After building a dozen CB Ukes, I came across a beautiful 48" long piece of Redheart lumber that I couldn't bear to cut down for a uke. So I found a bigger cigar box on vacation in NOLA (a "Cuban Spliff"; only a crazy CBGer brings home an empty cigar box from Mardi Gras...), and now I'm making a standing bass. I'm puzzling about the scale length, but 35" seems about right --- like a short scale bass guitar --- if I want the neck to go through the box and out what will be the bottom. I've already installed a 6-inch resonator. I plan to use a flying trapeze for a mandolin as the tailpiece. I'm going to make a puck and install a piezo rod pick-up under the saddle. I'm using horn for the saddle; I couldn't find a big enough piece of bone. I'm going to taper the yellowheart fingerboard from about 1-1/2 at the nut to about 2 inches at the bottom, and I'm going to leave it fretless. But I think I'll install markers on the side of the fingerboard at the first octave (first G harmonic), at D above the first octave and at the second octave (higher G harmonic). Apparently installing markers on the fingerboard is crass to bass players. I planned to load it with strings for a standing bass (GDAE from high to low), but --- expletive deleted --- they're expensive. I'd like to use something classier than weed whacker line.
OK. So. Does anyone have any experience building these things who might like to comment and offer suggestions and tips. Is a 35" scale enough? Will a mando tailpiece work? Does that mean I need strings with a little loop or the end, or will ball ends work? What relatively economical strings should I get? Any thoughts? Thanks CBGers!
Larry
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Most traditional basses (guitar style) are 34-35" scale, so that should work just fine... I might worry about the string pull without a truss rod.
You'll need a raised fretboard otherwise the tailpiece might leave the action too high... Other than that, it sounds like a phenomenal idea!
I've made 2-string bass out of 1x2 maple with a Brazilian cherry (Jatoba) fretboard...
Thank you!
I've been using inexpensive Orphee strings on my 3 stringers (their regular RX Slinky equivalents) and am happy with the results. You could give these a try, they are from their High End line.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Orphee-DEB-9X-Electric-Bass-Strings-045-100...
Thank you!
I made a nice weed wacker line ("nylon stringed") bass guitar a while back that came out great. I had to source the different thickness line from eBay, but the customer and I thought it sounded great.I want to build another, as well as a Suitcase Standup Bass. Maybe I'll get the guts when I have a clear cut plan...
Thanks, Brian. I'm going to try a couple of string choices to see which I like most.
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