Finished Pics! 4 string electric? Piccolo bass? Pete's next build

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Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
edited March 2017 in Making & Modding
Hi

Those who have followed some of my other build threads will know that our old-gits-band's bassist is a bit odd, in that he keeps asking me to make him various instruments.  I can only think it's some sort of Ponzi-type of pyramid selling scam !

Anyway, what he's asked me to build him is a piccolo bass.

Have any idea what one of those is?  No - nor did I.  And then I found out that there are a number of interpretations as to what one is:
  • A full sized bass with special strings allowing them to be tuned to the same pitch as the bottom 4 strings of an electric
  • An electric guitar-sized bass, dropped down to bass guitar pitch
  • A four string electric guitar - EADG
After lots of confused and confusing discussions, I've established that it's that last one which Pete is actually after

So here is what I'm going to build him:


This is going to be the spec, as far as I've got:

  • a tear-drop 'f' hole with a routed chamber in the rear upper bout.
  • 24 to 25" (or something in that general range...maybe 25 to 26) scale fanned fretted
  • The above bookmatched walnut top, left natural
  • Mahogany back
  • Through neck, probably maple, with central dark centre splice
  • Not sure yet about the top carve. Maybe just a smooth, shallow curve
  • Individual bridge anchors (pretty essential with the fan fretting).  The above normal bridge is just a 'bits drawer' one to give a feel of the look
  • 4 string - EADG at electric guitar pitch (ie 1 octave higher than a bass)
  • Probably a conventional pickup of some sort (still to be determined) but set well forward, jazz-style.
The fretboard - which I'm sure is going to be a pig to do - is going to use this piece of snakewood I've been saving for the right project:


Wish me luck, folks...I think I'm going to need it!

Andy


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Comments

  • normula1normula1 Frets: 639
    Nice looking bits of wood there. Looking forward to this :)
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  • Wow, you're too nice!
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  • Nice.

    Stanley Clarke is the only player I associate with the piccolo bass. Option one in your list for him. 

    Your build is quite close to being a tenor guitar, the Eastwood Warren Ellis one is the only commercially available electric one that I know of, 23" scale so probably not tuned EADG. There's a single pickup and a double pickup version. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • Nice.

    Stanley Clarke is the only player I associate with the piccolo bass. Option one in your list for him. 

    Your build is quite close to being a tenor guitar, the Eastwood Warren Ellis one is the only commercially available electric one that I know of, 23" scale so probably not tuned EADG. There's a single pickup and a double pickup version. 
    Yes - I looked at Baritones when I was working through the options but you are right...they are pitched somewhere between a bass and an electric and tuned, therefore, differently.  

    This one will be pitched exactly the same as an electric (bottom 4 strings only) but hopefully with a smoother warmer tone :)
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    Watching with interest, wheres my Popcorn?........
    I enjoy your builds... 
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12641
    edited February 2017
    As soon as I read "Piccolo Bass" the cover of 'Modern Man' by Stanley Clarke popped into my head... still not *that* much wiser as to the need for one, but hey it looks like a cool project. You may proceed. ;-)



    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    In effect a luxury spec, fan fret, solidbody Cigar Box guitar?....
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • paulnb57 said:
    In effect a luxury spec, fan fret, solidbody Cigar Box guitar?....
    Hmmmm....let's hope it doesn't end up as a 'Close, but no cigar' job! ;)
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    Stunning bit of wood. Sounds like an excellent project, a bass minus those awkward low notes. Following with interest.
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    paulnb57 said:
    In effect a luxury spec, fan fret, solidbody Cigar Box guitar?....
    Hmmmm....let's hope it doesn't end up as a 'Close, but no cigar' job! ;)
    I'm confident it will be awesome!....
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    I wonder, would you play this like a 4 string guitar, or like a really short scale bass?
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  • I wonder, would you play this like a 4 string guitar, or like a really short scale bass?
    It's an interesting question.  Pete is bas(s)ically a bass player, so I suspect the latter.  Having said that, he's a pretty impressive 6-string player too!

    Don't you just hate that!  ;)
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  • Managed to straighten the join line and cut the first pieces of wood:



    After doing a bit of a series of full-size basses, this feels SO small.  It is actually quite a bit smaller than a standard 6 string body so it will be interesting to see if I end up with any neck-heavy tendencies!
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4942
    Fair dues to you Andy, the bookmark joins are actually perfectly lined up.  Very rare in the world of guitars......
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    Looks great and a nice interesting challenge...
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • Having got hold of some maple and mahogany splices, I needed to work out where the neck was going to join the body.

    The scale is going to be 26" at the bass side and 25" at the treble and 24 frets.  With one change, this is broadly what I have planned:


    The change is that, because there is plenty of room at the back of the bridge, I will make the angle at the nut a touch less acute and have a greater angle at the bridge.

    This has allowed me to cut the side profiles for the through-neck splices.  Here are the main components:




    And it's never too early for a mockup! ;)    :



    Pete might find the mahogany wings a bit uncomfortable, but I can always chamfer them ;)

    The ebony faceplate isn't probably going to happen.  I'll decide when the neck and fretboard are slimmed down to final sizes.

    I've decided to go for a single SD Cool Rails in the neck position, by the way - while it's heavily mid-toned it gets a thumbs up from many of the Jazz players in the various specialist forums - and flatwound strings.  I'll probably also wire it up 50's style to get the interaction of the tone and volume pots.

    Next job is gluing the neck blanks and planing down the mahogany wings...

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  • BigMonkaBigMonka Frets: 1763
    oooooh that's going to be quite the looker Andy, lovely design and some stunning bits of wood.
    Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman, in which case always be Batman.
    My boss told me "dress for the job you want, not the job you have"... now I'm sat in a disciplinary meeting dressed as Batman.
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  • BigMonka said:
    oooooh that's going to be quite the looker Andy, lovely design and some stunning bits of wood.
    Thanks!  Going down the cellar just now to try to get the neck glued up   :)
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  • I ran the mahogany sections through the thicknesser to get rid of the saw chatter and then cut the sections, slightly oversize:



    With these kinds of top, I usually use the top as the routing template for the mahogany sections underneath once they are glued up and in place

    The next task is probably the fretboard. I build these things slightly unconventionally and will be cutting a notch in the neck so the wings and body section of the neck become the flat surface for the top to be glued onto. However, the notch will be angled slightly to accommodate the neck angle, and the neck angle needed depends on the height of the fretted fretboard...

    One of these days I will build conventionally...I'm sure it must be more straightforward... ;)
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    Looks great so far Andy! Another epic!
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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