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Double Bass Build your own upright bass feasibility?

#41
nicfargo said:
Bass you kind of crack me up. If you revive it in a year be sure to PM me...
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OK, will do Nic! It's in my calendar, Wednesday June 17, 2009. Prove me wrong.

jimmyduded said:
bass should probably get (insert word here) of the year award...
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Hey Jimmy, didn't your mommy teach you it's not nice to call people names?

jimmyduded said:
...wheres the pictures of your making attempts or successes, or repairing abilities, or any ability...
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Hey Jimmy, I didn't declare to the denizens of Talkcrap.com that I plan to build an upright bass! Here's a pic of an e-bass that I pieced together (Warmoth neck, SX body, etc...) I know - not the same league, not the same game, but you asked.

Fendson.jpg
 
#42
Powerbass,
Not a terrible idea, if I can find one I might do that. Unfortunately where I live, there is pretty much one place that carries DBs in stock, everything else is order only. I'll check the pawn shops, but I doubt they'll have much...the culture of the town just isn't bassy!

Bass,
Thats a nice looking electric. Passive I'm guessing? New nickname...Johnny Cash, the man in black. I'm almost surprised the inlays arn't black as well :-)
 
#43
Hey Bass, if you don't like TalkBass that's okay, but don't go calling it names! You'll get people riled up. :)

On another topic entirely, why don't you bring your Upton DB by Long & McQuade so I can see what they're like? Caroline's bass is back with her and touring the western USA.
 
#44
I think most people would agree that carpentry and luthier work are two different pursuits, related only by some common tools, techniques and the most basic of ingredients: wood and glue. However neither pursuits are impossible to learn. Be sure to report back, it'll be interesting for everyone to see the progress.
 
#45
+1. I don't think knowledge in carpentry and bass making are mutually exclusive. IMO, half the battle is understanding wood, wood grain, how wood changes over time, and how it all behaves with various joinery practices. Bending wood is bending wood for laminated ribs or a fancy chair seat... the technique is virtually the same for luthiery and furniture making. A doveltail joint is used to secure the neck to the end block. Etc.etc.To say that they're apples to oranges is being a bit extreme methinks.

EDIT: +1 with the repair idea. Just mucking with a bass, like moving the sound post around is a skill worth building. Seems like you have to build a special dexterity just trying to work inside a bass with the top still on.
 
#46
nicfargo said:
...Thats a nice looking electric. Passive I'm guessing?...
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No, that's an EMG DC-35 (active). You like wood? Check out this neck (ebony / wenge):

Headstock-1.jpg


Jake deVilliers said:
...On another topic entirely, why don't you bring your Upton DB by Long & McQuade so I can see what they're like? Caroline's bass is back with her and touring the western USA.
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Huh? I don't live in Van. Are you referring to Scare-O-Line, I don't really know her or her bass, but understand she plays a Strunal. Is that the same thing as the Schoenbach's sold by L & M?
 
#47
Nic, if you're baulking at the $80 cpst of the Chandler book, then you're going to some up against greater financial challenges. The Chandler book tells you how to build a bass, and it works. There is stuff in there that isn't covered 100%, but your questions like how long is a fingerboard, what size wood to get, grain direction etc are all in there. If you want to make a bass, buy the book, read it ten times then get cracking!
 
#48
Dream into action baby. If you are thinking this is something you want to do, do not, for one second, listen to the nay-sayers.

Here is what I think, find out as much as you possibly can. There are luthiery schools. You will need a mentor. This skill has been passed down for centuries in this way.

The first bass you make will not be that great but will have learned a ton from doing it. Don't spend a lot of money on precious and rare ebony. Practice with something you can ruin and not feel bad about. Think about ruining a bunch of material because you will.

I bet if you call Arnold Schnitzer, Jeff Bollbach or Ken Smith, they will help you. Guys love to talk about what they are passionate about and they all started somewhere, someone helped them. They did not make this stuff up or invent it. I bet they are full of helpful suggestions and I don't believe "don't try, you'll never do it", will be one of them.
 
#49
also i wouldnt reccomend buying a bass, its going to be plywood and pretty much useless as far as beauty and artistic design goes, they usually have terrible scrolls so its not something youd want to repeat, and bass, believe i said put word here, i had man in mind, your a stand up guy, bass is cool, next step, make one? could be fun, ive done what you did for a few years to make some money, i bought a stock guitar, ripped out the guts, re painted, then all the upgrades were up to the customer, but working on electrics got boring real quick and working on uprights is as the kids say "where its at"
 
#52
Tucker,
I have no problem buying an $80 book...especially since you recommend it so highly. I would however mind buying an $80 that is total crap...it's not that I can't afford it, it would just be a waste.

Felessan and Marcus, thanks for the references. I will look at them thoroughly. I saw some of the Bob hitchings stuff and already emailed him about getting the manual that he talks about on his site.

Jimmy, I kind of thought the same thing but didn't know how to put it into words (I'm not an english major). Why buy a substandard bass...especially to learn stuff on. All I'll learn to model is substandard workmanship...and that is not what I'm trying to do. If I was building a Bass that would be equivalent to a $500 bass...believe me, I wouldn't waste my time building one. I also know people who bought the cheap basses, hated them, and never played upright again. I don't want to fall into that category. From what I've heard and read, if you buy a cheap bass it's pretty much a waste of money. You'll either hate it and quit, or quickly buy a higher quality bass that you should have bought in the first place. So I know I'll make mistakes along the way, but I want to build a quality bass...and I don't think that's out of the question with a lot of patience, research, you guys, and a lot of extra wood! :-)
 
#55
It seems like a rough crowd here in talkbassland these days....

Peter's book is pretty basic, but it will get you going on the right track. The other book you should get is Chuck Traeger's on setup and repair; it will fill in some of the finer points of adjustment and setup. ALL bass players should own this one- the best $80 you'll ever spend on your bass.

Find a mentor; if there is none local, consider paying for a private session for a week or so with a good builder somewhere else. You'll learn tons just by being in the shop and seeing bass carcasses everywhere in different stages of surgery. Even after having build hundreds of instruments in the last three decades, I still jump at the chance to spend a weekend, a day, or evem a few hours with somone of greater skills than I have. Sometimes it just costs me a six pack, other times I pay their full shop rate for their time.

For all of the naysayers....ever hear of Leo Fender???? One of the most prolific guitar and electric bass builders in history never learned how to play one because he was too busy filling orders.....'nuff said.

j.
www.condino.com
 
#59
nicfargo said:
Has anyone seriously considered the possibility of making their own upright bass. I'm not talking a crappy card board one like I keep seeing when I search (Drives me nuts), but a real, wood, quality upright bass.

I'm not trying to say what luthiers do can be done by the average person, but what about someone who's a carpenter and works with wood everyday? Sure there will be some learning and things are done different and you need certain shape, depth, etc for good acoustics, but why couldn't someone build their own upright bass?

Is this even feasible? Should I just suck it up and spend the 3k on bass? I can get the wood for decently cheap. I realize this will be a lot of work, and a lot of man hours. I think it could be a fun, although lengthy, project. Has anyone does this or am I just completely insane?
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Take on this project only because you want the experience of creating a beautiful object with which you can make good music. The psychic rewards will greatly outpace the tiny monetary advantage (if it really exists). Look at what Don Harris and Matthew Tucker have done! Of course you can do it if you are skilled, tenacious and resourceful. Books will be somewhat helpful, but tearing apart and putting back together a few basses would give you valuable lessons in construction and assembly of these things. Good luck!
 

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