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Double Bass Interested in building my own five string

R

Ryker_M

May 10, 2012
109
0
London, Ontario
#1
Yay for first major thread? :D

Now this will probably be in the wrong section, but I found it most appropriate to go here.

Anyways, I'm looking into building a five string due to a large amount of my repertoire being originally written for cello, which makes use of the low C and low D.

Does anyone have experience with building a five string? Most specifically in nut selection/construction, and bridge construction.

I do have a fair amount of experience with woodworking, and have access to many of the tools necessary for construction.

Thank you in advance everyone. :)
 
#4
Ever built a bass?

I am hoping to begin my second this summer, and am considering a five-string. The only five-string instrument I have made was a five-string violin I sold a couple weeks ago...and the only bass I built was five years ago. Time to try again. :)

If you have not already done so, get a copy of "Link Removed by Peter Chandler. That and Chuck Traeger's book "Set-up and Repair of the Double Bass for Optimum Sound"

Those two books helped me a lot. Then there were several here on TalkBass that helped a lot, too. This forum is a good resource for information and encouragement.
 
#5
1st Bass said:
Ever built a bass?

I am hoping to begin my second this summer, and am considering a five-string. The only five-string instrument I have made was a five-string violin I sold a couple weeks ago...and the only bass I built was five years ago. Time to try again. :)

If you have not already done so, get a copy of "Link Removed by Peter Chandler. That and Chuck Traeger's book "Set-up and Repair of the Double Bass for Optimum Sound"

Those two books helped me a lot. Then there were several here on TalkBass that helped a lot, too. This forum is a good resource for information and encouragement.
Click to expand...

Are you sure it wasn't five weeks ago? :P On going theme of fives there.

Thanks for the links though, I'll give them a look. I haven't actually built a double bass before, but I have done my research into it.

I'm also looking into a local luthier to give me some advice on getting started.
 
#8
1st Bass said:
Here is one thread you may find at least interesting. Unfortunately, most of the pictures have disappeared.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f3/progress-report-293415/
If you use the search function, you will find a number of such threads.

Here's a better one...also old, but provides some links.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f3/matthews-double-bass-building-project-250561/
Click to expand...

Thank you :)

Your thread in particular caught my attention, you seem to have a pretty good grasp of what you're doing :D

How many basses/other instruments have you built now?
 
#9
I have only made eighteen. They are shown in Chronological order on my website, under "Chronology". I have six more "on the bench" in various stages of completion...two violins, three violas and another five-string fiddle. Priorities shift, occasionally, and those instruments have not been abandoned, just postponed. They are all sitting in a glass cabinet, with all parts in attendance, waiting for me to get my act together. :-)

I really am hoping to build another bass this summer...have all the stuff and everything; just not a lot of time.
 
#11
Ryker_M said:
I took a look at them. You've done some amazing work!

As it turns out, both my teachers for bass have experience in building instruments. I might borrow a book from one of them.

Do you have any recommendations in terms of wood selection and tools for the job?
Click to expand...

Thanks, but please understand that I am one of the beginners on this forum.

Your teachers will be a great resource, then.

I use Maple and spruce and ebony, pretty much exclusively, although I do have a large billet of curly cherry from which I am considering attempting a quartet. I used maple and spruce for the one bass I have built, and have more such, set aside for several more basses.

You can order bass sets from International Violin Co. I have only ordered wood for smaller instruments from them, but I always got good service and decent wood. Bass sets are harder to find. My bass sets I got from Tepper Tonewoods, in Shady Cove, OR. You may be able to get it from The Wood Well, near Port Townsend, WA, but I am not sure they carry stock that large. What they have is beautiful, but the largest I have seen is for cello wood.
 
#12
1st Bass said:
Thanks, but please understand that I am one of the beginners on this forum.

Your teachers will be a great resource, then.

I use Maple and spruce and ebony, pretty much exclusively, although I do have a large billet of curly cherry from which I am considering attempting a quartet. I used maple and spruce for the one bass I have built, and have more such, set aside for several more basses.

You can order bass sets from International Violin Co. I have only ordered wood for smaller instruments from them, but I always got good service and decent wood. Bass sets are harder to find. My bass sets I got from Tepper Tonewoods, in Shady Cove, OR. You may be able to get it from The Wood Well, near Port Townsend, WA, but I am not sure they carry stock that large. What they have is beautiful, but the largest I have seen is for cello wood.
Click to expand...

I live about two hours east of Toronto. So, I don't have access to either of these woodlots.

However, my budget isn't infinite. I'm trying to keep costs as low as possible, so I don't think I'll be making an ebony fingerboard. As traditional as it would be, it's just too much money for me right now.

I was thinking maple fingerboard, and a solid maple neck.
 
#13
Would you consider Ipé? It is inexpensive enough that they are using it to build decks...and it is much harder than maple-- sort of a pleasant dark brown. I have used it for fittings, and have liked it. Some have reported they did not like the effect on tone. Your experience may be different than mine.

I used the most inexpensive woods I could get, along with the least costly tuning machines, etc. and the materials for that first bass totalled about $1,400.

If you have never built any instruments before I would honestly recommend a smaller instrument first...but Matthew Tucker chose a bass for his #1 and has never looked back, so-- you can do it.

BTW, there are lots of good builders around your general area-- so lots of help available. You should also be able to pick up some stunning red maple in that area, and Red Spruce as well...both of which I have heard good things about (and have used the red maple...but not on basses). I used big leaf maple and Sitka Spruce.

As far as accessibility, most woodlots will ship to you. Or you can just visit hardwood stores in your area.

I really would buy those two books for starters, and read them thoroughly. That would be a very good investment of time and money.
 
#14
Thanks for all your help Chet :)

I'm hoping to keep costs to around $900-$1000, which is cutting the cost of the 5 string I was looking at in half.

Ipé does seem like a pretty solid wood, perhaps for the fingerboard if I can find a block big enough.

As for the face and back, I'm thinking red spruce, since it is rather abundant which should help keep the cost low. Possibly maple ply for the sides.

I know that there's a luthier just a little drive away from where I live. I'm hoping to get the chance to speak to him, even though his specialty is acoustic guitar. There's also George Hienl in Toronto, who I'll probably be getting most of my hardware from it terms of strings and tuning mechanisms.
 
#15
Well, I s'pose stranger things have worked. Please consider this-- you are about to invest 500+ hours building an instrument you will want to play for years to come. The cheapest part of the whole project is the wood. Do you really want to skimp on the part that may make all the rest of your investment valid? Just a thought...
 
#16
You do have a point... Although it's difficult to discern which wood would be best suited for the job.

I believe I'll stick with my original idea of a solid maple neck and fingerboard. That's what I built my first guitar out of, and it plays solid.

As for the body itself, I've located some local woodlots that sell Englemann and red spruce for relatively low cost. Although, I'm not sure if it's as inexpensive as I think it to be. Mainly the Englemann spruce, which is priced at $15.00/BF in random widths and lengths. So that probably wouldn't be the best route.

Edit: Here's the woodlot and the lutheir supply shop that I was looking into it. The woodlot is much better than the previous place I was looking at, it's geared towards instrument building.

http://www.forloversofwood.com/

http://www.lmii.com/Default.asp
 
#18
Thank you for clearing that up. Do you think that maple will give the best sound as opposed to poplar or willow? I'm new to the world of classical instrument building. The solid bodies electric versions are a different story however.

Thank you for all the help :) with any luck this project might succeed.
 
#19
Poplar and willow will sound fine, but you might want to be a little thicker on your graduations, as they are not as hard, usually. I use Big Leaf maple which is also soft, so I go a little thicker on the back, as well.

Englemann Spruce ranges from fairly soft to extremely soft...sitka is harder, and denser, usually, and has a different feel, as well. I've never tried Red Spruce, but I have heard it is denser yet.

I don't want to discourage you from innovation, but it seems wise, to me, to learn the territory and know the trails before you start exploring, and trying different routes. Try what you know works, first--after you have built a couple and know what to expect, you can try wild ideas, and when they don't turn out right, you will know it was the wood, and not you...(maybe) :).
 

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