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Double Bass ALCOA?
- Thread starter niedermee
- Start date
Still trying to scrape some more moolah together... 
@niedermee -- I see in the Classifieds that you've already sold your Alcoa. I hope you'll post some photos of it fully assembled before you ship it off to its new home.
You'll have to ask the new owner for fully assembled photos. I sold it in the condition seen in the photos.
My biggest regret is not buying one of these when I had the chance. It was in the early 90's and needed a bit of work but only $400. I saw it and knew that I would get an upright someday...I had no idea I'd wait another 20 years but I knew I had to have an upright.
ALCOA still exists, I wonder what if they could be hired to build one.
ALCOA still exists, I wonder what if they could be hired to build one.
Heck yes...since there tons of MIC all metal resonater guitars on the market now..setting up a corner in the factory for basses might be a possibility. Less breakage in shipping that's for sure. Having seen a container of cheap uprights that arrived at the dock with major casualties.
- Mar 19, 2002
- 800
- 130
- 53
- Disclosures
- President: Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
'Ironic- I just took a break from the shop polishing an old ALCOA and logged in to this thread. I also received a call last month about building one; probably from the same person! Same response from me- wrong skill set.
If you look at the multiple segment screwed and welded Pfretzschner design with a removable wooden neck, that would be very easy to replicate. If I desired, I could easily build one in my shop, including the arched plates. Once you actually see an original ALCOA in person, you realize that the craftsmanship involved is exceptional. To find someone that skilled in today's world that actually had the time available from the rest of their business would likely cost you around $20k or more. The real challenge is that anyone who has that set of skills is probably making a million dollars a year building nuclear submarine and spy drone parts for the defense industry. Like it or not, those guys have soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much more money than we musicians have so there is currently no viable economic model for producing aluminum basses.
j.
www.kaybassrepair.com
www.condino.com
If you look at the multiple segment screwed and welded Pfretzschner design with a removable wooden neck, that would be very easy to replicate. If I desired, I could easily build one in my shop, including the arched plates. Once you actually see an original ALCOA in person, you realize that the craftsmanship involved is exceptional. To find someone that skilled in today's world that actually had the time available from the rest of their business would likely cost you around $20k or more. The real challenge is that anyone who has that set of skills is probably making a million dollars a year building nuclear submarine and spy drone parts for the defense industry. Like it or not, those guys have soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much more money than we musicians have so there is currently no viable economic model for producing aluminum basses.
j.
www.kaybassrepair.com
www.condino.com
Here is the brand stripper that I have been using successfully. 'Takes about a gallon to complete the project; maybe 3-4 coats over a 2 hour time frame. Make sure you use ALUMINUM or aircraft stripper. The chemical mix for the steel and other metal strippers will turn your nice old aluminum black. Don't ask how I learned that lesson....
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The photo of the bass being hosed down is the funniest thing I've seen on talkbass.
RIP your lawn tho. Yikes stripes!
RIP your lawn tho. Yikes stripes!
You should see what it looks like when I cover the bass with alcohol and light it on fire during the gigs!
The Klean Strip brand is pretty much neutralized by water, unlike most of the others that will eat a sinkhole in your backyard. That is a huge bonus. You ever see what a North Carolina backyard looks like???? You wanna pretty yard or a cool bass? One less patch I have to mow.....
The Klean Strip brand is pretty much neutralized by water, unlike most of the others that will eat a sinkhole in your backyard. That is a huge bonus. You ever see what a North Carolina backyard looks like???? You wanna pretty yard or a cool bass? One less patch I have to mow.....
Here is the brand stripper that I have been using successfully. 'Takes about a gallon to complete the project; maybe 3-4 coats over a 2 hour time frame. Make sure you use ALUMINUM or aircraft stripper. The chemical mix for the steel and other metal strippers will turn your nice old aluminum black. Don't ask how I learned that lesson....
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