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Wanting to build a bass

I have an old electric bass and I would like to make a two string bass out of it. Can it be done and how? I have it a part so what parts can be reused on the rebuild.If I reuse the neck do I need to remove any frets and if so what ones? What strings would be best to us?

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Permalink Reply by Yellowbelly Flatt on October 28, 2012 at 9:00pm

So, you want to build a 2 string bass from the neck of a 4 string bass. Why only a 2 string bass?

Well, the easy way to build a 2 string bass guitar is to make a note of the scale length - you will need that dimension for the new instrument.

Why alter the neck? It is probably perfectly proportioned, just use 2 machine heads for the 2 strings. You will need a new nut so that the string spacing is better, either for playing or aesthetically.

Will the new instrument be powered by electricity or are you going acoustic? Either way the joint from the neck to the body will need to be very very strong. The body will need to be long enough so that the nut to bridge dimension that was on the original guitar can be accommodated on the new instrument.

You can re use the pick ups and the controls that adjust them and, depending on its design, the bridge.. Don't forget that there will need to be a small angle to the neck as the original axe.

To make life easier - use the 4th (E) string and the 3rd (A) string.

Permalink Reply by Randy Burks on November 8, 2012 at 9:40am

I thought a 2 string would be easier to play. I am disabled and I don't have a good control of my struming hand. I thought 2 strings would be easier for me. I don't know how to play, but I want something easy to play. Is there an easier insrtument I could make out of it?

Permalink Reply by Yellowbelly Flatt on November 8, 2012 at 10:24am

Sorry to hear of your disability. It has often been sain that when it comes to cigar box guitars, there are no rules, so you can do whatever you want.

As a bass player I suggested 4 strings as I would find less than 4 strings very limiting. You have different needs to me, so why not a 2 string bass - or as many or as few as you need.

I stand by my original reply and suggest that a 2 stringer the bottom E and the adjacent A strings would be the best to use as they are the same as a regular bass. This would help learning the instrument and, as a bonus, individual strings can be bought to furnish your instrument.

There are many ways to play the bass and with the two stringer with much more space between the strings this might be something to consider.

You will often see a bass player using their fingers to pluck the strings, but a plectrum can be used and some players use their thumbs in order to 'hammer' the strings in order to play the note.

Permalink Reply by Randy Burks on November 8, 2012 at 11:01am

I have all the strings from the old bass. So would I need to remove any of the frets or not? Do you suggest I just make something else that would be easier to play? I just wanted to make something easy to play and I already had the bass. I was just going to use the neck and pickups.Would something else be easier to play?

Permalink Reply by Yellowbelly Flatt on November 8, 2012 at 11:35am

If you are going to make the bass, DO NOT REMOVE ANY FRETS.

Make or get a box that will accomodate the scale length of the bass and attach the neck, probably with a thick 'plank' of wood that runs the length of the box and will also be used to fix the bridge.

There are easier instruments to make - a Diddley bow' or a 'canjo' but none of them are easier or harder to play than the bass that you are proposing.

Permalink Reply by Randy Burks on November 8, 2012 at 5:46pm

Thanks for all of your help.

Permalink Reply by Randy Burks on November 8, 2012 at 9:44am

I would love to play an instrument. It would give me something to do with my time. I am pretty good a wood working I would love to make a instrument I could play.

Permalink Reply by OldNick on October 29, 2012 at 4:29am