Upright bass specs? Electric upright project

Matt in TN · #1 11-10-2009, 08:45 AM

Many years ago, before the internet had so much information so easily at the fingertips, I played a Clevinger upright electric bass while I worked for a musical instrument store. It seemed so simple in design I decided to build one of my own from scratch, and stole several measurements from both it and the only acoustic upright bass in the store. At the time that was about the best I could do. It turned out pretty well, but was fairly crude and mostly a novelty at the time and has been sitting in my attic for decades now.

I'd like to return to this and polish it up a bit, but need some more specs. What I've got so far is a single piece of solid mahogany made into the neck, body, and head. A 1" thick piece of ebony carved and sanded to shape made the fretboard, and I used some ebony scraps to make the nut and bridge (strings went through the body).

What I need to know, or know where to find: curvature of fretboard (ie: radius of curvature), string spacing, neck thickness, nut slot height off fingerboard, string height off fretboard (at 12th fret equivalent), and pretty much anything else you can think of. I used my best guesses and measurements from examples I had close and it works, but I'd like ot know what they "should" be for comparison and maybe modification/improvement.

I'd also be curious to hear suggestions for a pickup for this -that's the one piece I never installed.

This is not meant to be a replica of an upright bass with the dull thud fingerstyle sound - but even without electronics this has a great amount of sustain and very nice tone.

Areas in which I think I have room to improve: the neck is too thick (I was paranoid to leave enough material to hold the string tension without warping and without a truss rod), the body is blocky and ugly, the fingerboard could stand to be shaped more evenly/cleanly, and of course - it needs electronics!

Any ideas/suggestions?

Matt in TN · #2 11-12-2009, 08:01 AM

Is this a dumb idea (or a poor execution of a good idea), or does no one have these measurements?

reedo35 · #3 11-12-2009, 08:12 AM

There are a couple good Books on the subject. Traeger's is one of them. As for pickup, it depends on what you want, active or passive?

draftsmann · #4 11-12-2009, 09:23 AM

There is an EUB section on the "other side" of TB, which features self-build threads from time to time.

There is also a setup & repair forum in the DB area. The regular posters are very helpful and friendly. Be aware that they will mercilessly rip the pee-pee if you use bass guitar terminology:
"fretboard" instead of fingerboard;
"action" instead of string height;
"scale length" instead of string length or mensure

...and you might find that someone voices a strong-ish opinion if you describe the sound of a DB as a "dull thud" on the other side...

But you will find all the answers you need over there.

Adrian

PasdaBeer · #5 11-12-2009, 11:32 AM

Ive ventured over there once or twice trying to find info.

Its similar effect if you walk into a senior home with a rancid shirt on. Looks of disgust all around, while at the same time they envy your youth.

Matt in TN · #6 11-12-2009, 01:21 PM

LOL - thanks for the tips! I will head over there, tread carefully, and try to be respectful...

T-Bird · #7 11-12-2009, 02:34 PM

Hi Matt.

Welcome to TalkBass.

Heading out to the dark, eh, sorry, DB side was just what I was going to suggest when I saw the thread title, but draftsmann beat me to it.

I'd like to add the use fingering instead of the "fretting" to the Dark side dictionary.
For me, the former has a whole different meaning...

The Rancid T-shirt analogy is more than fitting also.

I haven't had any problems "over there", mainly because I have a vintagyish Eastern block MFG DB which looks rather cool, and because I mostly visit the Rockabilly section which is quiet to say the least.

Politeness goes a long way over there, just like everywhere really.

Have fun.

Regards
Sam

scojack · #8 11-13-2009, 04:37 AM

Folks in the EUB section are a fairly friendly lot and are generally quite open minded, im sure you will get a few willing to get their tape measures out.
The dark force is strong in the DB section however ..........

draftsmann · #9 11-13-2009, 05:00 AM

How is your current project coming on Ian?

I've decided my mahogany body will have a cap of ash, or fraxxnu as they call it in Malta. Going to chamber the body with my router, mainly so it is less of a ship's anchor, as total body thickness will be 2 1/2".

Main challenge is to remove the threaded rod thoughtfully inserted in the heel of my Chinese takeaway DB neck to reinforce it. Heel is being cut down to fit in a Fender style neck pocket - I found an elongated 3-hole neck plate on the 'Bay which will do the job perfectly. I think I am going to have to be "resourceful" with a holesaw. How I wish I hadn't said "yes" when the helpful Chinaman asked if I wanted him to glue on the fingerboard before sending it. It was a weak moment, with recollections of my last DB fingerboard gluing, when I resorted to two steel pins superglued into the neck to stop the damn thing sliding all over the place!

Funny how so much of this instrument building takes place in one's head before even picking up a piece of wood...

ATB

Adrian

scojack · #10 11-13-2009, 05:57 AM

Hiya Adrian,
My latest EUB is coming on slowly ..its getting in bit too cold in the unheated shop....well i say shop its more 'shed' really. I have the FB on now, next job is carving the remainder of the neck, but i cant see this project being complete till spring.
Im a fair weather whittler !!

Yes i remember you saying about getting your FB pre-glued, sounds like your sorting it out though.
Chambering is not a bad idea either, the Ash will be nice.
My new eub with cocoblo is pretty heavy. I was going to chamber it too but decided that the oily-rosewood needed as much surface area glued onto the mahogany body core as possible.

Ian

Musiclogic · #11 11-13-2009, 06:56 AM

Try this Matt, it might serve all of your purposes
http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/2-S...IZING_FAQ.html

headlikeahole · #12 11-13-2009, 03:46 PM

do electric doubles like the steinberger have truss rods? i guess what i mean is, is it standard to not use a truss rod or you just didn't have one at the time?

Matt in TN · #13 11-16-2009, 01:01 PM

Thanks for all the tips guys! I didn't use a truss rod because I didn't have one and thought I could get away with beefing up the neck to account for it. I'm thinking I over-did it though, as the string tension proves no problem at all for the mahogany/ebony laminate I have there now. I'm tempted to carve the mahogany down a little to make it easier to play, but I'd hate to take off too much...

draftsmann · #14 11-16-2009, 02:05 PM

Matt;

Double basses don't have, and don't need a truss rod. The neck is shorter, the fingerboard is a hefty slab of ebony, and the maple neck is much deeper than a guitar or bass guitar neck. Beware of shaving too much off - not just because of strength but because contrary to what many guitarists and bass guitar players might expect, a chunky double bass neck is actually easier to play and less stressful on the left hand than a skinny neck. This is important, because of all the stringed instruments the DB is the most physically demanding on the player.

Have you had any joy getting the dimensions?

Adrian

Matt in TN · #15 11-19-2009, 04:13 PM

Adrian -

Thanks for the clarification. Between the links in this thread and a helpful guy in the DB forum I think I have about all I need now.

You have me curious though - any idea about neck cross-section dimensions on a "standard" 3/4 or 4/4 upright? I made mine until it "felt right", but I have no idea how it compares to a real one...

**RedsFan75** · #16 11-19-2009, 09:50 PM

I'd be interesting in seeing your dimensions...