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Double Bass Lack of EUB plans: own design started

#21
Almost a year ago I posted my last post!
Haven't sit still though.
After a few trial and errors I now have a steady, strong and nice looking body. Middle parts made from oak. Sides triple laminated pine.
Far from ready but finally a result to be proud of!
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#25
Hi Marco.

MARCOvdBoogert said:
Gee wizzzzz no reactions! Aren't there any eub builders here anymore?
Click to expand...

Just stumbled onto this thread, and all I can say is that Your creation looks absolutely fabulous.

A TBer on the basses side wants an authentic feeling EUB, which don't seem to exist in budget range, and I wandered over to the EUB forum to find out whether that's true or not.


Very clever recycling idea to use old chairs. As a Finn, laminated design products are obviously very familiar to me, but I've never looked at the chairs quite that in mind.
And I do re-purpose and recycle a lot of parts in everything I do.

Making the lamination moulds for closer to original sides aren't that difficult either, but even here in Finland, I've found it very hard to find affordable general lamination veneers/ply's in hobbyist quantities.

Ripping and thickness sanding is obviously an option (IMLE the only option), but the demands for the machinery required for anything over 15cm wide final product is often outside of the regular DIYer's possibilities.

I do have to admit that EUB's aren't really my thing, I play DB for the acoustic volume -and looks ;)- mainly, but this thread of Yours has given me some ideas.

I do share DoubleMIDI's concern about the placing of the bridge, even though I'd guess it's because the body frames are a bit too far apart at the correct spot.

Thank You for taking the time to create this thread.
And thank's for bumping it just now so I got a chance to find it :).


Regards
Sam
 
#29
Hi.

MARCOvdBoogert said:
I'm not sure if I will go for a conventional bridge or a modern one.
Click to expand...

If this was a poll, my vote would be for the conventional bridge.
At least the ability to use one if so desired.

IMLE the thing that sets Your EUB apart from the most I've seen is that it probably feels a lot like an acoustic DB, thanks to the DB neck, DB fingerboard, DB bridge and DB tailpiece.

Most (affordable) EUB's IMO try their darnest to be THE missing link between a slab and a DB, not quite getting either instruments character or playability correctly.

Regards
Sam
 
#31
ah, forgot the soundquestion. How does it sound? Well that's easy! Not!
BUT when I slammed the A string with tension on it I could feel the vibes through the body, into my wooden floor, in my feet! So I guess if I put piezo's under the bridge some tone will be produced. Actually I could go the silent bass way by closing the body and use that for producing acoustic sound but maybe I will do that for a second project. Estatically I would like to keep it as open as possible.

I like the combination, "tention" between a modern design combined with traditional.
But the balance between them is pretty narrow. A traditional bridge on a modern bridgebase could be a bit overdone.
I hope to show my ideas after this weekend if I'm able to squeeze some free hours in my busy weekend to lock myself up in the workshop!
 
#32
This weekend I started with the flexible bridge base. This is the idea I had in mind but it looks awful. Not in style with the bass itself. But it works! I can place this base on 1/2 or 3/4 position. Looking at earlier designs it's not "modern" enough but it could be a base for a classic bridge or a own design bridge.
I'm lost right now what to do next. Any input or feedback?
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#33
If you move the bridge, you also move the interval at the end of the neck which is a major orientation point for a double bass player. So, if you don't want to (re-)learn two different neck scales, better decide which scale or neck scale you want and fix the bridge.
Otherwise you need to make you nut moveable too (but then you loose the half position neck orientation point).
 
#35
You don't really need the lower bout. The upper may need to be positioned a bit higher, but this is hard to decide from the photo. A cello needs a framed lower bout like yours, but if you want to make use of a bass lower bout (i.e. when sitting) then you need an area, not a frame. But you can drop the lower bout completely if you only playing standing up.

Which interval compared to the open string do you get when you put the thumb at the lower end of the neck and press down the string at this position. If it is a fifth you have a D neck which is probably most common. if you got a minor sixth it is an Eb neck which is also in common use. If you get anything else adjust your string length to get either a fifth or a minor sixth at this position. This is more important than the vibrating string length.
 
#36
DoubleMIDI said:
Which interval compared to the open string do you get when you put the thumb at the lower end of the neck and press down the string at this position. If it is a fifth you have a D neck which is probably most common. if you got a minor sixth it is an Eb neck which is also in common use. If you get anything else adjust your string length to get either a fifth or a minor sixth at this position. This is more important than the vibrating string length.
Click to expand...
As an absolute novice I don't really "get it".
As a bassguitarplayer I'm used to the "intonation position" i.e. the half string position i.e. the 12th bar.
I was told this position needs to be at app. the point where the FB comes loose from the neck.
But I really like to learn more so your information is very helpful to me.
Lower end of neck: do you mean the same place I mentioned or the lowest position before changing thumbposition?
2nd: why is that more important then stringlenght?
 
#37
It is an important reference point. If you ever need to play a different bass (session, your bass at the luthier or defect) you want to have the same reference point, otherwise you will get lost soon.

Yes, the end of neck octave at a bass guitar is the fifth (or minor sixth) on a double bass. Most double bassists want to stick to either a D neck (fifth from G) or an Eb neck (minor sixth from G), depending on what they are used to play. (Some are experienced enough to be able to play both kinds of necks, but it gets worse if there are even more kinds of intervals at the end of the neck.)
So (in my opinion) a common reference point is more important than absolute string length.

You might be more happy with a Eb neck and a shorter string length than with a D neck with a bit longer string length (but keep in mind that the D neck is more common these days).
(BTW, the fifth is at the third of the total vibrating string length, so you can even measure that without the tuning of a string.)

There are EUBs mainly made for bass guitarrists who think they can play that like a bass guitar (which doesn't work of course) like the NS EUBs. Someone who have grown up with a double bass or mainly switched to a double bass mainly won't like these instruments.

It's up to you to decide what you want to make. I can only warn you about mistakes that are easily made without some double bass experience.

If you really want to learn how to play a double bass using your EUB, better build it like a double bass and use the same reference points. Usually there are no frets and marks on the fingerboard of a double bass, so errors in distance are more audible than on fretted instruments. Reference points help to be able to play on different instruments without too much relearning.
 
#40
Then you have a Eb neck. Less common than the D neck, but still a standard.
Also a bit easier to get into thump position.
You are save.

You might even try how long your scale needs to be for a D neck and maybe make it possible to move the bridge there. That way you would be able change to a D neck later if you dislike the Eb neck after some time of playing with it.
 

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