Electric Upright Bass (EUB) Project
 

This thread will be about the EUB that I am building and is going to serve as progress picture thread.

Hopefully things will turn out as I plan considering this is my first attempt at lutherie, but by no means my first attempt with wood working.


Right, some of the specifications of this bass.

Scale: 35/36 (This is still very open at this point)

[U][B]Woods:[/B][/U]

- Buginga (aka African Rosewood)
- Wenge (aka Panga Panga)

The neck/central core of this bass is made of bubinga with a "skunk stripe" of wenge.

The wings will be made out of Bubinga with a wenge top.

The fingerboard will be fretless and at this point is going to be out of wenge. I am still trying to track down some ebony if it is at all possible. Lets just say that fretboard at this stage is also open to change.


[B][U]Hardware:[/U][/B]

- Nordstrand Dual Coil Pickups (Series Version)
- Hipshot "A" Style Bridge
- VT VT Setup with two 3-way switches for Parallel/Series/Single Coil (500k Pots)

[I][B]Please not that there will be several edits to this thread as things are changed and adapted, thus there might not always be pictures for viewing[/B][/I]


[U][B]A link to a PDF file of the body design:[/B][/U]

[url]http://www.freewebs.com/ebe9/PDF%20Files/EUB%20Potential%20Body%20Design%20001.pdf[/url]

[U][B]A link to a PDF file of the headstock design:[/B][/U]

[url]http://www.freewebs.com/ebe9/PDF%20Files/EUB%20Potential%20Headstock%20Design%20001.pdf[/url]

[B][U]A link to a PDF file of the tail piece design:[/U][/B]

[url]http://www.freewebs.com/ebe9/PDF%20Files/EUB%20Potential%20Tail%20Piece%20Design%20001.pdf[/url]



Now the Interesting stuff, Pictures:


The central neck core:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03807.jpg[/IMG]


Close up of the central neck core:


[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03814.jpg[/IMG]


Neck core out of clamps:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03828.jpg[/IMG]


Close up of Neck core out of clamps:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03826.jpg[/IMG]

Piece of Bubinga to be used for one of the wings:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03818.jpg[/IMG]


Piece of Bubinga and Pange Pange (Wenge) for the other wing and the fingerboard:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03869.jpg[/IMG]


Close up of fingerboard wood to show detailing:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03870.jpg[/IMG]


Another close up of the fingerboard:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03871.jpg[/IMG]

All timber for this project:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03875.jpg[/IMG]


Piece of brass for the nut:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03882.jpg[/IMG]


Basic layout of hardware and finalised single cut away design:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03888.jpg[/IMG]


Just a different perspective of the above picture:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03891.jpg[/IMG]

Neck core with wings:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03894.jpg[/IMG]


Close up of neck core with embedded steel rod for reinforcement:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03896.jpg[/IMG]


Neck core with wings and hardware/electronics 001:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03897.jpg[/IMG]


Neck core with wings and hardware/electronics 002:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03899.jpg[/IMG]

Close up of neck core with wongs and hardware/electronics:

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03898.jpg[/IMG]


Central neck core with rough cut away for neck portion

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03901.jpg[/IMG]


Central core with wings (now laminated)

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03902.jpg[/IMG]


Cut out for control cavity in wing

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03909.jpg[/IMG]

Detail shot of wings (free foot fetish p[U]o[/U]rn included)

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03903.jpg[/IMG]


Close up of wing 001

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03905.jpg[/IMG]


Close up of wing 002

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/ebe9/EUB%20Project/DSC03907.jpg[/IMG]

Do you have a rough sketch of what the bass will look like?

[QUOTE=the101er]Do you have a rough sketch of what the bass will look like?[/QUOTE]


Well the headstock is still under design as well as the body wings.

So at this point it is just the neck/central core that is being shaped and worked on

The wings of course are glued on at a later point to make working with the bulk of the bass easier.


If you want a rough idea of what I am doing have a look at the Dean Pace Bass and the Warwick Triumph for the basic design idea.

That looks sweet!

you should do an alembic style thing at the bottom of the bass

EDIT: like this
[IMG]http://www3.alembic.com/img/inst/13490_tailpieceL.jpg[/IMG]

Don't it's repulsive and looks like something you shouldn't be able to see.

Any chance of an update? :)

[quote=Jamie;13334111]Any chance of an update? :)[/quote]


Sorry about nothing being up. I have been moving house so the last few weekends have been dedicated to other things.

I am planning on working more on it this weekend, so hopefully more pics soon.


EDIT:


Not really an update, but is related to this project. I ordered some Nordstrand DC Pickups and a Hipshot A Style bridge, so hopefully those will be arriving within the next 2 weeks.

ooo Nordstrands, how much did that set you back, plus are you going to add an onboard pre-amp to the bass and if so which one?

[quote=HELLonWHEELS;13336364]ooo Nordstrands, how much did that set you back, plus are you going to add an onboard pre-amp to the bass and if so which one?[/quote]

The Nordstrands cost me US$229 from [url]http://www.bestbassgear.com[/url]

and at this point there is going to be no pre amp, just good old Volume Tone Volume Tone and two 3 way switches for changing the pickups between Series/Single Coil/Parallel.


I might add a preamp at a later stage and I will make allowences for it in the control cavity.

I have head very good things about a Nordstrand-Demeter combo. Hey i can't get away from the Roscoe forum on talkbass

[quote=HELLonWHEELS;13337131]I have head very good things about a Nordstrand-Demeter combo. Hey i can't get away from the Roscoe forum on talkbass[/quote]


The very forum that turned me onto the idea of the Nordstrands.

Plus the fact that the Guys at Nordstard are really good guys and willing to offer all sorts of advice, they were what sealed the deal for me as far as pickups went.

[QUOTE=Polyamarous;13231485]Don't it's repulsive and looks like something you shouldn't be able to see.[/QUOTE]

You're insane. That is so sweet...

hi five brotha

EDIT:its purple hazer, just to clear up any confusion

[quote=Son of Magni;13350661]You're insane. That is so sweet...[/quote]

Are you kidding?
It looks like the reproductive organ of a male spider.

sexy :naughty:

Can't wait to see the finished pics.

New pics available.

where?

[quote=Jimbobntnr;13360446]where?[/quote]


Top of the thread, I make a whole lot of reserved posts so that the pictures would all be together and not spread out.


Post 4 and 5 if that helps.

[QUOTE=ebe9;13360479]Top of the thread, I make a whole lot of reserved posts so that the pictures would all be together and not spread out.


Post 4 and 5 if that helps.[/QUOTE]
ingenious. Looks good so far. Good luck with that nut, I'm far too lazy for that.

srsly sweet, i cant wait to see the finished project

Dude, please change that body design, it just looks like a Les Paul on it's side :(

[quote=the101er;13365514]Dude, please change that body design, it just looks like a Les Paul on it's side :([/quote]


The body shape has been changed.

It now looks like a love child of a Fodera, Skjold and a Nordstrand.

The picture however is to scale and as such cannot be scanned. I will try and organise some photos, but would rather you see the body shape as it progresses.

For a double bass, it looks just like a normal bass in those sketches?

Updates available

[quote=Polyamarous;13402998]For a double bass, it looks just like a normal bass in those sketches?[/quote]

Its not meant to be a true EUB, more of a normal fretless in upright form, like the Dean Pace Bass or the Barker Bass.

[QUOTE=ebe9;13403015]Its not meant to be a true EUB, more of a normal fretless in upright form, like the Dean Pace Bass or the Barker Bass.[/QUOTE]

That's what I was wondering. It definately looks more like an upright electric than an electric upright.

thats ****ing sweet man i gotta do that one day

Ready for Routin'

Updates bump

fvcking awesome mang!

Well Good and Bad news time.


Bad news is that I am going to have to re-do the neck core from scratch.

It is starting to split apart due to insufficient glue used, partly my fault partly somebody who I though had more knowledge about glueing's fault.



Good News, I still have plenty of timber and now know more about what I am doing.



Basically the new neck core is going to be slightly thinner than the previous monster I made. It is also going to have more laminates in it to add strength and I have ordered a trussrod from Stewmac, so that will go in there and the neck will be slightly thinner too.


Guess its just one of those things, but at least now I have had the experience and can learn from it.

What kind of truss rod are you going to use?

[quote=HELLonWHEELS;13512197]What kind of truss rod are you going to use?[/quote]


A dual action 1/8 one from stewmac.

I feel that way I can make the neck slightly less bulky, as the trussrod would allow me to adjust it.

Now all I am trying to find out is if I need to glue it in place. Been browsing talkbass.com but am still a bit unsure at this point.