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Double Bass EUB prototype

#21
ricobasso said:
I have this problem on an acoustic bass guitar I built. I intend moving the neck and bridge away from the end of the body to increase the length of the strings between the bridge and the feedthrough anchor points as much as possible. I am also considering putting something(?) like a pre-bridge close to the string feedthrough holes to raise the strings closer to bridge height before they turn the 90deg on their way to the bridge, if you get my drift. Rather like the so-called "tension lowering devices" for double bass which raise the height of the far end of the tailpiece away from the top in order to reduce the string bend angle at the bridge. This reduces the force exerted by the bridge on the top.
Click to expand...

I did initially think about adding "something" to decrease the angle et which the strings hit the back of the bridge, but didn't want to alter the body design I was after. I am my own worst client :rollno:
My "fatty" of a bridge solves the problem somewhat pleasingly.
 
#22
ricobasso said:
You don't have to ground the strings but you do need to shield piezo pickups using copper foil tape: see Link Removed. Grounding the strings is a bit of a bodge/kluge borrowed from the BG manufacturers :ninja:. It grounds your body to shield the back of the pickup (not very effectively) while you are touching the strings. Shielding the pickups directly is much more effective. Besides if you decide to use gut strings, what're you going to do then :smug:?
Click to expand...

Because I'm lazy and followed the directions that came with the piezo tabs, I did not shield all of the tab, but only the contact area. It might be worth a try to shield all of it. I'm not getting any bad hum or noise, but just a little 'click' when I touch the strings.
With gut strings, because they would most probably not contain any metal, they would not be conductive and prone to clicking when grounded/touched.
 
#23
radii said:
I am my own worst client :rollno:
My "fatty" of a bridge solves the problem somewhat pleasingly.
Click to expand...
It does look very nice. I can see why you wouldn't want to change it.

I was thinking of something very simple like a wide "U" chrome steel drawer handle; fairly minimalist, low friction and would look like you meant it..............

I thought you didn't like the tone of the fat bridge? If you're happy as you are, leave well alone.
 
#27
ZolkoW said:
MAN, that thing looks GREAT!!!!
cool!
I'm working on an EUB for a year (with BIG breaks :)), but it doesn't get close to yours :)

any soundclips? don't be shy, I'm very curious!
Click to expand...

OK then ...
I'll try to knock out a little clip that doesn't totally embarass me :hmm:

I'm glad you like it.
Any progress pictures of your project you want to share ?
 
#28
radii said:
Any progress pictures of your project you want to share ?
Click to expand...

here is something with hungarian text :)
Link Removed

it's not up-to date, as I completely redesigned (huh-big words :)) the body to a more "sticky" one (you may feel the old looked better, but I could never became aquianted with it.. the headstock and the body simply didn't match. and I wanted to keep the headstock :) )
 
#31
radii said:
The "old" design looks great. There are no pictures of the new one on there, are there ?
How did you like the sound of the piezo tab you used ?
Click to expand...

no pictures yet, but I want to play it at the end of april :)
I have very little time to work on it..

the piezo? well, the plucked sound was acceptable, and didn't try it with bow. (I don't really want to use it with bow, as it's a BG scale instrument) I made some experiences with piezo tabs on my 2 electric cellos, but ended up with magnetic pickups. I think, it's hard to achieve a good bow tone with them, but it should be possible... maybe just needs some more tweaking. magnetics are still "under construction" too, so the pickup system is another thing to finish..
It's not easy to get a great tone from them at all..:rollno:

here's a soundclip from my cello with electric PU:
Link Removed
terrible bow technique of mine :D
 
#33
No, no roller. The top and bottom of the channel has a .75" radius to allow the strings to make the bend easily. The tuner-posts have a diameter of .5", so I figured that .75" was good enough. Friction doesn't seem to be an issue either.
 
#34
radii said:
What I would really like, are ceramic, cylinder shaped piezo elements. Does anybody have a source for these AND knows how to wire them up :smug: ?
Click to expand...

Link Removed that sells some piezo parts. They sell a piezo cable that looks like it would fit your needs. It's the same stuff acoustic guitar pickups are made of. You could make a 2-piece bridge with the piezo cable sandwiched in the bridge and close to the strings.

I'm considering attempted to make an EUB, but my woodworking skills need help.

BTW - what are you using for a buffering pre?
 
#35
HogieWan said:
Link Removed that sells some piezo parts. They sell a piezo cable that looks like it would fit your needs. It's the same stuff acoustic guitar pickups are made of. You could make a 2-piece bridge with the piezo cable sandwiched in the bridge and close to the strings.

I'm considering attempted to make an EUB, but my woodworking skills need help.

BTW - what are you using for a buffering pre?
Click to expand...

I have used that specific cable in my first attempt of building a pickup. It would have been the most elegant solution, as everything would have been hidden inside the bridge, but it was impossible to get even pressure on the cable from all strings. The string to string to balance was just off.

I am using a small rockinger on-board pre amp that can boost up to 15 db. Could be anything really. A DIY version would be more then enough, as long as it has an input impedance of more than 1 MOhm.
 
#36
It is a beautiful instrument. Congrats.

I recently started looking into an EUB project myself, and think I can handle most of it with the exception of the fingerboard. I want to make my own as I am on a painfully short budget*.

Where did you get the Padauk and what was the cost?
How did you shape it?

Any detail you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

* Budget short for the following reasons. Twin 13 yr old girls with Banjo and Guitar lessons. 8 yr old boy with violin and fiddle lessons. BTW - I have never played a DB bass before but want to be the Bass player for the family Bluegrass band.(No joke - I'm quite serious)
 
#37
mjcostel said:
It is a beautiful instrument. Congrats.

I recently started looking into an EUB project myself, and think I can handle most of it with the exception of the fingerboard. I want to make my own as I am on a painfully short budget*.

Where did you get the Padauk and what was the cost?
How did you shape it?

Any detail you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

* Budget short for the following reasons. Twin 13 yr old girls with Banjo and Guitar lessons. 8 yr old boy with violin and fiddle lessons. BTW - I have never played a DB bass before but want to be the Bass player for the family Bluegrass band.(No joke - I'm quite serious)
Click to expand...

You are a lucky man. My 4 and 1 year old boys could not be bothered holding an instrument :crying:

I can't remember exactly how much the Padauk cost. I bought two 8/4 4 footers a while ago from Exotic Woods in NJ. I love the color of it, but the pieces I got had tons of tension in them. A real pain in the a**. Go with Bubinga if you can.

I have the luxury of a CNC at my disposal. So shaping the fingerboard was quite easy :)
 
#38
Hello Radii
Very nice EUB you have made. I recently posted pics and sound clips of my EUB project. I am curious about your use of CNC. Are you able to cut a radius in a fingerboard w/CNC? This means working in 2 planes? I have made several electric basses and I prefer an angled neck/body versus them being in the same plane. I was wondering if you can do an angled neck socket w/CNC? Do you use one for your work or did you purchase one? I stopped working as a professional woodworker 8 years ago just when CNC were beginning to be used so I know they have changed over those years. Any feedback is appreciated
 
#39
powerbass said:
Hello Radii
Very nice EUB you have made. I recently posted pics and sound clips of my EUB project. I am curious about your use of CNC. Are you able to cut a radius in a fingerboard w/CNC? This means working in 2 planes? I have made several electric basses and I prefer an angled neck/body versus them being in the same plane. I was wondering if you can do an angled neck socket w/CNC? Do you use one for your work or did you purchase one? I stopped working as a professional woodworker 8 years ago just when CNC were beginning to be used so I know they have changed over those years. Any feedback is appreciated
Click to expand...

We have a 3-axis 4'X4' Precix machine at work, and I happen to be the only CNC-guy :hyper:

It can cut any compound curved surface as long as there are no undercuts. It cost approx. 30'000 $ incl. Software, which is a great price for a semi-serious "glorified" router ...
You can get entry models for a lot less, but they might not be that sturdy. Accuracy won't suffer as long as you don't push it to it's limit. I don't know if there are cheap CAM packages that do good 3D surfaces. Rhino / Rhicocam is what we use. Fit's our needs perfectly. The whole package doesn't compare, or is made to run like the "real" CNCs, such as Komo, Haas, SCMI etc., but having a toy like that shure is nice :smug:
 
#40
radii said:
The "old" design looks great. There are no pictures of the new one on there, are there ?
How did you like the sound of the piezo tab you used ?
Click to expand...

last weekend I put together my bass... only one pic so far, and no soundclip yet.
eub.jpg
 

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