Spoombung

Meet Mike and Steve - the brains, the hands and the boiler suits behind the Zoot operation. Working from a windowless, workshop deep in one of the darkest corners of rain-soaked Essex, there is a smell of sawdust, tobacco, fairy cakes and doughnuts about these two (the sweet smell of success) as they toil relentlessly transforming bits of wood, bark, plastic, wire and glue into sensual objects of beauty. They are agents of the fundamental, ministers of 100 hz - 250 hz.

"Well Steve, that's the most impressively proportioned lower horn I've ever seen" "It's a fierce pancake, alright, Mike"

[quote name='steve-soar' post='388972' date='Jan 22 2009, 08:01 PM']What pickups and pre are you thinking of? Do you still have your Bass Machine? I loved the sound of that old girl.[/quote] You mean the H&H? Yeah, I've still got that! Weighs a ton and the volume fades down - then surges up all by itself. I'm going to put EMG Hz's in it together with an ACG pre (hopefully). Pickups have me STUMPed!

[quote name='7string' post='388957' date='Jan 22 2009, 07:50 PM']Be great to see this develop into the final instrument [/quote] I'm going to meet two men with sawdust in their hair tomorrow...

[quote name='budget bassist' post='388947' date='Jan 22 2009, 07:45 PM']I think that looks really nice now you've shaved a bit off the lower horn Also i vote headstock A. Also is that trans amber on a flamed maple top what you're going to go for or do you have any other ideas? Personally i think a nice deep blue would look really good on a nice piece of really well defined flamed maple, mmmmm[/quote] I really like that golden colour on the pic of the Pedulla but I'm probably going to go for a natural oil finish

[quote name='peted' post='388585' date='Jan 22 2009, 02:52 PM']I like it. The body make me think of Ritter and has very pleasing lines and proportions.[/quote] Thanks. I always think ergonomics should come first. We're humans - are bodies are curved (I'm getting more curvier as the years pass) - so we like our instruments curved. If we were spiders we'd probably like metal basses. If we were robots we'd like headless basses or Rickenbackers.

There's a presence here. What's through here? Let's have a look... Hmm. Curves. Lines, a waist and curious, waving, panicking arms. Were you born of some queer magic? Just look at those curves. When are you going to sing for me?

[quote name='Mikey R' post='388327' date='Jan 22 2009, 11:11 AM']Hey, did you choose a builder? I cant remember...[/quote] Yes - it's been a difficult decision, but I've had to base it on locality so it'll be Mike from 'Zoot'. They work in Witham, Essex - an hour and a half's drive from me

Right, as you can see, I thought I might as well try bringing the lower horn in line with the bottom of the bass (it makes a lot of sense aesthetically). First I sawed off a couple of cm's on the hardboard model and - Hey Presto - it doesn't seem to have any adverse effect on anchoring the bass in the pivot position I want. The other advantage is I can now definitely get the bass into a gig bag. Great, I'm nearly there. Next up: the headstock.

[quote name='Longmayyourun' post='388282' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:26 AM']That lower horn is troubling me from a strength point of view - there's a lot of short grain and therefor weakness. I'm thinking if the body were a laminated sandwich type then the centre laminate could be placed at an angle to give some long grain in the horn which would strengthen it a lot, but machining the body shape would then become a little more tricky as the grain would be running out at all sorts of weird angles - a bit like trying to get a clean edge on plywood, no matter how you went at it you'd be working against the grain. Just my thoughts. I love what you're doing with this. Can't wait to see it taking shape.[/quote] You share the same concerns as me. I'm going to have to chat about it with the builder - I know nothing about woods and grains - so I'll have to trust him. I do remember loads of people saying the same things about Pedulla horns but I've never heard any horror stories about them - so there's obviously a trick to it.

[quote name='tonybassplayer' post='388208' date='Jan 22 2009, 09:05 AM']Definitely A from my view point, it just looks perfect[/quote] Yes. I think I agree. A version of 'A'. Looking at those drawings again - Jeez, the lower horn is long - so I might consider shaving off another cm or so.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='388094' date='Jan 21 2009, 11:30 PM']In proportion to the rest of the bass...[/quote] I'd quite like something that would echo the panicking waving arms of the jelly octopus Queen.

[quote name='ped' post='388103' date='Jan 21 2009, 11:34 PM']C I rekkon. I hope you don't decide soon because this is all classic banter.[/quote] Gotta decide soon as I'm getting a bit bored with all the drawings! Classic banter?

[quote name='BigRedX' post='388068' date='Jan 21 2009, 11:05 PM']A, I think. The headstock,s just a bit too long on B.[/quote] Too long for what?

Okay, unfortunately these pics haven't come out that well due to cheap camera and flash (it's actually a very sophisticated drawing, I'll have you know) but have a look and see what you think. I think there's a clear winner there myself but I'm interested to hear what you think. Have a listen to one of my tracks while you decide: [url="http://tinpanalley.biz/spoombung/I%20Saw%20Spoombung%27s%20Daughter%20Consumed%20by%20Kirby%20Dots/03-Enter%20Valentino%20Welding.mp3"]Enter Valentino Welding[/url]

[quote name='MB1' post='387952' date='Jan 21 2009, 08:19 PM']MB1. Hello ! ......Boils the size of Fifty p's,lights,camel, Action!.....Charlton Heston put his vest on! ....Sorry!...I'll get me Coat! [/quote] haha!

[quote name='MB1' post='387844' date='Jan 21 2009, 06:31 PM']MB1. Beginning to think theres a Stan Lee thing going on here!.. [/quote] Uh-huh. I refer you to my own illustrations for my Kirby Dots album:

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='387805' date='Jan 21 2009, 05:52 PM']I think that you set the tone for this thread when you posted the picture with the mosaic'd-out lower horn. S.P.[/quote] Yes, you maybe right. And now nobody's going to take me seriously or give me the credit I deserve for my brilliant, designer bass brain.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='387778' date='Jan 21 2009, 05:35 PM'](sorry, it felt like things were getting a little too sensible round here). S.P.[/quote] You started it!

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='387754' date='Jan 21 2009, 05:13 PM']Think that would be a pretty large breakage risk.[/quote] That comment is probably even more sensible than S.P's sensible comment. Yes, headstocks get bashed EVERY DAY (in my experience)

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='387704' date='Jan 21 2009, 04:41 PM']What about making the headstock the same shape as the body, albeit smaller? S.P.[/quote] A sensible suggestion for once! That's not a bad idea - I'll sketch it out tonight but it might look as if I've caught an octopus on the end of the neck or something. It also might look like a Ritter.

Well, I'm just preparing the final drawing before it goes off to the builder. It's been a bit slow today due to some little errors - I expanded the scale length half an inch to 31" but I moved the neck the wrong way in relation to the body and had to start again. D-oh! Tonight I'll be mostly sketching headstocks - but to aid me I've finished a scaled-down drawing of the body and neck to help judge the appearance a bit easier. If any of you look at this thread late at night I might have a few more drawings up here for your delectation if I get around to posting them. It's a good thing I've taken some time off work as I wouldn't be able to do this sort of thing normally (cough).

[quote name='tauzero' post='387363' date='Jan 21 2009, 12:03 PM']There's the Ergo bass look: [/quote] [i]That [/i]is fantastic!

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='387372' date='Jan 21 2009, 12:10 PM']If you're struggling to come up with a headstock design, then why not just make it a headless? (ducks) S.P.[/quote] ...why I oughta...!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='386887' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:45 PM']If you'd like I'll try and find time at the weekend to put together some Alumitone sound clips for you from my fretless Helix.[/quote] Yes please!