When this grows up, it wants to be a 6-string bass

[tb-player]

I have been consistent in my criticism of 6-string players who play their bass like a guitar. But now that I’m not gigging as much, I’ve decided to see what the fuss is all about & join the bass soloist fray. I couldn’t find a 6 that really turned my crank, so instead, I have Rob Elrick building me a beautiful new 6-string bass.

He sent me a bunch of photos of sample wood and this is the one I settled on. It’s burled buckeye. If you look closely, you can see the outline of the bass drawn on the wood. The finished product will have a Bartolini pickups/pre and a birdseye maple fingerboard.

Not only will this be a 6-string bass, but it will double as a Rohrshach test.

 

[tb-player]

For fun, I did a rough photoshop job to see the shape of the bass. I'm really excited. The finished color will look darker, so this rendering may be closer. I can't wait to see it. It's going to be beautiful.

 

[Bread Knife]

Looks pretty incredible to me! Keep us posted, and congratulations on the project.

 

[Beej]

That is an unbelievable piece of buckeye - absolutely gorgeous.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Looks great and it could also make a great nebula...

 

[tb-player]

Looks pretty incredible to me! Keep us posted, and congratulations on the project.

I definitely will. He hand-carves every bass. I'm hoping for plenty of photos through the entire process.

 

[Barticus]

Only 6?
Why not go for the full 7?

 

[tb-player]

Only 6?
Why not go for the full 7?

Oof! I'm eating my words with the 6. Anything more than that and I'll just grab my guitar.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

Maybe you could call it Mandelbrot

 

[J Wilson]

THIS is a Rorschach test:

They think of everything. Instead of keeping your eyes on this bass . . . . it's got its eyes on YOU. Extra points for the uninterrupted compartment covers.

 

[tb-player]

Maybe you could call it Mandelbrot

True! Of course, all I see is that angry grizzly in the middle.

 

[oranje]

I clearly see the lion of Judaea. I Rastafari.

 

[JanBerisha]

My only problem with the body shape is that the horns are too thin in contrast to the rest of the body, but for the rest, you go! Nice one

 

[N4860]

My only problem with the body shape is that the horns are too thin in contrast to the rest of the body, but for the rest, you go! Nice one

Kind of reminds me of the Parker Fly guitar's in that regard but those are cool anyways in my mind.

 

[Les Fret]

Amazing wood! The inner round piece reminds me of a lion or tiger head.

It’s quite a risk though to have this build if you are unsure if a six string is your thing isn’t it? Why not try a cheaper stock one first?

 

[el murdoque]

I hope you're going with a pickup configuration that leaves the bit in the middle exposed!

 

[tb-player]

My only problem with the body shape is that the horns are too thin in contrast to the rest of the body, but for the rest, you go! Nice one

Keep in mind, the 2nd photo is a rough photoshop using the piece of wood in the 1st photo, which was shot on an angle. The dimensions of the 2nd photo are off, making the bottom appear bigger and the horns appear smaller. The actual bass will be more symmetrical.

 

[wvbass]

That will be beautiful. For my tastes, I would have liked it at least equally well using the other end of the board. Also, I’ve never seen an Elric and not though the body shape was perfectly designed, so your “rough photoshop” raises no eyebrows here.

would love to see the finished bass!

 

[tb-player]

Amazing wood! The inner round piece reminds me of a lion or tiger head.

It’s quite a risk though to have this build if you are unsure if a six string is your thing isn’t it? Why not try a cheaper stock one first?

I’ve played 6s in the past… just never owned one. I’ve owned a number of Elrick 5s over the years. They’re some of my favorite basses. I particularly like the thin, tapered neck. That will work well for me on a 6.

I did look at other, cheaper brands, but didn’t like either the weight or the feel. I checked the Elrick website and chatted with Rob Elrick. They didn’t have any stock basses that caught my eye, so we thought the build would be the way to go… which is cool, because I’ve been talking with him for years about doing a custom build. With the handsome discount I get through my Scott’s Bass Lessons lifetime membership, the build ended up being the less expensive option for me. And I get to choose everything including wood & weight!

 

[Jim Nazium]

...but it will double as a Rohrshach test.