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Double Bass Bass bumpers

#4
azflyman said:
:help:
Where can I get some bass bumpers? Do you just make them? Can you buy them? I don't have a clue but I know I want some to protect me bass.
az
Click to expand...

The Warburton Bass Bumpers
Auto parts store....Small fan belt.......cut four pieces in 2" strips.....glue in place, as close to where the top joins the ribs or right on liners if your bass has outside liners.
Be sure to use HIDE Glue in case you get some in the seams.
(You may have rough up a little of the varnish to get a good hold)
The nice thing about these are that they act like little shock absorbers. You can always use some hard wood.....only install on your bass' left side!
Good luck.
 
#6
At Upton Bass I make bumbers out of old junk ebony fingerboards cut down to small strips. On the outside of the bumpers I glue a strip of black leather. Looks sharp and stays true to the instrument.

Thank You
Gary Upton
Double Bassist, Luthier, & President of Upton Bass
[email protected]
1-860-536-7555
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The clef carbon fiber bass bow:
Invalid Link Removed
 
#8
I used to install bumpers made of ebony as Gary Upton described, but after having a customer split a rib by laying it down too hard on a hard surface, I've gone to the Warburton idea of small fan belt sections. From a distance over a foot, they look just like ebony but give a little bit of cushion that ebony doesn't. However, if you are careful when laying down your instrument, there really isn't any need for bumpers. I don't have them on my personal basses.
 
#10
Bob,

You dont feel a high gauge leather takes care of that impact resistance? The leather I use is nice and thick....

Rubber on the side of a bass......I can't think of any clients that would let me do that.

Thank You
Gary Upton
Double Bassist, Luthier, & President of Upton Bass
[email protected]
1-860-536-7555
--------------------------------------------------
The clef carbon fiber bass bow
Invalid Link Removed
 
#11
Gary, that might work, but frankly it isn't worth the time and effort to make that combination when the v-belt does the job atleast equally well. I can install a set of "Warburton's" in less than 15 minutes. My clients are more concerned with protection than if the bumper happens to be made out of a rubber product. Try it yourself. With a little black leather dye on them, they are very hard to tell from ebony (at any reasonable distance) and it doesn't have to have a thick leather installed over it. The belt is black all the way through. I don't know of many leathers that can make that claim.
 
#12
hdiddy said:
Paul, you did this to your Bohmann?!?!?!?! :eek:
Click to expand...
Actually I did. What's the big deal???Read Branstetters post below. Bob Ross was experimenting with some laminated Ebony/purple heart that he insisted putting on the Bohmann, but I had the fan belt on there for years. As Bob says, they look just like ebony with a little flat black paint!
 
#13
Paul Warburton said:
Actually I did. What's the big deal???Read Branstetters post below. Bob Ross was experimenting with some laminated Ebony/purple heart that he insisted putting on the Bohmann, but I had the fan belt on there for years. As Bob says, they look just like ebony with a little flat black paint!
Click to expand...

Hrm.. well with such a precious bass, I wouldn't think I'd do taht myself but maybe it's good for an old bass to have bumpers on it. I'm just afraid that glueing on something like that might be hard to remove. I'm fine with just being gentle when putting the bass down. Actually I need a better padded bag, cuz I tend to bang it around more when I'm carrying it and not when I'm playing it. :D
 
#14
hdiddy said:
Hrm.. well with such a precious bass, I wouldn't think I'd do taht myself but maybe it's good for an old bass to have bumpers on it. I'm just afraid that glueing on something like that might be hard to remove. I'm fine with just being gentle when putting the bass down. Actually I need a better padded bag, cuz I tend to bang it around more when I'm carrying it and not when I'm playing it. :D
Click to expand...
HIDE GLUE IS EASY TO REMOVE
The Bohmann has purfling IN THE EDGES right where you lay it down....I would never NOT have some kind of bumpers on it!!
 
#15
It should be noted that if you are going to use fan belts, stay true to the instrument's origin and pedigree. If it's a Czech bass, use Yugo fan belts, if it's German, use Mercedes fan belts...

Actually, this is the first time I've heard of using fan belts. Hmm, not a bad idea... my favorite lately has been very thick leather, which is then dyed to the color of the instrument. fwiw.
 
#16
nicklloyd said:
It should be noted that if you are going to use fan belts, stay true to the instrument's origin and pedigree. If it's a Czech bass, use Yugo fan belts, if it's German, use Mercedes fan belts...

Actually, this is the first time I've heard of using fan belts. Hmm, not a bad idea... my favorite lately has been very thick leather, which is then dyed to the color of the instrument. fwiw.
Click to expand...

Try it you'll like it!
Another hint...I check the curve of the bouts where the bumpers are gonna go, and then put them, with the pre-bent curve, in the vise over night and voila....pre-bent custom bass bumpers!
 
#17
nicklloyd said:
It should be noted that if you are going to use fan belts, stay true to the instrument's origin and pedigree. If it's a Czech bass, use Yugo fan belts, if it's German, use Mercedes fan belts......
Click to expand...

This raises some disturbing questions, more burning issues for TalkBass to address. What do you use on a Chinese bass? If you have an Italian bass and can't afford a Ferrari fan belt will the bass become unreliable if you use a Fiat belt? If I'm not mistaken Kay basses were made in Chicago, does that mean a fan belt from a Chicago-built Tucker? (of which only 48 were ever produced)
 
#18
BenderR said:
If I'm not mistaken Kay basses were made in Chicago, does that mean a fan belt from a Chicago-built Tucker? (of which only 48 were ever produced)
Click to expand...

Way off the DB topic but, for the record, 51 of those Tuckers were built (remember, he HAD to produce at least 50). :smug:

As for bumpers, I'm crazy enough to carry a thick pad if the gig location has a hard floor. When I'm not playing, it goes in the stand. To each his own, I'd never want to glue anything on my baby!
 

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