Double Bass Homebuilt EUB build thread

[Videojunkie]

In other news, I weighed the bass, and fully strung without the few ounces of electronics and batteries, it weighs in right at 15.5 pounds (right at 7kg?) So heavier than I want to put on a strap, but not unwieldy. Every time I pick it up, I can't help but run a few chromatic scales to work on my fingerings. I have gotten acceptable through the first 7 "frets". - at least with pizzicato. Arco I am still working on consistency with the bow and getting notes to start when I want them to, and maintaining an even sound when switching between "pushing" and "pulling" the bow.

One concern I have is the low B string is very floppy. I think it's a .125 so it's not particularly heavy gauge. I may need to seek out a heavier string unless I decide to switch it up to a 5 string with a high C....

 

[Flamingo21]

Arco I am still working on consistency with the bow and getting notes to start when I want them to, and maintaining an even sound when switching between "pushing" and "pulling" the bow.

And you have been at it for how long??
When I was nine I started on violin. I wasn't musically inexperienced by then. It took me over a year to achieve the points you mention. Keep at it, the bowing arm has to get used to a completely new set of movements and adjustments. And so have your ears.

 

[Videojunkie]

And you have been at it for how long??
When I was nine I started on violin. I wasn't musically inexperienced by then. It took me over a year to achieve the points you mention. Keep at it, the bowing arm has to get used to a completely new set of movements and adjustments. And so have your ears.

Thanks for encouragement to keep with it.

Box built. I need to add some rivets in the corners for rigidity.

 

[delta7fred]

Arco I am still working on consistency with the bow and getting notes to start when I want them to, and maintaining an even sound when switching between "pushing" and "pulling" the bow.

I've been working on this (on and off) for 4 years and don't seem to be making much headway!

But I do have a CCB (Cheap Chinese Bass) BSO (Bass Shaped Object) with it's original strings and the cheap Chinese bow that came with it so I guess I'm expecting a lot especially with my lack of DB training.

 

[Videojunkie]

I've been working on this (on and off) for 4 years and don't seem to be making much headway!

But I do have a CCB (Cheap Chinese Bass) BSO (Bass Shaped Object) with it's original strings and the cheap Chinese bow that came with it so I guess I'm expecting a lot especially with my lack of DB training.

The $50 carbon fiber bow I got is actually quite decent. (not that I am an expert on these things). But I figure that if an absolute novice can get noises out of it in relatively short order it must be very forgiving.

 

[bassically_eli]

The $50 carbon fiber bow I got is actually quite decent. (not that I am an expert on these things). But I figure that if an absolute novice can get noises out of it in relatively short order it must be very forgiving.

Where did you get a carbon fiber bow for $50? Was it used? Are you sure it's not fiberglass?

 

[Videojunkie]

Ah. I am using a cello bow and it's $50. I bought it because of the 34" scale of my bass, and it does work ok.

The bass bows are $100 or so. This is what I am planning on acquiring some time this spring.

German Model Carbon Fiber Upright Double Bass Bow 4/4 Size VINGOBOW 100BG 76cm for Advanced Player Strong and Durable Ebony Frog Full 4 4 Natural Horse Hair Warm and Powerful Tone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BRAK07A/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_P2S9BWMT0ZJY7FSEQPR7

I know these are entry level bows, but I figured I'd rather have a student grade carbon fiber bow than a student grade wood bow.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The sound of a wooden bow is warmer (even a brazilwood one) than a carbon fiber bow. But the risk of breaking if it falls down on the tip is a lot higher with a wooden bow.

A cello bow might work for a high C 5-string, specially if you use it primarily on the higher strings.

I sometimes use a wooden period instrument violone bow which is lighter built than a DB bow but a bit sturdier than a cello bow for my high C 5-string EUB. But you cannot make a strong stroke on the E string without the potential risk of breaking it.

Since your instrument is rather short scale, you might get a better sound out of it with a high C, specially with the bow. And with the high C the smaller hair width might work better than with a typical DB bow.

 

[Flamingo21]

Agree with the above post. Get a bass bow.

It would surprise me if E to C tuning made you happy. You had such good arguments for the low B on the first page of this thread. I felt you were passionate about that. Look for a string that works for you. Ask all over TB. In the bass guitar section, in the double bass section (both have a strings subsection) I'm sure there's a string for you somewhere.

 

[Videojunkie]

I'll figure it out. I may try a CEADG or DEADG tuning as the notes I really need on the low B string are Eb, D, and very occasionally that C. I almost never play anything lower than that on purpose.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Then you can tune the E down to D (with a heavier E string) and get used to the fifth on the bottom. I did that with my DB for some classical stuff.
You might even keep your current E string of you only need the low notes occasionally.
It might take some time to catch the right string if you come from the low B stringing. But it takes much longer to get there from a 4-string.

 

[Videojunkie]

The TI 5 string set has a .136 as the B string. Once I get done with the finish and all the final setup I'll try a set of those. I just wasn't going to drop $125 on a potentially throw away set of strings.

At .011 bigger than the current set, it may make a huge difference. Although reading some of the threads indicates YMMV.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You can get a high C as a single string (in most cases) as well as a low B.
But you are right, I’m not into BG strings too much, and you hardly get a single string for the basic 4-string set for a heavier E.
I’m too much into DB strings where you almost always can get single strings (which cost as much as a BG set).

 

[Videojunkie]

Getting electronics mounted, and playing around with them and my little guitar amp. I am really happy with the overall sound I am getting out of the pickups. I have to be very careful with the mic as it is prone to feedback but adds a nice thump to the sound. The piezos sound great without feedback and also catch some of the resonance in the box.

Using the bow I get all kinds of deep resonance on both the mic and the piezos. I can't wait to heat that through a real bass amp! Pizz sounds very upright bass-y with a little bit of a longer decay, but I can manage that fairly well with left hand technique and palm muting. Playing with just the mic is very close to an upright. I should be able to get things wrapped up and hopefully get a bit of a recording sorted this week.

 

[Videojunkie]

Knobs are in, preamps seem to work, ordered the wrong kind of jack (mono not stereo so I can do the battery disconnect) . So once more to the Amazonians we go...

Here's some updated pictures. Happy with the knobs. From front to back, left to right: treble, mid, bass; blend, volume. When I take the knobs off for finishing, I will recess the base of them to cover the nuts.

I've also decided to go 6x AA instead of 9v batteries. Who knew parallel 9v batteries was a bad idea? but at nearly 4x the amp hours I think I am OK with them living inside the bass.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The knob placement would be bad on a DB, but it seems you rather build it with a long neck and a short body like many Chinese EUBs that I would not take into my hands. But your knob placement might work on your instrument because the instrument body sits so much lower at the players body.

Keep in mind that you cannot learn DB-technique on that instrument unless you put something at the fifth at the back of the neck to simulate the position of a D-neck heel as a point of orientation for intonation (no dots on a DB and even if you have better don’t look at them) and a hint when to change to thumb position.

You don’t need to play like an upright on it, but then keep in mind that it is a third way of playing you do on an upright bass guitar (what it really is).
DB players typically want their EUB as close to their upright as possible, some even cloning the neck and shoulders as close as possible.
So if you ever want to do a DB scale EUB, best make it as close to an upright as possible and if you want a resonance chamber, which in general is a good thing, make it in a way that the top can resonate as well as full as in parts and strong and supported enough to hold the bridge pressure.

If you want it as quiet as possible you can support the bridge by two vibrating low and wide wooden bridges that can hold the pressure and are flexible enough to take some of the vibration. Sound and bowing would be better that way.

Studying a violin building book and other DB-player-recommended EUBs would be a good idea to do before you do your next EUB.

 

[Videojunkie]

@DoubleMIDI, yeah, the heel of the neck is right around the 15th fret. I have seen where some builders have put a small brass brad on the neck to indicate the heel of a normal db. If that's supposed to be at the 5th fret, then I can easily add something like that. (I am thinking that it would be like a 1/8" bead like a shotgun sight)

 

[Flamingo21]

Sometimes it's more than a brad. This one makes you mimic the actual left hand movements of DB playing. Not sure that this would be useful for your bass, though.

 

[bassically_eli]

@DoubleMIDI, yeah, the heel of the neck is right around the 15th fret. I have seen where some builders have put a small brass brad on the neck to indicate the heel of a normal db. If that's supposed to be at the 5th fret, then I can easily add something like that. (I am thinking that it would be like a 1/8" bead like a shotgun sight)

Not the 5th fret, it's the 7th fret. Midi was referring to a perfect 5th, as in the musical interval (not to be confused with a nice bottle of booze either). DB necks are either D-necks or Eb-necks, meaning that your thumb stops at either the D or the Eb on the G-string, which would be the 7th (a perfect fifth above the open string) or 8th fret if DBs had frets. I'm not sure just how common E-flat necks are. I've only ever really encountered D-necks, so I guess that's the norm in the US at least.

 

[Videojunkie]

Sometimes it's more than a brad. This one makes you mimic the actual left hand movements of DB playing. Not sure that this would be useful for your bass, though.
View attachment 4505584

Yeah, I don't think a coat hanger is quite the aesthetic I am looking for..

But I get the idea.

This was designed from go to be a bowable EB that sounds DB(ish) and from that viewpoint it meets the original goals. I am especially excited about finishing up the electronics this week and being able to play it!

Although that will be only until the temperatures warm up and I can get the poly finish laid down.