Spoombung

Well, I'll be a son of a gun. It actually feels very comfortable! I'm heading in the right direction The lower horn is still looking inevitably, rather risque, but I can see if I shave off another cm from the end and deepen the oval shape of the lower body it might look better. I might as well sweep the curve a bit more at the forearm ease and lower the angle of the upper horn and work toward squeezing the body design into a gig bag. The top of bass is more mysterious to me because, I suppose, theoretically, there is really no need for the top part of a solid, wooden, electric instrument at all -other than to have an upper horn to attach a strap. The temptation is to go a bit radical but the puritan in me is resisting.

Okay, it's back to the drawing board - with a bit of liquid help - and a few more modifications, re-drawing and a couple of cutouts. Hopefully I can filter out the X- rated content of the previous effort and try and restrain myself a little. Well, you, know, that's not too bad and quite a bit closer to what I'm aiming for. Instead of an ugly, crooked phallus it's starting to resemble a shapely woman waving enthusiastically with the promise of a box of chocolates and a peck on the cheek. Unfortunately Other aspects of the shape are starting to worry me now - like the rather elevated upper horn (oh, the trouble I have with horns) and I suspect it won't fit into a regular gig bag. Hmmm.

Oh God, that's...HUGE.....and quite obscene! No! No! I can't have that. I'm going to have to censor it!

What the....?! Well I said an [i]extended lower horn [/i]but this is ridiculous...and rather rude. You've got to be joking!

After 25 years of playing fretless bass I’ve decided I’m in need of frets now and sliding harmonics about and generally farting around slurring all the notes in my usual Hopperesque confused imbroglio is not always appropriate to the type of music I’m making these days. It’s time to design and commission a new bass! Well, I recently purchased a Danelectro short scale and have discovered the joys of being able to stretch my hand over over 4 frets and low string tension without making an effort. It’s been quite a revelation because I’d always dismissed short scales in the past because all the basses on offer were not really to my taste and no one really made a hi-fi model except Alembic, which would have me filing for bankruptcy as soon as the cheque bounced. But I just don’t like the £200 Dano enough: it’s crudely made and the sounds are limited but more than that, it also has the one thing in common with most bass guitars that I just can’t get on with: the inability to pivot the instrument up to a nice playing position while seated. I think this is mainly due to the [i]fashionably reduced lower horn [/i]on modern basses (stop sniggering in class). Most basses are great for playing standing but a lot of them slip of your lap seated. Let’s pick on a typical example, this washburn bass, for instance: I always play my bass seated at home. The only time I strap it on when I go to the toilet. So I’m going to start this whole project by cutting a shape out of hardboard around my leg and extending the lower horn and we'll go from there. Let’s see what happens… Okay, I'm using my girlfriend's jigsaw and workbench (Women have all the powertools these days). God, it's noisy. If it's too loud I'm too old.

Anybody got ant experience with Q -Tuner pickups? They look pretty, but it strikes me the screws at the side are decidedly unsensual if your thumb has to come in contact with them all the time

[quote name='Veils' post='382214' date='Jan 16 2009, 12:05 PM']Delano ftw[/quote] Hmm I thought about this: because it looks the bees knees on basses like this: the only trouble is I think it's pole pieces and that might not suit the string spacing

[quote name='Fraktal' post='382274' date='Jan 16 2009, 12:33 PM']Im dying to try these new pickups. Here is a video that explains the technology behind them: [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI8sMJVjHrY"]Lace Alumitone pickups explained[/url] And here you can listen to their sound: [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NDhKQJcODsQ&feature=related"]Lace Helix bass review[/url][/quote] Ooo I've just been reading about those.

[quote name='Delberthot' post='382212' date='Jan 16 2009, 12:05 PM']I converted a tired bolt on rick copy to a 5 stringer and put an EMG 35DC pickup in the bridge position and it sounded fantastic.[/quote] Can you define 'fantastic'?

I'm having custom bass made soon and I'm currently scratching my head trying to decide what pickup to put in it. There is only room for ONE pickup because of the design and I would like to put this in the bridge position for good mids and harmonics. I like a 'compressed' sort of sound - not too dynamic with a round bass, fat midrange and thin glassy top. The pickup can be active or passive. The string taper from the nut is quite severe so it may require a soapbar. Any suggestions, bass people? Soundfiles are a plus!

[quote name='henry norton' post='380429' date='Jan 14 2009, 04:55 PM']My ten year old son is starting to take an interest in playing bass but my precision is too big and heavy for him. Bearing in mind he might get bored of it fairly quickly, can anyone recommend a lightweight short scale bass that doesn't go for Guild Starfire type money?[/quote] Try the Danelectro. About £200

[quote name='evilLordJuju' post='379892' date='Jan 14 2009, 12:47 AM']If you want one as a player, i'd get a battered one on ebay and replace the bridge and tuners.[/quote] Yeah. that's what I thought.

[i]Prosebass[/i] will know where to get them.

Anyone played one of these?: The neck is almost like a broom handle it's so thin and round. It really is gorgeous to play (especially with a pic) - but the the bridge is ropey and the strings are also narrow at the bridge as well as the nut. I wish [i]at least one[/i] of the big guitar companies would make a narrow necked bass like this again. Get this: Wunjo and Andy's both have one for £450! Oh, Jesus, I still expect to pick these basses up for £25 in a junk shop.....

[quote name='Golchen' post='376106' date='Jan 10 2009, 01:27 PM']What???? and you don't think that non-musicians think the same of bass players?[/quote] Not really.

I always felt very sorry for Chapman Stick players. I mean... it must be like taking a shed load of maths homework back for the weekend, or something.

Hi Paul, I'd love to try one your new basses when they're up and running. I'm surprised you've abandoned the headless idea - but I think that's good because of the unbalancing element. Also string- through is a very good idea. Are you going to angle the headstock or have a straight one with string retainers (like a Wal, for instance)? BTW, since we talked about a short scale I've been sketching out a new body so I look forward to talking to you soon and showing you some of the sketches...

Shame about their website. They've got one of those permanent [i]'Site under construction'[/i] things going on and a link to their old site with inadequate info and tiny pictures. I'd love to have a go on one, though. Anyone know how much they cost?

[quote name='zigmondo' post='354466' date='Dec 14 2008, 07:05 PM']I didn't even buy the bass from him yet he's invariably answered my enquiries with patience and generosity. I'm quite convinced that were you to set your heart on an AC, you'd get an instrument made with a fine and rare degree of skill, and one in which you'd be included in every step of the build.[/quote] Yeah, it's obvious Alan is very accommodating and a great communicator. Nice bass BTW.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='354488' date='Dec 14 2008, 07:35 PM']Hi Shaun glad you ended up with the Harlot, I think Alans basses are Britains best kept secrets. When you hear guitarists talking about their Les Pauls, the don't often moan about the weight but they always celebrate the tone. Kev, maybe a light Alder bodied bass, with wenge bubinga neck would be nice?[/quote] Yeah, I was thinking along those lines - although I don't find those highly ornate woods used on the facings of many custom basses too appealing.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='354441' date='Dec 14 2008, 06:40 PM']Hi Kev do you or Ticklish have any shows up north in the near future? If so I could bring the ACG along for you to see, it's a sixer, so be warned, heavy. PS I'll sing for you, I have quite a high tenor. Kind of alto-macho. [/quote] That's a nice thought, but Ticklish are all but retired these days (we were one of the first UK groups to sit round a table and perform on laptops with visual projections) but then [i]everyone[/i] started doing it and from a performance point of view I thought the group had become outdated. I still think we managed to make some of the squelchiest abstract electronica around.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='354253' date='Dec 14 2008, 02:33 PM']If you are that bothered why not try one of the custom builders in and around london. GB, Sei and Zoot spring immediately to mind.[/quote] Well, the Sei basses look lovely but they start at £2200! Jesus! And if I asked them for a 30" scale no doubt the price would rise again. The GB and Zoot websites are dead so I can't tell what kind of thing they do. It all boils down to the same problem - I'd like to play an example first.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='353885' date='Dec 13 2008, 09:15 PM']Hi Kev I own a lefty ACG Recurve Singlecut and when seated I play it as you describe. I ordered the bass blind because of the price and because I had done a lot of research and plenty of chats with Alan. Lefties are hard to find with custom builds that you are interested in, so a leap of faith was required. I'm glad I did because it is a great bass in every respect and the neck is so much better than say for instance, a Wal. Playablity and tone wise it is very good. I'm sure someone on here would let you try theirs, good luck and PM me if you need anything else. Steve.[/quote] Hi Steve Excellent! I'm really glad it work out. I know what you mean about Wal necks; I had Pete trim 10 tons of wood off mine so it's even thinner than a Jazz Bass - so I've got the only playable Wal bass in Christendom

[quote name='skelf' post='353795' date='Dec 13 2008, 06:56 PM']All the body shape I have are no bigger than they need to be in order to accommodate the hardware and work on an aethestic level. Scale length and woods are at customer discretion but if it is full of heavy woods I would point this out before we get under way. I am with you on the basses being as small as is reasonable.[/quote] I realise that, Alan, it was'nt aimed at your basses, it was just general comment on basses getting bigger and bigger! Actually, I went to the Bass Gallery looking for quality short scale. There were hundreds of basses but only one shortie - a £120 Squier. "Oh yeah, everyone comes in here looking for short scales but nobody makes 'em" was the shop assistant's comment.

[quote name='7string' post='353845' date='Dec 13 2008, 08:08 PM']...and ACG is only a cheapy 1 hour flight away. I've gone from London to Glasgow with Ryanair for 1p + Tax. One penny. Comes out about roughly £8 each way!! Virgin Trains are pretty cheap too.[/quote] Very funny!