Spoombung

[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!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='386887' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:45 PM']The Gus basses in particular have a massive output even in passive mode that puts most active basses in the shade![/quote] Do you find that using the same pre amp means you can get similar sounds from each bass?

[quote name='7string' post='386862' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:36 PM']I thought that some of your drawings looked a bit Brian Moore-ish [/quote] I [i]really[/i] like that.