Comment

Comment by Where's Uranus? on June 13, 2015 at 5:14am

OK the bass machine opens you way up, because they'll take pretty much anything.

Depends which octave you want to hit. You probably won't want the same tension on a diddley bow as you will on a regular bass, so a G string might even go down as far as the G below or so. (3rd fret on E) if you're using a piezo, you can use any string material you like.

I figured losing your bottle was a pun.

It's up to you what you use, nylon is easier on the finger than steel. I'd go hit a B&Q and see what they have in the way of nylon line for strimmers and the like. Looks like the common sizes are 1.6mm and 2.4mm  Or 062 and 094 in guitar/bass gauges.

My current love affair is with an ancient Kay bass and Fender nylon tapewound strings. Every time I play a bass with steel strings I wonder why it hurts.

Comment by Hex on June 13, 2015 at 4:25am

Oh BTW I will be using piazios I think and a proper bass machine head.

Comment by Hex on June 13, 2015 at 4:23am

I was thinking of using a G string since I tune all my guitars to open G. I play on my own, I'm not good enough to play with anyone else I don't think and I lost my bottle (That's nerve over the pond) getting up in front of people a while back, not good, I used to be a teacher.

Comment by Where's Uranus? on June 13, 2015 at 2:32am

Man, I wondered how you even did that. This is a very subjective question, so I'll sorta cover all the basses ;)

Diddley bows 'traditionally' would be steel strung, with some kind of baling / fencing wire.  But I mean the whole point of this is use what you have to hand.

Things that will affect it will be:

1. What are you using as a tuning peg

2. Are you amplifying it

3. Magnetic pickup or piezo

4. Do you have a specific note in mind (are you accompanying other players)

A magnetic pickup, requires a metal string, a piezo pickup doesn't care, you can use some weedwhacker line, whatever makes a noise.

Your local hardware store, or Walmart, carries both weedwhacker line, and picture hanging wire / steel wire, or you could go get a real bass string.

Whatever you get has to fit in your tuning peg, so that's a consideration too.

Comment by Hex on June 13, 2015 at 1:45am

I have sent everyone a message out of sheer incompetence, I think I should have posted here instead. My question was about didley bow bass. I am half way through a build using a wine box and a hickory pick axe handle. I am looking at a scale length of 34 inches, what string and tuning should I be using?

Comment by Jay Corwin on June 10, 2015 at 6:57am

I found someone.

Comment by Where's Uranus? on June 5, 2015 at 4:15am

Where you at, there's a local builder often advertising on our craigslists.

You could maybe place a bass wanted ad on http://decatur.craigslst.org/msg I don't see any of his ads there right now.

Comment by Jay Corwin on June 5, 2015 at 1:15am

Are there any builders out there interested in making me a CBB? I'd be looking for a basic cheapo fretless with weedwackers - 2 or 3 strings. Something I could beat the crap out of and not worry about. Pm me or email me:

jcorwin196@gmail.com

thanks

Comment by Daniel Walter on April 17, 2015 at 6:36am

A view of my tuning system.

Comment by Daniel Walter on April 16, 2015 at 9:45am

i'm sorry, Where's Uranus already gave me an answer. i'll try DD'A', EAD or ZZZZZZZZZZZ

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• …
• 44
• Next ›
• Page