Double Bass Busted seam help!!!

[GretschWretch]

Awesome, thanks! How many should I get, 4 or 5 or so? Right now i have about 10" of open seam, but it's on the new standard ply and the fit is so good I wouldn't even know it was popped if i hadn't heard it and it doesn't buzz when I play.

It should not take four boxes of Knox, maybe not even two for a ten-inch separation. A box of Knox gelatin is about the size of a box of Jello; look in the baked goods aisle. Remember, you will be applying glue that is pretty thin so the seam can stress-pop in future if need be. That should not require even one box.

If it were me, I would use a flavored Jello and not wipe off the squeeze-out but let it set. That way those school kids could ask, "Hey Mister, what's that purple goo oozing out of your bass?"

 

[statsc]

@KUNGfuSHERIFF What do you think of the clamps in the second link Damon posted? They seem reasonably priced and similar to what i usually see in repair shops. Also, when people are talking about Knox gelatin, is this a grocery or hardware store kind of thing?

Serviceable clamps can be easily and cheaply DIY’ed with threaded rod (available at any hardware store) cut to the desired lengths with a hacksaw, wooden spools from sewing thread, and wing nuts that fit the threaded rod. These work well on open seams.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

It would be a good idea to heat up the wood a bit where the HHG/Gelatine goes so that the glue keeps liquid a bit longer.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Chris, those spool clamps look perfectly adequate, but they’re slow. A $6 bar clamp from Harbor Freight or wherever eats up much less open time, and some have a thumbscrew to fine-tune the fit. Those are what I use most of the time. Five of those and you’re good.

 

[james condino]

With all the big bucks & sponsorships you make as a moderator, you can afford this: $7 will get you a 1/4 lb of real hide glue from John Preston at Old World Tonewoods:

Hide Glue Archives - Old World Tonewood Co.

If you are that broke, I'll send you some....

The clamps are a one shot deal, so you should be able to borrow anything from your neighbor or father in law or ask the maintenance guys in your building. Do they have a woodshop at your school? Any clamps will do. You just need even pressure overnight. Heck, you could just set the corner of your couch or desk on it and it will likely work.

Make it an bonus project for your students:

"My bass has a common seam separation. Every bass player & student should know how to fix this properly with hot hide glue. The person who can fix this gets an A for the semester."

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

We don’t pay academics in this country. Send the man some glue.

 

[Don Hergert]

If it were me, I would use a flavored Jello and not wipe off the squeeze-out but let it set

LOL!

... As much as I love the idea of using colorful jello, I would probably not use it as glue on anything that might be targeted by ants -- unless the sugar-free kind of jello would work.

 

[notabene]

Just a thought. Repairing seams, for example, is not difficult, and with hide glue, a "messup" is only temporary. No harm, no foul. I've rebuilt a number of total wrecks, and what I realize now, is that much of the work is "straight ahead", requiring only moderate cabinet making skills. But... in basses, everything affects everything. I wish I'd started "messing" with bass repairs a rebuilds much earlier in life, because some things require a lot of experience, a good ear, artistry, and a ton accumlated knowledge to maximize a bass' better qualities. So... realize what can be done well, do it. But... realize some things are much aided by years of experience (and experiments).

Steven

 

[GretschWretch]

A couple of afterthoughts regarding gluing.

1) Don't clamp the clamps so tight you squeeze out nearly all the glue. Some squeeze-out, yeah. But hide glue has this odd property of drawing the surfaces together: next morning your clamps should be looser than when you tightened them down the night before.

2) Wipe off the squeeze-out ASAP with a slightly moist rag; don't wait until it has dried. Peeling off dried hide often peels off the finish as well.

 

[Don Kasper]

If you are that broke,

FYI - the Dude/Moderator in question was able to purchase a $999 preamp, as I recall.
He ain't that "broke".
IMFO.
Thank$!

 

[Don Kasper]

Supply Chain?
We don't need no Stinkin' Supply Chain.
DIY is OK.
IMFO.
TMI?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Thanks for the replies, everybody. I think after reading all of this I will start with some cheap clamps from Harbor freight or whatever, and some Knox gelatin and see what happens. I am still able to play the bass without any buzzing, so I think there’s a little time to make this repair. If it doesn’t work, then I’m right back where I started. At that point I can either up the game to hide glue, or take it to the local High school instrument repair guy.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

What you don’t want to do is crush the joint. The clamps should hold firmly and no more. You’re just trying to keep things still and let the glue do what it does, as noted above.

 

[GretschWretch]

Supply Chain?
We don't need no Stinkin' Supply Chain.
DIY is OK.
IMFO.
TMI?

View attachment 4587979

What is this? A DYI barbell?

 

[Don Kasper]

What is this? A DYI barbell?

It's a stinkin' clamp!!!
Thx?

 

[damonsmith]

Supply Chain?
We don't need no Stinkin' Supply Chain.
DIY is OK.
IMFO.
TMI?

View attachment 4587979

I have a DIY bottom bracket press for bicycle cranks made the same way but with metal washers. I think if you have a shop and those materials that will get the job done fine. Those clamps I ordered shipped pretty fast when I ordered a couple years ago!

 

[damonsmith]

Also, I've used the Titebond hide glue for emergencies for years. It holds fine and I've always been clean it up with hot water and none of the luthiers I've gone to have had trouble cleaning it out when it was time to redo the repair. Just don't use too much if you go that route.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

I had my carved bass break up about 40 years ago in a bad accident where the bass fell a few feet.

The top came off and had a middle split the length of the body. The bottom bracket block was split.

I was in the middle of a string of gigs and chose to fix it myself, like right now. Every day a gig was booked. I visited the local violin shop and bought some hide glue. Cut some pieces of spruce to help with the top cracks. The back came off. Heated the glue and clamped everything up. Never done this before. Cost was close to zero.

This home repair has held 40+ years and thousands of gigs.

This same bass had a bad accident a few years ago where the bandleaders wife was running across the stage, tripped, and fell on it, crushing the bridge into the top. I chose to take it to a bass specialist and rent a bass for 3 months while it was being repaired. Perhaps a luxury move compared to 40 years ago. Cost was $3000, of which the bandleaders wife chose to pay half.

The bandleader is an old friend. We have played over a thousand dates together. I rather enjoyed the rental bass.

 

[Evan Carley]

I have repaired a few seams on my Shen with basically the same setup as @KUNGfuSHERIFF. Bar clamps from Harbor Freight work great, just don't crank them down or you might leave a light mark on the finish.

I use a mason jar and a crock pot to melt some hide glue I got off Amazon. This old video from Upton describes how to get the glue to water ratio in the right ballpark.

P.S. if in doubt, I would mix the glue on the thinner side. Better to have the seam open again then to have a crack. Less of a worry with ply of course though.

 

[GretschWretch]

It's a stinkin' clamp!!!
Thx?

Ur wlcm. Of course I know it's a clamp; context alone would tell me that. I am curious as to how long it took you to make one and how many of them you have. I doubt I would have the patience.

As to the clamp's personal hygiene



You did say stinkin'.