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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 6, 2016 at 1:07pm

Hey Brent, this is one I made a few months ago. It's a 32' scale length so the neck length depends on the size box you're using. I put Rotosound bass strings on it with factory bass bridge and tuners. I'll send a link to the vid so you can hear it.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 6, 2016 at 11:40pm

That should have read 32" scale!

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 6, 2016 at 1:09pm

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/cigar-box-bass-down-in-the-boon...

Here's the vid.

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on January 6, 2016 at 4:33pm

Hey Brent,

I made a stand up bass as my last build. It was my first venture into the bass world.  I found a few things to be different - there are a number of common scale lengths for electric, classical or whatever.  The strings are obviously heavy and will pull on the neck a bit although they aren't generally as tensioned.  The tuners are heavier to hold the strings.  I found some basses are fretless, even electric ones, and I ended up going that route.  A lot depends on if you want electric or acoustic sound.  I used a fairly large box and it is bassy but without a lot of volume.  Also after a short time of fooling around with it I already have marks from the strings as they ride pretty close the fretboard (fretless board?) and hit it when you pluck harder.

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Permalink Reply by JL on January 7, 2016 at 12:44am

the basics of a bass guitar are the same as a git, the main differences you will want to consider:

34" scale is standard for bass guitar (nearly 10" more neck than a 24-25.5 scale cbg)

Bass strings are thicker (45 65 85 105) and pull about 45# of tension each, compared to guitar strings (12 16 24 32 42 53) which pull about 25# of tension each. the neck will have to be strong & stiff.

the lower the note the bigger the box needed to give it any volume in acoustic mode.  that's why orchestral double bass has a body as big as a steamer trunk.   

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Permalink Reply by sparky37 on January 7, 2016 at 11:49am

I am basing my box bass guitar build on this instrument  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgGHgO4myEk  I believe there is interview that he has with Justin Johnson on his website http://www.charlesatchison.com/#!videos/cee5. The wine box size he is using is about 20" to 24" long 11" to 12" wide and 5" to 6" deep and a 34" scale is used. These boxes are available on line  http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-Joseph-Phelps-Napa-Valley-Insignia-6-b...  Atchison's bass guitar build uses only two strings and a wheelbarrow handle frettless neck thought the box and it is designed to play sitting down. I plan to use a standard four strings. I am still working out the dimensions for the neck blank, but will be at lest 2 1/4" wide and 4 feet long. 

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