• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

EUB project

#161
ICM said:
The labella Beatle bass flats are made specifically for hofners: a 30" scale that requires longer strings because of the tailpiece. They have light blue felt and are great strings. My first flats actually. Only reason I changed to chromes (and later TI's) is because I broke one at the top from constantly fiddling with it.
I highly recommend these strings as they were what initially made me fall in love with the flatwound sound.
One thing I would watch out for with them however, is near where you string them into the tuner. Since hofners use guitar tuners, the string ends are a lot thinner than they would be on let's say a set of fender strings. I have hofner pyramids on my mustang now, so they still work, just a little thin towards the top.
Click to expand...

I'm going to imagine that La Bella flats regardless of model are all good. I use them on my Bond Girl J and they continue to sound great. Other's I use (on other basses) are GHS Precision Flats and Thomastik's and overall I prefer the La Bellas. Never tried Chromes but hear they are good too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Photobassist
#163
JIO said:
...what isn't cool is that the Strat-jack boat I routed for has a different 'footprint' than the one from Stew-Mac! (and not just a little different, or maybe just enough different…) I thought, maybe it's a cheap imitation but I compared it to a couple others I have and that is the 'standard'. (wouldn't you know it!) So now I have to attempt to locate a black version of the chrome one I used as a reference. ~ Standards… who needs um'! :rolleyes: If this narrower, more pointy version is in fact the standard - I prefer the more rounded version.
IMG_0095_zpscdwyxgtr.jpg
Click to expand...

Hey JIO

I got the "Enclosed Fender jacks" today - and I am happy to report that they work fine on the inside of the boat jack. Just wanted you to know - that you have an alternative if you don''t want to drill the jack hole out to nearly 1/2" and install a Switchcraft barrel jack. Please note, as far as I can see - these are not the Switchcraft "panel jacks" we have seen over the years. These are the Fender enclosed instrument jacks. Not sure if Switchcraft makes them or not, but they seem heavier duty than the Switchcraft panel jacks to me. I found mine on ebay so a search should bring them up.

No big deal, just wanted you to know that they work if you want to stay with the standard jack hole. If you need any further info, let me know...
 
  • Like
Reactions: JIO
#164
BassHappy said:
Hey JIO

I got the "Enclosed Fender jacks" today - and I am happy to report that they work fine on the inside of the boat jack. Just wanted you to know - that you have an alternative if you don''t want to drill the jack hole out to nearly 1/2" and install a Switchcraft barrel jack. Please note, as far as I can see - these are not the Switchcraft "panel jacks" we have seen over the years. These are the Fender enclosed instrument jacks. Not sure if Switchcraft makes them or not, but they seem heavier duty than the Switchcraft panel jacks to me. I found mine on ebay so a search should bring them up.

No big deal, just wanted you to know that they work if you want to stay with the standard jack hole. If you need any further info, let me know...
Click to expand...

Good to hear the enclosed jack is working out for you Rick. I got the 2nd "black" Strat-jack boat and although it's more similar to the one I routed for, the finish is more 'pewter' than black. I decided to just use the (orig) pointy one and Bondo the gaps. The back will have a dark translucent tobacco colour so it will blend in sufficiently. I drilled out the boat-hole for the barrel jack (easy), which also needed shimming. Luckily I save 'stuff' and had something (white plastic sleeve & ring) to do just that. Where it came from or what it was originally for is a mystery, but they were exactly what I needed! :)

Also had to dig a bit out of the cavity for barrel jack clearance - everything's good to go now.
IMG_0128_zpsxtlv2wap.jpg


Hard to see in this pic, but the upper grey area is filled-in Bondo. Looks more like the wood in person and provides a nice fit.
IMG_0130_zpsemgeojzt.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: ICM, Shardik, AGH and 1 other person
#165
JIO said:
Good to hear the enclosed jack is working out for you Rick. I got the 2nd "black" Strat-jack boat and although it's more similar to the one I routed for, the finish is more 'pewter' than black. I decided to just use the (orig) pointy one and Bondo the gaps. The back will have a dark translucent tobacco colour so it will blend in sufficiently. I drilled out the boat-hole for the barrel jack (easy), which also needed shimming. Luckily I save 'stuff' and had something (white plastic sleeve & ring) to do just that. Where it came from or what it was originally for is a mystery, but they were exactly what I needed! :)

Also had to dig a bit out of the cavity for barrel jack clearance - everything's good to go now.
IMG_0128_zpsxtlv2wap.jpg


Hard to see in this pic, but the upper grey area is filled-in Bondo. Looks more like the wood in person and provides a nice fit.
IMG_0130_zpsemgeojzt.jpg
Click to expand...

Hey JIO

Looks really nice! An elegant and practical solution for sure and for certain! The plastic spacer is just the ticket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JIO
#169
Cut the composite nut, the brass butt-plate (for looks, protection and grounding) and the aluminum bridge laminate, which was epoxied and is currently clamped together and curing. I'd be more fussy about the joints/seams but the burst finish will 'distract' from little details like that.

IMG_0131_zpsbe8rlzde.jpg


I'll put different screws in - these are what I had available. I started filing for the E & G strings but will sort the A & D later, after I resolve the bridge.
IMG_0132_zpsijj5clmv.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: AGH, ICM, Shardik and 2 others
#174
Bridge mostly done - I need to get to the shop to use their drill press to bore-out the hole. The aluminum laminate solved a couple of issues including stability/rigidity of the bridge and a string-bridge connection to ground. I created the slot by drilling side-by-side w/a bit the width of the slot and then carefully chiseling the connecting wood. It's a tight fit and shouldn't need to be glued in, especially once downward pressure of the strings is incorporated. So now once the strings arrive, I can start to see if this thing will actually work!

IMG_0137_zpsbtyi2sbc.jpg


IMG_0136_zpsybhgvb1i.jpg


IMG_0135_zpsnqfu49xl.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: AGH, Shardik, BassHappy and 4 others
#175
Talking about aluminum bridge - check out this cool EUB that is on Best Bass Gear's site today.

From the site post:

"This instrument was purchased by my father in the mid-60’s. The owner of the Bronx NY store where it was bought represented it as a prototype of the Ampeg Baby Bass. There is no brand name or other marking anywhere on the instrument, My father played it professionally for more than twenty years, until his passing when I inherited it. I’m posting this not only so others can see and enjoy it, but also in hopes that someone can tell me more about it."


img_3639.jpg


img_3639-1.jpg


img_3645.jpg


img_3638.jpg


img_3636.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: ICM
#177
JIO said:
String-thru ferrules here today. Will install them on the backside and drill small angled holes that the strings will dive into on the front.

IMG_0091_zpsuxclwja8.jpg
Click to expand...

Some other build, might think about an angled section in the back/bottom for the ferrules, so the strings come straight out of the ferrules and up to the bridge with no or minimal bending? Or angled counterbores...
 
#178
T_Bone_TL said:
Some other build, might think about an angled section in the back/bottom for the ferrules, so the strings come straight out of the ferrules and up to the bridge with no or minimal bending? Or angled counterbores...
Click to expand...

Yes, I will file the 'bend' section of the inside of the ferrule to be more fluid. The angle isn't extreme. I threw on a set of old strings to start my process of set-up, just enough to visualize what I need to do.

IMG_0138_2_zpsdhqlhzec.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: ICM, Photobassist, swarfrat and 7 others
#180
charlie monroe said:
That Alu bridge lam is the naz.

Is that tape or did you slip a fingerboard inlay past us?

edit - nvm. I see now that there are 2 pieces of tape holding the fingerboard to the neck. Carry on.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's tape holding on the fb. I want to try and see if I can get it mostly set-up and then finished before epoxying it to the neck. If not, no big deal. Creating the pu interface will be my next design challenge. I'm thinking about a platform that holds (Mustang/Bullet P?) small split-P pu's in the proper position & angle. Something skeletal (aluminum?) - a sort of scaffold for the pu's... or something.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BassHappy

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back