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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on July 15, 2017 at 7:05pm

You could get a heavy gauge set of strings for a 6 string guitar, use the 4 lowest/wound strings and drop tune them. Problem being that you could only drop tune so far before the strings get too floppy. You may only be able to go down to a C tuning, but it might work out.

I'd rather do a 28" scale. Do it like a headless  neck thru Bass and put the tuners at the end of the neck thru on the bottom side of the box. Use Baritone Guitar strings or Short Scale Bass strings.

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Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on July 17, 2017 at 12:21am

Your main problem will be that bass notes need a big box. Nothing you can build for travel purposes will have any volume without amplification whatsoever.

I have used the ubass strings which are really fat and the open back tuners have a wider shaft compared to the closed back ones macing them better to file out for this purpose. 

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/chanenbacker-bass?context=user

The ubass strings all come with the scale they are made for.

Enjoy

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Permalink Reply by Kirby Amick on July 18, 2017 at 1:03pm

roger that.

yeah  I was totally thinking electric..

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Permalink Reply by JL on July 17, 2017 at 12:59am

depending on what your needs are for a travel bass, to be able to put in the overhead on an airplane?  needs to go in the trunk of a car that can't take a full size in its case?

I did stumble on a 1/2 scale bass guitar at a yard sale for $10, 24.5 in scale, needed rewiring and new strings.  I used regular bass strings on it and they are a little soft but very fun to play, at some point I will order short scale strings for it.  My travel bass is a 30 in scale and uses regular strings.

If it is to be a real bass, you really want to be able to tune it to E1 (41.2 hz) A1 (55 hz)  D2 (73.4 hz) G2 (98 hz).  

Let us know the driver behind this project and I'm sure we can help brainstorm a direction to go.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on July 18, 2017 at 1:36pm

I have a Kala Ubass. It is a baritone uke scale, extremely portable, and uses the weird-ass-but-kewl Pahoehoe strings. It has a 20-1/8" scale, a pickup built into the bridge, and it absolutely thunders!

You could definitely build a CBG version of it.

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Permalink Reply by Kirby Amick on July 18, 2017 at 1:51pm

thanks my challenge is.. I don't have a workshop.. I mostly work small amps and things.. I like wiring but I need most of the parts premade..  any suggestions on kits would be great.  I prefer the sound of the round wound strings but don't know what the ends look like.. are they ball end ?

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Permalink Reply by JL on July 19, 2017 at 3:06am

yes, acoustic or electric bass guitar strings are ball end.

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Permalink Reply by JL on July 19, 2017 at 3:08am

So If I understand correctly, it's not so much a bass to travel as a bass you can do on the kitchen table witout a shop full of power tools to do things like router a channel for a truss rod or band-saw a figurative headstock, yes?  easy with a few hand tools?

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Permalink Reply by Kirby Amick on July 19, 2017 at 11:45am

ideally both..  I'd like to be able to assemble it without a lot of tools and I'd like it to be a travel bass.   I've aactually had this idea about  in between bass and baritone guitar but am trying to decide if it'd be better to make a bass uke.  I don't know what the Kala strings look like

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