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NBD: Lowdown Dual Darkstar Telebass!

Eilif

Eilif

Grooving under the MDW runway.
Oct 1, 2001
9,756
9,645
Chicago
#1
UPDATE 10/18: NBD post, details and lots of pics on page 2 here:
NBD has Arrived!

Dropping this topic here as I'm not the builder, but Tim of LowDown Bass is making me a bass that combines two dreams of mine.

1-Owning a Mudbucker style telebass
2-Resurrecting my parted-out Dual Darkstar franken-bass (I kept the pups of course) with a more reasonable weight. 8.5 pounds is the goal.

Body
The back and front are Mahogany with an alder core with black laminate between each layer. Three bridge screws are for a Schaller roller bridge.
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The black laminate echoes a bound body. Body binding is something I really like the look of, but have eschewed in favor of a rounded, lighter weight, comfier body. This bass needs to be light and comfy for the 3-set gigs it will be out on.

Back
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Maple Pickguard (cavity covers are for other basses)
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Guard is a bit downsized from the Fender original to accommodate the rounded edges on my bass vs the slab original.

Neck pics tomorrow....
 

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#7
Headstock.


For most of his basses, Tim does an "LDB" inlay with crushed stone coordinated with some aspect of the bass. For my Red Jazz that he built a 35" P-bass neck for, he did Faux red-coral to coordinate with the body color. That bass is featured here:
It's like a NBD! Low Down Bass overhauls my Jazz!

For this one though, I felt the look needed a classic decal. Very happy with this.
 
#9
two fingers said:
:wideyed:

I haven't tasted the stew yet, but the recipe seems ridiculously good. You made some crazy cool choices and I can't wait to see how this one comes together.
Click to expand...

Thanks Buddy,
This seems an appropriate place to add a bit more context for this particular neck arrangement. The 4 string with 35" scale and P-width neck is an odd combo, but is something that I've got on 3 other basses and first got hooked on when I picked up the used Carlo that is my best and favorite instrument ever.(NBD for the Carlo here: NBD: My Carlo. Lakland lines but with a little something extra. ) For this one though, instead of the classic 1.75" nut that I had previously I went with the modern P 1.625" and slim profile that I have on my MIM P-bass (my first bass) that remains one of my favorite necks of all time.

I have high hopes for this one. I already know how these pups sound in approximately these positions and it's great.

Here's a pic of the other three 35" , 1.75" nut 4 stringers.
20180105_115615-jpg.2865402

I like them all quite alot. However, I'll likely have the back of the neck on the Jazz shaved down a bit and though the higher action on the Wendler brings out the upright-like character, I'll probably have that lowered a bit.
 
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#10
Almost done!



I want to be able to really dial this in so I went with the Schaller roller bridge rather than the Badass II that I had. Neck pickup is mounted to the body rather than the pickguard to keep it from being too close to the strings, however it will have the added advantage of being easier to access the electronics and there may be -though I'm skeptical- some sonic benefit to being mounted directly to the body.

Latest report is that after adding the pickups the weight is up to 9 pounds. Not the 8.5 I was hoping for but I think that will put it at the same weight as my other comfortable gigging instruments so it should be satisfactory.
 
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#12
Nedmundo said:
That is righteous! I love it, and look forward to the gig reports.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
There will be reports for sure. Everything about this is aimed at making it one of the basses I bring on my weekly country/rock gigs.

I'd call it "made-for-the-stage", but truth is that most of the time we're standing on a bar or restaurant floor.
 
#13
Eilif said:
Thanks Buddy,
This seems an appropriate place to add a bit more context for this particular neck arrangement. The 4 string with 35" scale and P-width neck is an odd combo, but is something that I've got on 3 other basses and first got hooked on when I picked up the used Carlo that is my best and favorite instrument ever.(NBD for the Carlo here: NBD: My Carlo. Lakland lines but with a little something extra. ) For this one though, instead of the classic 1.75" nut that I had previously I went with the modern P 1.625" and slim profile that I have on my MIM P-bass (my first bass) that remains one of my favorite necks of all time.

I have high hopes for this one. I already know how these pups sound in approximately these positions and it's great.

Here's a pic of the other three 35" , 1.75" nut 4 stringers.
20180105_115615-jpg.2865402

I like them all quite alot. However, I'll likely have the back of the neck on the Jazz shaved down a bit and though the higher action on the Wendler brings out the upright-like character, I'll probably have that lowered a bit.
Click to expand...

The one in the center looks amazingly tasteful. What a beauty!
 
#14
Ghastly said:
The one in the center looks amazingly tasteful. What a beauty!
Click to expand...
Thank you very much!
Visually it's fairly standard Wendler. Dave has got a real eye IMHO.
Instruments | Guitar Repair Kansas City | Luthier Acoustic Electric Guitar
My only contributions to the proportions were requesting a longer 35" neck and elongating the body a bit for balance rather than lengthening the upper horn. Dave incorporates alot of unique elements into these. More about that one here if you're interested:
NBD: Wendler Electrocoustic (Custom Cedar-Bodied 35" Fretless)
I consider myself very lucky to have it. Reportedly about a year after I got mine he stopped making them due to allergic reactions to the cedar used in the body.
 
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#16
Eilif said:
View attachment 3509641
Click to expand...

Did you specify pu location or is that his choice? Just curious if they follow any classic locations going for a specific sound. Bridge looks possibly MM location but the neck pu poles are north of most. Big fan of Darkstars - are those the Guild RI's or Novaks?
 
#17
JIO said:
Did you specify pu location or is that his choice? Just curious if they follow any classic locations going for a specific sound. Bridge looks possibly MM location but the neck pu poles are north of most. Big fan of Darkstars - are those the Guild RI's or Novaks?
Click to expand...
The positions are based on my old bass that the pickups came out of, which was based on a Peavey T40.

Pickups are Fred Hammon Darkstars. I went with the full size routes so I can flip the pickups if desired.
 
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#18
It's done!

I'll do a full NBD post soon, but for now here's the builder pics from Tim's Instagram.



Click on the right arrow to see the back.

Played it at Praise team rehearsal last night and it sounds thunderous but also incredibly clear. I'll be taking it to my weekly country gig on Saturday and Church on Sunday so it'll get quite a workout this week. I'm really happy with it.
 
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