The Aluminium/Aluminum Double Bass **Mega Thread** :)

[Happy Jack]

 

[NickA]

Sounds suprisingly good ...what can be heard behind the guitar and vocals.

 

Need a volume control for your guitarist tho.  More bass !!!!

 

( non bass players may not agree 🙂 )

Edited September 2, 2023 by NickA

[Happy Jack]

10 hours ago, NickA said:

More bass !!!!

 

Are you listening on your phone again? 🤨

 

😄

[Andyjr1515]

Sounds pretty good from here!  And it looks utterly splendid.  I'd missed the thread previously - stunning.

[Beedster]

So, had something of a catastrophe, bridge down mid-rehearsal, soundpost fell. Never had this happen before. Should I be looking to use a soundpost tool and do it myself or are there any issues with doing this on an aluminium instrument I need to consider?

 

I guess I would simply unscrew the body and reinstall it but suspect that might introduce a whole new set of problems  

[NickA]

Give it a go. Surely less damage to be done on a tin bass than on a wooden one. I presume the sound post is wood not aluminium! 

 

My dad used to do sound posts on cellos all the time ...I have his special tool ..but have yet to try it. Seems like one of those hard to learn but invaluable skills one should have.

[NickA]

13 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Are you listening on your phone again? 🤨

 

😄

You expect me to subject my HiFi to rockabilly?

 

...it was an android tablet, so you're close 🤣😂🤣

[Downunderwonder]

13 hours ago, Beedster said:

So, had something of a catastrophe, bridge down mid-rehearsal, soundpost fell. Never had this happen before. Should I be looking to use a soundpost tool and do it myself or are there any issues with doing this on an aluminium instrument I need to consider?

 

I guess I would simply unscrew the body and reinstall it but suspect that might introduce a whole new set of problems  

It's demo'd on a cutaway cello so I am guessing not so different on a bass either. Definitely not unscrewing your bass!

 

You need to know where it is supposed to go, and the prepped tool, bass size. And the kahunas. No screwdriver.

[alyctes]

When I've done it on a cello I've used a piece of aluminium channel folded over at either side so you can run a piece of string down each side.  Then put the post in the loop.  Fiddly, but it works.

[Downunderwonder]

2 minutes ago, alyctes said:

When I've done it on a cello I've used a piece of aluminium channel folded over at either side so you can run a piece of string down each side.  Then put the post in the loop.  Fiddly, but it works.

Also a 1 shot deal?

[alyctes]

Just now, Downunderwonder said:

Also a 1 shot deal?

Nope, you can try again.  The point of the channel is that you can let go one end of the string when the post is in place.

[Downunderwonder]

1 minute ago, alyctes said:

Nope, you can try again.  The point of the channel is that you can let go one end of the string when the post is in place.

Can you make a sketch of your gizmo because I can't 'see' it. I know what aluminium channel looks like but past that it's not computing.

[alyctes]

Not tonight I can't.  I can have a go tomorrow. 

 

Okay, "channel" might be the wrong word. 

Take a piece of aluminium strip, long enough to reach the post position and still give you about five inches outside the F-hole.

Fold each of the two long sides inward so that each side has a channel big enough for your twine to run in it, but keeping the twine from escaping sideways.

Run the twine up both sides of the aluminium so there's a loop at one end.

Put the sound-post in the loop.

Hold the twine so that it tightens on the post.  Now you've got a T-shaped assembly, held together because you're keeping the twine tight.

Manoeuvre the post in through the F-hole and into the correct place.  Pull or push as appropriate.

When it's in the right place, let go one end of the twine.  Now the post is in place and not attached to the aluminium.

 

Pull the twine and the aluminium out, and store them somewhere for next time.

 

If I knew where mine was I'd take a pic but it's somewhere in my personal chaos and it might take a week to find it.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by alyctes

[Downunderwonder]

Obviously a lot more going on than I can envisage and a complete waste of your time trying to describe to me sorry. Loosing the plot at T shape and not seeing the orientations, all clouded by how I think a piece of aluminum channel strip looks and how I think I might do it with a piece of string....

 

Looking forward to the picture.

 

Btw most of the sketches I post are done at work on back of an envelope and phone does the rest.

[alyctes]

16 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Obviously a lot more going on than I can envisage and a complete waste of your time trying to describe to me sorry. Loosing the plot at T shape and not seeing the orientations, all clouded by how I think a piece of aluminum channel strip looks and how I think I might do it with a piece of string....

 

Looking forward to the picture.

 

Btw most of the sketches I post are done at work on back of an envelope and phone does the rest.

 

Okay, the aluminium:

 

 

[alyctes]

16 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Obviously a lot more going on than I can envisage and a complete waste of your time trying to describe to me sorry. Loosing the plot at T shape and not seeing the orientations, all clouded by how I think a piece of aluminum channel strip looks and how I think I might do it with a piece of string....

 

Looking forward to the picture.

 

Btw most of the sketches I post are done at work on back of an envelope and phone does the rest.

 

The aluminium plus string

 

 

[alyctes]

16 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Obviously a lot more going on than I can envisage and a complete waste of your time trying to describe to me sorry. Loosing the plot at T shape and not seeing the orientations, all clouded by how I think a piece of aluminum channel strip looks and how I think I might do it with a piece of string....

 

Looking forward to the picture.

 

Btw most of the sketches I post are done at work on back of an envelope and phone does the rest.

 

Aluminium, string, post:

 

 

[alyctes]

All severely not to scale.

The key to it is keeping control of the post while not holding the string too tight.  That means you can get the whole thing into the belly of the beast but still have control.

[Beedster]

This is very interesting, many thanks @alyctes 🙏

[alyctes]

7 minutes ago, Beedster said:

This is very interesting, many thanks @alyctes 🙏

My pleasure! 

 

There's no reason you can't use two strips-and-string assemblies, but that's hard to get into the bass - you really have to get the string of the second handle on the post _after you put it in the bass. 

Also you have to mark the post so you can tell which way round it goes, because there's nothing to stop it rotating.  Careful cutting of the end of the aluminium should fix that though.

 

I can't really remember who Dad and I learned it from.  I think it was my cello teacher, some time in about 1969, but my memory is a bit dicey nowadays - we may have taken it to someone else.

Edited September 4, 2023 by alyctes

[Downunderwonder]

If there's a slot in the cello post similar to the violin one that might have taken the aluminium back in the day. Dunno if that is such a good idea as it would chew up the slot for the real tool.

 

Watch the video.

[Beedster]

What you can't do with the common kitchen fork eh

 

[alyctes]

Nice!  Did you sharpen the tines, or ... ?

[Beedster]

6 hours ago, alyctes said:

Nice!  Did you sharpen the tines, or ... ?

 

It was a small and sharp fork @alyctes. Have to admit I'm surprised/amazes/shocked at how easy and quick it was. I've been meaning to do it for a while and last night had the time and space so cracked on. I used a BBQ spatula to retrieve the post, then grabbed it between my first two fingertips through the F-hole, allowing me to get it vaguely into position albeit at a precipitous angle, and then used the fork to push it vertical and to them manoeuvre into place under the foot. I don't know if i was just very lucky or whether aluminium basses are easier to work with in this respect, but sitting down with a beer afterwards I couldn't hep thinking that like so many other technical aspects of instrument setup and repair, it's a whole lot easier than you think 👍

 

Thanks for your help above, that was going to be my next approach had the fork failed!  

[Downunderwonder]

All's well that ends well I guess. One slip with the fork would have put a dent in your f hole*.

 

*Not some thing to repeat at a dinner party.