Four string fretless acoustic/electric (chambered)

[MarkA]

I got a new audio interface for my mac. I messed around a little with it and the new bass this afternoon. Nothing super exciting, from plugging in the interface to "mixdown" in under an hour, don't expect much:

Fun. Tone here and in the acoustic clips has some character.

 

[Jisch]

I play exclusively fretless at this point. I have three other fretless basses I've made, this one is by far the most expressive. It's also got the least amount of sound options, so it's use will be somewhat limited (that's not a bad thing, just saying). I tried slapping on it, that's a definite no go, it sounds terrible.

 

[scottyd]

I play exclusively fretless at this point. I have three other fretless basses I've made, this one is by far the most expressive. It's also got the least amount of sound options, so it's use will be somewhat limited (that's not a bad thing, just saying). I tried slapping on it, that's a definite no go, it sounds terrible.

I was gonna comment on your fretless chops being great. The best sounding slapped fretless I have built has an ebony board with epoxy coating.

 

[Jisch]

I slap quite a bit on my other basses, all have ebony fretboards, but they are just conditioned with lemon oil, no epoxy. I think the transducers on this one pick up slap in a weird way, you get a lot of clack.

 

[mansjasont]

Congrats on the Best Bass Gear "Bass of the Week"!!! I saw that post and instantly recognized the bass!

 

[Jisch]

Thanks! I got a lot of help both directly and indirectly from everyone here at TalkBass on this one, I really do appreciate it! Best Bass Gear took the link to TalkBass out of my write up, I understand linking over here directly is probably not cool. Anyway - thanks to all you guys who build awesome stuff and post up your successes and failures.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Congrats on the Best Bass Gear "Bass of the Week"!!! I saw that post and instantly recognized the bass!

This.

 

[wraub]

Props. Solid.

 

[Rôckhewer]

Good job on this build Jisch. You got it done pretty quick too....seems like it was just a couple weeks ago when you were re-sawing that knot panel for the top. ....
.......but then, sometimes the actual amount of the passage of time eludes me

 

[Jisch]

After playing this amplified for a bit, I think I'm going to try a piezo system under the string saddle. The volume difference between the E and A strings and the D and G strings is just too much. I am not sure what is wrong exactly, acoustically they seem to be equally loud (not very loud, but all the same), and when I tap on the top of the bass right where the transducers are mounted it is equally loud. It may have something to do with the bracing and the way it is "tuning" the top? I don't know.

Anyone have ideas for a good ribbon piezo or should I just go get a cheap one off Ebay?

 

[emjazz]

This is a great one: Welcome to Pick-up the World!

 

[Jisch]

I ordered two cheap piezos off of Amazon, grand total of $14 for the two. One is "rod style" and one is "ribbon style". I drop them in and see how they sound and report back here. I realize that they are not going to compete with the pro ones, but I want to see what's going on here before I spend too much money.

 

[Jisch]

Ok, I got the piezos today, they are both the same kind, despite different descriptions - one appears to be DOA (I didn't mount it), it's the same length as the width of bridge slot, the other is a bit shorter. I drilled a hole through the top under the bridge and installed the shorter one, just leading the cable out through the sound hole (for now). Strangely the piezo has the opposite problem than the K&K - the E, A and D strings are about equal volume, the G string's volume is low by comparison. More investigation needed, but that's that I'm getting right now. Maybe I can connect them both together and get even volume, ha!

 

[Jisch]

I soldered a Y cable and together there is better balance when I listen through the sound card. I need to plug it into the big amp to see how it really sounds. If it sounds good I'll solder them together inside the body (ought to be pretty difficult to actually do).

 

[wraub]

This is a great one: Welcome to Pick-up the World!

This is a cool link, much coolness there.
Thanks.

 

[emjazz]

This is a cool link, much coolness there.
Thanks.

I have one in my 6 string chambered e. bass and it sounds great...very even from string to string!

 

[Jisch]

Two minor points:
1) I'm getting distortion out of my E string - I need to get a mirror inside and see if I can find out why - there is a vibration even when not plugged in. I think one of the braces is loose or something.

2) after playing only the chambered bass for the last month or so I played my last five string fretless at band practice tonight, at the risk of sounding egotistical that is a nice instrument! Wow, I impressed myself.

The chambered bass had a lot of learning in it. While I love the way it came out, I can build a really nice solid body/through neck bass with the techniques I already know. It was a good moment when I picked up that other bass and realized just how nice it is.