc.)

Saving money by using sub-standard material is false economy at best...the most costly thing going into that bass is your time, and you will spend MORE time, not less by doing things odd--especially when it comes to the top. Beside all this, you want to start with wood that you KNOW will sound good.

Thanks for the advice, it makes good sense.

My thought on the doug fir was, since it was so old and had a previous life as part of an rustic lodge, I thought using this material might impart some kind of metaphysical karma on my bass. It was not to save $$ but to find material that was unique.

ctregan · #9 07-15-2007, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jnichol

CTRegan,

I have purchased 2 basses from Mr. Chandler and think that they are very fine instruments. In fact, I came very close to purchasing a Gofriller copy from him; it was a very beautiful bass and had a nice, orchestral sound. However, the response was rather stiff.

The Chandler basses are made in Canada without huge fluctuations in humidity, but changes in temperature. If you were to select a top that was supposedly stronger than spruce, be careful that it doesn't have brittle qualities that could lead to cracks.

Good luck with the copy! Mr. Chandler was a wonderful man and produced some very beautiful instruments.

What do you mean by the response was stiff?

ctregan · #10 08-21-2007, 02:23 AM

The top is going to be spruce, doug fir is out.
The blank did not fit on my joiner; getting a flat side at the bench

ctregan · #11 08-21-2007, 02:39 AM

This old Band saw is not unlike an old bass, with proper set up and fine tuning it will easily out perform anything new.

Here is my stock on the saw. Four slices from one board.

**Matthew Tucker** · #12 08-21-2007, 02:54 AM

Wow what's the max throat size? Did you resaw the belly flitch on that?

Hard to see - bigger pics needed

ctregan · #13 08-21-2007, 02:54 AM

12" long 2" pipe in sturdy vice, gets very hot close to burner but stays cooler towards the end.
I made some practice bends with scraps. It is hard to get smooth bends without ripples; need to keep practicing.

Upstate NY is pretty this time of year, its hard to believe this same spot of land will be covered with snow in three months time (or less!).

ctregan · #14 08-21-2007, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Wow what's the max throat size? Did you resaw the belly flitch on that?

The board on the saw is 9.5 inches. The throat goes deeper but I did not cut the spruce billet here, it came as two pre cut wedges.

The saw is an Oliver 36", considered by many the Vincenzo Panormo of band saws.

**Damon Rondeau** · #15 08-21-2007, 06:07 AM

Sir: I am very jealous of your saw.

ctregan · #16 08-21-2007, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

Sir: I am very jealous of your saw.

I wish it was my saw, its one I use at work. The saw has not moved in 90 years; I think it came with the building.

The throat goes to 15"+(saw mill depth!) but works great for scroll work too.

**Damon Rondeau** · #17 08-21-2007, 05:00 PM

I'll bet it's heavier than sin and doesn't vibrate a bit.

ctregan · #18 08-22-2007, 04:12 AM

Here is a digital image of my home band saw.
I have not tried to cut many bass ribs with this saw....

forester · #19 08-22-2007, 09:40 PM

it could never be a source of embaressment...opportunity perhaps,to create something really special for your son and, his son...
sounds like it's best to stick to proven methods and materials,good luck..keep your fingers out of the saw..and involve your son.

**Matthew Tucker** · #20 08-22-2007, 10:15 PM

You'll want to get that upturned iron mounted in a nice stable wooden box before too long!