Double Bass Glue bass bar

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Anyone here tried this? Is it doable for a handy amateur, without a lot of investments? My local luthier said he had to remove the top to glue it, but I'm looking for a less expensive solution (plywood bass).

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[unbrokenchain]

Well it's obviously possible with skilled hands (and the right tools), but getting the glue into the joint before it gels and getting a decent clamp seems tougher to me than resetting the top. It's pretty simple to remove the top and the fix the bar, getting the top back on isn't the easiest thing in the world but I tend to think it's easier than trying to repair the bar in situ. Perhaps you could do the top removal/bar repair and then have your luthier glue the top back on?

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Well it's obviously possible with skilled hands (and the right tools), but getting the glue into the joint before it gels and getting a decent clamp seems tougher to me than resetting the top. It's pretty simple to remove the top and the fix the bar, getting the top back on isn't the easiest thing in the world but I tend to think it's easier than trying to repair the bar in situ. Perhaps you could do the top removal/bar repair and then have your luthier glue the top back on?

Not a bad idea. I've removed a couple of tops before, but never put it back on.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Not a bad idea. I've removed a couple of tops before, but never put it back on.

I've reset two bass tops, one ply and one carved. They both have held up fine (the ply for 7 years now, the carved been a few months), although the top/rib joint wandered on both a few mm on the upper bouts. I'm fine with that result for my own stuff but wouldn't offer to do it on anyone else's instrument. A few more tries and I bet I could get it pretty perfect. If you're ok with workable but less than perfect results, I'd say go ahead and try it! Hide glue is forgiving. If you want it perfect the first time, best to hire it out to a pro. My $.02.. or .13 krone?

 

[Steven Ayres]

Perhaps you could do the top removal/bar repair and then have your luthier glue the top back on?

It's an option, but I'm not sure the luthier will be happy about it.

I haven't tried it, but it seems to me that a lot of small factors can go wrong in trying to reset the bar without removing a plate, and plywood can be more complicated in that regard. I wouldn't shortchange a plywood bass on the quality of a repair just because I bought it for less. It's my tool for making music, not a used car I'm looking to flip next week.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

It's an option, but I'm not sure the luthier will be happy about it.

I haven't tried it, but it seems to me that a lot of small factors can go wrong in trying to reset the bar without removing a plate, and plywood can be more complicated in that regard. I wouldn't shortchange a plywood bass on the quality of a repair just because I bought it for less. It's my tool for making music, not a used car I'm looking to flip next week.

My luthier is a good friend, and he is very forgiving. He gives me advice about what I can do and how to do it (some things he says I can do, but he wont do it because of reputation etc., and he's happy to fix it if I mess up). The bar is only lose beneath the bridge, so it's just a question of getting the glue in there and clamp it.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

I've reset two bass tops, one ply and one carved. They both have held up fine (the ply for 7 years now, the carved been a few months), although the top/rib joint wandered on both a few mm on the upper bouts. I'm fine with that result for my own stuff but wouldn't offer to do it on anyone else's instrument. A few more tries and I bet I could get it pretty perfect. If you're ok with workable but less than perfect results, I'd say go ahead and try it! Hide glue is forgiving. If you want it perfect the first time, best to hire it out to a pro. My $.02.. or .13 krone?

I'm happy with a workable result, as long as it works. It's not my main bass, and it's for gigs that require ok sound and looks more than anything else.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

I guess something like this could be used to make it a bit easier?

Titebond

 

[unbrokenchain]

I guess something like this could be used to make it a bit easier?

Titebond

Absolutely not. Will make things much more difficult! I've used that stuff personally (thankfully not on an instrument), it doesn't actually cure hard like hot hide glue. Good for... indoor crafts or something? But there's no substitute for hhg.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Why hide glue?

From earlier this year, some useful tips in there. You may be able to make some type of long dispenser/applicator for the hot hide glue.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Why hide glue?

From earlier this year, some useful tips in there. You may be able to make some type of long dispenser/applicator for the hot hide glue.

Yes, I know why hide glue, and I have used hide glue for some fixing on my basses. I thought this was almost as good, just more practical for those kind of repairs.

 

[Don Hergert]

I'll say this and then slink away, totally embarrassed, into my corner where I belong...

Having an access panel is an amazing thing. It allows easy access to all of the dark-magic things inside a double bass, without having to squeeze through one of the F holes or totally disassemble the instrument.

I don't know if I'll ever commission a build in this lifetime, but if I did, there would be an access panel, similar in size (7"x7") and location (inside the driver side C) to my Alcoa -- although the door wouldn't be hinged, it would magically and invisibly be held in place by rare-earth magnets (credit and thanks go to James Condino).

 

[james condino]

......... I wouldn't shortchange a plywood bass on the quality of a repair.....

+1000

Much about this video is wrong to me and a perfect example of why you should let bass specific people do your bass work not a guitar shop that is convenient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To a non bass player the soundpost set may be fine with an old shoestring and a hammer, but not to me or any other bass players I know....

Dan is a great guy and is well know for his guitar work. I've met him several times ....but....Why go to all that effort to make custom tools and the Rube Goldberg setup when it only takes ten minutes to release the top seam for half of and old Kay. That allows you complete access to the entire inside where you can do the work simple and efficient and then you can glue it back together. For a competent bass shop, this is a few hour job rather than spending an entire day to fabricate more specialty tools and half a$$ the task....

 

[james condino]

I'll say this and then slink away, totally embarrassed, into my corner where I belong...

Having an access panel is an amazing thing...... (credit and thanks go to James Condino).

After using a bass with an access panel for the last decade: the idea of having a 7 foot tall incredibly fragile wooden eggshell that is constantly broken and in need of adjustment with the only way to access the inside is through the stupid soundhole or ripping the top off...it is like building a car and then welding the hood shut...

I built my first access panel in a bass in 2009. It used screws, similar to one that Bob Ross built. Mathew Tucker then took that idea and used magnets. I've since used the magnetic design and refined it to what is now a standardized setup for me and one that I've used about a dozen times, and will likely keep using a similar design for the rest of my productive life. Here is a retrofit from last year on Unbroken chain'is old Kay:

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

+1000

Much about this video is wrong to me and a perfect example of why you should let bass specific people do your bass work not a guitar shop that is convenient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To a non bass player the soundpost set may be fine with an old shoestring and a hammer, but not to me or any other bass players I know....

Dan is a great guy and is well know for his guitar work. I've met him several times ....but....Why go to all that effort to make custom tools and the Rube Goldberg setup when it only takes ten minutes to release the top seam for half of and old Kay. That allows you complete access to the entire inside where you can do the work simple and efficient and then you can glue it back together. For a competent bass shop, this is a few hour job rather than spending an entire day to fabricate more specialty tools and half a$$ the task....

I understand your points. The problem here is that "a few hour job" is easily 1000 $, even if my luthier is great (and he only does bass specific repairs. His first question is always "is it insured?"). 1000 $ is more than the double of what I paid for the bass.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

After using a bass with an access panel for the last decade: the idea of having a 7 foot tall incredibly fragile wooden eggshell that is constantly broken and in need of adjustment with the only way to access the inside is through the stupid soundhole or ripping the top off...it is like building a car and then welding the hood shut...

I built my first access panel in a bass in 2009. It used screws, similar to one that Bob Ross built. Mathew Tucker then took that idea and used magnets. I've since used the magnetic design and refined it to what is now a standardized setup for me and one that I've used about a dozen times, and will likely keep using a similar design for the rest of my productive life. Here is a retrofit from last year on Unbroken chain'is old Kay:

View attachment 3506288 View attachment 3506289

Considering this is a standard plywood bass from DDR in the 70's, sounds good, great fingerboard etc. Are there any downsides at all?

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Now I'm starting to think I can make a removable neck bass out of it. Somebody stop me, please.

 

[Steven Ayres]

Somebody stop me, please.

OK, stop now.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

OK, stop now.

Thank you! But it may be too late.

Removable Neck for double bass - Bresque Double Basses

 

[james condino]

Pretty much everyone who makes basses these days offers some form of removable neck. There are many different styles and schools of thought to choose from. As someone who owns one (several...), they are a wonderful, useful tool that will greatly enhance you options and many times get you new gig opportunities as a lot of traveling band members hate dealing with a big bass, yet a removable neck model takes up about as much space as a single Marshall or similar 4 x 10 guitar cab, rather than the whole van.

$1000 for a couple of hours work???? I need to move to Norway.

What I described should cost half that or less here....With a trapdoor, it would be a 30 minute repair- under $50!

The other glaring issue with the video is that for 90% of old Kays, if you just glue the bassbar down and do not have some sort of graft or cloth overlay to increase the surface area and holding strength, you will wind up with a bassbar that is secured well to the outside layer of the ply but it will all detach as one unit making a more complicated mess....

Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for Dan. What bugs me is when people treat a bass an some big pain in the a$$ they want to get out of their shop rather than as a respected instrument that they want to do an excellent job with. I'd like to think we've finally moved past the "good enough with a shoestring and a hammer" mentality....