29 inch bass - would it work?

[tomersg]

i have a acoustic bass project in my mind.
i wont to take an indian Givson acoustic jazz guitar. and convert to acoustic fretless shortscale bass with nylon wound strings. i really like the look of those guitars and replacing the hardware and other work is not complicated.
i measured the scale (nut to bridge) and its about 29 inches.
is this scale is acceptable to that propose?

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[mrmills]

So long as you don't change the location of the bridge (to be clear, the brown wooden bit) the frets should be ok for that. 29" is short for a bass but there is not reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[mongo2]

I recently completed the conversion of an Epiphone Dot Studio guitar into a 24.75" scale bass but I kept the frets.

However, I don't think you will get much acoustic volume from the guitar you've chosen, so a pickup of some sort may be desired.

My conversion...

 

[tomersg]

I recently completed the conversion of an Epiphone Dot Studio guitar into a 24.75" scale bass but I kept the frets.

However, I don't think you will get much acoustic volume from the guitar you've chosen, so a pickup of some sort may be desired.

My conversion...

of course i'll need to install some kind of pickup. probably a piezo under the bridge. is there any acoustic bass that doesn't need amplification?

btw very nice work mongo2!
with the frets is it in tune and intonate fine?

 

[mongo2]

of course i'll need to install some kind of pickup. probably a piezo under the bridge. is there any acoustic bass that doesn't need amplification?

btw very nice work mongo2!
with the frets is it in tune and intonate fine?

Thanks.

I used a floating bridge from a"violin" style bass (not Hofner) and intonated it by shifting the bridge around and relocating one of the saddle "frets" to a different slot.

 

[tomersg]

thanks. i have a bridge like this that i going to use.
your project will be inspiration for me!

 

[mongo2]

Just an FYI, I used the trapeze tailpiece from the same busted bass from which I got the bridge and I also used Labella nylon tapewound strings made specifically for the Hofner violin bass since the tuner end of those strings are thin enough to fit in the OEM tuner post holes so I could use the OEM tuners. I recut a replacement nut to accomodate the bass strings.

 

[kodiakblair]

Mongo2 that's a very nice Bass you done there.

 

[Koeda]

I recently completed the conversion of an Epiphone Dot Studio guitar into a 24.75" scale bass but I kept the frets.

However, I don't think you will get much acoustic volume from the guitar you've chosen, so a pickup of some sort may be desired.

My conversion...

Inspired! How is the tension on the strings - no too loose?

 

[mongo2]

Inspired! How is the tension on the strings - no too loose?

Thanks.

The tension isn't as loose as I expected but I did raise the action an increase relief a bit to compensate for my touch.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Twenty-nine inch scale... that's just an inch less than an EB-O style bass... why not?

Yeah, this thread has me eyeballing a couple of hollowbody 6-strings I have laying around. Hmmmm....

 

[raventepes]

is there any acoustic bass that doesn't need amplification?

Try an acoustic bass?

Honestly, I tried a few acoustics when I went shopping for one. I played on an Ibanez, a Dean, a Samick Greg Bennett, and a couple others. I ended up buying the Samick. I preferred the tone and the fact that it projected the best between the rest of them. The fact that it was the cheapest of the bunch was an added bonus. I wish I would have had the ability to try out a Michael Kelly, but just couldn't find one in my state (Alaska).

 

[flipmouse]

getting in on this late...cuz i'm thinking of a project and found this in a search. (LUV the hollowbody project, mongo2!!) anyone tried converting a dreadnaught-style? thoughts/advice/problems? other threads to check out i might be overlooking?

 

[knumbskull]

Fender Japan made an extra-short scale Jazz a while back, i think it was 28 or 29 inches. So that scale could work. Interesting project!

 

[tomersg]

the project starated. more here: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/29-inch-archtop-acoustic-bass-build.1092681/