Warmoth Hollow Body Basses, any experience?

[creis2]

I'm starting up a project with some friends, it's going to be a pretty light sounding band with acoustic guitars and light drums.

I haven't found an acoustic bass I liked. Nor have I liked any off the shelf hollow bodies.

Since I have a mint Fender Neck in the closet, and all of the electronics I need to make a build, I was thinking about having a Warmoth Custom T Hollow body made.

I would use standard P pickups on it.

I'm very concerned about neck drive. I'm not very picky, I know some people are very particular about the weight and balance of their bass, that isn't me.

But I did own an Epiphone Thunderbird a few years ago, that thing was so off balance, I found it impossible to play.

Any suggestions or experiences?

 

[two fingers]

I have no experience with those whatsoever. However, I have found the perfect solution to neck dive. Years ago I had a leather strap made from scratch. It has a "natural" reverse side. What I mean is there was nothing done to the reverse side of the strap. After about a month, it softened up really nice. Since then it has been the only piece of "gear" that has lasted 20+ years with me. No bass I play ever budges when I use that strap. The soft, textured reverse side kind of "grips" to my shoulder. I have played every kind of bass you can think of and have never had a bass move one inch either way. Good luck with your build.

 

[nukes_da_bass]

"neck drive" is what I'm gonna name my
Next band.
I'm not messing with you, I just think that typo was cool as hell.
Get Hipshot ultralight tuners to help avoid neck dive!

 

[creis2]

"neck drive" is what I'm gonna name my
Next band.
I'm not messing with you, I just think that typo was cool as hell.
Get Hipshot ultralight tuners to help avoid neck dive!

Oops.

What my old Epiphone Thunderbird did was "neck drive", not neck dive. If I took my hands of the instrument for a fraction of a second, that thing smashed into the ground.

Luckily, the neck I have is on the light side, I also plan on getting ultralight tuners.

When I have the body built, would choosing a heavier piece of wood help keep it balanced?

 

[eukatheude]

Are you referring to the chambered warmoth bodies?

 

[creis2]

Are you referring to the chambered warmoth bodies?

No,

They have a hollow body option with F holes for their T-Bass.

http://www.warmoth.com/Bass/CustomTBass.aspx

 

[NOLA Bass]

Yeah, I am not sure they really make a "hollow" bass. Just my 2 cents, look into a Lakland Skyline Hollowbody. I have one strung with flats.

 

[Gabeja15]

yes, the warmoth T hollow body will neck dive, but mostly due to the location of the strap button so far down the fret board, not the lower weight of the semi-hollow body

 

[creis2]

yes, the warmoth T hollow body will neck dive, but mostly due to the location of the strap button so far down the fret board, not the lower weight of the semi-hollow body

Do you think this could be a significant dive, or something that is livable?

I see people do stuff like this to their Epiphone Thunderbird, maybe something like this may help?

Not my pic, copied from a TB forum.

I was thinking about this and a thick, suede strap.

 

[Chef]

The Valenti isn't here yet, so I can't speak to neck dive on it.

The fender is a bit divey, but with a suede backed strap, it's workable

 

[hdracer]

No,

They have a hollow body option with F holes for their T-Bass.

http://www.warmoth.com/Bass/CustomTBass.aspx

That is a chambered body.

 

[Chef]

part of the problem with that particular body style (whether it's warmoth, G&L, whomever)
is the upper horn isn't long enough to combat neck dive with a 34" scale.

http://www.usacustomguitars.com/jayhollow.html

 

[fish slapper]

At one time, a warmoth T with F hole was in my sights as well. Then I played a G&L ASAT with one that I figured was the same chamber designed. The neck dive wasn't the worse but was definately there. I'm really picky and can't stand any neck dive at all so it was a deal breaker. There are the extenders but to my tastes, kind of Rube Goldbergs the look. It's long upper horns for me.

 

[Chef]

the asat-man extender is no longer in production.

 

[Siggy]

My Asat had a little dive but a wide leather strap took care of it. My complaint was that with the short upper bout I could hardly reach my G tuner

I know, picky-picky