My custom bass

[lemoley]

For my major product in A-level Product Design I decided to design and manufacture my very own electric bass guitar.

Here's what I ended up with:-

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160106.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160105.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160104.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160103.jpg

... tell me what you think.

Cheers, Mike

[lemoley]

here's some more:-

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160102.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160101.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z68/lemoley/P3160100.jpg

[iamreprogramed]

the little point on the bottom of the lower horn threw me off a bit. the overall shape is a bit rough. looks quility though (like you didnt measure/cut wrong and leave gaps btwn neck and body or pup routing). how's it play?

[lemoley]

it plays like a dream, i love playing it

as for the little 'hook' on the bottom horn, i felt that it gave it a certain sense of originality in stead of just totally copying a Jazz

thanks man

[BassVirtuoso]

Well to be honest...it looks really really really really bad. But as long as it sounds good...

[Thonk]

yeah, it looks pretty bad.

neck looks nice though ^_^

[Thunder Fingers]

Im not meaning to be rude, but it kinda looks like a Thunderbird have been crossed with a jazz bass who allready was crossed with a Steinberger "brom" bass..

And black block inlays with white binding? WTF?

other than that, props for actually building the majority of that bass yourself.

[ebe9]

To be honest, the body shape looks really disjointed, a bit like one of those surealist paintings with the melting clocks.

Too elongated for my tastes, but provided it plays well and sounds good, I suppose thats what matters.

[PaulSimonon]

Cnc?

[Jake=Suck]

what kind of strings are those, they'r what were on my spector when i got it and i wanted to know what brand they were.

[edgebass5]

Quite a noticeable gap you've got at the neck joint based on the shot.

[edgebass5]

what kind of strings are those, they'r what were on my spector when i got it and i wanted to know what brand they were.

Many companies use red silk on the ends of their strings. I highly doubt you'd be able to tell that they were the same just from a photo.

[team_racket]

i really like it. plus the fact you made it is pretty damn cool. ok so its not to everyones tastes, but if it plays well for you then well done. good work.

[EADG]

Many companies use red silk on the ends of their strings. I highly doubt you'd be able to tell that they were the same just from a photo.


Companies use lots of different colours.. I have seen purple and black as well.

The only strings that I've used come to mind that uses red is Rotosound.

[ebe9]

Many companies use red silk on the ends of their strings. I highly doubt you'd be able to tell that they were the same just from a photo.


I am pretty sure Rotosound does.



what kind of strings are those, they'r what were on my spector when i got it and i wanted to know what brand they were.


Perhaps drop Spector an email and ask them.

[sinister]

Such naysayers.

I like it, its cool that you made your own bass.
The electronics bit looks cool in a different colour, though maybe the top could have been a bit more shaped.

How much did it all cost?

*dreams of building own bass*

[PietroCrespi]

I think it might look better if the body were stained a little and the top dipped a little more, but I think it looks good overall. I really like the fret markers. So was this done for a class? Because if it was made that well for your first bass and had to be made in a certain time period, you did really well.

And black block inlays with white binding? WTF?


Roman numerals? WTF? Don't get me wrong, I like your inlays, but they aren't exactly conventional either.

[lemoley]

thanks for the input guys

yeah i know most of it has been negative but hey its my first bass so what ya gonna do

as for how it sounds its great, it is really versatile ranging from treble high punk tones to great deep low sounds and everything in between

[BassVirtuoso]

thanks for the input guys

yeah i know most of it has been negative but hey its my first bass so what ya gonna do

as for how it sounds its great, it is really versatile ranging from treble high punk tones to great deep low sounds and everything in between

Sounding good>looking good. A lot of people forget that nowadays.

[katana_manatee]

Sounding good>looking good. A lot of people forget that nowadays.

Indeed, after all it should be about the music which needs nothing visual.

[lemoley]

oh yeah and the strings are Rotosounds

[Pluperfect_Arson]

Sounding good>looking good. A lot of people forget that nowadays.

This might be true, but, if it doesn't look good in the first place, who's going to want to play a nice sounding bass? :lol:

Regarding the bass, though, I think it is quite interesting. It's not something that I would play, but you seem to enjoy it.

[Jake=Suck]

Perhaps drop Spector an email and ask them.

It was made in 1987, so the guy who used to own it hopefully put new strings on it at some point during those 20 years.

[BassVirtuoso]

This might be true, but, if it doesn't look good in the first place, who's going to want to play a nice sounding bass? :lol:

Regarding the bass, though, I think it is quite interesting. It's not something that I would play, but you seem to enjoy it.

It's a perfect studio bass, you could leave it there and no one would think of taking it.

[iamreprogramed]

It's a perfect studio bass, you could leave it there and no one would think of taking it.

haha brilliant.

and after taking a look again - it's grown on me.

sounds like you really enjoy it and it plays nice. glad to hear that man.

luthier future for mike? :chug:

[Richi]

I think it looks really great. I'd buy it..if I needed a new bass...and was left handed...and actually had money. Anyway, good job.

[thelowsoundofbass]

I don't like the looks really, but the electronics guard is cool. Did you steal the idea from Bud Lecompte? How is the SX neck?

lowsound

[jordan-z]

This might be true, but, if it doesn't look good in the first place, who's going to want to play a nice sounding bass? :lol:

Regarding the bass, though, I think it is quite interesting. It's not something that I would play, but you seem to enjoy it.

so your saying if a bass sounded & played like pure sex, but looked like a branch just broken off the ugly tree you wouldn't want to play it??

/bs

[Pluperfect_Arson]

so your saying if a bass sounded & played like pure sex, but looked like a branch just broken off the ugly tree you wouldn't want to play it??

/bs

Haha, exactly!

Well, actually, what I was saying is that a bass has to be somewhat attractive in order for someone to want to play. How are they to know if it sounds amazing if they don't have the initial attraction to want to play the bass?

o_O

[AlmightyPancake]

Haha, exactly!

Well, actually, what I was saying is that a bass has to be somewhat attractive in order for someone to want to play. How are they to know if it sounds amazing if they don't have the initial attraction to want to play the bass?

o_O
Sound is important. But if you're playing on stage, looks are important too. You can argue this all you want, but that's really where it ends up. You don't want to play on stage if you don't think you look good. Some people look good with ugly basses. I think CT basses are ugly as sin, but Claypool looks fine running around with em.

[Pluperfect_Arson]

Sound is important. But if you're playing on stage, looks are important too. You can argue this all you want, but that's really where it ends up. You don't want to play on stage if you don't think you look good. Some people look good with ugly basses. I think CT basses are ugly as sin, but Claypool looks fine running around with em.

Haha, I know this. I am just being a butthead. I am just saying that it's hard to discover a bass' sound when you are too turned off by it to even play it in the first place. :p

[AlmightyPancake]

Haha, I know this. I am just being a butthead. I am just saying that it's hard to discover a bass' sound when you are too turned off by it to even play it in the first place. :p
I was agreeing with you.

[Pluperfect_Arson]

I was agreeing with you.

Oh, well...

Excellent! :)



/is tired and doing course work :(

[Az_Holl]

Well... if you ever run out of fire wood...

[fortyseven]

I think it's alright! Body seems a bit long but other than that. Got any soundclips?

[Criss Frantic]

I'm gonna side with the "sound over aesthetics" people...i think kubicki's look like total arse but i absolutely love their sound, which makes me want to play one.

On the flip side, I think that Jens Ritter makes some amazingly beautiful works of art, but I can't recall anyone ever praising their tone. (Probably because not many people around here could afford to buy one:p)

[EADG]

I'm gonna side with the "sound over aesthetics" people...


Some would argue that sound is another type of aesthetic preference


But that's just me nitpicking.

[lemoley]

for my years sixth form review i will be playing on stage with my mates using it so i can post a video if you like

(it will also be the first time i have posted me playing anything)