Basses with a forearm angle like this?

[mark5009]

Working on a build, trying to figure out, aesthetically and functionally, how to do the forearm contour..

What I ended up with doing was working out how think I wanted the bass to be on the edge, say 30mm for a number. I then scribe in pencil a center-line on the edge, then two more lines 15mm either side (this is trivial to do with a slab). Then you go crazy with carving tools getting the contours from the top and bottom centers to the outside edge, taking in mind the cavities, controls, bridge, and what not.

Doing contours this way is very therapeutic, I find, and results in a lovely organic feel...

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I just do them by marking the lines I want to hit and then going at it with a belt sander, or a sanding disc mounted on a drill. It's surprisingly quick and accurate, and since since the sander platen is flat, I find it easier to keep things straight than with rasps.

 

[eddododo]

View attachment 3774684
( more pics )

Ding ding ding I think we have a winner

 

[Dincrest]

My first thought was Skjold

Home

 

[eddododo]

I gotta say, and this is ONLY based on my experiences....I have bigger forearms and cannot play a typical Ric or a Gretsch due to the relationship of the edge of the instrument to my right forearm. I’ve generally found “Jazz and Precision basses”, as well as their close cousins do not bother my forearms whatsoever. I’ve seen this extra-cut before and I’m not against it and and haven’t actually tried it....I guess I’m just not sure if it’s really necessary.

It was purely aesthetic lol, but not I have to figure out what to do with it!

 

[Bassdirty]

I was thinking Charles Cote...

View attachment 3774506

Is it just me , or are the strings spaced out all funky on this number? Like different spacing between different strings?

Now that I look again, maybe just the spacing between 2 strings is different than the rest?..

 

[Ric5]

Working on a build, trying to figure out, aesthetically and functionally, how to do the forearm contour.. I don’t see a lot of instruments with this angular and mostly straight forearm contact area.

What have you seen in the wild that I can glean some ideas from?
Thanks! View attachment 3774216View attachment 3774217

to me the angle does not matter as long as the edge is rounded

 

[Sixgunn]

Working on a build, trying to figure out, aesthetically and functionally, how to do the forearm contour.. I don’t see a lot of instruments with this angular and mostly straight forearm contact area.

What have you seen in the wild that I can glean some ideas from?
Thanks! View attachment 3774216View attachment 3774217

Warrior is a great example, IMHO.

 

[mikezimmerman]

ACG Harlot isn't exactly like you're describing, but it was very comfortable...

 

[OogieWaWa]

Why not base the design on functionality? Figure out where exactly you would need the clearance and angles based on how you play, and where you want to leave material to help keep it where you want it. Consider the front and the back. Truly customized. Just mock up a drawing first to make sure it won't come out weird or really ugly.

 

[eddododo]

Why not base the design on functionality? Figure out where exactly you would need the clearance and angles based on how you play, and where you want to leave material to help keep it where you want it. Consider the front and the back. Truly customized. Just mock up a drawing first to make sure it won't come out weird or really ugly.

Well that’s a given, I hope. I’m not really intending to base my design off of anything here purely for aesthetics, but rather once I decide the clearances I need, I will likely have to “smooth it out” until it looks nice

 

[deff]

Exaggerated but maybe close...

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

JP Basses, who is out of the game now, had a similar angle:

 

[Joma3]

The upper half reminds me of a relaxed Ibanez Iceman. I think what you have looks pretty cool as is.

 

[GIBrat51]

Well, you could do what my friend & I did for the odd shaped bass body (the whole bass is kinda odd looking, too) we're building; made an identical body out of a cheap piece of Basswood, and experimented on that to get the contours we wanted. And, I imagine a big piece of Styrofoam would work, too...

 

[eddododo]

Well, you could do what my friend & I did for the odd shaped bass body (the whole bass is kinda odd looking, too) we're building; made an identical body out of a cheap piece of Basswood, and experimented on that to get the contours we wanted. And, I imagine a big piece of Styrofoam would work, too...

I have lots of poplar for that reason... I just don’t feel like it

 

[Charlzm]

Warwick Dolphin?

 

[eddododo]

View attachment 3774684
( more pics )

this one is still my winner- of all the examples in this thread, this is the only one where the actual body has that sharper angle, in addition to having a contour cut (as opposed to just a roundover, even a DEEP generous roundover).

I appreciate all the help, everyone, and I have a lot of pictures added to my bookmarks in the process.

 

[eddododo]

this one is still my winner- of all the examples in this thread, this is the only one where the actual body has that sharper angle, in addition to having a contour cut (as opposed to just a roundover, even a DEEP generous roundover).

I appreciate all the help, everyone, and I have a lot of pictures added to my bookmarks in the process.

Edit::

I take it back a little, I looked back through-

The ACG, both the customs linked and the Harlot pictured are decent solutions- the customs in the link are interesting with the concave-looking cutouts; I like that a lot but I would fail at it lol. The Harlot is interesting and looks very comfortable.. it looks contoured in a way that it’s the actual shape of the body rather than a ‘cut out’ feature for the arm.. it may be a little too flowy and modern, but the actual problem is that I, again, don’t have the skills for that lol.

the warriors are pretty spot-on at second glance. I thought at first that they weren’t quite what I was talking about, but it seems pretty much exactly what I’m doing, with an interesting solution. I think I still prefer that ‘miller’ that I declared the winner, but honestly I will heavily be glancing at that warrior as I make my decision

 

[mikewalker]

this one is still my winner- of all the examples in this thread, this is the only one where the actual body has that sharper angle, in addition to having a contour cut (as opposed to just a roundover, even a DEEP generous roundover).

I appreciate all the help, everyone, and I have a lot of pictures added to my bookmarks in the process.

Just an FYI, that bass is in fact incredibly comfortable in use, and I'm a real fanatic about forearm ergonomics ( I've been known to take a sander and cut down the fender forearm cuts considerably, see also my Famous-P...)