Inside The Secret Underground Laboratory

[Bruce Johnson]

One other note about these pencil sharpeners, which relates to our business of designing basses: Look at the difference in the styling (aka Industrial Design) between the Dexter and the Berol machines. Both are nicely designed products, but they come from different eras, and represent different design philosophies.

Some people would call the Dexter "Steampunk", but most machines in the first half of the 20th century were designed like that. It's a style that proudly shows off what it does. You can see inside and watch all the spinning parts and flying chips. The style promotes how it works, and how many parts it's made of, and how well all the parts fit together and work together. It's proud to be a well-made machine! That's what I love about machines from that era. The manufacturers were showing off the technology.

Now look at the Berol from the 1950's. Everything's all covered up, like it's trying not to look like a pencil sharpener. You know, one of those icky, messy machine things. It looks like there are hardly any parts to it. It's a smooth pod with nice lines. You put a pencil in the end, and it comes out with a point! It's magic! You aren't supposed to know or care how it works. It's just a beautiful object that also happens to perform a function. A whole different styling approach.

Think about how we see these two approaches when applied to the design of basses.

 

[basshack]

Hi Bruce, not wanting to distract from the discussion but I was thinking of you today when I saw these at the Melbourne Guitar Show and this seemed the best place to get your attention as I believe they are your thing.

I think this guy has cornered the market in Ampeg Scroll basses down under, I don't believe I've seen as many in one place at one time. I've only seen one in the flesh before today. I didn't linger very long as the price tags were way above my pocket money but I thought you'd like to see them.

 

[Bass 45]

Hi Bruce, not wanting to distract from the discussion but I was thinking of you today when I saw these at the Melbourne Guitar Show and this seemed the best place to get your attention as I believe they are your thing.

I think this guy has cornered the market in Ampeg Scroll basses down under, I don't believe I've seen as many in one place at one time. I've only seen one in the flesh before today. I didn't linger very long as the price tags were way above my pocket money but I thought you'd like to see them.

View attachment 3104061

The one third from the left is one of Bruce's creations from the '90's

 

[basshack]

Ah then, leaving my wallet behind, I will go and have a closer look.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Wow! It's unusual to see a cluster of Scroll Basses in one place. Yes, I believe I know who that is, and I had heard that he's selling off a lot of his collection. And yes, the one in the center rear is one of my early Series II AUB-2's, built by me. One of only two (I think) of my Scroll Basses that are down under.

I hope they all find good homes. Are the asking prices reasonable?

 

[basshack]

Hi Bruce, I saw two price tags around AU$10K but as I was manning a stand down the hall I didn't stay too long. As to reasonable well that's always in the eye of the purchaser but when #28 sold here earlier this year for under AU$5K what he is asking did seem unrealistic, but who knows. If he's got the value right then I really should of have risked the wrath of the minister for internal affairs and jumped on #28 when it came up. I almost did but don't have a job so the sensible side in my head won out. I think #28 has gone offshore to it's new home.

Edit: End of the show and they didn't sell so is that an indication of how reasonable the prices are or more likely a very narrow market for this type of bass.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Sundays at the Lab, I generally try to put some time into maintaining the machines. If the machines don't run, the shop doesn't run. Today, I spent the morning troubleshooting and repairing our electric shop cart. It's one of those industrial battery powered small platform trucks. We keep it in the basement and use it to move stuff back and forth and around outside. Very handy.

Well, yesterday, I drove it down the street to do an errand, delivering a piece of furniture to the Fillmore Alumni Association. It's not officially street legal, but our local Sheriffs don't seem to care. I made the delivery successfully, but then halfway back it died. Stopped cold, without a peep. On the sidewalk right in front of the High School. Rather embarrassing. I walked back and fetched my pickup and Keith. We towed it back to the Lab with a chain; Keith at the wheel. Pushed it down the ramp and back inside. Tried charging it and tinkering with it. Nothing. It was plum daid.

Meanwhile, yesterday evening, two of my old bluegrass buddies came up to Fillmore, and we went over and played a porch party. It was held at the home of Fillmore's City Manager, a trial run at getting a local music culture going here. Acoustic music on the front porches of houses around the neighborhood. A light musical street party. About 50 neighbors gathered around as we twanged and hollered up on the porch. A good time, and good PR for us at the Lab. Building ourselves up as an integral part of the city. It was hot. I got a little sunburned.

So, this morning's urgent task was to fix the electric cart. With fresh eyes, I found the problem quickly. One of the cable connections on one of the battery terminals was loose. Duh. When I hit a bump, it had lost its electron flow. Wouldn't move, wouldn't charge. Electric vehicles are fussy that way. Cleaned it and tightened it, and the cart is fine.

The next task for the morning was cutting a stubborn padlock off the door of our caboose. Our fearless leader had put a combination padlock on the rear door of the caboose. He was sure that he knew what the combination was, but none of us could get it open. We tried everything, including watching YouTube videos and trying to pick it. Frustration to us machinery types. Finally, out came the angle grinder. The padlock is deceased. And the caboose is back open.

Meanwhile, the beer garden is growing fine. If I didn't mention it before, our resident computer guru, Scott, also runs a hobbyist beer brewing club. With some help from the rest of us, Scott has grown a row of eight specialty beer hops vines, on a twine and cable rig that we built. They are over 10' high. The first harvest will be in late September, followed by a small batch trial brew. He's in the process of building up a special trailer containing all the brewing rigs. The trailer will be parked right next to our building, and will be able to be taken to events. Next spring, the whole thing should be up and running, and the club will be brewing all kinds of specialty beers. And we're fixing up an area down the hall as an old time bar and pool room. We already have the components of an old bar and two pool tables. Not open to the public; just for us tenants.

These are some of the things that go on around here...In addition to building instruments.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Okay, okay, pictures or it didn't happen....

Our electric cart. It's seen some use and abuse, including two trips to Burning Man dressed up as a magic carpet. And one trip in the Fillmore spring parade, with a fiberglass jail cell on the back, and me driving as the Sheriff.

Our caboose. You thought I was kidding? David bought it from the Fillmore & Western Railroad a few years back. We set it on the siding tracks right next to the building, just down from my shop. The eventual plans are to fix it up as David's own office on site.

Scott's beer garden. Those are beer hops vines, growing up twine to the stretched cable between the posts. He says that in future years, they'll get close to 20' tall.

The future basement bar. The long bar top components came from a demolished bar in Glendale, and are covered with carved-in names including some famous actors.

The future basement pool room. We've got two nice pool tables, a fussbol table and all kinds of suitable junk piled up in there. Eventually, it'll get put together.

The Secret Underground Lab really is the ultimate Man Cave.

 

[farace]

I love how the electric cart reminds me of 1960s Connery-era James Bond movies, something Bond would push the uncredited drone worker off of and hijack deep in the evil lair to escape down some utility tunnel or something.

 

[tbrannon]

This is my favorite thread anywhere on the internet. That building and all the amazing stuff you and the other tenants are doing makes me wish I lived in Fillmore.

 

[nouroog]

This is so cool

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Scott's beer garden. Those are beer hops vines, growing up twine to the stretched cable between the posts. He says that in future years, they'll get close to 20' tall.

...

The future basement bar. The long bar top components came from a demolished bar in Glendale, and are covered with carved-in names including some famous actors.

...

The future basement pool room. We've got two nice pool tables, a fussbol table and all kinds of suitable junk piled up in there. Eventually, it'll get put together.

...

The Secret Underground Lab really is the ultimate Man Cave.

Hmm - challenging doing hops in half-barrels. IIRC they like to go deep, even though what you mostly _see_ is them going shallow and trying to colonize sideways (I grow 4 types myself - Tettenang, Saaz, Hallerteur and Fuggles.)

As for the bar, have @Eric Perry come visit for a week or two and you should be all set

 

[Bruce Johnson]

I love how the electric cart reminds me of 1960s Connery-era James Bond movies, something Bond would push the uncredited drone worker off of and hijack deep in the evil lair to escape down some utility tunnel or something.

The cart is one of those standard industrial electric trucks that you see running around factories everywhere. It's 36 volt, with six 6-volt batteries in series. Very simple system; direct drive motor right to the rear differential.I don't know what the range is, but it's probably around 20 miles. It will get up to about 20mph. And it's fairly powerful. It'll carry about 3000 lbs and can tow trailers around on flat ground.

I've thought about adding an A-frame boom and winch on the back, like a little mini tow truck. It could be really handy for lifting and carrying 500 lb loads around, in the basement or around the building.

One house rule when operating it: When you drive it down the ramp, into the tunnel, past my shop, you have to go Wheeeeeee! Mandatory.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Hmm - challenging doing hops in half-barrels. IIRC they like to go deep, even though what you mostly _see_ is them going shallow and trying to colonize sideways (I grow 4 types myself - Tettenang, Saaz, Hallerteur and Fuggles.)

As for the bar, have @Eric Perry come visit for a week or two and you should be all set

I know nothing about beer brewing and hops growing. Scott is the expert on that. I know that he was originally going to plant them in the ground, but he found that the area between the building and the railroad tracks is just an old riverbed; sand and rocks. So, he decided to go with the half barrels, with a special mix of dirt and fertilizer, and an automatic watering system. He planted them in early June, and they've done quite well so far this year. We've had a couple of very hot weeks though, and several have gotten somewhat burned.

 

[Rôckhewer]

As the saying goes:
"Who needs a social life...
When you've got a workshop!"

But jee whiz my friend... you got a little slice o' heaven!

 

[Bruce Johnson]

This building is obviously a boy's dream, but I should mention that we're not exclusively a boys-only club. We have three interesting and cool women running businesses here too.

Deborah runs a small distribution type business. She buys pallet loads of home-office supplies; decorative but useful trinkets mostly appealing to women with home offices. She repackages them into smaller sets and sells them on Amazon. The products mostly come in from China. She has a 1000 sf space down next to Rob Allen's shop, loaded up with shelving and boxes. She buys cardboard boxes by the pallet and packing tape by the carton. Every day, UPS is here picking up and dropping off a stack of Deb's boxes. She's one of the heavy users of the electric cart. She works by herself and makes a decent living at it. A modern style business. Not a retail store; a miniature specialized distribution center, down here in the cool basement. Operated completely by one smart woman. With a computer and a tape gun.

Cindy and her husband Ed run a big antique store a couple of blocks away in downtown Fillmore, called Ragtyme Station. A big place, filled with cool old stuff. They've now rented a space here in the basement, one of the ones fixed up and used in the Shooter series filming back in the spring. They're using it as a warehouse to sort through truckloads of stuff they buy at estate sales. Now they are in here every day, sorting through stuff, bringing in more, taking things over to the shop, stopping by my shop to show me things they've found. Real nice people, who love history and old stuff. Ed is a one-eyed ex-Policeman; a very funny character.

And there's Catherine. She has some kind of a steady job, but as a sideline business she's a serious Chef. She does catering to local wealthy-people events, in some special restored vintage ice cream trailers. Our buddy Steve upstairs found and restored the trailers, and helps her with the events. Catherine and Steve also operate the President's Office upstairs. It's a fancy suite of rooms that was the original office of the boss of the Sunkist plant. They've fixed it all up as a beautiful 1930's parlor room, with all the authentic furniture and things. I keep my old Kay Maestro upright bass up there, next to a beautiful 1920's upright piano. They are building in a small commercial kitchen right next to it. Once we get all the zoning and building code things sorted out, they plan to do small catered events there in the room. Business meetings, group parties, etc., in the old time theme. We had the Fireman's Christmas party in there a year ago. Fun stuff. And Catherine always brings leftovers down to us basement dwellers!

Anyway, this building is full of interesting people doing cool things. Every one is a story. Mostly related to history and craftsmanship and old stuff. We Luthiers are only about 1/6 of what's going on here.

 

[Basshappi]

So very, very cool!
The kind of place that makes going to work a pleasure.

 

[Bass 45]

This building is obviously a boy's dream, but I should mention that we're not exclusively a boys-only club. We have three interesting and cool women running businesses here too.

Deborah runs a small distribution type business. She buys pallet loads of home-office supplies; decorative but useful trinkets mostly appealing to women with home offices. She repackages them into smaller sets and sells them on Amazon. The products mostly come in from China. She has a 1000 sf space down next to Rob Allen's shop, loaded up with shelving and boxes. She buys cardboard boxes by the pallet and packing tape by the carton. Every day, UPS is here picking up and dropping off a stack of Deb's boxes. She's one of the heavy users of the electric cart. She works by herself and makes a decent living at it. A modern style business. Not a retail store; a miniature specialized distribution center, down here in the cool basement. Operated completely by one smart woman. With a computer and a tape gun.

Cindy and her husband Ed run a big antique store a couple of blocks away in downtown Fillmore, called Ragtyme Station. A big place, filled with cool old stuff. They've now rented a space here in the basement, one of the ones fixed up and used in the Shooter series filming back in the spring. They're using it as a warehouse to sort through truckloads of stuff they buy at estate sales. Now they are in here every day, sorting through stuff, bringing in more, taking things over to the shop, stopping by my shop to show me things they've found. Real nice people, who love history and old stuff. Ed is a one-eyed ex-Policeman; a very funny character.

And there's Catherine. She has some kind of a steady job, but as a sideline business she's a serious Chef. She does catering to local wealthy-people events, in some special restored vintage ice cream trailers. Our buddy Steve upstairs found and restored the trailers, and helps her with the events. Catherine and Steve also operate the President's Office upstairs. It's a fancy suite of rooms that was the original office of the boss of the Sunkist plant. They've fixed it all up as a beautiful 1930's parlor room, with all the authentic furniture and things. I keep my old Kay Maestro upright bass up there, next to a beautiful 1920's upright piano. They are building in a small commercial kitchen right next to it. Once we get all the zoning and building code things sorted out, they plan to do small catered events there in the room. Business meetings, group parties, etc., in the old time theme. We had the Fireman's Christmas party in there a year ago. Fun stuff. And Catherine always brings leftovers down to us basement dwellers!

Anyway, this building is full of interesting people doing cool things. Every one is a story. Mostly related to history and craftsmanship and old stuff. We Luthiers are only about 1/6 of what's going on here.

I'm glad that place found you

 

[basshack]

Agree so much very cool stuff going on.

Just so you know I am building my bucket list itinerary which includes dropping in on BassCliff at The Ranch, Jule Potter, the builder of my lovely Monique, Rob Allen and yourself. Oh and watching a game of baseball at the Dodgers Stadium.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Over on the Love Of Ampegs thread, you may have noticed a green telephone on my bench. You know, a real green telephone.

I'm looking at upgrading the communications systems here. I had jokingly mentioned to Cindy (down the hall, who runs the antique store) how cool it would be to have an old rotary phone rigged up on the door of my shop as the intercom to reach me inside. She promptly found that phone in her stash and gave it to me. A red phone might be cooler, but the green phone looks like the desk phone at a military base. That'll do.