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EUB build diary

#2
Three bits of wood ready to glue.
PXL_20251226_154808226.jpg
 
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#5
I have two routers, electric saws, angle grinders, etc., that people have foolishly bought me in the past that I have zero confidence in my ability to use. So I'll remove the bulk in one direction with my drill and drill press, then chisels, spoke shave and surform. I have a couple of planes but those aren't so obviously useful for the carving. I have some good straight edges.

It will take a while.

I have some templates in plywood to check the shape, although I'll have to see what I can do when it comes to sanding - some pipe lined with sand paper?
 
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#6
I'll bolt the neck on. I increased the heel size and will double up the number of 'bolts' to eight.

Bridge - I can either use the electric bass one I have which will be somewhat narrower than the neck but quite adjustable, or find a suitably wide piezo and try a curved, wooden bridge and hope it works for intonation. That would allow for wider string spacing, at the expense if that being unfamiliar if I tried pizzicato on it. It might look nicer, though.

Scale length will be 34". I'll see if TI flats work for bowing or if I need to go up a bit in size to increase tension.
 
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#7
First side rough carve is done on the length of the neck bar headstock and the tricky curves. I nearly went over the line... I will do another carve tomorrow, then photos. I have to sharpen tools in the meantime. In the end I went with just chisels and spoke shave, but learned that cutting stops in the wood when carving and to take it slowly was the best plan.

I wish my workbench was a little taller which is why I am not carving the other side today. I will find a chair for tomorrow!

I am wondering if I should have cut the back to size first, but I can do that tomorrow instead of the second side. It gives me a better surface to mark. But depth gauges might be easier, in which case I will cut some from scrap wood a little oversized so I don't trim off too much material.

Flat chisels don't seem to be the perfect tool for the back, but I will also be using spoke shave and surform along with templates. My radiused sanding blocks aren't of much use here, unfortunately (not the right radius).

I should have the mostly squared-off carving done by the end of the weekend, and then I'll be down to finer shaping.

I have some spare 4 in a line Fender elephant ear tuners I could use, or I might opt for 2+2 but a bit smaller. Whilst the way the headstock is, elephant ears shouldn't poke me in the eye, but smaller will be easier when it comes to putting it in a case. I do have a really old ABG hard case that is a bit battered and it would be much wider than this bass, but might be the lowest cost option. But really long tuners wouldn't work well with it. It's in the attic. Somewhere. Assuming I don't make the EUB too long or something. I will concentrate on a functional instrument, not compromise to get it to fit in a case. If needs be we have a sewing and knitting machine and might be able to make something if needs be.

I am trying to source sufficiently large blanks of material to cut bridge and nut from, assuming I don't go for the metal piezo bridge. Bone? Maple?

I will check my parts box for piezo elements for an undersaddle arrangement.
 
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#8
Carving the bass neck for an eub is slightly different than a typical electric bass. An upright bass neck profile is almost like a Gothic arch instead of a C shape. At some point I need to address this on my eub.

Planes (especially smaller ones) are great for hand carved necks because you can smooth out any irregularities in the shape. The alternative is long sanding blocks.

If you haven't, you might want to wander down my build thread where we spend a lot of time talking about eub builds and the pros and cons of electric bass bridges vs using upright strings.

Thread 'Homebuilt EUB build thread' https://www.talkbass.com/threads/homebuilt-eub-build-thread.1498608/
 
#10
Videojunkie said:
Carving the bass neck for an eub is slightly different than a typical electric bass. An upright bass neck profile is almost like a Gothic arch instead of a C shape. At some point I need to address this on my eub.

Planes (especially smaller ones) are great for hand carved necks because you can smooth out any irregularities in the shape. The alternative is long sanding blocks.

If you haven't, you might want to wander down my build thread where we spend a lot of time talking about eub builds and the pros and cons of electric bass bridges vs using upright strings.

Thread 'Homebuilt EUB build thread' https://www.talkbass.com/threads/homebuilt-eub-build-thread.1498608/
Click to expand...
Somewhere I have a tiny plane not much bigger than a Sharpie. I thought I might try that towards the end if it proves to be useful. It's a voyage of discovery for me so thanks for the tip and I will read your thread later today. I have to take the eldest dog to see steam trains shortly (it's her hobby) so I won't get much EUB stuff done today, so a good time to read.
 
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#11
Videojunkie said:
Is your intention to leave what appears to be a gap at the top of the headstock?
Click to expand...
No, I'll be filling that in, I just haven't cut the piece to do that. I only have four clamps so I concentrated on the main part of the neck first to make sure it was well clamped. I thought I'd wait until I had hollowed out sections of the headstock before putting in the end plug.
 
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#12
Videojunkie said:
Carving the bass neck for an eub is slightly different than a typical electric bass. An upright bass neck profile is almost like a Gothic arch instead of a C shape. At some point I need to address this on my eub.

Planes (especially smaller ones) are great for hand carved necks because you can smooth out any irregularities in the shape. The alternative is long sanding blocks.

If you haven't, you might want to wander down my build thread where we spend a lot of time talking about eub builds and the pros and cons of electric bass bridges vs using upright strings.

Thread 'Homebuilt EUB build thread' https://www.talkbass.com/threads/homebuilt-eub-build-thread.1498608/
Click to expand...
I see your thread is in the DB section. @hrodbert696 (the only mod whose handle I remember) - should this thread be moved to DB?
 
#16
-Asdfgh- said:
Roughly blocked out. I will refine, using the spine as the datum, when I've removed some of the material well outside the parts to keep.

View attachment 7397918
Click to expand...
P.S. the lines are a little wonky. They will be redrawn accurately.

For the headstock, the gap will be filled, I just haven't sawn the extra small bit for that and glued it in. between headstock and the hole in the centre, I will chisel out a wedge leading into the hole, to clear the strings. I need to check the angles and so on on that and diagram it to make sure it's all going to work.
 
#19
A slight error in carving the depth of the headstock, but I am just within tolerances for the tuners. I went for elephant ear ones in the end as I know them best.

I have started carving the back of the neck. It's going to take a while. The vibration from chiseling as led to the glue joint at the headstock end coming apart a little, hence me now concentrating on the headstock and I will add the little 'plug'. at the end. I may have to add a screw, or two, for that and then plug the hole.
 

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