Double Bass First EUB build - ZEUBI

[agfrag]

Ok, I've kicked off my thread on my build...inspired by tZer, I am getting it off the ground. I've stuck it in the Luthiers forum, just for kicks. Here is the link:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/my-first-eub-project-823125/#post11711696

 

[tZer]

I had to stop messing with it and just be done - so I am done!

I am still experimenting with where to put the pickup. It's current location seems OK, but I don't have my rig set up to give it a good run. When I figure that out I'll be sure to record some clips.

 

[IronSpatula]

Wow! Looking seriously classy now.

 

[Francois Blais]

Cool!

 

[bassteban]

VERY nice!

 

[RoninUTA]

amazing - you are really giving me the itch to go do this now.

 

[tZer]

It's an itch worth scratching!

Mine keeps evolving - the latest update is a new bridge. It's much wider and sized much better. The bridge in the pic makes the bass play like a fretless - very fast, but with a lot of fingerboard-infused mwaaaaaaaahhhhhh. It's GREAT sounding if you are going for a gigantic electric fretless sound, but not upright sounding. It sets the strings very low and if you play the B or E string too aggressively, you the fingerboard barks in a very bad way. You really have to baby those strings with that bridge to avoid making them cranky.

While that did promote a very heads up way of playing as well as using a very light touch, which can both be considered very good things, it felt more like playing against the instrument than with it. The new bridge sets up the action higher. I decided after playing with the first bridge for a while that I should make a new one rather than try to monkey with making the current one adjustable.

I cut two new bridge blanks from a plank of maple and make one adjustable by installing two hex-head bolts, one between the B and E, the other between the D and G strings. It was an OK start, but by bridge base didn't permit for much vertical adjustment. The slot that the bridge rides in is too shallow. So I made a final, non-adjustable bridge that sets the string height for a much more authentic upright sound and feel.

My next mod will be the bridge base plate and it will be designed to accommodate an adjustable bridge.

By the way, the bridge base plate was a really good addition. The reason it was designed was to allow for the piezo to be easily moved around underneath the bridge to find the sweetest spot. Before I had to de-tune, lift out the old bridge block that was slightly recessed into the body to move the pickup. That was a HUGE pain. Now it's a no-brainer.

 

[scojack]

Did I miss something ? Where did the wings/binding come from ?
Lol .....looks fantastic tZ !

 

[tZer]

The first round of images were all of the unfinished core. After a couple jam sessions I was able to see what significant mods were required. One was carving the back of the neck more to allow access to what would have been thumb position notes without having to use thumb position.

Another was adding a 'face' to the instrument so I could make it pretty and have a little more surface area to allow for experimenting with bridge systems. This mod included carving down the body/face area which was originally angled from the neck 'joint' to the bottom. I opted to carve it down to flat, add wings and there ya go!

So yes - there have been many mods between my first 'done' post and these. All have made HUGE improvements in playability and sound. my finish has issues (as you can see), but I am going with saying it looks "relic'd" and accepting those flaws.

I LOVE playing this thing! It really is fun!

My next mission is to carve a bow. I could use some up-close and personal photos of a bass bow. I have a loose idea of the construction but I could use some measurements and images to work from.

If anyone has a bow that they'd be willing to measure, photograph and share, I'd be most grateful!

 

[tZer]

Tomorrow night is going to be my ZEUB I's professional debut! I got a call Tuesday to do a jazz/Fake Book gig (some University faculty reception) - straight up standards - and I thought, "Damn... I couldn't ask for a more perfect gig to bring this baby out!"

So - Since joining TB I have had the good fortune to tick off a few 'bucket list' items:
1) Build myself an electric bass from scratch - done x 2
2) Build myself an electric upright from scratch - done
3) Get my chops up to snuff enough to be a "first call" bassist - OK, done... sort of.

While the MD did tell me outright that I am HIS first call bassist for this type of gig, I get the impression that he doesn't really know too many bass players around here - but HEY - I am calling it as a "done" - he said, "Tony, you are my first call player for jazz gigs..." and I am taking that an running with it!

Truth be told, this is a super low-key gig. We are providing background music - We are out of sight and our mission is more to NOT interfere than it is to wow people with our jazz improvisational prowess - hard to mess this sort of thing up.

But I must say, I sure love hearing "Tony, you are my first call player..." even if it's just because I'm the only one he knows who can read charts.

And he does have "A Night in Tunisia" on the list and I am so looking forward to digging in to that one!

Woo Hoo! Heading home to jam with Dizzy, Coltrane, Ellington, Miles, Peterson...

I'll be bringing the good old Fender Jazz just in case I chicken out...

 

[Tramalian]

Long time lurking here, about time I made a post...

Been really interesting reading about your build!

I've taken a few pictures and measurements from my bow - you can find them here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I hope that works. It's not a particularly fancy bow, but it will give you something to start off I guess.

Let me know if there are any parts you want measured/photographed. Or if you can't see the photos

 

[tZer]

Long time lurking here, about time I made a post...

Been really interesting reading about your build!

I've taken a few pictures and measurements from my bow - you can find them here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I hope that works. It's not a particularly fancy bow, but it will give you something to start off I guess.

Let me know if there are any parts you want measured/photographed. Or if you can't see the photos

Thanks so much! Those are perfect. That's exactly what I needed.

 

[agfrag]

tZer, I'm still on my EUB project, the slowest build in the world... and I was wondering what you ended up with for the stand?

I was thinking either a drum pad stand I checked out at Guitar Center, the Roland PDS10 Pad Stand, or maybe using an adjustable end pin, and using two legs of a sturdy camera tripod, and rigging those to a removable something or other on the back of the body toward the neck to body joint to provide ultra stability (just gotta figure out if the legs would get in the way).

I really want to avoid any "springy-ness" if possible. I once tried out one of those Dean Pace EUB's and man, that thing was all over the place when I tried to go up and down the neck, I couldn't really even play it due to the wobble.

 

[chuck norriss]

I had to stop messing with it and just be done - so I am done!

I am still experimenting with where to put the pickup. It's current location seems OK, but I don't have my rig set up to give it a good run. When I figure that out I'll be sure to record some clips.

Beautiful! Congratulations.

 

[tZer]

tZer, I'm still on my EUB project, the slowest build in the world... and I was wondering what you ended up with for the stand?

I was thinking either a drum pad stand I checked out at Guitar Center, the Roland PDS10 Pad Stand, or maybe using an adjustable end pin, and using two legs of a sturdy camera tripod, and rigging those to a removable something or other on the back of the body toward the neck to body joint to provide ultra stability (just gotta figure out if the legs would get in the way).

I really want to avoid any "springy-ness" if possible. I once tried out one of those Dean Pace EUB's and man, that thing was all over the place when I tried to go up and down the neck, I couldn't really even play it due to the wobble.

I stole a tom-mounting bracket from my Rogers kit. It's a ball-swivel that allows me to position the instrument any way I please and it holds it in place very reliably. It's screwed to a mounting block (a piece of wood left over from the fingerboard so it has a bit of a tom-like radius that worked nicely) and the block is screwed to the back of the instrument.

I didn't have an extra stand on my kit but it turns out that one of my heavy-duty music stands was the right size - so I am using a Pro Line music stand for now.

Here's an older progress pic that shows it pretty well.

The piezo is super sensitive so all bumps and squeaks can be heard. The stand itself is sturdy enough to support the instrument and hold in in playing position, but it's also 'flimsy' enough to have a lot of transient squeaks so I have to play carefully. In a full band context you can't hear the extra noise but when playing 100% solo in a quite room, you can.

I plan to find a sturdier stand - probably a tom tom or cymbal stand.

 

[agfrag]

Thanks for the info, so now you have to hold the tom in your lap?

Cool that. I was also looking at the NS Design stand Gollihur sells, but at $188 is a bit more than the other stand.