Winter Build Off, Bassilet

[Crawforde]

It’s starting to look like I may actually finish this one.
the Worm cinnamon bun just showed up in a google search.
It’s hilarious. My daughter got a huge kick out of too. My wife thinks we are crazy.
Blessed is the maker in his sticky sweetness. lol. We were going back and forth on the phone with things like that.
I’m afraid my wife thinks that we are part of a cult now.

 

[Crawforde]

Since I made this in the hopes that I could bow it, I was going to put an Endpin in.
But it sits comfortably on my legs in a da gamba like position. As long as I don’t put the jack in the Endpin spot I can always add one later if it’s too unstable or uncomfortable to play like that.

 

[Reedt2000]

View attachment 4968229 View attachment 4968230 View attachment 4968231 View attachment 4968232 View attachment 4968233 It’s starting to look like I may actually finish this one.
the Worm cinnamon bun just showed up in a google search.
It’s hilarious. My daughter got a huge kick out of too. My wife thinks we are crazy.
Blessed is the maker in his sticky sweetness. lol. We were going back and forth on the phone with things like that.
I’m afraid my wife thinks that we are part of a cult now.

Dune...

Arrakis...

Dessert planet...

 

[Crawforde]

No dessert today.
But I got a bit of the arching done on the top plates and I’m getting ready to mount the piezos, drill the Endpin hole, and glue the top on to get ready for final shaping and then smoothing. there is a small chance this could be finished by the deadline. With the thin arched back and top, and the hollowed out neck and fingerboard this should have a nice woody tone. It might even be loud enough for solo jamming on the couch.
the grain on the top boards looks good, I’m tempted to not cut a sound hole even though the original idea was to have a sand worm shaped hole on one side, and maybe a pair of round holes to represent the moons of Arrakis on the other.

 

[Beej]

Looking good

 

[Crawforde]

Glued it up yesterday.
Shaping and smoothing today
I may even make it to a stage where a look at the grain is possible.

 

[hawk400]

Enjoying this build, carry on!

 

[Crawforde]

Thank you sir!
I’m still undecided on the worm so will probably go without for now. If a good idea for a shape/ design comes I can always cut it in later.
It has changed quite a bit since the original concept sketch.

 

[Crawforde]

I was preparing to drill it out for the Endpin and was playing around with positioning.
Sitting down, it seemed simple to play and bow it held upright by megs like a vila da gamba.
Of course without a nut, bridge, or strings, and only imaginary hair on the bow, it sang beautifully. so like the worm sound hole, the Endpin may get fit at a later date if needed.

 

[Crawforde]

Gotta love grain pop day
There is still smoothing and sanding to do.
But before that goes too far I’ll mount the tuners, string it up and test out the wild Arakeen bridge.

 

[Crawforde]

I put some shellac on.
there is still sanding and smoothing to do before I can really start the French polishing. But this will do for now. I roughed out a nut made from the same wood as the fingerboard. Later on tonight I think I’ll put the tuners on, string it up and see if it’s playable. I’m sure adjustments and more finishing will be needed, but I’m going to try and make it playable by Monday. mid I can do that and get a sound sample then it can get broken down and made pretty later.
I finished a bow today too, so I’ll be able to try and bow it and see if it needs the Endpin or not.

 

[Crawforde]

See the little viotar (violin guitar?) I made that for my daughter. She will be home tonight, and flys back to Washington tomorrow. I told her this morning before she went to her friends wedding that I’d finish it today and she could take it home on the plane.
I broke the neck off the body by being stupid and clumsy after the final polishing. Rushing some repairs now. will probably have to use some epoxy given the time constraints.

 

[Crawforde]

And more not so great news.
I mounted the tuners, and they look cool at an angle, like the hawks wings .
I also strung it up. And tried to play it.
This needs to go back to the workshop.
The neck is still too chunky
Nut adjustments
The body is too narrow to bow da gamba style, I’ll put the Endpin in.
I am not happy with the piezos and am seriously tempted to cut an access hole in the back, and then try to mount my P pickup, that will be some touchy chisel work.
Unplugged on the couch the sound is ok, but very quiet. I may add the sound hole.
I have the house to myself for a couple hours today so I will start the work.

And yes, the bridge is carved to represent a sand worm. I also have another I made from epoxy. That one may look better but I’m not done with it yet. This one is overbuilt so there is room for height and intonation adjustments before it gets it’s final smoothing.

 

[hawk400]

Problems notwithstanding, it's an original and beautiful piece of work. Tweak away!

 

[Beej]

It looks awesome.

 

[Max Bogosity]

Nice!

Sound hole on the side? I put one on the bass side of my EUB, and while it will never be mistaken for a proper acoustic instrument, it significantly adds to the volume at the player's position.

 

[Crawforde]

Good idea on the player side sound hole. I had considered one when gluing it up, but decided not to for some forgotten reason.
I’ll play with this a little bit between (during ) some of the morning meetings and mark it up for material removal and the Endpin drill. I may hold off on the magnetic pickup if I can change the feel and tone a bit and give some life to the piezos.
Maybe a sound hole on top will allow some more vibration and sweeten up the piezo.

 

[Crawforde]

I might just squeak in by the deadline.

It’s hanging in the garage with a coat of shellac on it.
Once it’s dry I’ll bring it in and string it up.

 

[Crawforde]

Two possible bridges

 

[Crawforde]

And some paddles
Because if you aren’t building or playing a bass there isn’t anything half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.