making a low B extension

[Sigurd]

I have a Soundgear 5-string fretless. Recently I have been contemplating the possibilities of installing/fabricating an extension similar to that on an upright bass. Except mine would go to low A, possibly even G. When I play, I like the tension and clarity of those notes when I'm tuned to B, but when I tune to A, I get the note A, but lose the tension and some tone. Plus, I end up tuning back and forth between the two quite a bit. My idea involves cutting out the section of the nut that is under the B string and then finding a strip of rosewood and then putting a wedge-shaped shim underneath it and against the headstock to create the extension of that part of the fingerboard. I know I will need to relocate the tuning machine, and I haven't figured that out yet. Is this feasible? Has anyone ever thought about this before?

 

[pilotjones]

Here's how Kubicki does it:
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But a SDGR has a tilt-back headstock, so your approarch would have to be a bit different.

There's a luthier who does what you're talking about- ramp added to a tiltback headstock. European, I think. Sub, do you know?

 

[Sigurd]

Yes, I have seen that bass, and played it awhile ago too. The ramp on the tilt-back headstock is exactly what I am talking about. Anyone else have ideas?

 

[pilotjones]

Found the one I was looking for! The company is Bastek, and they're Japanese.
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[Sigurd]

Very cool. I had no idea they actually existed. Now, how do I make my own? Should I work with my existing neck or start with a new one?

 

[Sigurd]

Back from the dead! I'm still interested in doing this. Does Bastek have a website?

 

[pilotjones]

Back from the dead! I'm still interested in doing this. Does Bastek have a website?

The site, www.bastec.net, appears to be down. Too bad! It had some cool stuff. Plus entertaining content, if you used babelfish to translate.

This is a "experimental bastecs" page, but I don't think it has any with the b-ramp extension: Link Removed. Maybe if you contacted the guy who runs it, he could tell you what happened to the Bastec site.

 

[Sigurd]

Hm. Well thanks anyway. I've got a buddy who knows how to make necks, and he said he'd be willing to help me figure something out.