Archtop bass?
 

There are about a million luthiers building custom basses now, but almost nobody is building true archtop basses with F-holes, BIG bodies, and a trapeze style tailpiece

Anybody able to recommend a builder who does that?
:hmm:

check out the post on the Rigel acoustic bass ,,,,,nothing else is really useable unless you amp ,in which case why bother .............

Some beautiful large factory arched hollows:

Dean Stylist

Ibanez

Hutchins



The Dean Stylist B1 you can only find used. Not anymore in catalogue.

Not cheap but the Ribbecke Halfling is magnificent.

Archtp
 

The halfling and the citron swallow 4 are my two dream basses!

Mine too. I had an Azola Deco for a decade or so.

I miss it sometimes but I kinda got tired of how much like an upright it sounded like. I'm leaning much more towards more guitaristic fretted instruments these days.

Here ya' go!
 

http://www.takamine.com/guitars/bass_guitars/tb10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKEtECsF8To

Like Jeff mentioned, the Tak TB10 & Gretsch g5123b is somewhat arched. Epiphone Casady.

Newly re-introduced, Guild Starfire!

http://www.guildguitars.com/instrume...tno=3792400866

Nowadays luthiers mostly dont know how to make archtop bass guitars (or they are just too lazy), because working with solid wood is easier and cheaper.

I'm planning to buy myself an archtop bass guitar (yup, again from Defil), they are still present sometimes at low prices (down to 30$ if its in bad condition, like no hardware). Sometimes I keep buiyng destroyed guitars, to keep the single hardware. Got an archtop guitar from '72 (electric, not bass) in low price (approx 40$) that had no hardware at all, and now waiting for better time, when I can finally take care of my stuff.
I would reccomend you the same - to buy the guitar body, and if you need something more special, order a custom neck and hardware at luthiers workshop.