As follows are the specs I sent to Michael Dolan yesterday for the custom violin bass I would like him to build for me, I am rethinking the scale length since I have a great hard to come by hardcase that would fit this bass if it was built to the same scale.
Specifications for Custom Violin Bass
Greetings Michael
As follows are some of the specifications I would like integrated into my custom violin bass which I would be honored to have you craft for me. Enclosed are some pictures of a very specific body design and headstock I would like on this custom.
Specifications
Greenburst Violin Bass
Body -
Completely hollow with 2 F Holes, the lighter the better. Highly figured Flame Maple top ( If it is not possible to get it as a one piece please try to get the best bookmatch possible), there is a slight curve in the top I don’t think I need a carved top though. Birdseye Maple Body wood, Greenburst finish. Input jack on the bottom side as opposed to the face of the instrument.
Neck –
Scroll headstock – From the pictures I have supplied you might be able to tell just how difficult it is to restring with that design , any practical mechanical advancements in design would be a tremendous help while keeping the scroll style. You might want to check out Bruce Johnson’s Ampeg scroll bass reproductions www.xstrange.com and see if that might be a better guide
4 string fretted 21 frets, bolt on construction.34 inch scale, 19-20 mm string spacing (My main bass is a Sadowsky 5 string so this would be a helpful transition) In regards to neck construction I was thinking multi laminate 4 piece with a possible graphite reinforcement to elimantate deadspots, you know far more about crafting necks then I so I will go with your judgments as to what you think would be the best in this regard. I do find the Hofner necks too narrow and tight for me so a wider neck with more mass would probably work better for me, C neck profile. Brazilian Rosewood Fingerboard (A nice piece that would yield a warm round tone would fit the bill quit nicely) No face dots or side binding only side dots. Birdseye maple for the neck wood. The whole neck and headstock can be finished in Greenburst as, is their a different application of the finish you could use on the back of the neck so it would not get as stick when getting heavy play?
Hardware –
Black Hardware for the whole bass
Hipshot Ultra light Machine Heads
2 strap buttons with strap locks
Tail Piece and Bridge - As you can see from the pictures there is a tail piece and floating rosewood bridge. I have not seen any tail pieces like this for sale on the market so maybe you can put something together that is similar. I have found this bridge extremely hard to keep correctly intonated so I think a fixed style bridge would be a big practical help. I was even thinking an alembic style bridge and tail piece might look good as well as being practical in holding a good set up .Again I will let you come up with some ideas as to what you think would ascetically work with this bass as well as being constructively solid.
Pick ups –
Completely passive, I really want this bass to be acoustically natural.
I would like to keep the pick up housing looking similar to the housing used on the pick ups of these style basses. Humbucker design, in a conversation we once had you told me that Kent Armstrong does some custom work for you and he is actually little cheaper then production pickups could you see if he could put together a quad coil humbucker? Once the pick design has been decided upon we can move onto the particular controls and their lay out.
I hope this gives you a good sense of what I am looking for in this custom, I am really hoping by sending out this deposit and specifications now I could have this bass in time to play Christmas Mass this year. This summer and fall I am entrenched in a heavy course load so the best way to reach me would be via email @ yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you after you have received my specifications.
Peace
Major Metal
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[/IMG] And here is the type of Greenburst I would like
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Specifications for Custom Violin Bass
Greetings Michael
As follows are some of the specifications I would like integrated into my custom violin bass which I would be honored to have you craft for me. Enclosed are some pictures of a very specific body design and headstock I would like on this custom.
Specifications
Greenburst Violin Bass
Body -
Completely hollow with 2 F Holes, the lighter the better. Highly figured Flame Maple top ( If it is not possible to get it as a one piece please try to get the best bookmatch possible), there is a slight curve in the top I don’t think I need a carved top though. Birdseye Maple Body wood, Greenburst finish. Input jack on the bottom side as opposed to the face of the instrument.
Neck –
Scroll headstock – From the pictures I have supplied you might be able to tell just how difficult it is to restring with that design , any practical mechanical advancements in design would be a tremendous help while keeping the scroll style. You might want to check out Bruce Johnson’s Ampeg scroll bass reproductions www.xstrange.com and see if that might be a better guide
4 string fretted 21 frets, bolt on construction.34 inch scale, 19-20 mm string spacing (My main bass is a Sadowsky 5 string so this would be a helpful transition) In regards to neck construction I was thinking multi laminate 4 piece with a possible graphite reinforcement to elimantate deadspots, you know far more about crafting necks then I so I will go with your judgments as to what you think would be the best in this regard. I do find the Hofner necks too narrow and tight for me so a wider neck with more mass would probably work better for me, C neck profile. Brazilian Rosewood Fingerboard (A nice piece that would yield a warm round tone would fit the bill quit nicely) No face dots or side binding only side dots. Birdseye maple for the neck wood. The whole neck and headstock can be finished in Greenburst as, is their a different application of the finish you could use on the back of the neck so it would not get as stick when getting heavy play?
Hardware –
Black Hardware for the whole bass
Hipshot Ultra light Machine Heads
2 strap buttons with strap locks
Tail Piece and Bridge - As you can see from the pictures there is a tail piece and floating rosewood bridge. I have not seen any tail pieces like this for sale on the market so maybe you can put something together that is similar. I have found this bridge extremely hard to keep correctly intonated so I think a fixed style bridge would be a big practical help. I was even thinking an alembic style bridge and tail piece might look good as well as being practical in holding a good set up .Again I will let you come up with some ideas as to what you think would ascetically work with this bass as well as being constructively solid.
Pick ups –
Completely passive, I really want this bass to be acoustically natural.
I would like to keep the pick up housing looking similar to the housing used on the pick ups of these style basses. Humbucker design, in a conversation we once had you told me that Kent Armstrong does some custom work for you and he is actually little cheaper then production pickups could you see if he could put together a quad coil humbucker? Once the pick design has been decided upon we can move onto the particular controls and their lay out.
I hope this gives you a good sense of what I am looking for in this custom, I am really hoping by sending out this deposit and specifications now I could have this bass in time to play Christmas Mass this year. This summer and fall I am entrenched in a heavy course load so the best way to reach me would be via email @ yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you after you have received my specifications.
Peace
Major Metal
