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Cast Aluminum Bass

B

Bob the bassist

Jul 6, 2008
260
1
61
Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
providence-progband.ca
#1
This is an idea I've been kicking around for a few years. Basically, make a roughish aluminum casting that I can mill or CNC to the final form. The idea being that every possible part will be part of a single casting, so the only separate pieces would be the electronics, and the moving parts: tuning machines, and bridge saddles (I'd like to try integral, solid saddles, once I've cast a couple and know where to machine them for proper intonation.) It would probably take a few tries to get everything properly positioned, and I'd hope it would be stiff enough to not need a truss rod, ie: I could machine the right amount of relief, etc.

So, has anybody tried this, or heard of it, or maybe played something similar? Think it's doable or totally bizarre?
 
#4
BenitoBassolini said:
I'd be curious to see this turn out. Wouldn't it be a bit on the heavy side, though?
Click to expand...

Well, aluminum is about 3 times as dense as hardwood. The design I have in mind is basically a stick, but with thin 'wings' forming the bulk of the body. It'd pretty much have to be headless. Depending on stiffness, I might be able to shave some more weight from the neck by forming grooves in the back. I once rented a Kramer that had a metal neck (but with a regular wooden fingerboard and body,) that was basically made of several thin fins, like an E with extra prongs, so I figured it'd be possible.

Green Mind said:
I always thought something like that would be very interesting. I'd like to see if you could make the stationary part of the tuning pegs in the cast as well and then attach the moving parts after.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's exactly the way I'm thinking; everything possible cast in place. Quite a bit of precision machining, but I think I'm up to it. I'd like to attempt (eventually) a headless 5 string with fanned, ramp frets; tuners at the 'bottom' (string balls at the nut); separate pickup outputs; etc., etc. Basically pull out all the stops. . .
 
#8
I would be inclined to gently lay this idea aside...

In the late 70's, early 80's I used both Travis Bean and Kramer basses that had necks made from Aluminium - I used them mainly as back up basses but also as a main bass for some gigs where my Rickenbacker was away being serviced.

They sounded nice and bright, very piano like and seductive for the sounds in vogue at the time.

Biggest problem was that the necks would expand and contract and they wouldn't stay in tune for love nor money. Until I experienced it I wouldn't have thought it was possible for a basses tuning to be affected quite dramatically simply by being left on it's stand on a draughty stage, or by the warming effects of your hands on a chilly stage. I could go on but my experience was that they needed absolutely stable temperatures to work properly.
 
#9
Jools4001 said:
...Biggest problem was that the necks would expand and contract and they wouldn't stay in tune for love nor money. Until I experienced it I wouldn't have thought it was possible for a basses tuning to be affected quite dramatically simply by being left on it's stand on a draughty stage, or by the warming effects of your hands on a chilly stage. I could go on but my experience was that they needed absolutely stable temperatures to work properly.
Click to expand...

Aha! I hadn't thought about that, (and I don't recall having a problem with the Kramer I used.) I think I might know a way to compensate, though. I'll have to try some experiments. . .
 
#11
Jools4001 said:
Biggest problem was that the necks would expand and contract and they wouldn't stay in tune for love nor money.
Click to expand...

Just talk to your horn section. The real pro's among them will tell you that they have to blow into their instruments to warm them up before tuning to pitch. If they don't they will slowly go out of tune with the rest of the band as they begin to play. This is due to the metal (usually brass) expanding as it warms up from breath, hands and friction as the instrument is played.

Greg N
 
#13
Nelson Guitars said:
Just talk to your horn section. The real pro's among them will tell you that they have to blow into their instruments to warm them up before tuning to pitch. If they don't they will slowly go out of tune with the rest of the band as they begin to play. This is due to the metal (usually brass) expanding as it warms up from breath, hands and friction as the instrument is played.

Greg N
Click to expand...

Exactly right. This is well known even at the high school level. That's why you hear a symphony orchestra making all kinds of honks and tweedles before the conductor steps in. THEN they tune.
 
#16
You're definitely not going to want to cast the saddles in though, unless you're always going to use exactly the same brand and size of strings.

You could, of course, cast the rest of the bridge into it.
 
#17
Arx said:
You're definitely not going to want to cast the saddles in though, unless you're always going to use exactly the same brand and size of strings.

You could, of course, cast the rest of the bridge into it.
Click to expand...

Aye, the plan is to cast the bulk of the bridge and have separate saddles, but eventually, I'd like to try a solid bridge; I'm pretty set in my string preferences, so I wouldn't have to worry about different strings. But, to get precise measurements to cast a solid bridge, I first have to have an adjustable bridge, and even then I expect the first solid bridge (based on the adjustable one) will be slightly off, so I'll end up re-measuring, recasting, and re-machining.

Thanks to everybody for your input! It all helps, keep it coming.:bassist:
 
#18
Bob the bassist said:
Aye, the plan is to cast the bulk of the bridge and have separate saddles, but eventually, I'd like to try a solid bridge; I'm pretty set in my string preferences, so I wouldn't have to worry about different strings. But, to get precise measurements to cast a solid bridge, I first have to have an adjustable bridge, and even then I expect the first solid bridge (based on the adjustable one) will be slightly off, so I'll end up re-measuring, recasting, and re-machining.

Thanks to everybody for your input! It all helps, keep it coming.:bassist:
Click to expand...

You could cast the saddle longer than it needs to be, and machine it back to set the intonation.
 
#19
BassCactus said:
Something like this?

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http://borntorock.com/f4b.html
Click to expand...

Yeah, just like that, but different: more solid, less hollow.

Arx said:
You could cast the saddle longer than it needs to be, and machine it back to set the intonation.
Click to expand...

Well, yeah, that's what I plan on, but if I machine too far, I'll have to start over from scratch, or weld bits back on. Having rough measurements from an identical casting but with a adjustable bridge will get me in the ballpark.
 

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