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Is this sick?

S

shameandspite

Oct 12, 2005
58
0
#1
Is it Unhealthy to want to copy a bass with similarities to a Gibson S.G. style guitar. I know, I'm a poseur, but I just think its a really attractive style. If anybodies seen anything like this I'd love to see it. Also, I'd be welcome to any suggestions or comments, like neck dive or any problems you could fore-see. It would look very close to the picture, (assuming obvious changes like scale and hardware etc...), I put up below, at least I think I can put it up anyway. And I'd use the wood choices in this bass I found on the site with a massacar ebony fingerboard instead of the birdseye maple (see other picture, I think).
 
#5
Personally i think that SG's look strange when they are made with fancy wood. Much better to keep them simple.

Neck dive will be a problem unless you can get the strap button somewhere nearer the 12th fret. That means changing the shape that you like so much. If i was doing it i would ofset the body something like this, but i would also extend the top horn to make the shape flow better.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=esp+viper+bass&hl=en

If you stick with the original SG shape you need to make sure you use a light weight neck wood, light weight tuners and a heavy body. No garantees that will work though.
 
#6
To answer your question... no, you would not be a poser. As already stated, Gibson makes a bass version of the SG. There have been numerous off shoots of the basic SG design from several manufacturers including Warwick, ESP (both are mentioned above), Aria, and others.

I do agree with WezV about the fancy woods on the SG style body but thats just our opinions. Do it if you think you will like it. Thats all that matters.

The neck dive issue is a big one. Along with the other ideas posted above, I would also look into possibly also making it a short scale (30"-32") and maybe a 20 or 21 fret neck to help balance it out. That way you might be able to keep the body close, if not exactly, to the original SG shape.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
#7
My first bass was a japanese copy of an ebo with the string mute on the bridge. Short scale.I think it would look cool with the wood choices you mentioned. However, if your planning on something other than short scale you will get neckdive. The copy I had didnt have any neckdive. It seemed to wiegh alot more than my Alembic 34"scale 5 string. With all the different types of woods available I think you will be able to come up with a sweet looking EB copy. Pickgaurd or no pickgaurd? Good luck!!
 
#10
Whoh, pretty strong emotions on this subject.

I was thinking no pick guard, but If I saw one I liked I wouldn't be too adverse.

Honestly, I'd never seen an SG style bass. You think something like that would have popped up. :hmm: EB0 you say, I'll have to look into that. And yes, that picture fairly mimics my idea.

If Im building it, It'll be a fretless, at least temporarily. Just looks easier to me for a first bass. Definately short scale though.

Found that bass here on the woods gallery, immediately saved it and posted it as my wallpaper.

Thanks guys, answered my question and quieted my inner self-consious dweeb.
 
#12
Dare I say that there is so much body area on that style, that if you shifted the neck pocket area in an inch or so towards the bottom, if not more, and proportionned it correctly, you'd have enough room for a full scale, with a neck that possibly would not dive terribly at all. Sure, the horn scallops would meet the body around the 14th fret or so, but it's not un-doable, and I personally think it would pretty darn schnazzy. If no one else does it before I get a chance at work on Monday, I will draw one out full-scale, and proportionned in the way I describe, and take a look and see if it's to your liking.

The big thing with this body style, to me, is the body contouring on the sides, get that right, and imo, you're 90% there. The rest is gravy.

Mon
 
#13
Ahhh, good people make the world tolerable.

That would be an interesting concept, there's got to be a flaw somewhere, otherwise it would have been done. Obvious though it may be, I cant find a flaw. I'd love to see the drawing, though I wouldn't knock yourself out, I'll draw plans when I actually start to produce the instrument. The whole idea is still in the conception phase and drawing plans is my job.

As for getting the body contour right, that scares the sawdust out of me. I have a tendancy to cut just too deep. Actual production of the instrument will have to wait till summer. I'm in college and the dorm commitee is about as appreciative of power tools as a lobster is of butter.
 
#14
The only immediate flaw would be the access to upper frets being limited. I've already done as I've described to a non-reverse Thunderbird shape, and I was surprised at how much better it balanced, and the fret access wasn't too terrible....it's being painted a new color as we speak, I'll post a pic of that beauty soon.

Not so much a flaw as a built-in restriction per se....and a very slight one at that.

It's really nothing to draw the proportions. Like I said, if I have time Monday, I'll map it out. As for it having already been done, I'd say e ESP version would be more apt to address the shortcoming than the Gibson version which is more based on vintagey-accuracy...comfort be damned, you know?

I dig on 32" scale basses alot, so that can help matters dramatically, when paired with the neck location remedy I proposed....

Mon
 
#15
shameandspite said:
Honestly, I'd never seen an SG style bass. You think something like that would have popped up. :hmm: EB0 you say, I'll have to look into that. And yes, that picture fairly mimics my idea.
Click to expand...
Both the pics you posted have two pickups which may or may not be important to you but the EB3 was the one with 2 pickups.

This is a good page to go look at for some additional ideas.

"The EB3 is a true design classic. Not many basses are as easily recognizeable, and as often copied as the Gibson EB3"
Anyone interested in sound clips of EB3's and maybe others, I didn't bother looking, there appears to be quite a few here too.

I really liked the observations made in Mon's post and can't wait to see what he comes up with! :hyper:
 
#19
I like the Mon's solution of sinking the neck further into the body. That solution seems to solve quite a few of my own design dilemna's. The way to do it and keep the original look would be to pattern the fretboard to end at the beginning of the body like the guitar but have the neck extend into the body to the first pickup and finish it like the body. The back, of course, would have the bolts but the front would retain the look and the seams would be under the pickguard.

They all don't have to be Fender style!
 

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