2 string short scale for a little guy?

[reverendrally]

After a close encounter with my guitars the other day, my 3yo son is hanging to play my guitars everyday. So I'm wondering about building him a short scale 2 string. I'm think a 30" scale "Sim-ray" as his name is Simeon. Here he is with my P...

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What I'm wondering is, what should I do about truss rods?

 

[Roy Vogt]

Great pic!
Start 'em young.....
I just saw that Ibanez makes a 28.5" scale for younger players, so you could go even shorter. I started out my son at 8 on a 30" scale Fender Mustang.

 

[FBB Custom]

You could use a guitar rod.

 

[aronnes71]

I have made two 2 strings and not used a thruss rod. But If I would build another one I would use one, just in case.

Cheers
Tore

 

[reverendrally]

did you have any dramas with the necks on them? reason I ask is, I'm more concerned about the truss rod removing much needed timber from such a small neck.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

A cute pic, thanks for posting.

I'm more concerned about the truss rod removing much needed timber from such a small neck.

The TR is for adjusting the neck, not for the structural strenght.
I'f You're worried about the structural strenght and don't care about the (much needeed) adjustability, install just a single CF rod. Or a steel T-bar.

For several reasons I've been unable to build for several decades. I've been planning to build a pair of instruments for my nephews though, hopefully for the next Christmas.

They'll be just scaled down versions of "real deals", with "full" 4 & 6 strings.

While 2 strings may sound like a good idea ATM (ok, some adults play 2 stringers as well ), in no time he'll demand 4. OR 6 .

Regards
Sam

 

[reverendrally]

I'll build him a 4,5 or 6 string later on. For now, 2 will be heaps.

I might put a fibreglass section down the neck or a steel bar on edge.

 

[pilotjones]

You can build with a somewhat wider string spacing, and more fretboard margin beyond the strings, so that you have a more robust neck. You could even make it wide enough to convert to a three-string later.

 

[Ric5]

Get one of these .. it is under $200 and it is a 28" scale ... that is 6" shorter than a 34" scale bass. And it is a real bass ... not a toy.

Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar: Shop Bass & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend

 

[aronnes71]

did you have any dramas with the necks on them? reason I ask is, I'm more concerned about the truss rod removing much needed timber from such a small neck.

I had no problems so far, added a cf-rod for siffening. I would put in a TR If I would make one today, or The next 2 string I make

Cheers
Tore

 

[reverendrally]

Get one of these .. it is under $200 and it is a 28" scale ... that is 6" shorter than a 34" scale bass. And it is a real bass ... not a toy.

Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar: Shop Bass & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend

I looked at them, but his hands are too small and I can build my own for under $100. I already have the timber and pickups. Just need frets and a bridge... which are the easy bits really.

 

[reverendrally]

Gonna be quick. Single cut body with a short neck. Scale revised to 27".

Templates... Body

Neck. Gonna redo the name, "Early Bass, Muffin Man, Simray"

Pocket and rout for horn

Together

Timber ready to be cut this arvo.

More...

Neck blank.

Headstock

Body with web and neck pocket routed...

Body and neck together

Now for some fretting and finishing. Had a few little dramas today but I'm really happy with the progress.

 

[BassCycle]

That's pretty neat!

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Looks great.

Regards
Sam

 

[reverendrally]

Body rounded, arm rest down, whole thing sanded...

Neck face cut down. I don't have a bandsaw and don't trust the jigsaw, so I routed the thickness down and then used a small drum sander to do the curve...

 

[Stealth]

Sweet project.

As for the pickup - why not take a split-coil P-bass pickup and put one coil behind the other? It can work as a humbucker that way. It'll act like the MusicMan half-pickup you displayed above.

 

[AmadeusXeno]

That thing looks like it's gonna be loads of fun. I think Stealth has a great idea there for the pickup. I'm still wondering what you're gonna use for a bridge.

 

[SaintMez]

I wish my Dad had made me a Muffin Man when I was a kid! lol
That's a great name for this bass. You're an inspiration to fathers everywhere whose children can't keep their grubby lil paws off daddy's equipment.

 

[Stealth]

Again, I'd go with a simple solution: regular bridge with only the central two saddles used, the outer two removed. Or, better yet, two monolithic bridges. A bit more expensive, but easier to install.

 

[aronnes71]

I used 2 P-pickups for my 2 string, and single bridges. Worked perfect.
Hete is a link to the Build thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/new-build-twice-strings-668192/

Cheers
Tore