Andyjr1515

I tend to agree with Henry on this one, Myke. You might end up buying another couple of extra sides, but solid wood behaves so differently to ply, I think you are best starting as you mean to continue...that is, with real wood. I think you've seen this but the attached [url="http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/swift%20iv%20acoustic.htm"]http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/swift%20iv%20acoustic.htm[/url] was my very first attempt at an acoustic anything and it worked out just fine. It just needs some careful thought before each action, lots of looking at YouTube clips and not being afraid to ask the clever folks here for guidance This is a great forum for the latter Andy

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1373315426' post='2136135'] Well I'm glad you think so! Unfortunately it seems to be a slow starter as I can't find any plywood thin enough and I don't have a planing machine (not sure you can plane plywood, as it's made of layers) the thinnest available near me is 3.6mm. I may be able to get 1.5mm, if they can order it in, but that may still be too thick? [/quote] Hi, Myke Never made a bass uke but I doubt that you want to be thinner than 1.5mm... Most Ukes seem to be between 1.6mm and 2.5mm so I am sure a bass would be no thinner (and probably the upper end of that range). An acoustic guitar comes out at around 2.4mm and (I gather from the attached link) that a bass uke is similar or same scale length as a 3/4 size classical. I'm sure you can get some 2mm ply from the internet but why not go for the real thing - mahogany? It usually comes thicker so you have to plane / sand / scrape it down, or the attached idea is no bad approach - start with a second hand 3/4 classical: [url="http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Bass-Uke/"]http://www.instructa...d/DIY-Bass-Uke/[/url] 3/4 classical guitars are usually bought for younger musicians who either abandon or grow out of them - very cheap good ones can often be seen on ebay or gumtree. The advantage is that the wood will already be the correct thickness, there or thereabouts Andy

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1373312093' post='2136068'] I probably will to be honest. Well it's not that interesting. I have a ukulele at home which I am always using the two high strings (E and A) to jam on. So since I can't afford a Kala U-Bass I decided to build one. At the moment I'm trying to find a bit of thin plywood to build a prototype on and I'm not sure what woods to use yet. So essentially a U-Bass. [/quote] Sounds pretty interesting to me, Myke! I think any acoustic, uke or otherwise, requires such a steep learning curve and the results can be hugely impressive and satisfying Andy

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1373058269' post='2133407'] Yeah, I spotted that after I pressed post. I know all too well about intonating a bass right now. I have been making new saddles for my bridge and I have spent a lot of time messing about getting it just right. The stupid bridge is designed in such a way that once you've got the intonation right you have to remove the string to get at the grub screw that clamps the saddle in place. Making the saddles is a damned fiddly job, too. They're 12mm x 6mm x 4mm yet each one is taking over an hour to make! Tapping M3 holes is a pain in the bum and I've already broken one tap, another and I'll have to buy a new set. And the saddles are so small that I can't wear my gloves when making them, so until I've nearly done and can file and sand the sharp little edges off them they're bloomin' painful to work with. Fortunately I am a pick player because otherwise I wouldn't be able to play with my right hand right now because the tips are shredded. [/quote] I think you are very brave making your own saddles in the first place! Hope your fingers recover soon...

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1373058911' post='2133414'] So compensating it is just filing it down to get the innotation bang on? [/quote] Yes - exactly. On a standard electric or bass bridge, you can move the saddles forwards or backwards until it's just right. On a fixed bridge, it has to be pretty much in the right place to start with and then the only extra is filing so the 'peak' of the saddle is further forward or backwards for that particular string. With a bass, the basic position and then the angle (top G string shorter, bottom E string longer) is very important if you are using a fixed bridge but the extra tweaking around the width of the bone saddle would be pretty much imperceptible to our ears

[quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1372968554' post='2132335'] Is the string tension generally a bit higher on a straighter neck? [/quote] No - a bit like a stratocaster floating bridge, the bend on the neck is balanced against the string tension so is in equilibrium at a certain pitch. However. the distance you have to press the string is different depending on the straightness of the neck and that affects both the probability of fret buzzes and also the feel of the bass.

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1373056102' post='2133369'] It might just be the light, but that second (straight) bridge looks compensated. Like the second one here: I have one similar to the third one on my Spanish style acoustic guitar. It might be worth considering. [/quote] Actually, if you look closely, the top picture in the original post is also compensated (2nd string filed so the string is at the back of the saddle, etc) The trouble is, the saddle only gives you 1-1.5mm difference, and you need at least 3mm basic difference (just look at the saddle positions on a well-intonated standard bass or 6 string and put a rule along the mean) and then each string is a little bit forward or back from that - so generally the better acoustics have an angled saddle AND a compensated bridge. I know it defies logic, but when did our guitars do anything different

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1373051334' post='2133309'] That's amazing thank you! [/quote] No probs. I've just had a peep at the calculator - for bass it just gives one measurement for the bridge because it assumes the saddles are adjustable. Have a peep at the acoustic (6 string) option - it gives the top E position and the bottom E position and you can see the difference, hence the angle - this will be much the same for a bass and the calculator will work for any scale length

Hi Yes - you need an angle one way or another (an angled bridge or angle the bridge) or you really won't be in tune on the upper notes. Also, the bridge is set a few mm back from the scale length (yes, I know - it's weird). On the Stewmac website there's a calculator which you put in the scale length, etc, and it will tell you EXACTLY how many mm from the nut the bridge needs to be each side of the fretboard, including therefore the extra mm on the bass side to get the required angle. Hope this helps Andy

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1372951855' post='2132074'] In a previous life I played in a synth band that had no backline. Everything went directly into the PA. Getting to gigs was easy and the FoH sound was always good (if a little quiet compared with bands that had drums and guitar amps) but on stage it was always a struggle getting mix where the singers could hear well enough to tell if they were in tune and everyone could actually hear the drum machine and sequenced parts to play in time with them. Then we acquired a pair of our own wedge monitors and a power amp. Using those on stage for the instruments and leaving the main PA foldback for the vocals and suddenly we could hear everything properly and performing on stage became so much easier. That taught me a lot about how to get a decent sound on stage that allows the musicians to be comfortable. [/quote] There's a lot here I would agree with. Clearly, personal experience, but for what its worth: We put everything through our own PA (small / medium venues 400 max) except the drums that has its own amp for the electric kit or acoustic if the stage is big enough. Our FOH is MILES better than any other band we have played with (and they all say 'we must give that a go') because it avoids the 'deafness creep'of each player turning up to hear themselves and also to 'cut through the mix' - a joke really when they have their own 50 watts right behind them...exactly whose mix are they trying to cut through . To the audience, this ends up as just a b****y ear-wrecking white-crackling noise. BUT and it is a BIG BUT - monitoring is a problem. We have a couple of wedge monitors and our main vocalist also takes an aux monitor off the PA into a single earpiece to hear himself and his own instruments. The rest of us have a general band mix through the wedges. This is then the problem area - getting the wedges loud enough without ending up with feedback. We are investigating in-ear but individual mixes are v expensive. The cheap step is to have in-ear with the general mix which MAY be good enough. I'll let you know. Anyway, back to the FOH - we get asked back to venues because 'your sound is so good' (and that's not to do with the quality of our playing ) and we can absolutely control the volume with a balanced mix from unobtrusive background for people who've come to talk to each other, through to venues where people just want to dance to a wall of sound. I'm sure many of you will disagree with this approach but, what the hell... Andy

[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1372891926' post='2131442'] first and last for me, it gives you a clear picture of relief at around frets 7-9. I find the relationship between relief and string height really changes the whole feel of my basses for better and worse. [/quote] Yes - I certainly agree with the last bit . It affects the feel much more than just string height...especially on a fretless

1st and 16th looking for just perceptible movement at 8th fret - same as on a 6 string

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1370891260' post='2107063'] Probably cheaper to buy a Squier VMJ Jaguar than have the routing work done, get a custom scratch plate made and buy another pickup. [/quote] Then, when you've done that, pop a bit of veneer on and hey presto...the black Squier looks like this [attachment=137047:IMG_1502.JPG] Andy

Well, my background was always 6-strings, and then tenor and alto sax - all of which I generally play in our old-gits' band (oh, and also the bongos. Everyone laughs at my bongos but they're the only ones I've got and I'm quietly proud of them ). BUT, as a band we swop around quite a lot and our bassist fancies himself as a lead player (he's pretty good, though we don't tell him that). During those numbers, I get to play his fretless bass and I JUST LOVE playing it. The tenor sax just takes the edge, but playing the bass beats all the other instruments hands down. Could not explain why and I'd never played one before a couple of years ago but it is just great to play bass. This is the bass, by the way...I built it for him based on the fabulous Jack Bruce Thumb 4. It came out well [attachment=137045:IMG_2562smenh.jpg] [attachment=137046:IMG_2563smenh.jpg] Andy

[quote name='GeeCee' timestamp='1366138772' post='2048902'] Looks like burr camphor or madrone to me. [/quote] Never thought of those two - I'll have a look when I get back to Old Blighty tonight :-)

[quote name='mike 110' timestamp='1365630728' post='2042220'] That is a thing of beauty , well done mate ! [/quote] Thanks, Mike Andy

[quote name='artisan' timestamp='1365175987' post='2036413'] My god that is beautiful you clever clever person you .) [/quote] Flattery will get you absolutely everywhere Thanks. It is being used in anger tomorrow by Pete, our old-gits-band's bassist, at his daughter's wedding where we are the evening act - no pressure, then... Andy

Well spotted and researched. Great job

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1364053367' post='2021424'] Not Burr Walnut? [/quote] No - I've done a few veneer jobs in burr walnut but that is quite different. This one was described on fleabay as 'Exotic Hardwood veneer'. Hopefully not the last slice of the last tree of the last species!

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1363973263' post='2020419'] That is a magnificent piece of work! [/quote] Why thank you, kind sir (takes a long, low bow) It is a bit of a favourite. The weird thing is that it took about 1/20th of the time of my Jack Bruce Fretless tribute (see elsewhere in Gear Porn & Build Diaries), but to my eyes, looks just as impressive. Much of it, however, is to do with the magnificent piece of veneer - which I have NEVER been able to find anything close since. I can't even find out what it is. This is its natural (varnished) colour so it is close to Amboyna - but Amboyna has a very distinctive smell which this one didn't. If anyone out there knows what it is (or has something similar) pleeeease let me know In the meantime, thanks again, Big Stu Andy

Oooooo - that looks nice

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1363118125' post='2008886'] Beautiful looking bass. I have a Warwick Thumb BO 4 lefty and was contemplating a 5 string NT fretless. Have you ever built a lefty? Is it the exact same process? [/quote] Hi Although I've never built one, the process is identical. The nut would need to be popped on the other way round and the bridge would either need to be a lefty version or a bit of careful filing, etc and a bit of imagination with the control chamber cover, but the basic construction would be identical.

[quote name='yepmop' timestamp='1363120036' post='2008929'] Top quality finish, well done, what does it play like? [/quote] I'm pleased to say it plays superbly well. In terms of the neck, I think there was lots of beginners luck involved! For the neck profile, I took templates from the customers existing favourite fretted Yamaha so it has a very similar feel. I spent a lot of time making sure the fretboard was really flat and the Warwick adjustable nut meant easy to get all four strings JUST touching the fretboard. Lots of adjustment on the bridge too - I am really impressed with the Warwick hardware and its very reasonable pricing. The pups sound great and the SD preamp gives it all tonal variations our bassist needs. Proof of the pudding is that every time our band plays, our bassist comments how nice it is to play...and usually he's a right misery :-) I'm the band's reserve bassist and, although fretless is not my forte, it feels great.

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1363119056' post='2008912'] Amazing to follow. How many hours approx was the build? [/quote]. I'm not sure but I started it in October during a weeks holiday (maybe 20hours?) then it was any spare time I had during otherwise busy (and dry) weekends finishing it in mid December. Probably around 50 hours all in - could have that completely wrong! Andy

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1362159328' post='1996652'] I look forward to your future builds, the sky would be the limit for you if you actually had a workshop...and didnt need to use a patio table as a workbench lol. Kudos! [/quote] My wife would say that the rest of the house IS my workshop A very angry lady and I have no idea what I could have possible done wrong