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I don't post much as I mostly do the youtube thing. But I wanted to share my first actual stringed instrument build. The concept was for a solidbody acoustic bass, before anyone asks the only reason it has 2 strings is because I only had 2 tuning machines so I had to base the build around that limitation. The only thing with this build I'm not really that happy about is the headstock. Kind of came out looking like a goofy alien bug of some sort. I realize that this is not really a "guitar" but it's in that same vein, sort of.

Body and neck are mahogany cut from the same slab. The slab had been drying for about 7-8 years or so and was ready to be used. The neck is reinforced by a CF rod as I also didn't have a truss rod around. Kind of limited on space too on my backporch but I made it work. 99% of the work was done with traditional japanese woodworking tools. Other 1% was done with an old Dumore drill press for the little tailpiece. I do all my work on my balcony since I don't really have a shop, but it works for what I need. You just have to make the most of what you have. The wife truly appreciates all the shavings and bits staying outside as well.

Other random specs. The fingerboard is Jatoba. Maple headstock extension. Scale length is 30". Neck construction is akin to a cello/double bass.







It was kind of hard to get a good picture of the figuring that is present in the little armrest piece.


My favorite part of this project besides being done was carving the neck. I used my compass plane for the majority of the carve but I didn't have a scraper that was the correct radius/shape to finish out the neck. So I made one with my little die grinder, worked out well.
Random neck carving/scraper making pics ensuing now...













For the amplification part. I used the typical "string over bridge" design ala violin family instruments. But in the back I created a relief that went through the whole body. Over that I added a piece of spruce that was thinned down to about 125 thou and added a little reinforcement piece across the grain. To this I added a K+K mini pickup. The reinforcing plate sits directly below the bridge on the top so the result is that the tone is essentially acoustic but in a solidbody package. One bass player that I let screw around with it said it reminded him alot of an upright. I guess that's a good thing.



Sorry for the blast of pics. Was a really fun project. It's a bit rough but it's no big deal. Just had to make use of the tools that I had available. Thanks for checking it out. Got some other ideas in mind that I might post up when they're done, that'll be a while.

Certainly different! So how does it sound?

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Julie Moriarty
http://JulimorCreations.com

Where are the pictures?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I'll try to record a little clip sometime today or tomorrow. It's a pretty fat sound, kind of a blend between a regular fretless bass and if you were playing pizzicato on an upright.



They're embedded in the original post. I used IMG tags? not sure if that matters?

That’s fantastic! Thank you for taking the time to share and with such detail and stunning photos.

I’d love to hear how it sounds too. Please post a link to your YouTube thingy!!!

_Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
https://www.instagram.com/mustcreatethings/
https://www.youtube.com/mustcreatethings

Cool!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I see them now. I'd love to hear it.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I like the logistics of that headstock brace piece. Good engineering!
If you like playing it I would consider carving away or adding wood to the headstock until you don't feel like you have to apologize for it. The work of finishing the headstock is much less than the mental pain of being unhappy with one part of such a cool original instrument. The armrest is funny (good funny) because it looks so simple and comfortable.

mistaken post

Thanks for the compliments. I couldn't get the time to record a separate soundclip of it. But if you skip to the 24:39 timepoint of the video you can hear it.

Kudos for the creativity and hand tool approach! Like a bass version of a strum stick!

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

That's very cool, thanks for posting about it. I like your idea for amplifying it with the K&K pickups in the hollow on the back. Sounds good in the video.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Thanks sir, hadn't thought of a strum stick, now that you've mentioned it I'll never be able to see past that haha!



That is some good advice. I might do that, honestly it's just the "face" factor that bugs me. Maybe I'll experiment a bit. Thanks sir.