Oahu flattop bass build

[bassfiddlesteve]

Definitely check out GretschWretch's topic regarding the Regal, and be sure to check out all of the links in that topic, especially the link to bassfiddlesteve's archived Regal information, Especially the vintage photos section of that website.

Thanks for the link to my website. I never did get my own Bassoguitar up and running but I left the site up as a reference.

- Steve

 

[DJ Bebop]

Wow! This popped up suddenly. Thanks to @Matt Liebenau for cluing me in. I have two of these. Up until about six weeks ago I had three, but I gifted one to my best buddy.

Oahu is not the maker of these instruments. They are the Regal Bassoguitar, manufactured by Regal. Oahu was a firm that was heavily involved in the Hawaiian music scene just prior to World War II, and they had some Regals branded as Oahu and listed them as such in their catalog.

If you wanted a gig bag for one of these, a half-size DB bag probably would give the best fit. You are correct about the bracing; it is ladder -- four top and four back -- with a circular reinforcing "wafer" beneath the soundhole. If you want a truly authentic instrument, you will have to craft an endpin that is too short and a bridge that is too tall. You will be building to a 42" scale length.

Someplace I have got measurements jotted down which I will provide you once I find them, and I may be able to answer additional questions. But give me a few days? Sunday afternoon my community band has it Christmas concert, and I need the time to woodshed for that.

If you want to porch pick while you are still building your bass, I suggest you get a 1/4 size DB. They are smaller (though heavier, thanks to the tuning machines), and louder than a Bassoguitar. Both the DB and the Basso can be played quite comfortably sitting on the thigh; the reach to nut is not daunting.

Somewhere in the DB forum I've got a thread (with pics) of my quarter-size "acoustic bass guitar."

When I saw this, I thought of you.

This was one of three basses I turned down when looking for an upright. They were this only it had frets, a fiberglass upright, an aluminum upright. I ended up with a Kay M 1. I still wish I could have gotten one of these too somehow at the time but as a kid I didn't have the scrilla.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Wow! This popped up suddenly. Thanks to @Matt Liebenau for cluing me in. I have two of these. Up until about six weeks ago I had three, but I gifted one to my best buddy.

Oahu is not the maker of these instruments. They are the Regal Bassoguitar, manufactured by Regal. Oahu was a firm that was heavily involved in the Hawaiian music scene just prior to World War II, and they had some Regals branded as Oahu and listed them as such in their catalog.

If you wanted a gig bag for one of these, a half-size DB bag probably would give the best fit. You are correct about the bracing; it is ladder -- four top and four back -- with a circular reinforcing "wafer" beneath the soundhole. If you want a truly authentic instrument, you will have to craft an endpin that is too short and a bridge that is too tall. You will be building to a 42" scale length.

Someplace I have got measurements jotted down which I will provide you once I find them, and I may be able to answer additional questions. But give me a few days? Sunday afternoon my community band has it Christmas concert, and I need the time to woodshed for that.

If you want to porch pick while you are still building your bass, I suggest you get a 1/4 size DB. They are smaller (though heavier, thanks to the tuning machines), and louder than a Bassoguitar. Both the DB and the Basso can be played quite comfortably sitting on the thigh; the reach to nut is not daunting.

Somewhere in the DB forum I've got a thread (with pics) of my quarter-size "acoustic bass guitar."

I still play my M-1 on my lap, like dis...

 

[rudy4444]

I'll throw guitarron out if someone is looking for a good alternative instrument to use for bass while plying ensemble. The video from Soda Rock Ramblers is one of my all time favorites!

I'm surprised that there hasn't been a popular adaptation of the guitarron to have the same basic geometry but utilizing 4 strings and EADG tuning. There are specialty nylon string sets available for upright bass, so it shouldn't be too difficult to locate a usable string.

The guitarron has the body volume to support the bass register and uses a top mounted bridge to increase the efficiency of converting string energy to sound energy. A tailpiece and loose bridge isn't going to do that well.

 

[GretschWretch]

I still play my M-1 on my lap, like dis...

View attachment 5277511

This is how I play my M-3. An M-1 is too much of a bear for me to try this.

 

[GretschWretch]

I'll throw guitarron out if someone is looking for a good alternative instrument to use for bass while plying ensemble. The video from Soda Rock Ramblers is one of my all time favorites!

I'm surprised that there hasn't been a popular adaptation of the guitarron to have the same basic geometry but utilizing 4 strings and EADG tuning. There are specialty nylon string sets available for upright bass, so it shouldn't be too difficult to locate a usable string.

The guitarron has the body volume to support the bass register and uses a top mounted bridge to increase the efficiency of converting string energy to sound energy. A tailpiece and loose bridge isn't going to do that well.

I agree with everything you say, but the guitarron is fragile. Parts of the body are eggshell thin. For the use you envision, it would have to be made more structurally robust.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I just saw in another thread that it looks like @bholder may have a Bassoguitar also. Perhaps he’s feeling kind enough to add some pics and measurements.

 

[DJ Bebop]

This is how I play my M-3. An M-1 is too much of a bear for me to try this.

I use this pillow on my lap so the violin corners don't dig in.

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Oh I intend to. Sourcing materials already. Plan to start in January once I have caught up with repair work. Take a week or 2 off and build some toys for me

Well then, you can join in the Winter Build-Off with the best bass for porch-picking ;^)

 

[GretschWretch]

Okay; pic first.

Also, I unearthed some additional information in one of my word docs. The measurements were taken with a carpenter's tape measure, so they may be some fractions of an inch off.

Dimensions: approximate (these should help you size up your bass bag)

Overall length: 64 inches

Length of body: 30 & 3/16 inches

Width, upper bout: 17 & 3/4 inches

Width, middle bout: 15 & 1/4 inches

Width, lower bout: 23 & 5/8 inches

Soundhole: 4 & 7/8 inches

Depth of body:

Neck: 5 & 15/16 inches

Waist: 6 inches

Butt: 6 & 1/4 inches

Neck:

Nut: 1 and 5/8 inches wide; 1 & 1/4 inches deep

Heel: 3 inches wide; 2 inches deep

Mensure: 42 inches (although, due to the top being flat, this can range anywhere from 36 inches to 44 inches)

Things that need doing:

· Replace endpin with a longer one (the stock endpins are too short)

· Have at least two custom-made adjustable bridges and store the original away safely (the stock bridges are too tall). Make sure no places on the fingerboard are “noting out”; if they are, the fingerboard will have to be addressed in those spots since with a lower bridge the noting out will only get worse)

· Glue the center seam in the top where the join has opened up; examine and possibly repair that possible crack a bit to the left of the tailpiece

· Upgrade strings (?). What you have on there now I believe are Thomastic Ropecores, not a bad string and certainly better than some I have encountered. If you upgrade, I suggest Thomastic Spirocore solo strings, which are designed to be tuned one full step above standard pitch. When tuned down to standard, these are very flexible and easy to depress.


I suggest you take pics and e-mail to any prospective luthiers to see if they want to take the job. Given the nature of the work involved I would think both a double bass luthier and a guitar luthier could handle the job.


These instruments are not designed for bluegrass; unless mic’d, they will not be nearly loud enough. They belong in Jim Croce, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot type settings, or in situations where you want to shut up the people who say an acoustic bass guitar is not loud enough to be heard over to vigorously-strummed six-string flat-tops.


Some useful links








talkbass bassoguitar - Google Search


The Regal Bassoguitar


bassoguitar - Google Search