Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on August 2, 2010 at 10:40pm

Do a google search on the Longbow Bass. A two string fretless stick affair. There are pics to give you an idea about it. They are not in business.
Don

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brett Morgan on August 2, 2010 at 10:47pm

There's about 6 parts to this, it's a guitar but the principle should be pretty similar just different scale length:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/smokehouseguitars/forum/topics/...

Good luck

Brett

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by pi_r_squared on August 3, 2010 at 2:52am

Roger,

My first attempt was a bass

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/first-build-and-hi-from-a

I used a maple 1x3 and started carving.

It does not have a truss rod. It handles the tension of nylon weed whacker strings fine, but I'm not sure how it would do with steel. After I cut the shape, I "rifle sighted" down the neck before I decided which side I would round off for the back, so I would have a little bit of "up-bow". This worked fine for me, but it might add a whole new dimension if I were building it for someone else.

I'm sure there are things a more experienced builder would do differently. There are a few things I will probably do differently next time. If there are any bits worth stealing, help yourself.

It's pretty much as described and shown there, except the .095 "A-string" was replaced with a .080 and seems to tune better.

I've also added a volume control, caps to tone down the "growl" and a switch to put the growl back in if I want it. Still fighting a nasty hum, but that's in another thread.

Also, the intonation is a little strange, it's about 1/3 of a fret spacing off by the 12th fret, but only on 2 of the three strings. I think I need to break it in more before I really determine if I need to change the layout of the fret-markers or not.

Good luck.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jkevn on August 4, 2010 at 4:28am

This is a 30" scale Bass I built last year. Red Oak neck (no truss rod),maple fret board, big ol Las Cabrillas box and the three lil strings from a regular set of bass strings. Been thumpin for a year with no bowing or other problems.

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/p7080001-1?context=user

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Fitzhugh on August 4, 2010 at 6:10am

You can also go short scale, low tension:
google the following
Pahoehoe Polyurethane Bass Strings
Kala u-bass

I have not tried these, but if you listen to them via youtube they sound promising, and that is out of a small bodied instrument - though only plugged in. No surprise, you get little usable volume and a lack of nice tone un-amped this way.

• ▶ Reply