Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
Post Reply
User avatar
2groggy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:19 am
Location: Canada

Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by 2groggy » Sat Jan 08, 2022 9:34 am

Both are hollow archtops, 18" across the lower bout, 30.25" scale. Both were built from scratch. The Harlequin is 4 string, with components salvaged from a new, but defective Gretch Jr. Jet bass. The bass on the right is a bass VI.

Image

User avatar
raphaël
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 881
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:42 am
Location: Moëlan sur Mer, France

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by raphaël » Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:40 am

Ooooooooooooh
Can you please post pics of that Bass VI?
It seems awesooooome !!

User avatar
2groggy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:19 am
Location: Canada

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by 2groggy » Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:07 pm

Image

User avatar
marqueemoon
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 7346
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by marqueemoon » Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:21 pm

2groggy wrote:
Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:07 pm
Image
This is amazing. Love the whole vibe, especially the big dots.

User avatar
raphaël
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 881
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:42 am
Location: Moëlan sur Mer, France

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by raphaël » Sun Jan 09, 2022 9:27 am

Yep, I love it very much !
Love the Ricky holes too 8)

User avatar
del
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:57 am
Location: rusted jack-knife

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by del » Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:59 am

marqueemoon wrote:
Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:21 pm
2groggy wrote:
Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:07 pm
Image
This is amazing. Love the whole vibe, especially the big dots.
Yup, that's a cool bass!

The figuring on the top and Rick-holes are fine, but not the real standouts for me. It's the single-neck pickup, trapeze bridge, and no-cutaway body that knock my socks off! That's one delightful looking six-string bass!
The Kinks - The Fall – The Bad Seeds - Spacemen 3 - The Gories - Royal Trux
"The idea is to put a pick in one hand and a guitar in the other and with a tiny movement rule the world." - David Fair

User avatar
2groggy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:19 am
Location: Canada

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by 2groggy » Sun Jan 09, 2022 12:26 pm

Thank you both for the compliments.

User avatar
cincinnatiharry
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 444
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:53 pm
Location: Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by cincinnatiharry » Tue Jan 11, 2022 12:34 pm

Pretty great!
"some misguided Marin county hot-tubber"

User avatar
SuperAxe
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:46 am
Contact:

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by SuperAxe » Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:16 pm

Well done, beautiful builds. Any build thread? Any recordings of the 6 string bass?

User avatar
2groggy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:19 am
Location: Canada

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by 2groggy » Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:55 pm

I created a build thread for the 6 string over on tdpri >> https://www.tdpri.com/threads/2groggys- ... p.1065076/.

I haven't got a recording yet.

I never made a build thread for the harlequin.

User avatar
Flurko
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 996
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:05 am
Location: Stroßbùrri
Contact:

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by Flurko » Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:24 am

I've read through the entire build thread on tdpri, outstanding work ! I like how you designed something quite uncommon but still very elegant. My only gripe would be with the tailpiece, its "off-the-shelf" vibe feels kinda weird with the uniqueness of the rest of the instrument, but that's a small detail !

User avatar
2groggy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:19 am
Location: Canada

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by 2groggy » Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:05 am

Flurko wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:24 am
I've read through the entire build thread on tdpri, outstanding work ! I like how you designed something quite uncommon but still very elegant. My only gripe would be with the tailpiece, its "off-the-shelf" vibe feels kinda weird with the uniqueness of the rest of the instrument, but that's a small detail !
You're not wrong about the tailpiece. I'll have to have another look at it when my current builds are complete.

User avatar
SuperAxe
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:46 am
Contact:

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by SuperAxe » Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:33 pm

2groggy wrote:
Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:55 pm
I created a build thread for the 6 string over on tdpri >> https://www.tdpri.com/threads/2groggys- ... p.1065076/.

I haven't got a recording yet.

I never made a build thread for the harlequin.
I too read the whole thread, very cool how it came to be. I just wondered what actually happened as you said it needed strengthening. Could you elaborate please?

User avatar
2groggy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:19 am
Location: Canada

Re: Two Hollow Body Basses That I Build

Post by 2groggy » Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:18 am

SuperAxe wrote:
Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:33 pm
I too read the whole thread, very cool how it came to be. I just wondered what actually happened as you said it needed strengthening. Could you elaborate please?
I tried to cut corners on the cross braces for the top. the wood selected didn't have straight grain and cracked in use. I noticed the the arch had dropped by 1/8" because the string action was suddenly too low. Having used hide glue, I could take it back apart with a heated putty knife. I installed stronger braces and reassembled. It's probably over designed now.

Post Reply