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EUB project

#61
swarfrat said:
I'm really digging this - a lot, but I still can't get past the Romberg flat on the cello fingerboard. I mean it even looks cool - I just don't thing I could deal with it playing.
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We'll see - you never know until you try something! It'll be interesting approaching it as it's going to be a 'somewhere-in-between' instrument. And I will bow it - I don't own a bow right now but I learned classical upright in the 70's and developed pretty decent right-hand technique on a butler (German) bow. Bowing (ala Miroslav Vitous!) was my favorite part even if I was learning classical upright mostly so I could play piccicato jazz. I've decided to make it 32" scale and once I determine each fb position I'll cut fb edge fret-lines as a visual aid.
 
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#62
JIO said:
We'll see - you never know until you try something! It'll be interesting approaching it as it's going to be a 'somewhere-in-between' instrument. And I will bow it - I don't own a bow right now but I learned classical upright in the 70's and developed pretty decent right-hand technique on a butler (German) bow. Bowing (ala Miroslav Vitous!) was my favorite part even if I was learning classical upright mostly so I could play piccicato jazz. I've decided to make it 32" scale and once I determine each fb position I'll cut fb edge fret-lines as a visual aid.
Click to expand...

Hey JIO

Really coming along nicely! Body shape is cool and I love the repeating open closed triangle idea....

And of course, I also adore the fact that you have settled on 32" scale!

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
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#65
John Trials said:
I had originally thought about mounting the pickups to the body. Then I realized it would be tough to get them to fan out radially from some central axis. Mounting to the curved cover positions the pickups nicely, and gets them closer to the strings, I think...YMMV. Unfortunately, there is a lack of adjustability.
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Maybe some sort of thumbwheel (as in bridge adjusters) for overall height adjustment, maybe a small one at each corner...? Just thinking out loud, might not work...
Curious to see more.
 
#66
JIO- definitely digging that body shape-the asymmetry, the push/pull of the shaped area against the "soundhole", the lines of the grain against the body shape, and also the peghead which echoes trad while continuing the flow of the body...
I'm also interested in your final opinion of that fingerboard...
 
#67
wraub said:
JIO- definitely digging that body shape-the asymmetry, the push/pull of the shaped area against the "soundhole", the lines of the grain against the body shape, and also the peghead which echoes trad while continuing the flow of the body...
I'm also interested in your final opinion of that fingerboard...
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Thanks as always for your interest/input wraub - I'm every bit as interested as you are to see what will develop! Speaking of which, here's some minor development…

(this is the back-side) Routed the back outline edges (round-over) and the 'slash' hole.
IMG_0050_zpsgzu5z6qt.jpg


Considered the conceptualizing of binding (binding from this view will be a bit tricky, as will be the inside of the 'slash' - but only for the top side) - the front & back still need some major sanding/leveling.
IMG_0052_zpserv9cou9.jpg


NOT using this chrome-plated brass bridge-plate, but it's about the correct position/height of the bridge - which I will cut from the same maple as drawn. I'll angle ferrules into the backside for string-thru string connection. Many things to resolve eventually - I'm deliberately flying blind and dealing with functional issues as they surface.
IMG_0053_zpstqxzmpmv.jpg
 
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#69
I think he's right on the grain direction. I just made a wooden base for a Gotoh 201 style bent metal bridge. The grain runs across instead of longitudinal, and it has pressure across it (screws in the back, piezo pickup up front). I did it on purpose, because I didn't have a piece wide enough with the grain the direction I wanted, but man it scares me to look at, knowing it's more likely to break the way I have it loaded.
 
#70
charlie monroe said:
I think you may want to check the grain orientation on that bridge.
Every cello, DB etc bridge that I have seen has been (almost) perfectly rift sawn with the grain running vertically, not horizontally.
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swarfrat said:
I think he's right on the grain direction. I just made a wooden base for a Gotoh 201 style bent metal bridge. The grain runs across instead of longitudinal, and it has pressure across it (screws in the back, piezo pickup up front). I did it on purpose, because I didn't have a piece wide enough with the grain the direction I wanted, but man it scares me to look at, knowing it's more likely to break the way I have it loaded.
Click to expand...

Hummm… already cut and shaped the bridge - but if I have to I can cut another. The maple is pretty tough stuff so I'll try it out first - at worst it'll be be test-unit. I wouldn't be against reinforcing it with a thin brass plate (or some such thing) as it's transfer of 'tone' isn't necessarily the issue being used on a solid (maple) platform. All it needs to do is support the strings. As you'll notice in these pics, I still have some serious sanding to do. I had to order another 80 grit 6"x48" table sander belt. The old belt on the sander was taking forever and was mostly 'polishing' the hard maple. Should be here tomorrow.

Here's an artsy twilight pic - did a bunch of work on it today with general success. Twilight is my favorite time to shoot pics. The 3 sections will be attached using biscuit-joints and glue. I have specific clamps for holding angled pieces tight while setting.
IMG_0060_zps7ufdamnh.jpg


Well, it looks nice anyway…
IMG_0057_zpslvyor8n8.jpg


Another bridge shot approximately where it will be positioned
IMG_0056_zpsngm3jncz.jpg


As you can see in the other pics, binding routing was (mostly) done and it should look very cool indeed.
IMG_0054_zps1jjrgo6f.jpg


This part is pretty tricky. I could only rout so far in the 'slash' - the rest will be hands-on finesse work with sharp chisels, blades and files. Excess is always preferred - once the binding is glued-in the maple will then be sanded to conform to it's thickness/profile.
IMG_0055_zpsec7feruj.jpg


IMG_0058_zpsdoc1mil1.jpg
 
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#76
When the binding was originally talked about I naturally assumed black or maybe tortoiseshell, but then I saw the blonde stuff there and that looked pretty good. I still think going with a darker colour might offer a nice edge line contrast in the gestalt, congruent with the pop from the black hardware. It could be accomplished with a dark wood binding too - that might be better to keep the organic feel of the rest of the materials, but then again introducing contrast... The possibilities, the possibilities!

This is turning out to be a really sexy bass here Jio, you got a real talent... :)
 
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#77
MPU said:
I think black binding would look better than cream.
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Is that a custom bass in your avatar pic? A headless fan-fret?

Beej said:
When the binding was originally talked about I naturally assumed black or maybe tortoiseshell, but then I saw the blonde stuff there and that looked pretty good. I still think going with a darker colour might offer a nice edge line contrast in the gestalt, congruent with the pop from the black hardware. It could be accomplished with a dark wood binding too - that might be better to keep the organic feel of the rest of the materials, but then again introducing contrast... The possibilities, the possibilities!

This is turning out to be a really sexy bass here Jio, you got a real talent... :)
Click to expand...

(thanks Beej! :)) I'm going to order both black and creme binding (I'll use whichever I don't choose eventually) and make the call once they arrive. I only had small pieces of cream binding which I used for routing reference and so maybe because of that I imagined a classic Les Paul guitar gestalt.., but really, I think black could be cool to introduce contrast (as you said) to this highly charactered maple. Because of it's inherent visual variations, I didn't want to add another wood to distract from it so a neutral 'black' binding could work nicely. I'm having fun with this one because I went into it with very little 'concept' other than a UEB of some sort, so I won't really know what it's going to eventually look like until it develops. In that regard, input is welcomed as it can offer objective insight! :thumbsup:
 
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#79
Beej said:
:) It ain't cheap, but LMII has Indian Ebony binding in stock. Just to steam things up a bit with that fingerboard... lol

Wood Binding
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No surprise here, my vote would have to go with nice solid black ebony wood binding - but you could use most any wood binding and "ebonize" it or even use the Stew Mac fingerboard ebony stain:

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#80
Beej said:
:) It ain't cheap, but LMII has Indian Ebony binding in stock. Just to steam things up a bit with that fingerboard... lol

Wood Binding
Click to expand...

BassHappy said:
No surprise here, my vote would have to go with nice solid black ebony wood binding - but you could use most any wood binding and "ebonize" it or even use the Stew Mac fingerboard ebony stain:

Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

I've never used wood binding, and dealt with steaming/bending it (especially brittle ebony) and am familiar with heating/bending plastic so I think I'll stick (so to speak) with it. Thanks as always for the thoughts on it.
 
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