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i have a CRAZY design to talk about

Discussion in 'Luthier's Corner' started by lurking_bassist, Jun 28, 2008.

  1. Jun 28, 2008 #1
    lurking_bassist

    lurking_bassist

    Jun 28, 2008
    this will be a very long scale 9 string bass/guitar.

    going with a flat surface graphite neck-through design.

    string spacing will be as narrow as possible is not adjustable, but i would love to use individual string tuner bridges for each string. i have seen single bridges but none i have found are "tuner bridges". if anyone has seen any out there i would love to see it... if not i guess i could CAD one up my self.

    any thoughts on th BRIDGE?
     
  2. Jun 28, 2008 #2
    lurking_bassist

    lurking_bassist

    Jun 28, 2008
    i think i will try winding my own rail style pickup. not much chance of finding a 9 string pole coil... maybe i could do the 8 pole offset though?

    thoughts on PICKUPS?
     
  3. Jun 28, 2008 #3
    lurking_bassist

    lurking_bassist

    Jun 28, 2008
    i am still kinda drawn between exotic wood or some new age composition body.

    any opinions on BODY physics?
     
  4. Jun 28, 2008 #4
    adam.beauchene

    adam.beauchene Commercial User

    Dec 31, 2007
    Maine
    Technician at NS Design
    Mustafa? :bag:
     
  5. Jun 28, 2008 #5
    Yvarg

    Yvarg Gold Supporting Member

    Mar 10, 2007
    Lake Forest, CA
    Haha, my thoughts as well, barnaclebeau.

    How long of a scale are you talking about? You may have trouble finding strings for rather extreme lengths. My d'addario double bass strings seem to have about enough length for a 46" scale, but you will only be able to find from low B to high C.

    As far as pickups go, you may want to try something like this: http://www.windworld.com/products/lollar.htm
     
  6. Jun 29, 2008 #6
    Dirk Diggler

    Dirk Diggler Supporting Member

    Mar 3, 2004
    Anytown USA
    ABM I think are the only ones to make that kind of a individual tuner/bridge I think, mostly used on headless basses.
    Go for wood, much easier to work with than graphite and other unnatural materials. Well at least until all the good looking woods disappear. :)
    Good luck,
    Dirk
     
  7. Jun 29, 2008 #7
    powerbass

    powerbass

    Nov 2, 2006
    western MA
  8. Jun 29, 2008 #8
    asad137

    asad137

    Jan 18, 2007
    Minneapolis
    Physicist
  9. Jun 30, 2008 #9
    pilotjones

    pilotjones

    Nov 8, 2001
    US-NY-NYC
    Greg Holmes of GK Services had some narrow-spacing ETS single tuner/bridges on hand about a year ago. You could see if he's still got them around.

    If he's still got them, hopefully you can get a deal. ETS is more reasonable than ABM, but nine is a lot of tuner/bridges.
     
  10. Jul 1, 2008 #10
    Triad

    Triad Supporting Member Commercial User

    Jul 4, 2006
    Europe
    Builder
    As far as I know Status Graphite and ETS are almost the only companies offering this stuff...
     
  11. Jul 1, 2008 #11
    pilotjones

    pilotjones

    Nov 8, 2001
    US-NY-NYC
    Aren't the Status units made by ABM? Or am I remembering wrong?
     
  12. Jul 1, 2008 #12
    lurking_bassist

    lurking_bassist

    Jun 28, 2008
    yeah, after giving it some thought i am going more towards a shorter scale and maybe more strings... going to put a headstock on the neck to go with the hipshot individual bridges and possibly going piezo on each bridge to eliminate cross/talk and add the midi option.

    i think i will start with an off-the-shelf 4 string neck to get the carbon graphite body design in the working stages.

    i love exotic woods as much as everyone else in here... its just that i am going for a specific look and feel with the carbon-fiber/graphite-neck combo. i think all you well established Luthiers will appreciate me leaving the gorgeous wood for you to make the super exotics out of, right?
     
  13. Jul 1, 2008 #13
    cnltb

    cnltb

    May 28, 2005
    As to bridges;
    I'd simply call ETS and have them make a bridge for you.
    ABM is no more as far as I know.
    Pickupwise I recon you can get pretty much anything made.
    Bassculture is one of many companies that make custom pickups.
     
  14. Jul 1, 2008 #14
    powerbass

    powerbass

    Nov 2, 2006
    western MA
    if you are thinking of using a piezo bridge Hipshot now makes the Type A bridge w/piezo saddles that work w/the Ghost system (Graphtech). This is easy to install, has it's own preamp and Graphtech makes a compatible midi thingy http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?CategoryID=2
    Individual string adjustment/intonation is a plus. I'ld go w/the push/pull dark/bright volume pot.
     
  15. Jul 1, 2008 #15
    radii

    radii

    Feb 16, 2007
    I believe ABM is back under new ownership. Check their site:

    http://www.abmmueller.de/index2.html
     
  16. Jul 1, 2008 #16
    ewimsatt

    ewimsatt

    Jul 1, 2008
    Nashville, TN
    Pickup Maker, Luthier, and Repairman, Wimsatt Instruments
  17. Jul 2, 2008 #17
    cnltb

    cnltb

    May 28, 2005
    Yeah i saw it as well, once i had been here on tb yesterday.
     
  18. Jul 2, 2008 #18
    Stealth

    Stealth

    Feb 5, 2008
    Zagreb, Croatia
    Are tuning bridges supposed to be that expensive? I mean, $65 per tuner... :eyebrow:
     
  19. Jul 2, 2008 #19
    pilotjones

    pilotjones

    Nov 8, 2001
    US-NY-NYC
    I can say that the ETS units that Greg was offering a year ago were in that neighborhood.

    If you get ETS to make a 9-wide single piece tuner bridge instead of individual finger bridge/tuners, it might be a lot cheaper.

    Atlansia's units are very high priced, also.
     
  20. Jul 6, 2008 #20
    lurking_bassist

    lurking_bassist

    Jun 28, 2008
    since starting this thread and seeing all the GREAT ideas that ALL of you have given... the evolution of this design has taken some amazing turns.

    a few would be looking at Khaler (of all places) for the bridge... in my lameness i had not even realized they were back in business 'til i started looking into bridges. so now i am thinking about their 8 string tremolo bridge. with that i will need a headstock w/ tuners but i think i can come up with a good design. i am still wanting a MosesGraphite fingerboard, but i might be going with all carbon-fiber neck-through...

    a recent thought... BALSA WOOD!

    i can do a hand-lay-up design of carbon fiber over balsa wood. do my shape in balsa wood, then form my carbon fiber over the balsa for rigidity and structural integrity... i am thinking that it would be great for my shaping and coupled with the carbon fiber would make an interesting sound.

    obviously no one has ever used balsa wood for a guitar before, but this would now fall into the realms of feasibility.