Guitar
Nothing much has happened on my T-beam-bass lately. I've replaced the jack connector since the old one didn't work and clamped the connecting cable going from the jack more securely to the sliding bracket. Plus, I've borrowed a friend's bass to do some comparisons of sound, feel and ergonomics.
His is a 34" bass, and though the picture doesn't really show it, mine, with its 30" scale length, is much smaller and lighter.
My bass still isn't exactly pretty, but I do intend it to be so one day. But until now (and probably some time ahead as well), most of my focus is on experimentation rather than looks.
Nevertheless, in an attempt to convey an idea of what I expect it to become some day, here's a list of some of the things, I'd like to do next:
- Truly Headless
After postponing it a number of times, I cut off the strat headstock of my very fine Warmoth neck. That took a bit of self persuation, but I needed it headless. A brass angle bracket is holding the strings. I also made a new acrylic body. This time, I...
- A Slightly Prettier Sliding Bracket
I've made a sliding bracket for the small pickup. It slides with little effort and easily picks up the different antinodes of the strings. Unfortunately, the pickup itself doesn't sound that good, so one of the next steps might be mounting one...
- A Sliding Pickup
There has been several attempts - by for example Westone and more recently Norton Guitars - to make a pickup that can be moved to the areas of the strings where different antinodes and their corresponding overtones are located. This gives you the sound...
- Wooden Sides
I made two wooden sides from some spruce, just to test how it worked. Also to avoid messing up my good mahogany plank with early mistakes. I routed the cavities for saddles, nuts, strings and tuners with an ordinary plunge router in a table. I have little...
- Stick Bass Pictures
I've made the spine of the two-string, nylon string, fretless piezo alu T-beam stick bass. Now I have to stick some wood and some piezo pickups on it. Some photos: I will shorten bot ends of the T-beam down to the tuners and string holes. Btw, these...
Guitar
To-do list
Nothing much has happened on my T-beam-bass lately. I've replaced the jack connector since the old one didn't work and clamped the connecting cable going from the jack more securely to the sliding bracket. Plus, I've borrowed a friend's bass to do some comparisons of sound, feel and ergonomics.His is a 34" bass, and though the picture doesn't really show it, mine, with its 30" scale length, is much smaller and lighter.
My bass still isn't exactly pretty, but I do intend it to be so one day. But until now (and probably some time ahead as well), most of my focus is on experimentation rather than looks.
Nevertheless, in an attempt to convey an idea of what I expect it to become some day, here's a list of some of the things, I'd like to do next:
- Make the saddles lengthwise adjustable for intonation, i.e. making slots for the saddles and fastening them with nuts.
- Shape the neck as shown on the image . I have to modify the sole plate of my jigsaw to be able to do that.
- Make a prettier and more ergonomic shield in 5 mm acrylic (that's approximately 0.2"). The current one is just 3 mm thick, and it's too fragile and flimsy looking.
- Make mahogany sides rather than the current spruce ones. What's keeping me back here is that I'm not quite sure yet where the holes for the shield are going to be, and I'd rather keep the mahogany intact and experiment on the spruce.
- Decide whether I like the sound of the vertical pickup. If so, I'll tidy up the bracket. If not, I'll buy a P-bass-pickup and use one half of that in a new bracket.
- Truly Headless
After postponing it a number of times, I cut off the strat headstock of my very fine Warmoth neck. That took a bit of self persuation, but I needed it headless. A brass angle bracket is holding the strings. I also made a new acrylic body. This time, I...
- A Slightly Prettier Sliding Bracket
I've made a sliding bracket for the small pickup. It slides with little effort and easily picks up the different antinodes of the strings. Unfortunately, the pickup itself doesn't sound that good, so one of the next steps might be mounting one...
- A Sliding Pickup
There has been several attempts - by for example Westone and more recently Norton Guitars - to make a pickup that can be moved to the areas of the strings where different antinodes and their corresponding overtones are located. This gives you the sound...
- Wooden Sides
I made two wooden sides from some spruce, just to test how it worked. Also to avoid messing up my good mahogany plank with early mistakes. I routed the cavities for saddles, nuts, strings and tuners with an ordinary plunge router in a table. I have little...
- Stick Bass Pictures
I've made the spine of the two-string, nylon string, fretless piezo alu T-beam stick bass. Now I have to stick some wood and some piezo pickups on it. Some photos: I will shorten bot ends of the T-beam down to the tuners and string holes. Btw, these...