Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fergus Lester on January 24, 2019 at 4:12am

I meant on a CG bass with magnetic pickup. Was thinking 2 or 3 strings max but which ones?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on January 24, 2019 at 9:57am

You can do as many as you want , as long as you support , truss  and make it strong enough to handle it .. but there is alot involved there .

as a "safer" alternative  , you  can get away  with a 2 stringer  short scale bass   , using  the 2  fat  strings  from a special drop d guitar  string pack  . they will still  fit the  regular tuners  , and  a good piece of oak will  be  sufficient for a 25.5  scale through neck . (and can always be converted back to a regular 2 or  3 string guitar  with a string swap)

(i've done a couple that way )  2 and 3 stringers .

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/swamp-witch-guitar-short-bass-h...

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/swamp-witch-2-string-bass-guita...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on January 24, 2019 at 12:47pm

hate to add my 2 cents, check out my photo of short scale bass. use E, A, D, or E and G for two string. i was surprised how good the short scale sounded, but as pick says, make the neck strong. hard wood and a thick neck will work and feel good, rock oak on bottom......the suggestion to use the two fat strings for a drop d is great......i sing bass and love bass gits....

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on January 24, 2019 at 1:01pm

whole bass.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Korrigan on January 24, 2019 at 2:02pm

For me at least 3 strings, EAD preferred . If you only do two strings you are really going to miss out on a lot of easy and iconic bass lines, as well as easy walking bass.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on January 25, 2019 at 5:57am

me too, thats what i am making. EAD 3 string 30" short scale bass. just waiting on the truss rod to turn up.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kigar on January 28, 2019 at 1:43pm

You can do a 32-34" two string without a truss rod, just use a 1x2 turned sideways.  It is four times as stiff this way. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on January 28, 2019 at 3:00pm

i agree. truss rod, smush schrod. just use hard wood. Martin guitars used static reinforcement till the 80's and still today. they used a piece of T shaped steel. see my "deadly diddly", named by Uncle John. 1x3 turned sideways like Kigar recommends. one, two, or three strings, just laminate or use wood not affected easily by humidity. Or use the "Martin" method. I like carbon fiber rods, inexpensive, and effective. It's a CBG, you can make it work and play. the 3 string pictured above hasn't moved for years. rock hard maple..... a truss rod, contrary to popular belief, is not to make the neck straight, but to provide some "relief" so the strings don't buzz against the frets. what do i know, just trying to share in the discussion.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on January 28, 2019 at 3:15pm

oh, and like pick's links say, a bass is a different animal, don't plug it into a guitar amp, shred city. way too low. i made a really nice amp out of an old rifle case. then i made a one string bass using a square piece of extruded aluminum. some friends came over, plugged the one string into the nice new amp, had a jam, some beers, and the amp was garbage.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Key on January 29, 2019 at 11:55am

If you are math nerds, D'Addario has this pdf on their site.

http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf

It includes all the data for all of their strings and the formula to determine the "weight" of the pull of a string based on tuning and length.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Korrigan on January 29, 2019 at 12:53pm

These are even easier...

String Diameter Calculator

String Tension Calculator

  : )

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Key on January 29, 2019 at 1:09pm

Very nice! I hadn't seen those.

• ▶ Reply