Double Bass Resuming a build that was set aside years ago.

[1st Bass]

Meanwhile, I took a break for a day, and built a gift for a friend who had given me a stack of fiddleback maple.

The sides are bent, and the top is inlaid into some more subdued-looking maple. As it turned out, much of what I was given was severely worm-damaged, but I should be able to salvage a few violins.

 

[1st Bass]

I made better progress on the bass today:

The f-holes are still pretty unrefined, but I feel better about the progress looking at a front plate with f-holes, than without.

I will try to get the bass-bar installed tomorrow. Getting too tired, this evening.

 

[Don Hergert]

@1st Bass, some instruments (ie: carved-top F-hole guitars and mandolins) utilize changes to the size of F-holes for tone and volume adjustment (in addition to top graduation, etc.) usually in the white. Is that a useful option for the double bass?

 

[1st Bass]

@1st Bass, some instruments (ie: carved-top F-hole guitars and mandolins) utilize changes to the size of F-holes for tone and volume adjustment (in addition to top graduation, etc.) usually in the white. Is that a useful option for the double bass?

Don:
I'm sorry, but the truth is, I have no idea. I'm sure that, to the right set of ears, and the right level of experience, there must be a way to use that technique to adjust sound. I'm the toddler in this group: I have only built 40 instruments, or so, and only one bass, if I don't count the one in which I am currently "embroiled."

For sure, if the sound holes are too small, it will affect volume and tone, and I assume the other end of the continuum has related negative results. But I am literally "flying blind," here. I'm just applying the seemingly relevant experiences I have from smaller instruments and hoping they actually apply to basses. (?)

I hope one of the bona fide experts will speak to that question. There are several very experienced and knowledgeable builders here on Talkbass. Maybe one of them will pick this up and give us some education, I have certainly appreciated the way the various experts here have shared their wealth of experience in the past.

Waiting for answers, myself.

 

[1st Bass]

Meanwhile, I did complete the scraping inside and out, and fitted the bass bar. I was ready to heat up the glue-pot when I remembered that I had precisely ONE clamp with sufficient throat depth to reach that bass bar. So...off to Harbor Freight!

I hope to carve the shape tomorrow.

 

[1st Bass]

[QUOTE
I hope to carve the shape tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

Getting there!

 

[james condino]

I had a nice long phone conversation with Chet today about basses and life and politics that reminded me so much of why I like our small nerdy little community and what a great group of people far beyond the subject of basses they are.

Your bass is lookin' very nice!

A little tip for the next person that runs out of giant bassbar clamps:

If you take your standard guitar shop mid sized cam clamps and file off the little nub on the metal post end that keeps the wooden cam part from falling off, they will separate, drop right into your F hole, and be able to cover the entire bassbar without the need for purchasing more expensive specialty gear. As much as I lust after the big fancy bass specific clamps sold in the luthier specialty supply stores, there is no way I can justify spending $150 or more per clamp.

I also find my big go bar deck very useful for this application. There is no need to build a big complicated frame for it- I just make the bars a bit longer and spring them off the ceiling. I have a few dozen in different materials and thicknesses to change the clamping pressure and spring rate....

 

[LouisF]

Congrats, Chet! Onward!!

 

[Steven Ayres]

You're at the point where I've often thought it could be beneficial to reduce bass-bar weight with perforations through the tall part, as we sometimes see in custom guitars. In theory it could allow a more responsive table. Does anyone have science or experience on that idea?

 

[1st Bass]

Today I (barely) began flattening the inside and outside of the back plate. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I wanted to see that maple!
This is the inside... I'm confident that the bark inclusion in the upper right (treble) quarter is shallow, and will be carved away.

This is the outside:

 

[1st Bass]

I finally got started arching the back plate today. There is still a long way to go, but I got a good start, and it is looking more promising.
The garland and front plate are essentially complete.
Waiting on carbon fiber stiffener inserts for the neck, so it is just sitting.

 

[Don Hergert]

That's a tasty looking top!!! The shaping, the f-holes, the purfling, the Cs, all look beautiful!

 

[1st Bass]

Thanks, Don!

 

[Roxbororob]

Beautiful work Chet. Glad to see this, I hope its alright if I lurk and learn!?

 

[1st Bass]

I'm a toddler, myself, so take everything for what it is worth. I am probably making lotsa mistakes!

 

[1st Bass]

I got the arching close enough to being done that scrapers will be the tools of choice for the remaining work.

We did have some visitors, today, but after taking a few pictures, I went back to work.

 

[Don Kasper]

View attachment 3889847
I got the arching close enough to being done that scrapers will be the tools of choice for the remaining work.

We did have some visitors, today, but after taking a few pictures, I went back to work.
View attachment 3889853

Love the background of the first picture above!
I used to buy a magazine called "Fine Woodworking" that featured a photo-spread of the "Shop-of-the-Month". It usually looked something like this - (see photo below...)
They should have renamed this feature the "Shop-Where-NOTHING-Ever-Gets-Done" of the Month.
Nice to see that yours is a "Shop-Where-Some-S***-Is-Actually-Getting-Done", Chet!
Thanks!

 

[1st Bass]

Well...I'm glad you like it, I guess...but I'm ashamed of the mess. Too many unrelated projects, not all of which were completed, and scraps from those that actually were completed, but, for whatever reason, I kept the scraps, thinking I had another use for them. But, yes, I do (sometimes) get things done. I still need to clean up, get rid of all the scrap, and admit to myself that some of those projects were a bad idea, to begin with, and not worth trying to salvage them.

Ah, well...warts and all, you have seen it. Maybe it will get cleaned up this summer. Maybe not.

Not having to commute to work every day is saving a lot of time...90 minutes per day, and a lot of miles. I used to put approximately 350 miles per week on my car (not counting my wife's car) just going to work. Now I am driving about 300 miles per month, average, including a few longer jaunts. So, perhaps I will find time and energy to do some of the less fun stuff, like cleaning, organizing, etc.

 

[1st Bass]

I did begin scraping... still a long way to go, but the wood grain is really starting to look good.

 

[Don Hergert]

Wow, grain like that makes a person want a clear finish!