This is my entry into the 2020 winter build off: Winter Build Off 2020 - Air Space
I've been fascinated by Uke Basses for a while and am taking the build-off as an opportunity to build one. This will be my first "acoustic" style instrument (although it will have a piezo under the saddle). I will be learning as I go in terms of things like bending the sides, etc.
This will be 20 3/4" scale (I'm using a 24.75" guitar fretboard cut down a few frets). Fretboard is ebony, will probably be bound with maple. Maple and cherry laminated neck. Walnut back and sides - the back has some sapwood and light figure which adds some interest. Top is a nice piece of curly redwood I've had stashed. Top of the body may be bound with maple too, if I feel confident bending the maple.
The only hardware I have so far is the strings and some bone for the saddle. I am going to use cutoffs from a scrapped ebony fretboard blank for the bridge. Abalone markers for the freboard and I have abalone strips on order for the soundhole rosette.
I have bracewood and blocks for the heel and neck tenon stashed away somewhere, I couldn't find them for the photo.
I found plans online for a baritone Uke that I am adopting. The body and neck on these plans measure exactly the same dimensions as the Kala u-bass so I figure it's "good enough" as a starting point.
Prior to the buildoff I took advantage of the rules mentioned in the pre-kickoff thread to make a jig for bending the sides, and gluing the neck blank together. It's going to be spotty over the next few weeks finding time to work on this, so the head start will be helpful.
The timing of building this uke bass for the buildoff is perfect, as my son's birthday is in March. He started playing bass this past summer after we built him the headless bass featured in The "other" zombie bass build - I'm planning on having this uke bass completed in time to give him for his birthday, so he can have an "around the house" bass to play for fun versus going down to the basement music room to play his electric bass. I'm excited about the build off, and excited to be making an acoustic instrument, but mostly excited to be making something for him!
I've been fascinated by Uke Basses for a while and am taking the build-off as an opportunity to build one. This will be my first "acoustic" style instrument (although it will have a piezo under the saddle). I will be learning as I go in terms of things like bending the sides, etc.
This will be 20 3/4" scale (I'm using a 24.75" guitar fretboard cut down a few frets). Fretboard is ebony, will probably be bound with maple. Maple and cherry laminated neck. Walnut back and sides - the back has some sapwood and light figure which adds some interest. Top is a nice piece of curly redwood I've had stashed. Top of the body may be bound with maple too, if I feel confident bending the maple.
The only hardware I have so far is the strings and some bone for the saddle. I am going to use cutoffs from a scrapped ebony fretboard blank for the bridge. Abalone markers for the freboard and I have abalone strips on order for the soundhole rosette.
I have bracewood and blocks for the heel and neck tenon stashed away somewhere, I couldn't find them for the photo.
I found plans online for a baritone Uke that I am adopting. The body and neck on these plans measure exactly the same dimensions as the Kala u-bass so I figure it's "good enough" as a starting point.
Prior to the buildoff I took advantage of the rules mentioned in the pre-kickoff thread to make a jig for bending the sides, and gluing the neck blank together. It's going to be spotty over the next few weeks finding time to work on this, so the head start will be helpful.
The timing of building this uke bass for the buildoff is perfect, as my son's birthday is in March. He started playing bass this past summer after we built him the headless bass featured in The "other" zombie bass build - I'm planning on having this uke bass completed in time to give him for his birthday, so he can have an "around the house" bass to play for fun versus going down to the basement music room to play his electric bass. I'm excited about the build off, and excited to be making an acoustic instrument, but mostly excited to be making something for him!
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