Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Acoustic Archtop Bass
- Thread starter Foghorn ABG
- Start date
I may very well try those on my wife's oval hole archtop. My buddy said "stay with the Elixer round wounds on mine!". I guess he's good with it. Just posted to see what was working for others even though my build is a little unconventional.
Basvarken
Commercial User
- Dec 3, 2010
- 1,744
- 10,609
- Disclosures
- Hobby Luthier / Gibson Bass Book
Those videos prove that it is still not nearly loud enough.
Completely drowned out by the acoustic guitars...
The only acoustic bass that is really loud is the bass developed by Olavi Linden.
This bass has a diaphragm and rolled up horn inside the body.
The mechanism is similar to that of a Stroh-violin.
And even that bass has a piezo plus pre-amp, because it still is obviously acoustically not loud enough in a situation with other instruments.
Completely drowned out by the acoustic guitars...
The only acoustic bass that is really loud is the bass developed by Olavi Linden.
This bass has a diaphragm and rolled up horn inside the body.
The mechanism is similar to that of a Stroh-violin.
And even that bass has a piezo plus pre-amp, because it still is obviously acoustically not loud enough in a situation with other instruments.
Linden Instruments
www.lindeninstruments.com
Last edited:
It is sound like almost every acoustic bass thay i heard. a bit more deep mabye. send video of it play with other guitars and then i will decide. I have had trials with many recommended acoustic basses. Taylor AB, Tacoma Thunder Chief. even the legendary acoustic bass by Stoll that look promising because his largest sizes which should provide enough acoustic volume . Even the last one resonated less from what I use now. How does that make sense? There are probably other related reasons besides the size, like the design of the braces, the choice of trees and the shape of the body itself. But one thing is for sure, you need to hear the instrument in real life and not in YouTube videos
not everything that may sound good and loud on video, sounds good in real life
Last edited:
Regarding unplugged volume, all I've got to say is
Of all words,
There are none so fine
As these three:
I've got mine.
See my avatar. @bholder has his, too.
Of all words,
There are none so fine
As these three:
I've got mine.
See my avatar. @bholder has his, too.
Hi Foghorn, I missed this for some reason when you first posted. I know we've hooked up on one of the other guitar forums, but just to repeat, that is a really really lovely build! Top notch. If, in some strange twist of fate, find yourself in Italy with this amazing instrument, please look me up!
Are you still building acoustic basses? I've got a build diary for an archtop bass going here on Luthier's Corner at the moment, but I was thinking about starting a more technical thread, to exchange building techniques and ideas specific to acoustic basses. Just a thought.....
Since it has a floating humbucker, which is magnetic, please stop in here and show it off. Higher rez pix would be great to see!
Hollowbody Club
Hi Honza. I've only built two but will likely build more in the future. Thanks for the kind words. I was in Italy about 5 years ago and may be coming again next year. It's difficult to fly with such a large guitar which is cello sized, ha! I'll be checking out your build diary. You don't see too many large archtop basses out there. I'm terrible at taking build pictures but do have some progress pictures from when I built the two 15 years ago. The neck is a bolt on useing 1/4" 20 hanger bolts and furniture nuts. I have an extra long hex key I made up and tightened the bolts through the endpin hole. Very solid.
Last edited:
It would be amazing if Newtone would wind Heritage strings in bass gauges...
Those are amazingly great acoustic strings.
I found a set of Elixer Phosphor Bronze, Extra Long scale that work perfect both acoustically and with the floating pickup.
I'll do that. I do need a better camera or maybe just need to clean the lense, ha! Here's a few better pics and a couple of progress pics from way back when.
Attachments
What are the body Dimensions? The picture with you holding the unfinished bass looks like it is quite sizeable.
20" lower bout. 4" ribs making the body 6 1/2" depth at the center. 34" scale and joined at the 17th fret so yes, about as big a guitar as you would want to play without standing it up! I'm actually considering adding a post to my wife's oval hole one.
My buddy wanted a thumb rest so I made one out of a gate latch and added an African Blackwood knob. It works!
I’m building a large ABG (24.5” lower bout, 4.5” - 9” deep wedge shape, flat back) and my last thing to figure out is the arch top. The bass is all vacuum laminated - and the top will also be - over an arched mold [forma]. It will have a bass bar and sound post.
I’m trying to figure out the best arch or dome to use to make my positive mold. I could leave the perimeter flat or take the domed approach across the whole top (and thus have to angle the sides and linings to mate). Do the plans you’ve mentioned above include details of the compound curves?
I’m trying to figure out the best arch or dome to use to make my positive mold. I could leave the perimeter flat or take the domed approach across the whole top (and thus have to angle the sides and linings to mate). Do the plans you’ve mentioned above include details of the compound curves?
Latest posts
-
Uber Eats class action lawsuit alleges their priority delivery is a scam- Latest: monsterthompson
-
-
-
