Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris on August 9, 2013 at 9:12am

I believe people go with ADG simply because on a short scale it's easier to get down to those notes without the string being floppy.  When you say short scale do you mean 30"?  EAD is certainly possible.

Permalink Reply by Diglydog on August 9, 2013 at 9:08pm

Thanks for the reply Chris.  Yes, I'm planning on a 30" scale.  I have a long enough piece of oak for a 34" scale but thought that a 30" scale neck would be stiffer (for the same neck profile) and would reduce the string tension a bit.

Permalink Reply by Chris on August 10, 2013 at 2:56am

30" is great for a bass.  The bass I primarily play these days (after going through very many of differing sizes and shapes) has a 30" scale length.  I would recommend a truss rod if you can, just because even the stiffest neck might move a bit with changes in humidity and temperature.  However you do it, I'm sure you'll love it!

Permalink Reply by Diglydog on August 10, 2013 at 7:10am

I've been playing with my long scale bass this afternoon and I see what you mean about string tension.  The E is most prone to fret buzz so dropping some tension on a shorter scale may make that worse.  I'll probably go for the conventional wisdom of ADG, but there's a way to go before it has strings on it.  It's a rough cut neck and a box at the moment.  I'll have a think about the feasibility of a truss rod.  Thanks for your advice !

Permalink Reply by Chris on August 10, 2013 at 9:06am

You can always make the strings "tighter" or "stiffer" by using larger gauge strings.  I like Circle K strings because they offer every size imaginable and have a chart that lets you calculate the tension they'll be at a given scale length.  You can always experiment, and strings are relatively cheap!

Permalink Reply by Diglydog on August 10, 2013 at 8:11pm

Yeah, I'll have to do a bit of research on strings and see what will work best.  Strings are relatively cheap but they're still quite expensive compared with the guitar strings I use for CBG :-)

Permalink Reply by eK on August 16, 2013 at 2:47pm

My experience with short scale basses (I've owned several) is that the E string lacks definition compared to a 34" 4-string standard or the 35" 5-string scale. Even on a quality instrument with good pickups, the notes on the open string plus the bottom three frets of the E are often indistinguishable from one another.

The thing that makes a short scale bass interesting to my ears is the very different character that the shorter scale strings have. Terms like "tubbier" or "rounder" come closest to it. And the place where it's most marked is on the G string. The sound of the short-scale vs long-scale G is very different - so much so that short scale basses (and flatwound strings) are making a bit of a comeback now that new players are rediscovering that 60's sort of sound.

Regarding a truss rod - having an adjustable one would allow you to set the neck relief which could make for better tuning stability and a more comfortable neck action. With an inch thick oak neck however, I wonder if an adjustable truss rod would really be able to have any effect on the relief at all since oak is so stiff to begin with. I'd suspect you'd strip the truss rod long before you'd be able to exert enough pressure to significantly alter the bow in an oak neck. But the only way to really find out would be to try, I guess.

A fixed truss rod may help prevent warping over the long term. But I wonder... Installing one probably wouldn't hurt. Although I doubt it would do anything much other than increase the weight of the neck.

Permalink Reply by Diglydog on August 16, 2013 at 8:59pm

Thanks for the explanation eK, it's really helpful.  I didn't fit a truss rod but kept as much wood in the neck as possible.  I don't really have the tools/skills/confidence to fit one to this build.  Maybe on a later model.

This is what it looks like at the moment.  It's just placed together and the neck needs finishing, fretting and fitting, along with the pickup and controls, but you get the general idea.

Permalink Reply by eK on August 19, 2013 at 4:25am

That is one lovely looking build - and the biggest cigarbox I've ever seen.

Can't wait to hear it when you're finished. Good luck! :-)

Permalink Reply by Diglydog on August 19, 2013 at 6:36am

Thanks eK.  I got the box from Darren Manion who bought a tobacco shop display from a museum.  It's an old (1960s ?) box from Florida, quite shallow but nice and big.  I finished the neck today so I'm hoping to get it assembled tomorrow as long as the varnish doesn't need any major re-visits.

Permalink Reply by Diglydog on August 20, 2013 at 8:53pm

Well, it is completed.  I put a few pics on my page and a vid (see link).  I'm happy with the sound of it but just need to trim the nut down a bit as it's way too high at the moment.  Thanks for your advice, the ADG tuning sounds lovely !

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/digly-bass

Permalink Reply by eK on August 23, 2013 at 12:11pm

Just caught the demos over in video. That's one nice bass! Love the sound.

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