Double Bass Homebuilt EUB build thread

[DoubleMIDI]

I have some cheap violone bows that are closer to cello bows than modern bass bows in size and weight.
They work well on my Clevinger 5-string EUB with a high C string. But mostly on the upper strings, if you try a hard bow stroke on the lower strings, they may break (these are wooden ones). Less risk with a carbon bow, but don‘t expect to be able to catch the low B string well.
And better get a soft rosin…

 

[SAlcott]

You'd be better off with an actual bass bow and flat wound strings.

 

[Videojunkie]

Flats are on the way. (I checked the local music store and they had nothing.) I figured that I would wind up trying a couple of sets so I am starting with a set of precision flats from GHS. They're going to be abused during the setup process, and they were cheap.

Also nice is that the B string is only a .125 so on the lighter end. Although, fooling around with the bass, I am wondering how it would sound with a high C setup...

 

[Videojunkie]

You'd be better off with an actual bass bow and flat wound strings.

I expect that once I get a feel for this Arco thing, my bow selection will change. This is a cheap entry point.

 

[Videojunkie]

More sanding and getting the heel of the neck shaped up before I get the body glued up. I am hoping with a little luck to have some good progress over the holiday weekend...

and yeah, that chisel ding is going to suck. (Or I'm just going to wind up filling it...)

I'm also likely to reshape it to grind out that small knot...

 

[Videojunkie]

Tonight was more puzzle piecing. I have patterns now for everything except the 4 curved pieces.

Things should come together pretty quickly as I plan on using epoxy to bond all of these pieces together. A bit of work remains for some purfling strips to bridge several of the joints, but I have all the pieces, it's just a matter of gluing them and sanding the proper angles.

One minor bit I realized I haven't thought through very well is the access plate.
Hmmm....

 

[Videojunkie]

One question before I glue this up... side panels on the outside of the top, or recessed behind it?

At this point both options are equally viable.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Usually due to static purposes the top and back are glued onto the rib (rib below top).

If you glue with epoxy you will never have a chance to correct anything.

Use hot hide glue and warm the contact areas with hot air, so the glue keeps liquid to attach the parts.

I used epoxy to attach some wood below the fingerboard edge because the previous owner curved the 5-string fingerboard mich more so that the bowing angles are like on a 4-string. There was a rather sharp edge and I got a blister at the right thumb rather frequently. So I just put wood back where it should have been and I need to file off a bit of the rounded edge of the fingerboard anyway.
But I would think twice to use epoxy anywhere else and never to connect the box parts.

 

[Videojunkie]

I am not set up for hide glue. So it was either going to be titebond or epoxy. And the epoxy is much quicker.

So more puzzle piecing today. I glued several small pieces in place mostly because I need anchored bits to finish the remaining pieces and get them fitted correctly. I also figured out the access panel. Started seeing what this is going to look like when it's done and I'm getting excited!

After fooling around with trying to steam bend the sides, I went back and looked at the veneer that I have I am thinking that might be the way to go. I just need to think through the adhesive on it...

 

[Steve Sawyer]

A suggestion. @DoubleMIDI's point is good wrt hide glue. However, I've found hide glue to be a PITA to work with, not least of which is it's maddening tendency to start to gel as soon as it hits the cold wood. Not that this can't be overcome (as @DoubleMIDI explains), but it seems that using hide glue well is something that takes a fair amount of practice.

In my lutherie I've switched to fish glue. Like the liquid hide glue that Titebond sells, it's liquid at room temperature, but doesn't have a ridiculously short shelf life like the Titebond product. I keep mine refrigerated when not actually using it that improves the shelf life even more. Thus far, it seems to work great. Like hide glue it can be disassembled with moisture and heat (usually some steam is the way folks go). I've used it for attaching fretboards and and gluing set-neck solid body guitars.

It's available from StewMac.

 

[Videojunkie]

At some point I really want to build an acoustic guitar, with one of the stewmac kits. The dilemma I keep running into is can I make as good a guitar as I can buy for $1k. (Which is about what the kit plus tools costs. )

When I build that, I have no problem getting all the hide glue and such. I will definitely check out that fish glue. That sounds like a good compromise.

 

[Videojunkie]

Taking full advantage of the weekend and wonderful weather.

I spent the afternoon gluing up some curved pieces for the sides as a test for the front. I kinda like the results, but I am reserving the possibility of covering them with veneer.

I also finished puzzle piecing the bottom of this side. (So much sanding, planing and fitting)

 

[bassically_eli]

that's looking pretty darn cool

 

[Videojunkie]

that's looking pretty darn cool

Thanks! Because at this point there are so many little fiddly bits that all need beveled and hand sanded or planed and fitted together that it's hard to keep tabs on them all.

 

[Videojunkie]

As I am getting into the final fitting of all the parts, I am rapidly realizing that tape isn't cutting it anymore.

Started gluing up some of the pieces that are already fitted correctly. There's a bit of fitting left for the curved pieces, but I should be able to glue up all the flat bits.

 

[Steve Sawyer]

Not sure what the limitations of the tape is, but two things I've found work well on irregularly shaped objects - that stretchy wrapping film, and bicycle inner tubes. The inner tubes can be cut into strips of varying widths, depending on how much "oomph" you need. The nice thing about the stretchy wrapping film is that many glues/adhesives won't stick to it.

Hope this helps...

 

[Videojunkie]

The problem is that this is an irregularly shaped hollow box. The combination of strategically located clamps and tape seems to do a pretty good job (so far).

 

[Videojunkie]

Working my way from bottom to the middle. It's awesome to see physically what up til now was just in my minds eye...

 

[Videojunkie]

Glued the top on. I am pretty happy with the results. Particularly with the way the flame wound up. The glue lines aren't bad, but probably could be improved. Clamping these steep angles was challenging but I did the best I could with the tools at hand.

 

[Flamingo21]

Fascinating stuff! Subscribed.