First build (In progress)

[SpecialG]

So, basically, I've been playing bass for a while and I thought to myself, "You know what would be cool, is having a flying V bass."

Was I going to spend over $100 for a brand new bass? Hell no!

What did I decide? Hell, I decided to make one (or attempt to).

Basically, this bass is my first build, still in slow progress. I decided to go cheap as possible, since I only have basic tools available (like a scroll saw, and sander).

What would the specs be on this "V" shaped bass I'm making?
Well, after countless screw ups, it's hard to tell, but basically, it's all oak. Hard, sturdy, and cheap.

Scale? Well, my idea is to make the scale 25". Sound crazy? Oh no, it's not going to be tuned 1/5th higher. Oh no. I'm going to be sporting different gauges (B,E,A,D strings, knock off 5 inches, and it's E,A,D,G)

Still deciding on what the heck to get for a fingerboard, or if I'll just put frets into the neck for fun of it.

What am I going after with this? Basically, the cheapest build. All I'm going for is functionality. I'll worry about more if I decide to get serious about it, but for the time being, I'm having a blast with the cheapest build I know of.

Depending on how often I work, I'll try to update daily. I hope you expert luthiers aren't having strokes looking at this.

Feel free to criticize, comment, or laugh at something that hasn't cost more than $50.

 

[Manual_Combat]

just keep it coming man. I personally wouldn't want such a small scale length. 25 is the scale length of a prs guitar-

good luck though!

 

[coolrunner989]

I'm gonna be honest - my first reaction was ***?!? Thats crazy! :scowl:

but the more I think about it....I like it. I'd actually be interested in playing it, or at least hearing sound clips of it.

Keep us posted!

And kudos for building your own bass, just the way you want it!

 

[erikbojerik]

This is a great way to get your feet wet with building, to see if you like it, without dropping a whole bunch of money.

Do you have another beater bass that you'll get your hardware & pickups from?

 

[SpecialG]

Nope, I'm going to be ordering them dirt cheap, although a p.o.s. bass would've been my first choice. I purchased tuning heads for around $13, and I have a bridge coming in that set me back $9.

I'm searching for pickups that cost less than $30, and that won't take too long.

So pretty much, I'm making a cheap, but working bass, that'll be just what I want it to be. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated.

 

[Yvarg]

Yes! The ultimate in affordable instruments; I like the way you think! Where you getting all your cheap hardware, ebay (that's my favourite place for cheap crap!)?

 

[spudmaster34]

I'm building a 2-string right now out of the cutoffs from when they redid our stairs, to try out a new design of mine.

 

[SpecialG]

Well, the tuning heads I got at my local Radio Shack, and all the other hardware/electronics are coming from ebay.

Yeah, you bet. I am cheap. Sadowsky might sound good, but it sounds more like Sadistic to me.

For now, I can't go much further until I get the pickups and bridge, because the whole routing thing. As for what kind of finish I'll be doing, I don't have a clue. Black spray paint is what I have on hand, but I'll worry about it when the time comes.

 

[PilbaraBass]

Actually, I've been kicking around the idea, too about making a 25.5" scale bass...and my thoughts were also to use standard long-scale BEAD gauges 0.130, 0.100, 0.085, 0.065....same thought process, just basically a 34" BEAD bass from the 5th fret up.

In fact, it would be fun to adapt a cheap no-name guitar to a 3-string super-short scale bass...a nut, bridge and different tone cap...(I'd have to check total string tensions out (won't be hard to find out), but I definitely think it would be a cool project)...