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New Lignum headless uke bass

pingvuiini

pingvuiini

Feb 2, 2009
1,890
7,124
Antarcticus Maximus
www.randychow.net
#1
My new Lignum headless lefty 5 string fretless bass is almost ready to be shipped from Croatia to the fire infested realm of southern California after a few more days of studio photography and video. I've had several headless basses before but this will be my first headless uke bass and the first with bridge tuning knobs on the top as opposed to the rear like most other headless manufacturers. Many thanks to Gustav of Lignum for taking on this project. I can't wait to play it! Will update after bass is received.


Key specs:

Scale length: 23"
Neck: Laminated walnut & maple
Body: Purple heart
Top: Quilted maple
Fingerboard: ebony 12" radius
Nut: Bone
Hardware: Black Riviera headless, Dunlop Straploks
Pickups: Delano SBC 5 HE/S-4 soapbars
Electronics: Passive VVT and 3 way switch
Strings: D'Addario black tapewounds
Finish: 2k polyurethane satin
Dexterity: Left handed


LignumFrt01.jpg

LignumBck01.jpg
 
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#10
After work I came straight home and installed the Straploks into the new LM bass guitar strap and then lowered the action a good bit. I had to be very careful using the hex wrenches to make sure I didn't damage the tape winding of the strings while making adjustments. The Riviera bridge tuners are really smooth and easy to turn. I've had several headless basses before but this is the first with the top mounted tuning knobs as opposed to projecting out the butt of the body like you see on most headless instruments. I feel this top mounted design is much more accessible and less chance of damaging the knobs. There is a lot of precise CNC work in this bass and I can feel it, as opposed to the handmade 'organic' feel of my Ken Bebensee basses. The Lignum feels very rock solid with a heavyish body and a baseball batty feel on the neck. This would be an ideal bass if I ever found myself having to pull a Sid Vicious and konk someone over the head.

I don't think I told them to reverse the pots for lefty, so that's a big *DOH!* But it's happened before. So I will take the bass to the shop next week and have them adjust that.

As is my tradition, I broke in the bass playing to Exit...Stage Left in it's entirety which is always a blast. I am planning to play this bass this coming Saturday at rehearsal.

Lignum03.jpg



Updated uke bass collection photo:

Collection-02.03.25.jpg
 
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#11
I was playing the Lignum last night and I finally came to the conclusion that it was somehow very difficult to play and the E and B strings had a 'hollow' sound and were a bit lower in output than the top three strings. So I decided to take the Pyramid tapes off the KB Baruke and give them a try on the Lignum. Sort of a bummer because if you remove non double ball strings on a headless they are pretty much unusable anymore. Installed the Pyramids, tuned up, and WOW! What a difference!! Much easier to play and much more even response in terms of sound. The overall output is still lower than my other basses, but I will raise the pickups a bit to get closer to the strings and see if that will alleviate that issue. So I am really excited again and can't wait to play it after work and at rehearsal this weekend.

Workbench.jpg
 
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