The Aleph - A Call for Opinions

[JustForSport]

Seems to be a differing wording on that pdf where 33" string measurement (as they do it) does not mean 33" scale,
so a 33" measurement taken from a string on a thru-body or long anchor to saddle bridge that may only be a 30" scale instrument would use their Medium set.
I've always measured from the "inside of the ball" as they do, but to the body side of the nut-
but, they've been doing it longer than I, and they're the producers, so who am I to disagree?

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Seems to be a differing wording on that pdf where 33" string measurement (as they do it) does not mean 33" scale,
so a 33" measurement taken from a string on a thru-body or long anchor to saddle bridge that may only be a 30" scale instrument would use their Medium set.
I've always measured from the "inside of the ball" as they do, but to the body side of the nut-
but, they've been doing it longer than I, and they're the producers, so who am I to disagree?

I have the long scale version of these strings on a 34" scale bass. The measurement from silk wrap to silk wrap is 35 7/8", and from the inside end of the ball to the start of the silk wraps is 36 7/8" for the long scale. I am hoping that the medium scale strings will fit the 32" scale length of this build without issues. I really like these strings and hope to be able to use a set - we will see.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Success! The medium scale strings arrived today and they will work out just about perfectly. The string in between the silk wraps on each end measures about 33". I need to clean a few things up on the bass and then I plan on stringing it up to play it a bit before I get to finishing it. I need to get the fingerboard planed to correct some buzzing, and I expect that I will need to fine tune the saddle and nut a bit to get the best compromise between low action and lack of extraneous string noise.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

The strings work perfectly. A little truss rod adjustment and some block sanding on the fingerboard eliminated all of the buzzing issues, and this thing has some serious mwah. I need to cut out a new headpiece to increase the break angle over the nut to kill open some string hornets, but after I get that fine tuned I should be able to start finish standing and filling the odd blemish here and there to get ready for some Tru Oil.

I know that I am biased, but I really love the way she looks.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

A new headpiece was cut out of rosewood to correct the break angle over the nut and fix some buzzing. I like this much better than the ambrosia maple headpiece - it adds interesting contrast and matches the nut and saddle.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

With the 0 build challenge in the works I thought I would follow the spirit and list the costs for this build. Since that challenge was issued after this build began, and considering the fact that the Aleph's goals were not to keep costs under $100 I don't know if it's appropriate to "enter" this build into consideration and voting. I may do it just to see how this build fares in the polls, after all the costs and build parameters *did* fall within the stated rules of the challenge. Here's the breakdown for the curious:

8/4 White Limba Lumber $33.30
4/4 Ambrosia Maple Lumber $4.45
Rosewood Scrap $1.00
Artec P-537 $17.99
Double Action Truss Rod $20.99
Electrosocket Jack Mount $8.10
Switchcraft Jack $4.10
Piano Tuning Pins $4.00
Strap Buttons $2.00
Tru Oil $3.00 (Estimated 10th of a bottle to be used)
Fingerboard Oil $1.00 (Estimated 10th of a bottle to be used)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total: $99.93

 

[Photobassist]

Can you post some sound samples? I'm really interested in the looks of the bass and if the sound is anything like it, I'd like to step in line to order one if you ever plan on larger production runs.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Can you post some sound samples? I'm really interested in the looks of the bass and if the sound is anything like it, I'd like to step in line to order one if you ever plan on larger production runs.

I have a few more tasks to complete before I get to wiring it up, but rest assured that sound sample will be coming. Bear in mind that I am using a fairly inexpensive under saddle piezo without any on-board electronics.

 

[Photobassist]

There's beauty in its simplicity Looking forward to hearing it.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

There's beauty in its simplicity Looking forward to hearing it.

The unplugged noodling I did earlier had a very woody tone with miles of mwah. The sustain is not stellar, and it buzzes just a bit, but I really like the character of the sound so far. Hopefully all of that translates across the piezo nicely. If you want a general idea of what this particular piezo sounds like on another instrument there is a sound sample I threw together in post #115 of this thread, though it's just a quick chromatic scale to get a general idea of the tonal palette I can capture on the transducer.

 

[gmjhowe]

A new headpiece was cut out of rosewood to correct the break angle over the nut and fix some buzzing. I like this much better than the ambrosia maple headpiece - it adds interesting contrast and matches the nut and saddle.

The previous one did look a little odd, this one however I agree looks much better.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

I'd like to step in line to order one if you ever plan on larger production runs.

A couple of thoughts and a question for you... First and foremost I consider anything I do fair game for copying or "plagiarism". I don't consider myself a professional builder, and I don't think anything I come up as my intellectual property. I am a strong advocate of sharing information and ideas, and I am personally opposed to trying to limit what others may do with anything I may have designed. It's also important to note that I am not a professional builder and do this as a hobby. I can't imagine ever doing this full time, but I do take commissions if someone approaches me and accepts the caveats inherent in employing my part time services. I am not planning on taking any of my ideas of designs and attempting to make a product line where I build a number of similar instruments for sale, but I am more than willing to build one-offs when approached.

The question I have for you is wrapped up in some astonishment that anyone would be interested in the piano tuners being used on their own instrument. If you were to have a builder make a bass like this for you would you want piano tuners, or would you pursue another headless option?

 

[Photobassist]

I love the look and shape of the bass, it's fretless, and it's unique. I think I would opt for a traditional bridge tuning system, but that's the only change I would request. Well that, and it being a 4-string.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Here's a mug shot showing me holding the Aleph to give you guys a sense of the size.

 

[gmjhowe]

Here's a mug shot showing me holding the Aleph to give you guys a sense of the size.

Nice. We should have more mid-build selfies. Good way to give a sense for the instrument. The top curve of the bass looks like its perfect for sitting down playing.

Also, is that a steampunky octopus round your neck I see?

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Also, is that a steampunky octopus round your neck I see?

It is! It's Invalid Link Removed. It's not actually Cthulhu as they advertise, but I really like it.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

A lot of sanding later and the oiling process has begun. There are a lot of little things I am unhappy about, but nothing major enough to cause me to worry about it. I will have her strung up and wired by the end of the week at the latest.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

I am on Tru Oil coat #5. The garage is cold at night, so I have been placing her in the basement storeroom up high where my curious little ones won't mess with her. I tend to avoid grain filling as I really like the organic look and feel of the results, so I am very close to being done. She's easily the nicest prototype I have made so far, and I have learned a lot in the build process. I have decided that I much prefer the look of wood headpieces to metal ones, and going forward I will be going in that direction for all bass builds using the piano tuning pins. Perhaps tomorrow she will be ready to get wired and strung up. Joy!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

She's all strung up and ready to play! I will post sound samples once the strings settle in. She's got a lot more mwah than I am used to, but I like how she sounds quite a bit. I am going to experiment with different bridge and nut heights until I get the action I like, but all in all I am pleased. The bathroom scale shows her weighing 5 pounds.

 

[gmjhowe]

That grain is really popping now.
Looking good!