Very nice. Those fingerboard dots look a real treat. Great decision not to ebonize the whole neck. Really keen to see what you come up with when doing the bridge and tailpiece. Nice work so far. Great share. Thank you.
Soo now that I watched you... I want to make an electric upright. The thing is: I never played one, and not sure if I could. But here we are. Great work, looking forward to the assembly!
That body top is just beautiful. I am currently struggling with an electric upright pickup design - can t wait to see what you come up with for this project. Thanks for the upload Geoff.
Have you seen Tim Sway? He just came up with a pickup for upright bass that I’m really impressed with. He’s even selling them at New Perspectives Music. Great guy too 😊
Fantastic progress! I actually played an upright bass, albeit an acoustic one, for the first time this weekend. I was surprised at how quickly I adapted to the fretless nature of it despite only having played electric fretted basses before. I don't have room for an acoustic upright, so I'm wondering if an electric upright is in my near future :-D
Looking fantastic! As I was watching the neck pocket chiseling, I was thinking it was the easiest one I’ve ever seen anybody do. Then I realized that was because you weren’t talking us through it. 😆 (And then your mention of grain issues confirmed that it wasn’t as easy as it looked.) - Paul
Sometimes I just have to get on and do the work, a lot of the time it's easier when I'm not filming because I don't have to worry about camera angles and narrative coherency. Ironically I do my best work off screen, but that's not how videos get made😆
I might have said it in the comments of a previous video, but thank you for explaining the superglue process, I've used it to finish the fingerboard of my fretless guitar, I applied it in a very dodgy way using the back of sanding paper because it was the only material I had that worked, but now it's smooth as glass on here, very happy with the result compared to the price and ease of doing !
The Body is absolutely gorgeous in every way imaginable…. This is going to be one Hell of an Instrument guaranteed 💯👌 Some of that Copper tape might act nice as a shim for the spike , just a rough guess, can’t wait to hear it, but I guess I got to 😂😂… ✌️😎👍
Wait, you put superglue on it!?!? 😂 That top looks absolutely gorgeous with the finish on it! I’m glad you only ebonized the fingerboard, I think the neck and body will look pretty good next to each other. Cheers!
Fantastic woodwork! Really a great shape of the body. Would'nt it be a nice idea for transforming the body shape to a solid body classic bass? Maybe with a medium scale neck? Proportions would be a new shape in bass building right? I have one question to the superglue-finish: The glue I used to paint necks and hole bofies are too fast hardening. As you said 17 degrees are perfekt does this temperature slows down hardening a little? What else could I do to slow the hardening otherwise?
I use waterthin superglue, if it's too thick then it cures in the pad almost instantly. Humidity is also a factor but I haven't nailed down the optimum number yet, in general the lower the humidity the slower the curing time as CA glue reacts with the moisture in the air.
"I can´t Believe is not lacquer" is an UV curing finish, and works charmes. You can dry it with the sun light (5 minutes is enough), or you can make an UV BOX with UV LEDs or any uv light you have at hand, and same result (thou the fact you have strips of UV Leds can result in dark lines over the finishing (still, we are talking of 10 minutes exposure)......this is why sun light is way more uniform.....you can give 20 coats in 2hs, and it´s safer than the superglue and its toxic fumes. It also applies great over previous painted parts (I sprayed a guitar in white color, and the "cant believe" worked awesome (thou, if you accumulate uneven layers, it can turn a bit yellowish, so you have to paint only after the surface is fully flat and give thin layers......in a wooden finish like this one, this last care is not needed, of course.
Yes, I do. I actually have a cheap one that broke. It was good while it lasted but the locking nut for attaching the blade stripped during it's 3rd job, must've been made of cheese. There's that old saying that a poor workman always blames his tools, but sometime tools are just bad tools. A good one would certainly speed up the process.
Looking fantastic Geoff. Any chance you could say in the show description/details (not the title) which of your basses you used in the music (if that makes sense)🙏
It's a lot of fretless, probably a P bass or two, and I've started recording with the double bass too, including the last song in this video. To be honest a lot of the tracks are old demos that never found a home, I can't really remember what I used on half of them😆
I know you typically make your own pups, but Tim Sway (New Perspectives Music) has just developed an upright bass pickup, could be worth a look, even if it's just as an experiment.
Yes, I've seem Tim's video and it was interesting that he's using the 1 coil per string design, but his coils are radically different to mine, I've been working on some 3d printed designs and had a prototype fail yesterday... back to tinkering, should have it ready for next week.
if you let me add, I say the gas from cyanoacrylate is not only unpleasant, most of all it extrimely DANGEROUS. shurely one must take care during working with it. but common medical mask will not help in this case. it safe from dust, but not from gas (unless it's a 'gas mask' or at least a good respirator). the best thing to do in this case is a well-ventilated room, or even outdor working. and keep your respiratory organs far away as posible from gluing surface. ps with intresting waching your 'tv series'. and very like results... and little envy your workmanship )
FYI, Ebonizing doesn't work so well on oak fingerboards, I applied 10 coats of that vinegar mixture and only turned dark chocolate, I think it's better suited for darker woods. I will try ebony gel stain instead. I can't stand the smell of that vinegar mixture. Your fingerboard is very nice.
Yes, it's very species selective, the solution is reacting with tannins in the wood, and oak doesn't have many, if any. You're correct that it's mainly the darker woods that react best, and it's pure luck that I happened to try it the very first time on a type that goes a deep black.
That neck pocket carving was seriously impressive
Very nice. Those fingerboard dots look a real treat. Great decision not to ebonize the whole neck. Really keen to see what you come up with when doing the bridge and tailpiece. Nice work so far. Great share. Thank you.
Soo now that I watched you... I want to make an electric upright. The thing is: I never played one, and not sure if I could. But here we are.
Great work, looking forward to the assembly!
Do it! I never played one before building the first one and now I'm hooked, good luck
I’m part way through building one too 😊 Also didn’t really know what I was doing. Going to be a bit before I’m done, but it’s loads of fun.
The Body is absolutely gorgeous in every way imaginable….
This is going to be one Hell of an Instrument guaranteed 💯👌
That top looks amazing. I wasn't expecting it to come out looking that good. I can't wait to see and hear the finished product.
That body top is just beautiful. I am currently struggling with an electric upright pickup design - can t wait to see what you come up with for this project. Thanks for the upload Geoff.
Have you seen Tim Sway? He just came up with a pickup for upright bass that I’m really impressed with. He’s even selling them at New Perspectives Music. Great guy too 😊
I have. Great video. I have the basic design of Tim's but am using a static design attached to the body of the bass.
Fantastic progress! I actually played an upright bass, albeit an acoustic one, for the first time this weekend. I was surprised at how quickly I adapted to the fretless nature of it despite only having played electric fretted basses before. I don't have room for an acoustic upright, so I'm wondering if an electric upright is in my near future :-D
Looking fantastic! As I was watching the neck pocket chiseling, I was thinking it was the easiest one I’ve ever seen anybody do. Then I realized that was because you weren’t talking us through it. 😆 (And then your mention of grain issues confirmed that it wasn’t as easy as it looked.)
- Paul
Sometimes I just have to get on and do the work, a lot of the time it's easier when I'm not filming because I don't have to worry about camera angles and narrative coherency. Ironically I do my best work off screen, but that's not how videos get made😆
I might have said it in the comments of a previous video, but thank you for explaining the superglue process, I've used it to finish the fingerboard of my fretless guitar, I applied it in a very dodgy way using the back of sanding paper because it was the only material I had that worked, but now it's smooth as glass on here, very happy with the result compared to the price and ease of doing !
Also, that was a few months ago and this guitar as been used a lot, it's still perfectly smooth!
Dream bass! It's coming along so well
It's looking great!
OK....going straight to that podcast! I'm sold!
My episode is coming out in about 18 hours, I'll update the description when it drops, but in the meantime the whole series is a fun listen.
excellent work, it's coming together beautifully. I'm not a fan of the Hofner bass, but for a full scale EUB this shape works really well.
The Body is absolutely gorgeous in every way imaginable….
This is going to be one Hell of an Instrument guaranteed 💯👌
Some of that Copper tape might act nice as a shim for the spike , just a rough guess, can’t wait to hear it, but I guess I got to 😂😂…
✌️😎👍
That's really looking incredible.
excellent work, as always! You bring entertainment and inspiration with your videos. Thank you! 👍
Wait, you put superglue on it!?!? 😂 That top looks absolutely gorgeous with the finish on it! I’m glad you only ebonized the fingerboard, I think the neck and body will look pretty good next to each other. Cheers!
Fantastic woodwork! Really a great shape of the body. Would'nt it be a nice idea for transforming the body shape to a solid body classic bass? Maybe with a medium scale neck? Proportions would be a new shape in bass building right?
I have one question to the superglue-finish: The glue I used to paint necks and hole bofies are too fast hardening. As you said 17 degrees are perfekt does this temperature slows down hardening a little? What else could I do to slow the hardening otherwise?
I use waterthin superglue, if it's too thick then it cures in the pad almost instantly. Humidity is also a factor but I haven't nailed down the optimum number yet, in general the lower the humidity the slower the curing time as CA glue reacts with the moisture in the air.
"I can´t Believe is not lacquer" is an UV curing finish, and works charmes. You can dry it with the sun light (5 minutes is enough), or you can make an UV BOX with UV LEDs or any uv light you have at hand, and same result (thou the fact you have strips of UV Leds can result in dark lines over the finishing (still, we are talking of 10 minutes exposure)......this is why sun light is way more uniform.....you can give 20 coats in 2hs, and it´s safer than the superglue and its toxic fumes. It also applies great over previous painted parts (I sprayed a guitar in white color, and the "cant believe" worked awesome (thou, if you accumulate uneven layers, it can turn a bit yellowish, so you have to paint only after the surface is fully flat and give thin layers......in a wooden finish like this one, this last care is not needed, of course.
I for one think you should ebonise the whole workshop.
Good hell, you still have the first jar you made? It still works, though. It's all looking great.
That bass body is Saweet!
Can't help but think that even a small trim router would make your neck pockets easier to do! Not to mention Pickup cavities!
Oh man. You gotta get you one of those oscillating saws.
Yes, I do. I actually have a cheap one that broke. It was good while it lasted but the locking nut for attaching the blade stripped during it's 3rd job, must've been made of cheese. There's that old saying that a poor workman always blames his tools, but sometime tools are just bad tools. A good one would certainly speed up the process.
Looking fantastic Geoff.
Any chance you could say in the show description/details (not the title) which of your basses you used in the music (if that makes sense)🙏
It's a lot of fretless, probably a P bass or two, and I've started recording with the double bass too, including the last song in this video. To be honest a lot of the tracks are old demos that never found a home, I can't really remember what I used on half of them😆
I know you typically make your own pups, but Tim Sway (New Perspectives Music) has just developed an upright bass pickup, could be worth a look, even if it's just as an experiment.
Yes, I've seem Tim's video and it was interesting that he's using the 1 coil per string design, but his coils are radically different to mine, I've been working on some 3d printed designs and had a prototype fail yesterday... back to tinkering, should have it ready for next week.
if you let me add, I say the gas from cyanoacrylate is not only unpleasant, most of all it extrimely DANGEROUS.
shurely one must take care during working with it.
but common medical mask will not help in this case. it safe from dust, but not from gas (unless it's a 'gas mask' or at least a good respirator). the best thing to do in this case is a well-ventilated room, or even outdor working. and keep your respiratory organs far away as posible from gluing surface.
ps with intresting waching your 'tv series'. and very like results... and little envy your workmanship )
Very true, I'm using a 3m respirator. The rule of thumb: if you can smell it then it's hurting you.
Vinigaroon??
FYI, Ebonizing doesn't work so well on oak fingerboards, I applied 10 coats of that vinegar mixture and only turned dark chocolate, I think it's better suited for darker woods. I will try ebony gel stain instead. I can't stand the smell of that vinegar mixture. Your fingerboard is very nice.
Yes, it's very species selective, the solution is reacting with tannins in the wood, and oak doesn't have many, if any. You're correct that it's mainly the darker woods that react best, and it's pure luck that I happened to try it the very first time on a type that goes a deep black.
Coolio x