Comment

Comment by J.D. on September 6, 2017 at 2:43am

Nice job!

Comment by Mike Conquer on August 30, 2017 at 8:07pm

I've posted a short video.

Comment by Mike Conquer on August 30, 2017 at 8:25am

During the last year I've learnt how to steam bend ply and stuff like that - it's mostly trial and error and done in the kitchen and garage without specialist tools. If you fancy having a go - I'll offer my experiences far .....

My best sounding instrument is not the one illustrated but it uses a commercial resonator in my body design so doesn't count as 'cigar box' and is so heavy that I don't play it often. I need to redesign the body over the winter. It was an early attempt - mk3.

Comment by Diglydog on August 30, 2017 at 6:47am

Yeah, I saw the kits around the £35 - £45 mark.  Then I got distracted by the Caramel Bass ukulele for £105, which looks quite nice.  The thing that I like about your instrument is that you haven't just slapped some rubber strings on an old guitar - it's a novel idea to try to get some tone out of the strings acoustically and it looks unique.

I think that they do sound like an upright, probably because of the low string tension compared to a standard bass guitar.

It's certainly something to think about as a project.

Comment by Mike Conquer on August 30, 2017 at 6:25am

By the way....

It's not difficult to make your own uke bass. There's a guy in the UK selling a kit on eBay that you use with a 1/2 size guitar. It includes a set of strings, bridge and instructions...

I adapted his idea of using the guitar neck and made the body using thin ply.

Comment by Mike Conquer on August 30, 2017 at 6:12am

Tthe problem I have with the uke bass is that it has no tone without an amp - particularly the low E. My bass has a bridge transducer and sounds a bit like a double bass through an amp. Acoustically it is loud enough to hear what I'm playing but can't compete with loud instruments.

I've been experimenting with different 'found' resonators the mixing bowl replaced a cheap stainless curry bowl and then a fruit bowl.


I'm no bass player so it'll take a couple of days to get a video/audio file.

Comment by Diglydog on August 30, 2017 at 5:49am

Very nice. I had a first play with a uBass last week and have been looking at the cheap Chinese ones as well as considering making one.  I like the idea of the recycled kids' guitar neck.  Any chance of a vid to show the sound ? 

Comment by Mike Conquer on August 30, 2017 at 3:50am

Not bad - better than a uBass - but I'm still fiddling with it...

Comment by the anonymous pick on August 30, 2017 at 3:28am

awesome . how's she sound ?