Double Bass Finally

[Darren Molnar]

Finished my bass this weekend. Here's some pictures. Forgive the photo quality, I'm still trying to figure out this photoshop stuff.

Thanks very much to every one who helped out with some great advice.

 

[Darren Molnar]

more pics

 

[Darren Molnar]

one more

 

[tskaggs]

It certainly looks good. I wish I could hear it, but I'm several hundred miles away.

 

[Mike Arnopol]

Lovely instrument. I love the long c bouts and the long graceful f holes. I'd love to see it. I think I'll be in Saskatoon in late January
( OUCH ) as part of a Canadian tour. Love to see it in person.
Congrats

 

[Mike Arnopol]

what are the dimensions, by the way?

 

[Gearhead43]

Very nice looking bass. Is the shape an original design, or copy? It has a unique shape and lines.

 

[Damon Rondeau]

Beautiful instrument, Darren. That's work to be proud of.

And Saskatoon in January is beautiful, too. If you're lucky, Mike, it will be clear as bell, bright bright sun, no wind at all, and 35 below freaking zero. Seriously.

Check the stars out in those conditions.

 

[Don Harris]

Beautiful Darren. Thanks for sharing. How's it sound? What did you end up varnishing it with?

 

[Mike Arnopol]

You have to love management. It was a choice between Australia
( summer) or Canada.

 

[Darren Molnar]

Thanks all. Really appreciated. Let me know when in Jan. you'll be here, Mike, I'll get in touch with the owner and see if they're up to it.

To answer some questions;

it ended up being 45 inches long, the top, that is, with a 42 inch string length. ribs start at 8 1/2 inches and end up 6 and a half-ish.

it's my own design, with the exception that I stole the f-holes from a Maggini viola picture

For varnish, I basically took ten years of violin varnish left-overs and mixed them together, with a couple glaze layers of oil colours in between. Surprisingly, there was enough for three coats. Worked out nice.

I have to admit I'm quite happy with the tone. real clear, rich, and not huffy, or "boomy". The power is outragious. I had two bassists from my orchestra playing it last weekend, I almost had to kick them out of the house in the end. In the end, the Principal commisioned me for another. There's a longer story to that, and kinda funny, but I won't elaborate on line.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

That looks great Darren! Congratulations !

You can email me the story at [email protected]

 

[Matthew Tucker]

Well done Darren that looks really nice. Its a marathon, isn't it?? But you've drawn a new set of lines for a bass.

And I love the phone book attached to the lower bout. Really sets off the varnish!

 

[ctregan]

Congratulations on finishing the Bass; I hope it has a long and productive life playing beautiful music.

 

[arnoldschnitzer]

Lovely model. Pretty varnish. Interesting f-holes. Kudos on ya'.

 

[uprightben]

Wow, I really like the shape- very gracefull lines. The varnish/coloring is great, too. Congratulations.

 

[Don Harris]

Why not elaborate on line? I for one would like to hear it.

In the end, did you feel like cycloids worked well for bass arching? I've been using them on a couple violins I've made recently and have been wondering about bass.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Hey Darren, I'd love it if you would send me the originals of those pix when you email the story!

 

[forester]

i remember a pic. when it was white..i was thinking whoa!... now it is a timeless treasure.

 

[bassman314]

whoah... that's gorgeous...