$100 Bass Challenge - Double Trouble

[michaelwayneharwood]

My children spent a great deal of time playing the Aleph this morning, and now BOTH of them want that shape WITH piano tuners. At some point I am going to lock them into a decision, but planning this with them has been so much fun I am not there yet. Here's their latest ideas:

 

[mapleglo]

My children spent a great deal of time playing the Aleph this morning, and now BOTH of them want that shape WITH piano tuners. At some point I am going to lock them into a decision, but planning this with them has been so much fun I am not there yet. Here's their latest ideas:

The more I look at these shapes, the more I like it. So elegant, with slender, swept curves. It's odd, I normally do not like either single cut bodies, or headless designs, but this shines.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

The more I look at these shapes, the more I like it. So elegant, with slender, swept curves. It's odd, I normally do not like either single cut bodies, or headless designs, but this shines.

Thank you!

 

[fishdreams]

awesome indeed on all fronts

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

This morning my son decided he wants a sassafras body as well. This would not be a problem if my favorite local hardwood dealer stocked it regularly, but the board I have was in a "get it while it's here" stack. At $2.90 a board foot it's a pretty good deal for a light wood that has such a gorgeous grain pattern. I called them up this morning to see if they had any left, and joy of joys they have exactly one 4/4 board left that should give me enough board feet to be able to get two bodies out of the wood when combined with my present stock of sassafras. Both kids reserve the right to change their minds up until the sawdust flies, so if the sassafras does not end up being used here I am happy to have it on hand.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

I now have enough sassafras to build both basses, but I should know better than to go to the hardwood store for just "that one thing". What do I see when I walk in but a stack of hard maple boards priced to move. One of them ended up coming home with me.

*sigh*

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

The walnut from my father-in-law's wood pile is too short to do much with in the way of instrument building, but it makes a pretty box.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

I am still working on finishing my present commission before I get started on this, but due to a snowstorm this weekend the garage was cold enough to warrant staying indoors. I spent the time playing around with Blender to see if i could get some better concept drawings mocked up and this is the result. They are still really rough, but the procedural wood texture looks much better than what I came up with in Inkscape. I like the results well enough that I am going to continue poking around in my spare time. One thing I like about using Blender is the ability to move the model around and get a much better idea of what the end result is likely to be. 2D concept drawings will take you only so far.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Quick update - she's starting to come together.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Here's a quickie animation of the bass spinning around the center axis. There are a few issues with the mesh I need to clean up, but it's not bad for a start.

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[JustForSport]

but due to a snowstorm this weekend the garage was cold enough to warrant staying indoors.

I'd like to trade you some of that- it's 80' here, sweating while swapping a steering gear in a Volvo (not fun).

Quick update - she's starting to come together.

This design is really looking good, IMO. Never really liked the single-cut looks, myself, with the look of the added weight forward (tho, offset here with the headless neck), but the balance in the design you've got going goes very well together. There's a 'form follows function' look, also, that makes them look like serious business. Could be a new chapter in bass design- going forward. Heck, even Fender is looking outside the box they've been in for so long with the 50's based Chrome and 50's old cars look. There're new generations of buyers/players that didn't grow up back then, and they will be looking for something different.
I'm still not into pink and blue poly pistol grips- black, OD green, wood ok- but the color choices you've shown combined with the fingerboard and transparent tinted/ dyed with the wood grain accented go well together with the design. The original that these are modeled after came out very nice.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

@JustForSport - thanks so much! The Blender model needs a revamp, and the textures looks way too cartonnish for my taste, but it helps a great deal to be able to spin the design around and get a better feel for the wood grain and colors from a design perspective. I am a novice at most things, and 3D design is showing that off.

The Aleph design has worked very well from a playing perspective. It's comfortable, light, and I feel that it looks very nice. The colors for this project are being driven by the "customer", but I am doing my best to make decisions that will have some longevity. My son wanted to have some cartoon inlays and I said no. I want these to be instruments they can play for years without feeling like they have outgrown them. A Wild Kratts bass sounds fun, but he's already getting "over" that obsession and he's all about Perry the Platypus now...

 

[PDX Rich]

That headless design works so well with the body curvature. I am looking forward to watching the progress! You guys make it so much easier for folks like me who are preparing to do a first build!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

That headless design works so well with the body curvature. I am looking forward to watching the progress! You guys make it so much easier for folks like me who are preparing to do a first build!

Thank you! I don't know that you want to use anything I do as an example unless it's what to avoid doing.

 

[PDX Rich]

Thank you! I don't know that you want to use anything I do as an example unless it's what to avoid doing.

Haha! It's really the modesty that brings me back

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Haha! It's really the modesty that brings me back

I am just a realist. The only thing I know for sure is how little I know, and how much other's can teach me. Not that I listen all the time... I have found that the best teacher is experience and that theory will only take you so far.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

I have been futzing around in Blender to get a more realistic wood texture. Here's a 14" x 20" two piece bubinga body. If I can get the textures to map properly to a bass shape I am going to be a happy man.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

In an effort to reign in the chaos that my garage was becoming I started working on cutting the sassafras boards down to make body blanks. Once I have my current commission done I will be starting on this build. Since the tasks will be identical I am going to make one for myself out of walnut with a birdseye maple top. I will post pics once all of the glue ups are done and I have real progress to report, and will start a separate build thread for the walnut bass. I may end up with a few entries in the $100 build contest as all of my basses thus far are falling under that price to build.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Obligatory glue up shot. It makes it real.

 

[two fingers]

Where's my fast forward button???