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Winter Build Off, Bassilet

#61
E4B15F27-DAF9-4304-85C9-501EA811046A.jpeg

It is coming along.
I’ve been adjusting the nut and bridge, making small changes, and making it comfortable. I am slowly getting used to having 5 strings, and being fretless. It is an enjoyable process. The piezos sound a bit better after the bridge switch and adjustments but I’m still not happy with the sound. Once I get the nut and bridge adjusted, I will destring it, plane the fingerboard a little in a couple places to get rid of a little noise, and install the P pickups and pots. Unplugged the sound on the 4 highest strings is really nice for noodling around on the couch. The low string is very quiet as you would expect but still audible with a hockey game on the TV.
 
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#68
The current look.
D2B99E51-7991-45E2-BC3F-C53085855EF2.jpeg
It is fun to noodle on.
loud enough to hear, quiet enough to not wake anyone up.
Plugged in is very nice, it’s my first P bass.
Bowing is, difficult. I can hit each string independently and make a reasonable sound. if I am slow, and careful, and stick to open strings. It will take some practice just to play scales.
I have started making a capo for this that may make bowing easier. it is actually just a new bridge with a more pronounced curve set just enough in front of the current bridge to get it to EADGC from DGCFBb.
Once I get it all set, I’ll take it back apart and finish finishing it.
 
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#74
Thanks.
this is my first bowed, fretless, and 5-string so the whole thing is challenging.
My daughter is a violin player, her early bowing days on a 1/2 size violin were many years ago and I think I’ve recovered. By the time she got to a full size instrument she made it look easy and sound good.
I’ve already started planning another build for a four-string with a good bit more acoustic potential. I have a piece of spruce big enough for a bass viol da gamba for the soundboard, I think a more traditional thin-waisted design to facilitate bowing is in order and I’ll work on the fretless 5-string and plucking skills with this one with some bowing thrown in for fun.
On the rare occasion when I get a smooth clean stroke, even if just trying to play a scale, the sound is motivating.
The low string is almost silent plucked, and even quiet when bowed, but sounds nice when plugged in.
 
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#76
Max Bogosity said:
Bowing is really unforgiving. Not only is it hard to do, but when you do get it right it highlights pitch errors that you could probably get away with when playing pizzicato.
Click to expand...
I was able to get an in-person lesson with an upright bass teacher, and they pointed out some critical errors I was making that aren't intuitive. Best $100 I spent on my EUB.
 
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#77
Max Bogosity said:
Bowing is really unforgiving. Not only is it hard to do, but when you do get it right it highlights pitch errors that you could probably get away with when playing pizzicato.
Click to expand...
That's funny: when I was 9 my violin teacher told me this the other way around. When bowing, you can listen and quickly correct any out-of-tune notes; when plucking, you cannot do that because the note dies away before you have a chance to correct it. That's what she said. :D

Now I don't know whether either viewpoint is "correct" or "false", maybe there's more to it...
 
#78
Flamingo21 said:
That's funny: when I was 9 my violin teacher told me this the other way around. When bowing, you can listen and quickly correct any out-of-tune notes; when plucking, you cannot do that because the note dies away before you have a chance to correct it. That's what she said. :D

Now I don't know whether either viewpoint is "correct" or "false", maybe there's more to it...
Click to expand...

I think both are saying the same thing, a long sustained note highlights intonation issues because the note doesn't die out so you know it's bad and can correct it. A plucked note dies out so close enough is often fine unless playing unison with another instrument as a violin often has to.
 
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#79
I took it back apart, replaned the fingerboard, and reshaped the back of the neck to make it more comfortable horizontal as well as upright. I think my hand likes a lot more depth and mass upright than it does when holding it horizontally. I’m trial and erroring my way to a good compromise.
I also took a bit off the sides to facilitate the bow when it’s upright.
By the time this is finished it is going to look like an antique. I’ve just been putting a little shellac on after shaping and smoothing as I go for protection. once it’s completely done and comfortable maybe I’ll sand and refinish the whole thing, but I really don’t mind it showing the scars of it’s evolution a bit as long as the neck is smooth.
also I broke a string. I had a short scale round wound string and tried it.
Sounds crappy acoustically and through the pickup. A new flatwound string is on the way.
 
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