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Double Bass Build your own upright bass feasibility?

#101
james condino said:
Start right now by turning your computer off! If you sold your computer and cancelled your web service, you'd have enough change to buy almost all of the materials- nice materials, notbottom feeder stuff- and a few tools that you'll need to start building your bass...;)

j.
Click to expand...

Not to mention the time you'd gain!

Begone Facebook ... vade retro Satana! ;)
 
#102
The issue for me was that a guy doesn't nesc have to spend loads of money. In fact my main criteria was to make this thing (MKII) spending as little money as possible.

I asked myself, 'Is it possible to build a playable, reasonable looking instrument using cheap materials, with no carpentry skills at all, zero knowledge of instrument constructing, and few tools?'

Yes!!

For instance, the neck and pegbox for this bass uses the cheapest softwood, costing me about £4 = $5(?). OK, I ploughed through the DIY centre's stock of kiln dried timber to find a piece that was a straight and as knot free as possible (but MKII does have knots in the neck!).

With that, I then wondered why I would need to spend big-ish bucks on Maple, etc, when softworks very well indeed.

I should say that I also made MKI. This was a 'stick bass', EUB style instrument. The thru-neck / body is made of the same softwood as MKII. The fingerboard is also softwood in this case, that I used my very first attempt at veneering to lay-on a slice of Wenge. I slotted a 20mm piece of steel into the neck as a crude truss bar. It works ... and works well with loads of brightness and plenty of sustain. Brill! Though it's more difficult to play than MKII, it sounds better.

This is a journey of experience for me. As a retired man I have time to experiment, read, research and learn. Im actually interested in experimental bass instruments so don't, to be honest, really want to make a DB: if I want one, I'll buy one.

At some point I hope to make a photo diary for MKII.

Best.

John
 
#105
okay. So I just did finish a bass of my own. I have a fair background in carpentry as does my father (we built this as a collaborative effort) and I would say that anyone with an eye for mechanical workings and spacial relationships can build a working double bass. I say "working double bass" but I mean a really nice freakin' instrument. Mine has an carved Engelmann Spruce top, carved Big Leaf Maple back, Big Leaf Maple sides and neck, and a Kingwod fingerboard. And she is PRETTY!
I used Peter Chandler's book, So...You Want To Make A Double Bass. It works. He doesn't include everything, but if you know a little bit about capentry and a bit about instruments, then you can figure it out. I think his is easily the best book available on the subject. You can also obtain plans for a bass from Chandler's Website, Link Removed
Chandler actually died in '07, but his book is still available.
Woods can be tricky to get a hold of. As far as good spruce, cedar or any other top wood you want to get a hold of I'd talk to Bruce Harvie at Orcas Island Tonewoods first. He's the man.
Washington is the place to find this wood, especially the Olympic Peninsula.
This is a doable project, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It is a process. You take a whole bunch of wood (167 lbs in my case) and cut away everything that isn't a bass.
No, seriously, it is a process. You take it one step at a time and you will be fine. Good luck, and enjoy it. There's nothing quite like seeing the instrument come together.
Oh, and finishing sucks. But that's life.
 
#106
Bruce Harvey of Orcas Island Tonewoods is probably one of the nicest guys in the wood business. Incredibly knowledgeable, a fantastic musician, a blast to hang out and laugh with, and he generally charges me half the price of anyone else around and delivers twice the grade of product. If you go there in person, you'll also get to visit one of the more beautiful places in the country.

That said, it is always a challenge to find double bass size woods...

ZBbass's post is pretty much dead on about buiding your own bass. Turn off your computer and get going!

j.
 
#107
I would suggest initially to build an electric bass. You won't have to build the soundbox as it won't need one.
You can get a lot of the parts cheaply at
janikas music shop

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Invalid Link Removed

Steve
 
#109
I have built several electric basses and do a decent amount of repair work on my DB as well. Once the bug bites you there is no stopping it. My goal is building a fully carved DB in the future with the idea of pursuing it beyond a hobby. One way that I like to experiment is to take parts of your own instrument such as bridges and tailpieces and just copy them. Try to make an exact copy. See if it sounds and feels the same. Make one a little different. Again, see what similarities and differences exist. It has been a very effective way for me to become more intimately familiar with the instrument without jumping in all at once.
 
#110
Ok my first post. I had to join the forum because I too have been searching for info on building and upright. I stumbled upon this thread and I was outraged at all of the naysayers.

I am by no means a master luthier but I have had experience building hammer dulcimers. I made my fist one when I was about 13 then another as my senior project in high school. Everyone else was building step stools out of 2x4's and I was in there working with hard maple, Baltic birch plywood, oak and 1/4 sawn Sitka spruce. The guys in my wood class including my teacher were like what the hell are you makin' over there!!! I had the determination, resources and desire and now I have a great sounding dulcimer to show off and play. My grandfather has built over 400 dulcimers so I had a good teacher but a lot of it is just common sense. You only need to figure out how to do it once. Then go do it. It aint long division.

I understand not everyone has a knack for woodworking. Many of you obviously have no knack for it and think it is impossible. You are simply players who can appreciate the work that goes into one and that is fine. Please understand though, not everyone is a player. Some people are better builders than players and to discourage someone else whom you don't know from attempting something great....Shame on you! :scowl: To everyone who left positive criticism, you are the people who are truly helpful and I look forward to more input from you all as I undergo my build in the future.

I know I know. Put my money where my mouth is. When I start my build I will post pics of it along the way. I still need a few necessary tools before i go about attempting this but when I do I will let y'all know.
 
#111
Jiggity said:
...stumbled upon this thread and I was outraged at all of the naysayers.......Shame on you! :scowl:
Click to expand...

Hello Jiggity, naysayer here. These two posts are evidence that I am right and Nicfargo is wrong:

Nicfargo is challenged to begin bass build and post photographs

One year later Nicfargo has nothing to show

If you think you can do any better, Jiggity, by all means get started and post some photographs of your build! I am anxious to see your results.

- PS - Welcome to TalkBass! Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself? How old are you? What sort of wood shop do you have? How much are you prepared to spend on your project? Do you live on your own or with your parents?
 
#112
Hey ZBbass. Congrats on finishing your bass. I met you and your dad at Juan Mijares' shop when you were just starting your bass (you'd just rough cut the neck) and I was in the middle of mine. I'd love to see yours if it's cool. I'm on the North side of town.

For anyone who's interested, I built my bass with very little woodworking experience, but I had spent an enormous amount of time researching and getting a picture in my head of all the steps involved and what it would require (thanks Matthew T and other cello and violin build websites). I used Chandler's book (and Pallotta plans), Traeger's and a violin building book by Johnson and Courtnall. Lot's of great info on this forum, and I was attending a luthier's group with a great mentor to bounce ideas off of. Building a bass is a MAJOR commitment, but it was incredibly fun and rewarding. I've got wood for a few more, but I know that once I start another I'll be insanely obsessed for a few months : ) Dangerous...
 

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