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Aluminum Neck Club

#121
cataract said:
I’m bummed that the photo you posted isn’t high enough res to read those numbers- would be nice to know.
Haven’t taken mine apart to do measurements, I’ll get in touch and see if they’ll send me a sharper picture.
Also, I’d say the fact that the fretboard’s solid aluminum (instead of ebonol ala Travis Beans) probably adds to the overall rigidity & stability.
This thing’s built like a tank, feels more like a weapon than a bass sometimes!
Click to expand...
Old Beans are rosewood, Kramers were Ebonol.
 
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#122
cataract said:
I’m bummed that the photo you posted isn’t high enough res to read those numbers- would be nice to know.
Haven’t taken mine apart to do measurements, I’ll get in touch and see if they’ll send me a sharper picture.
Also, I’d say the fact that the fretboard’s solid aluminum (instead of ebonol ala Travis Beans) probably adds to the overall rigidity & stability.
This thing’s built like a tank, feels more like a weapon than a bass sometimes!
Click to expand...

That would be awesome if they’d send you a high res pic! Thanks.

It's funny with your Obstructures bass - Initially I didn't really dig the aesthetic of it, but the more I look at your bass the better I like it. Its construction is really cool and makes a ton of sense - you can see how the design wastes very little material, and the practical details are part of the look. Seems like a very solid, bulletproof design overall without any fluff or BS.

I think the way they did things is probably the most sensible route I've seen for a aspiring/hobbyist builder like myself to construct an aluminum bass. Basically you could make a body with a neck cutout and cutouts for the pickups and bridge, a neck with a body pan designed to fit the body cutout and mount the bridge, and a fretboard which attaches with screws to the neck channel trusses like they did. You could even design the body to be split into front and back pieces. That way, you could hollow them out for weight reduction, or have a different front face to allow for different pickups, different colors, etc.
 
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#124
ZachM said:
That would be awesome if they’d send you a high res pic! Thanks.

It's funny with your Obstructures bass - Initially I didn't really dig the aesthetic of it, but the more I look at your bass the better I like it. Its construction is really cool and makes a ton of sense - you can see how the design wastes very little material, and the practical details are part of the look. Seems like a very solid, bulletproof design overall without any fluff or BS.

I think the way they did things is probably the most sensible route I've seen for a aspiring/hobbyist builder like myself to construct an aluminum bass. Basically you could make a body with a neck cutout and cutouts for the pickups and bridge, a neck with a body pan designed to fit the body cutout and mount the bridge, and a fretboard which attaches with screws to the neck channel trusses like they did. You could even design the body to be split into front and back pieces. That way, you could hollow them out for weight reduction, or have a different front face to allow for different pickups, different colors, etc.
Click to expand...

I fell in love with their instruments at first sight! I love the no nonsense, built to last forever vibe.
As cool as it may be, having the body hollowed out would most likely throw the already perfect balance of the bass completely off, and also most likely take away from its inherent massive tone.
Life’s too short for neck dive!
I’ve read that the amount of waste generated from milling a neck + body pan combination is outrageously huge. Definitely a cost raiser.
Also, here is a behind the scenes work in progress shot of my prototype. The original plan was to have a G&L MFD humbucker installed, but it was too thick and the magnets too strong for it to work properly. I’m OK with this, though.
You can see the neck milling in this shot pretty well. The “T” is pretty solid.
AC8A9826-0D70-4F28-A89E-C1FB6204ADA4.jpeg
 
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#126
oZZma said:
Deadman Handmade Cast Aluminum | DiPinto Guitars / Vintage
The neck is... weird

I looked for infos and they have a website too
deadman guitar
Click to expand...

Man, I like aluminum and I like quirky instruments usually but that bass is really shoddily made IMO. Bad finish and the wings fit poorly onto the neck pan. And that neck profile looks borderline painful to play!

I've also read there are structural problems associated with casting, apparently it can be quite difficult to ensure that there are no voids in the material and that the finish quality and strength suffers as a result. Probably why none of the notable aluminum builders use it and opt instead to machine from billet stock.
 
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#127
ZachM said:
Man, I like aluminum and I like quirky instruments usually but that bass is really shoddily made IMO. Bad finish and the wings fit poorly onto the neck pan. And that neck profile looks borderline painful to play!

I've also read there are structural problems associated with casting, apparently it can be quite difficult to ensure that there are no voids in the material and that the finish quality and strength suffers as a result. Probably why none of the notable aluminum builders use it and opt instead to machine from billet stock.
Click to expand...
Yes, in the close up photos details seem so poorly refined (headstock for example) that one can doubt they will have made a better and more precise job with the most critical stuff (fretboard, neck relief, etc) :atoz:

Anyways the first thing I noticed is that bizarre neck section... IMO it's just plain wrong. It won't let the thumb slide freely across it :atoz:
 
#128
oZZma said:
Yes, in the close up photos details seem so poorly refined (headstock for example) that one can doubt they will have made a better and more precise job with the most critical stuff (fretboard, neck relief, etc) :atoz:

Anyways the first thing I noticed is that bizarre neck section... IMO it's just plain wrong. It won't let the thumb slide freely across it :atoz:
Click to expand...
Yeah, that neck looks unplayable IMO.
But the knobs were designed by H.R. Giger, so that’s pretty cool!
 
#131
cataract said:
I’m surprised “butt dive” isn’t in the Top Ten Most Talkbass’ed Topics, to be honest!!
But seriously, been wanting a Duke for years now. I’d settle for a Travis Bean wedge, though. :thumbsup::smug:
Click to expand...

I'd Love to have a Travis Bean bass. But I've only ever seen one lefty. It was pretty trashed, too - and the starting bid on eBay for it was as much as a new car... I guess some rich collector bought it, 'cause it wasn't there very long. Personally, I'd have had to take a 2nd mortgage on my house to buy it; and, I don't want one that bad...:rollno:
Edit: As for metal castings? Yes, that can be a problem, depending on the metal and the size of the part. The usual fix is to cast the part, then put it into a vacuum chamber. When you pull a vacuum, all the air will come out - if you do it correctly. Certain gun makers have been making a lot of their firearms parts this way for decades, now.
 
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#132
GIBrat51 said:
I'd Love to have a Travis Bean bass. But I've only ever seen one lefty. It was pretty trashed, too - and the starting bid on eBay for it was as much as a new car... I guess some rich collector bought it, 'cause it wasn't there very long. Personally, I'd have had to take a 2nd mortgage on my house to buy it; and, I don't want one that bad...
Click to expand...

There’s always the option to buy a new one :) Travis bean designs has been resurrected by Kevin Burkett of EGC and afaik you can get all the old designs made the same way as (or better than) the vintage ones.

I believe that Travis bean makes the TB2000 with wood top and fingerboard only, but electrical offers the TB2000 shape in all aluminum if you wanted that instead.
 
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#134
snowblinder said:
Just got this all aluminum EGC P-Bass a few days ago. #1191. It was a custom build for another customer who ended up letting it go. I love it. As a primarily Fender bass guy, it feels totally familiar.

View attachment 3303117
Click to expand...
Really digging this. Been wanting to pick up a Precision again but seeing this makes me want to go all aluminum! Would love to hear how yours sounds, especially with that killer pickup.
 
#137
My first bass was a Kramer 250B purchased new around 1977. For some reason I had changed out the original pickup. It weighed a ton. In spite of being young and strong and using a 4" wide leather strap, it would make my left arm and shoulder go numb by the end of the first set. Live and learn. Traded it in on a brand new G&L. Sadly, these are the only photos I have of the bass. As I recall, it had great action and sound. But I don't miss it one little bit. Yes, that's an Ampeg B-15N behind me. My first bass amp. Still have and use that 4" strap. :)

Tagus Ranch 2.jpg Tagus Ranch 3.jpg Tagus Ranch 1.jpg

Edit: About 30+ years later that strap is still doing its thing.

Arcadia 6.jpg

M. M.
 
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#140
DUKE24.jpg
DUKE25.jpg
I was thinking about selling My Kramer "The Duke" Bass so I ordered a new switch and pots for it to put it back to stock. I traded for it 4-5 years ago and the electronics needed help badly and instead of fixing it I put an EMG 35TW in it because I had a Duke back in the late 80's and didn't care for the stock pickup configuration. Now I'm wondering if I've ever heard one wired correctly or if my tastes have changed. This Bass sounds amazing now, especially with the Switch in the Middle(Split coil) position. There's something really special going on with that Aluminum neck, Ebonol fretboard and whatever frets they put in these are the hardest substance known to this man. The frets don't show any wear. I think I'll keep it now !
 
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