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Double Bass Breaking the rules!

#21
jayscheuerle said:
Hmmm... Moved to the EUB section even though it's not an EUB. Looks like one. Could be one, but since there's no Electronics, all that's left is the UB part. Wonder what that stands for....
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The post was reported as being in the wrong forum. It's a great looking bass, but not exactly a double bass.

powerbass said:
Your UB got demoted to EUB.
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Anonymatt said:
Well it's a shame this thread got demoted to EUB, now nobody'll see it!

I check into the Basses sub-forum only from time to time, so I'm lucky I saw your post. Basses is usually only about basses I can't afford, so I stay in Bows, Jazz Technique, and Misc where I belong, I guess!
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Just to reiterate, there was no "demotion"; I was merely responding to a post report and trying to classify the instrument as best I could. From what I could tell, it's a stick practice bass with a small resonating chamber, closer to an EUB than anything else. Personally, I don't care where the thread goes. :)
 
#22
You wouldn't think this thing would weigh much, but when you're using your left hand to support and stabilize it, it adds up quickly. Needed to come up with a rest that was removeable and small enough to transport in the bag with the bass. Used 3/8" aluminum stock, brute-forced into the right shape. It's held in place by friction, but it's not falling out. I may put some curved wood on the end and bring it in if it proves to be uncomfortable. Between this and the Eminence inspired steady-foot, I'm finding this to feel much more natural than my Ergo on a stand.
 

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#25
Very good job! That is a really good creative solution to your problem. I really like how the tuners are at the bridge instead of where they normally would go, it adds a nice abstract feel and so does the waist rest.
 
#31
Thanks for the generous replies!

Yes, the chamber is hollow, with maybe 120 cubic inches or so. The sound is nothing to write home about, but the action is respectable. It feels properly set-up.

The only way I'd be able to tell how much of the twanginess of the sound is from the bass or the strings is to replace the strings ($22 for a full set of "Patrick" strings on ebay), but I'm not rushing to do that. The purpose of this instrument was to be as portable as possible, feel like my real bass when played, and to be able to be heard without amplification. It scores well in those categories.

It could be that a decent set of strings and a good pick-up system might make this a serviceable EUB in the future, but for now, I need to spend less time making a bass and more time playing one. ;)
 
#32
The screw-clamp method that I was using to hold the strings up top was damaging/breaking the ebay cheapos I was playing with. I had to trim the balls off the strings in order to get them in. I even had to shorten the ends, snipping the silks, and the strings would lose their wrap tension.

Since I wanted different strings (1/2 size Corelli Tungstens), but didn't want to risk de$troying them, I came up with a different method for the upside. After removing the steel, threaded insert that held the strings, I plugged that big hole and the 4 smaller tightening holes above, then drilled through the back (after flattening it a bit). Took a bit of pre-planning and luck for everything to line up. A little bit of heavy, brown furniture pad (in place of the white felt pads normally below the balls), and this seems to work perfectly! Just enough room for the silks not to get in the way.

My original approach looked less complicated (cleaner), but required a bag of tricks. This looks messier, but couldn't be simpler. I like!

Anyway, the Corellis sound awesome, with a warmer, rounder tone than the ebay "Patrick" strings (best $22 set of strings you can buy).

One thing, though... The other ends of the strings are long and I wasn't sure about snipping them as I didn't want them to unwind at all, so I just let the ends hang out. Of course, now they touch the body and vibrate (causing noise), so I'd like to trim them. Is this fine, or are there better suggestions?

Thanks!
 

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#34
This was the piece that used to be behind the round plug in the headstock. The strings passed though, and the allen nuts up top clamped down on the strings.

Unfortunately, sometimes they broke part of the string and I'd hear the note getting flatter and flatter as I tuned. Cha-ching!!
 

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#35
If you have steel core strings, you can clip the string ends as long as there is some silk wrap left. You may want to use some glue to fix the silk to avoid unwinding of the silk which holds the outer metal winding of the string.

Personally I won't like the free ball ends on the upper part of the instrument being visible. I would drill a larger hole into the wood block to sink them in there. But only if silk doesn't go beyond the nut then.

Clamping the string to hold the tension is never a good idea. You even need to clamp the core which holds the tension, not the outer windings, because they will slip.
Have a look at the ball ends: Only the core of the string winds around the ball or is clamped into the ball end.
 
#36
Finally added a pickup. A cheapie strip from e-bay that I redid the bridge for so that the entire .375" wide strip was covered. To my ears, it sounds pretty good, but if my ears were as good as my hands, I'd have been practicing more and building less...

Anyway, this video has me muddily playing along with Etta James' "At Last" twice. The first time is with my Upton Standard Lam, and it's directly followed by the Bombasstick (3:00 mark for those that want to skip to it). I wish I'd turned up the amp just a little more so that their volumes were on a more even plane, but I think the sound comes across alright.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51D-cX6Q3TI&feature=youtu.be

Time for some more lessons...
 
#39
jayscheurerie, it was enjoyable following the progress of this thread and your acoustic EUB (?) because of the similarities to some of our experiences. I play a UG (upright guitarrón), and I built an EUG (electric upright guitarrón) that breaks down into two pieces, the longest being 23.5", which fit in my suitcase for air travel. Took it to the UK last spring for a month.

Like you, I wanted to get rid of the twangy sound that roundwounds created, and I ultimately decided on Rotosound Tru Bass 88 bass guitar strings, which are nylon-wrapped steel flatwounds that give me a rounder, darker, thumpier more DB-like sound. And also like you, I added a pickup, but solely so I could hear it better through headphones with a headphone amp, especially when practicing outdoors near traffic, for example. But, of course, I could not resist plugging it in to a regular amp. The result is that what was intended solely as a practice tool has now become the instrument I gig with most. Lastly, like you, I suffer from lack of practice, especially while I was designing and building this thing. So, I can relate, man!

Very nice work! I'll bet you had as much fun making it as you've have playing it. Any plans for building a Model II?
 

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