Who has made a curved back body?

[gjbassist]

I am thinking it would be nice to have a Spector type contoured body but on a more traditional shape. Has anyone here built a curved back bass body? If so what method did you use to contour the back? Did you have to use a thicker body blank to compensate for the curvature?

 

[Musiclogic]

A few of us here have, there is a thread about 1 method, Search "arch top". May give some good threads.
As for myself, yes, used thicker body blank if trying to achieve 1 3/4" or 1 5/8" final thickness, but seeing as Spectors were only 1 1/2" thick, standard body blank worked fine.
My preferred method for this type of body has always been using curved rails to shape the top and back, and sand to final feel, but it's a rare request, so not too common to do on any level, many different ways to attack it.

 

[abarson]

Something like this?
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[Grant Bass]

glue a 3 piece body with the outer wings gluing surface on a 35(ish) degree angle; save the most wood

 

[Musiclogic]

glue a 3 piece body with the outer wings gluing surface on a 35(ish) degree angle; save the most wood

This is the way I have seen people try, but unless you precurve the wings, it is extremely difficult to get a smooth arc on the back, but much easier to complete the front.

 

[Grant Bass]

nah; c'mon man; use the same method you described with 2 reversible concave convex rails to route it out and hold the curved body; its just to save wood and time.

 

[Musiclogic]

nah; c'mon man; use the same method you described with 2 reversible concave convex rails to route it out and hold the curved body; its just to save wood and time.

Oh yeah, that woud definately work, never even thought about combining the approaches.... Good point Grant

 

[Thumpin_P]

nah; c'mon man; use the same method you described with 2 reversible concave convex rails to route it out and hold the curved body; its just to save wood and time.

Pardon my ignorance, Grant...
What do you mean by "rails"? I am at the conception stage of building, going to school in the fall, and still learning a lot of tool terminology and resources.
Thanks,

Thumpin_P

 

[Ricky Anderson]

something like this ??:
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My friend's, I don't like how it feels when I play it.
Any advantage from this curved back?
maybe it just doesn't work for me because I'm slim, but maybe good if you have big belly

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Here's how I do a similar kind of thing with the wing angles at glue up time. ROS on the back you can really get it pretty smooth and curved.

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Cheers,
Dirk

 

[Grant Bass]

rails arnt really luthier termonology persay; more just a vauge description; your gonna find yourself making alot of jigs for both with a router and not; rails refers to rods channels whatev. that you use to guide your router on; a picture speaks a thousand words, but i have none;
a router on a swing could work well too! like fretboard radiusing?

 

[Thumpin_P]

very interesting, I would not have thought to use a router in that method. I am just used to seeing straight cuts, cavities, rounding over the sides. That is an interesting method. Seems like it would work well, too. What kind of bit? I have been contemplating this kind of build for a while, I agree with the 35 degree angle, I was just going to use large rasps to smooth it out. This is in theory, though... Thanks for the advice.

 

[pilotjones]

very interesting, I would not have thought to use a router in that method. I am just used to seeing straight cuts, cavities, rounding over the sides. That is an interesting method. Seems like it would work well, too. What kind of bit? I have been contemplating this kind of build for a while, I agree with the 35 degree angle, I was just going to use large rasps to smooth it out. This is in theory, though... Thanks for the advice.

3.5 degree, maybe?

 

[Thumpin_P]

3.5 degree, maybe?

oops...yeah

 

[mcapote]

maybe it just doesn't work for me because I'm slim, but maybe good if you have big belly

hey i resemble that remark
maybe thats why i like my spector so much LOL

 

[Grant Bass]

ya lol!
i have no idea what the 'angle degree' would be, so dont quote the "35" deg.
for any kinda 'hogging' that is nt being plunged into a template; i would use a bullnose bit

 

[pilotjones]

Whether the curved back is going to feel better or worse than a traditional Fender belly cut, or none at all, will be dependent both on your body shape, and on where you wear the bass. If you wear it high or low, it may be less comfortable.

 

[Big B.]

I have put a lot of thought into an EUB with an arched body and have decided to laminate 1/8" pieces of wood across a curved form to build up the body in layers. (yeah, I know you guys have a hard time believing that) In effect it would be like press gluing several thin tops together to make a body.

 

[Grant Bass]

I have put a lot of thought into an EUB with an arched body and have decided to laminate 1/8" pieces of wood across a curved form to build up the body in layers. (yeah, I know you guys have a hard time believing that) In effect it would be like press gluing several thin tops together to make a body.

who would ever do such a crazy thing!!

 

[Musiclogic]

I have put a lot of thought into an EUB with an arched body and have decided to laminate 1/8" pieces of wood across a curved form to build up the body in layers. (yeah, I know you guys have a hard time believing that) In effect it would be like press gluing several thin tops together to make a body.

The Tone Nazi's will get ya Brandon, that's waaaaaayyyy too much of a glue to wood ratio, and will make it sound brittle....LMFAO