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Double Bass New build 2 string EUB aluminium .

johnh89

johnh89

Jan 25, 2020
796
2,059
59
Kent UK
#1
Just a quick post to entertain and inform . Had an idea of building an EUB . Had one before and liked the general idea . I have played a doghouse bass before and love it but the practicalities , storage and transport of it have put me off . That , and the fact I would have to leave home at the age of 58 and start again in life cos the missus would not be too happy . And the tiny little micropub that we often play in is not ideal for double bass , as most of the customers would have to be outside on the pavement . So this idea was born . The plan was some sort of electric instrument , to be played mostly with a bow for long drone bass notes to accompany some irish music .
After some refreshment (ahem!) , this plan was born . Neck/body is 1 5/8in aluminium tube with 1/4in wall thickness . Fingerboard is some unknown ( possibly sapele ) hardwood from the garage , machined to fit tube and given a radius . Tailpiece made from the same . Single bass bridges used as string anchors . Hipshot tuners . SBW weedwhacker strings . Endpin is most of a telescopic walking pole . PIckup is electro acoustic guitar piezo . I was going to have onboard buffer/EQ but decided to go passive in the end and feed it to hi impedance buffer and EQ pedal . Still need to finish it , just side markers on fing
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erboard and a final polish and wax and we are done .
 
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#2
Nice clean approach. I'm guessing by the gauge of your SBW Deluxe Blood Reds that you're tuning E and A???

I'm no builder, but I'm wondering if your fingerboard has any scoop built in? If not, you may get a lot of buzz.

I'd really be wanting all 4 strings. Even with a long fingerboard, it does seem to be a lot of work to go through without getting a full bass range. But that's what I'm used to for the kind of playing I do -- I slap and do a lot of pizz solo work everywhere above D down toward the middle of the fingerboard.

Good job, enjoy playing it!
 
#3
Don Hergert said:
Nice clean approach. I'm guessing by the gauge of your SBW Deluxe Blood Reds that you're tuning E and A???

I'm no builder, but I'm wondering if your fingerboard has any scoop built in? If not, you may get a lot of buzz.

I'd really be wanting all 4 strings. Even with a long fingerboard, it does seem to be a lot of work to go through without getting a full bass range. But that's what I'm used to for the kind of playing I do -- I slap and do a lot of pizz solo work everywhere above D down toward the middle of the fingerboard.

Good job, enjoy playing it!
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The board was planed and sanded so there is about 10 thou of relief . Bass is tuned EA . As I said , this was built for arco drones . The concept was originally for a four string and could be adapted to do this .
 
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#7
DoubleMIDI said:
For a two-string, no curvature of fingerboard, bridge and nut is needed, but for more than two strings for arco it is.
But doesn’t hurt to have it.

SBW Deluxe might not be an ideal arco choice, but try since you have them already.
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I appreciate that no curvature is needed , but it was more of an aesthetic decision . Originally was going to be a 3 string . SBW are fine played arco . I had them on a previous EUB and was a convert .
 
#8
@DoubleMIDI, despite not being an arco centered DB performer, I can concur with SBW Deluxe being actually very decent for arco; that is one of the reasons I prefer them over the other synthetics I've played -- they are much better than many other synthetics. I/we also have a friend here in TB/DB who is an arco centered DB performer who has reported using SBW Deluxe with good results, good enough to keep them on hand as backups for his gut strings. (@LouisF, please correct me if I've misrepresented you with that! :) )
 
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#9
Don Hergert said:
@DoubleMIDI, despite not being an arco centered DB performer, I can concur with SBW Deluxe being actually very decent for arco; that is one of the reasons I prefer them over the other synthetics I've played -- they are much better than many other synthetics. I/we also have a friend here in TB/DB who is an arco centered DB performer who has reported using SBW Deluxe with good results, good enough to keep them on hand as backups for his gut strings. (@LouisF, please correct me if I've misrepresented you with that! :) )
Click to expand...
I know from reading here several times (probably mostly from you) that the SBW Deluxe bow a lot better to bow than other synthetic surface strings.
It‘s just that I thought that for a mainly bowed instrument there might be better choices. Which doesn‘t mean that the SBW‘s are not good enough for certain kinds of music.
If it‘s good enough, it‘s good enough. It doesn‘t need to be the best, which also differs for everyone.
 
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#10
TBF , I wasn't ever going to drop £300+ on a set of strings for this . The other problem is the scale length . Although , at 40in , it is about 3/4 DB scale , there is a very short afterlength due to the design , so really I need a set of 1/4 scale strings . There is a limited selection available , and the SBWs come as a bump set so can be experimented with . The first set was an A and E from a set of Innovation Honey Jazz strings at 1/4 scale . I had problems with the winding on the E string so gave them up as a bad job and bought the SBWs . Daddario preludes 1/4 scale were the other option but I am very happy with the SBWs .
 
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#11
Just managed to get in the workshop for a couple of hours . Fingerboard side markers installed . Fingerboard dressed with home made radius sanding block made from a section of 110mm underground drainage so 55mm radius . Fingerboard waxed with black bison wax . Just got to give metalwork a quick polish and wax and we are done. Just got to learn how to play it a bit better and I will put up some sound clips .
I'm quite pleased with the understated side dots down to fret 24 . Almost invisible unless you are looking for them . They are for my benefit only .

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#12
A quick reach out to the Talkbass members . Any ideas for a gig bag for the bass ? Needs to be about 1650mm long and probably diameter of 150mm . There appears to be nothing suitable in the music market . I have looked at bags for lighting and stands and have not found anything yet . Maybe ski bags or fishing rods ? If not then I will have to manufacture something .
 

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