Hey JIO, if you want I can send you however many 38 casings you want. Just let me know.
-Jake
-Jake
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EUB project
- Thread starter JIO
- Start date
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks Jake - I'll take you up on your offer! But before I get ahead of myself, here's a pic showing the 'exploded' view of these units.
A few things… the 38 casing is actually a bit larger than the aluminum tubing. (about 1/16" larger in diameter) The aluminum tube is 5/16" and the 38 is 6/16". (shown w/a pu unit inside the 38 casing) I'm not against it being larger, but until I know better it seems I would have to find spools a bit larger to conform closer to the larger diameter. Is there a bullet casing that is 5/16"?
You can see the tiny black spools and winding. (one tight but severed from the lead wire and the other w/the top ring off & discombobulated. <love this word! The aluminum tubes as shown came both with a lower side notch wire exit and w/o the notch, the lead wire exiting from the bottom. (no rhyme or reason why both - but I prefer the bottom exit) Next, the guts (spool/wire) was held in the aluminum tube only by a blob of white wax at the wire exit. Needless to say, it dislodged very easily and disconnected the wire. When I addressed this, the next set was sent w/some black (epoxy?) blobbed there. This was at least more stable, but still not what I'd call the best solution.
As you can see the bobbin w/wire is clean. I know from watching Nexy making her own pu's that wax is involved, like.., seems like having the casing filled with wax embedding the spool of wire would solve a couple issues right? Pick-up making authorities please feel free to chime in here.
Anyway… never thought I'd make my own pu's as I get hives dealing with electronic issues. (not all.., but I could live w/o having to deal w/it)
I'll check out what I have when I get home, but I don't think 5/16's is a common size. It's pretty much 8mm.
I've been watching people make pickups on here, some of them use thin epoxy to pot the coils rather than wax. I'll see if I can find freekmagnet's thread, he and Bruce talk quite a bit about pickup construction.
Edit: here you go. Starts off a little slow, but it gets good.
Build #3: La Charra: the Semi-Hollow Adventure Continues
I've been watching people make pickups on here, some of them use thin epoxy to pot the coils rather than wax. I'll see if I can find freekmagnet's thread, he and Bruce talk quite a bit about pickup construction.
Edit: here you go. Starts off a little slow, but it gets good.
Build #3: La Charra: the Semi-Hollow Adventure Continues
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Wax has the upside of easily reheated/melted if you need to rework for some reason.
Presumably a .32 casing would be about the right size, given that 5/16 is .3125 but it's not one of the more (at least currently) popular sizes, AFAIK.
Presumably a .32 casing would be about the right size, given that 5/16 is .3125 but it's not one of the more (at least currently) popular sizes, AFAIK.
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I might have some empty .32ACP cases if needed. They aren't near as long as the .38 special case, but they are probably the right diameter.
Edit
I do indeed have them. They are approx
.340 OD .308 ID and about 1/2" long useable length. PM me if you can use them.
Edit
I do indeed have them. They are approx
.340 OD .308 ID and about 1/2" long useable length. PM me if you can use them.
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Ok then… long time no update. First off, thanks to @RBS_Johnson and @gsnad2000 for sending bullet casings to experiment with (eventually). I need to get some ducks in a row before taking on winding tiny poled pu's, and time has been limited lately. So, in the meantime I worked on the EUB some more based on playing it.
I needed to bring the string height down at the bridge which I achieved by removing material at the top and the bottom of the bridge and the bottom of the inset tang so it sat lower in the slot.
Difficult to show 'action' but in doing so it was lowered to an acceptable height
again, hard to clearly illustrate - but an attempt to show how the body rests when playing seated. The left scallop rests on my left leg and the other side against my right leg, and my right foot stabilizes the tri-leg base so it doesn't slip-outward at that angle. Works pretty good really and with the articulate base it can be fluidly rocked to access the E string for full bow strokes
another view to help illustrate it better
bow clearance on the E side is tight, but with good technique - acceptable.
bow clearance on the G side - no problem
As the pu's are low output, I added a Micro Amp to my pedal-board train which boosted the output enough to an acceptable volume w/minimal hiss/hum. You can see I also boosted the signal on my d.i.+ and tweaked tone settings. My Fender Bassman 100 channel volume is set at 7 and master volume at 5. (through a Carvin 18" cab)
Before I start reviewing, I will try and get decent sound-files soon. (yes, not the first time I've said this…) Our (Bond Girl) horn player Paul offered to help me out here, so it's just a matter of scheduling. So until then, here's my impressions -
It's really fun to play! I'm not so sure about playing while standing as the body is small and the post is pretty long. I mean, it can be done, but I like the seated position - like a cello. But unlike a cello, it sounds like an upright bass - at least "close enough for jazz"
(apologies to jazzers… I could't resist) Doesn't exactly replicate that full-on deep/rich 'woody' tone but it doesn't sound like a fretless bass either - definitely sounds closer to an upright. As it has (LaBella) flats on it - it's not 'growly', but it has that upright vibratory tone that I don't know would be achievable on a fretless bass (guitar). On the fret-board; in the seated cello position, the neck/fb is very close and so not easy to see/look at like an electric bass. But finding positions isn't that difficult, probably from years of playing both fretted and fretless electric bass. I considered putting markers or dash-lines in it but now I don't think it's necessary. The flattened (Romberg) "carve" under the E string presents no issues playing. The very arched fb (compared to a bass guitar) takes a bit of time to adjust to but the carve is relatively unnoticeable whether plucking or bowing, but it does it's design thing best when bowing.
I played along with familiar music, including Radiohead's latest "A Moon Shaped Pond" which has some cool orchestration with staccato and legato bowing opportunities. After spending time re-familiarizing myself with a bow, I could feel my chops starting to come back abet pretty rusty. It sounds really nice bowed - something I was looking forward to when I started this build. Much to work on with both right and left hand technique but the bass invites playing.
Eventually I will work on making my own version of the pu's with the aim of more, and more balanced output. I also want to add at least one more pu carrier location (more inset magnets on the body) which I originally planned on doing. That will come after developing the new pu's which will be longer so height adjustment once moved lower can be adjusted higher. Right now the poles (as you can see in the pics) are individually staggered within each barrel for even string-to-string response.
Ok, so from nothing to a blizzard of information! For now - play time!
I needed to bring the string height down at the bridge which I achieved by removing material at the top and the bottom of the bridge and the bottom of the inset tang so it sat lower in the slot.
Difficult to show 'action' but in doing so it was lowered to an acceptable height
again, hard to clearly illustrate - but an attempt to show how the body rests when playing seated. The left scallop rests on my left leg and the other side against my right leg, and my right foot stabilizes the tri-leg base so it doesn't slip-outward at that angle. Works pretty good really and with the articulate base it can be fluidly rocked to access the E string for full bow strokes
another view to help illustrate it better
bow clearance on the E side is tight, but with good technique - acceptable.
bow clearance on the G side - no problem
As the pu's are low output, I added a Micro Amp to my pedal-board train which boosted the output enough to an acceptable volume w/minimal hiss/hum. You can see I also boosted the signal on my d.i.+ and tweaked tone settings. My Fender Bassman 100 channel volume is set at 7 and master volume at 5. (through a Carvin 18" cab)
Before I start reviewing, I will try and get decent sound-files soon. (yes, not the first time I've said this…) Our (Bond Girl) horn player Paul offered to help me out here, so it's just a matter of scheduling. So until then, here's my impressions -
It's really fun to play! I'm not so sure about playing while standing as the body is small and the post is pretty long. I mean, it can be done, but I like the seated position - like a cello. But unlike a cello, it sounds like an upright bass - at least "close enough for jazz"
(apologies to jazzers… I could't resist) Doesn't exactly replicate that full-on deep/rich 'woody' tone but it doesn't sound like a fretless bass either - definitely sounds closer to an upright. As it has (LaBella) flats on it - it's not 'growly', but it has that upright vibratory tone that I don't know would be achievable on a fretless bass (guitar). On the fret-board; in the seated cello position, the neck/fb is very close and so not easy to see/look at like an electric bass. But finding positions isn't that difficult, probably from years of playing both fretted and fretless electric bass. I considered putting markers or dash-lines in it but now I don't think it's necessary. The flattened (Romberg) "carve" under the E string presents no issues playing. The very arched fb (compared to a bass guitar) takes a bit of time to adjust to but the carve is relatively unnoticeable whether plucking or bowing, but it does it's design thing best when bowing.I played along with familiar music, including Radiohead's latest "A Moon Shaped Pond" which has some cool orchestration with staccato and legato bowing opportunities. After spending time re-familiarizing myself with a bow, I could feel my chops starting to come back abet pretty rusty. It sounds really nice bowed - something I was looking forward to when I started this build. Much to work on with both right and left hand technique but the bass invites playing.
Eventually I will work on making my own version of the pu's with the aim of more, and more balanced output. I also want to add at least one more pu carrier location (more inset magnets on the body) which I originally planned on doing. That will come after developing the new pu's which will be longer so height adjustment once moved lower can be adjusted higher. Right now the poles (as you can see in the pics) are individually staggered within each barrel for even string-to-string response.
Ok, so from nothing to a blizzard of information! For now - play time!
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
a side profile to illustrate set-up/string height - also shows inside-out strat-jack (V/T knobs hidden by angled wing) the rear mounted jack/controls are good with no adverse interface when playing.
so (eventually) the 2nd pu carrier location will be about mid-way lower/toward the bridge
so (eventually) the 2nd pu carrier location will be about mid-way lower/toward the bridge
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Sometimes seeing what I'm thinking in print helps me understand it more clearly - case in point, adding a more central magnet anchor for the pu support. I realized I can do it now… so I did! Since the bridge height was lowered, the pu's needed less upward adjustment which is still possible with the orig (squatter) pu units. In doing so it improved the overall response as well - much fuller with more resonance. Like Leo's P-bass, a 'sweet-spot'. I'll leave it at 2 positions for now, with the possibility of more later.
And ftr, when extended for a seated position - it's 61" long (base to hs top)
the A pole needs to be closer to the string for a balanced response - likely the pu is a bit weaker… part of the issue with these individual pole pu's.
And ftr, when extended for a seated position - it's 61" long (base to hs top)
the A pole needs to be closer to the string for a balanced response - likely the pu is a bit weaker… part of the issue with these individual pole pu's.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks!
I had no idea if I could pull it off after I bought that cello fingerboard many moons ago as it presented a whole new set of issues unlike basic electric bass guitar designing/building, but a bass is a bass is a bass - and it's a bass! Sometimes not knowing is what inspires exploration and discovery.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
They are called Ubertar Hexaphonic HC (pu's). Ubertar Hexaphonic Guitar Pickups - One and Two String Pickups for guitar and bass A guy named Paul makes them. I'm hesitant to recommend them as they are in need of more development in my opinion, at least for the asking price. I had to send a couple back due to construction fragility. He was always helpful, sending me replacements w/o debate - but it's why I will try to reverse engineer and make my own version. (but better) A good idea and I'm all for him developing them, but they need QC. If you do order some - please let me know your input using them.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks Roberto! (and welcome @Justice Graves, and to everyone visiting for your support and interest!) Having now created this hybrid bass - it inspires me to fuller consideration about how to make it as good as it can be design-wise. I came up with this design w/o much in the way of real-time interface as a player, so now that I'm playing it it speaks to me about how its design would interface better with the player. I've long been a fan of ergonomic instrument interface and especially when it looks beautiful too! The holistic design balance/marriage of function and aesthetics. Leo Fender understood it (at least starting with the more ergonomic/curvy Stratocaster and Gen II P-bass) and Phil Kubicki's Ex-Factor bass for me still represents a perfect blend of function/aesthetics for a modern but timeless design. I also love Parkers designs (Fly guitar/bass), especially the totally cool and ergo one-off bass he made for Steve Swallow. I can imagine something evolving that would take on more dynamic ergonomics for both sitting and standing. This design works ok, but now to imagine how it could be better - food for thought...
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,125
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
