Thread: Bitten by this Guitar Building bug!

mongrel and old_picker pretty much covered it the differences and they have the same characteristics for both guitar and bass strings.

In general, bass rounds are snappier and brighter, but still have that punchy low end and definition. From memory, bass flats were used on the first Fender pbass with the tele headstock. The body was string through and made of ash, with a single coil pickup close to the neck. So, that bass sound would have been heard mostly throughout the 50's and 60's.

However, there are different types of rounds and they do differ. For example, there are straight stainless steel rounds, which are pretty bright. There are also nickel plated steel rounds, which kind of curb the high end or the brittleness of a straight stainless steel string a little but still have more highs than flat wounds.

Though practically, it all depends on the requirements, each type of string is good for different situations.

Originally Posted by bricks

Sassafrass is used for guitars and basses- see posts by Blacklabb he's made a couple i think. I don't think gum would be good for a finger board- no reason just don't think it would be. Laminated neck is no problem, and can look really good if done right. Qld maple is fine for a neck too.

The gum, I've heard, can continue to leach eucalypt oils and cause problems with the finish and the life of the strings. You also want something a little harder or a hard laquer finish to protect it.

i havent used sassafaras, but i'd like to. contrebass is using sassafaras for a doublebass neck though.

there are plenty of good timbers in australia, and many of them are very hard. i'm thinking of making a 6 string fretless bass with a gidgee fingerboard. also like the idea of making a 4 string bass with 2 p style pups with a turpentine fretboard. there are alot of possibilities.


by the way, just found a supplier in newcastle that specialises in australian desert hardwoods. i think i'll have to make my way up there to get some fretboard materials/neck laminate pieces.

http://www.auswood.com.au/timberdetails.html

mongrel, you should have a look being in newcastle.

Look ere!
http://www.daddario.com/DADFBass.aspx?ID=3

If you look at the packaging it pretty much verifies everything said...

I have NEVER used any other type of string. Accoustic or electric. 10's on electrics and 13's on accoustics.
No reason for it really, its just one of those things.

Originally Posted by black_labb

mongrel, you should have a look being in newcastle.

Nawp, still 350 k's away, though we do get down there a bit with horses. Looks like a good distributor. Nice pics.
Well found.

thats right, for some reason i remembered you in newcastle (but i remember tamworth now). oh well ill give them a call and see what they have available (the website seemed to say that it was quite seasonal what they have in stock, and i dont want to drive there for nothing)

Mongrel Thanks for the encouragement I will try the rose gum and see how it goes.

I have used about every type of string Tapewound (real smooth and flat dead sound) Flatwound (Smooth but much brighter than tape) Rounds (i think we have covered those) I only use Roundwound.
I dont think fretless bass is as at risk from strings as you might think because the string is mostly gently fingered against the fingerboard not rubbed all over it and bending is more likely yo be a slide unlike a fretted instrument.
I have a bass with an ebony board that shows no sign of wear and is over 20 years old.

Ross

Its probably just a builder thing, we like to try to think of everything (even if we have to make a few things a little out of proportion). And we want our creations to look the same and sound the same in 20 years time. I would think that with a fretless anything the most important factor is the hardness of the board, and thereby the "silkyness" of the board when you finish it. Have a look at Oz_Tradies raging fires build and look at the sheen on the fretboard he has there, it is stripey ebony polished through the grits, and if I know stu, its probably only that. You'd be hard pressed to get those sort of results on some other types of timber without some other type of finish, epoxy etc.

I'll borrow Oz's pic...


See?

Do check out Stu's thread if you havent already.

Sorry Stu, but it's such a pretty picture

Sure, ebony can handle it, from what I hear ironwood would too, but not rosewood for example. I experimented with rosewood prior to doing my first fretted to fretless neck conversion and rounds started work on that thing within 30mins. Playing style may have an impact, so if you have a light touch it may last a little longer on a softer board. Anyway, not trying to disuade you, just passing on my experience.

some of the desert hardwoods would be good for that
gidgee as an eg apparently is very tough

Originally Posted by Different

I dont think fretless bass is as at risk from strings as you might think because the string is mostly gently fingered against the fingerboard not rubbed all over it and bending is more likely you be a slide unlike a fretted instrument.
I have a bass with an ebony board that shows no sign of wear and is over 20 years old.

Ross

You're talking about a fretted bass right?

On fretless, roundwounds will screw up your fingerboard over time, no matter how much epoxy or CA or whatever else finishing technique you use. Steel is just plain harder than finish or timber and at the size of the wire in the winding, it acts like a scissor on your fretboard. If you play a lot with your bass expect to see roundwound marks on the fretboard or finish within a couple of weeks. If the fretless is your main player expect to re-level your fretboard every couple of years. All this doesn't happen with flatwounds though. I also prefer roundwounds and am happy living with the extra work every few years or so.

If you're just a casual player you might be able to last a lot more than 2 years before needing re-leveling.

Originally Posted by Phil Mailloux

You're talking about a fretted bass right?

On fretless, roundwounds will screw up your fingerboard over time, no matter how much epoxy or CA or whatever else finishing technique you use. Steel is just plain harder than finish or timber and at the size of the wire in the winding, it acts like a scissor on your fretboard. If you play a lot with your bass expect to see roundwound marks on the fretboard or finish within a couple of weeks. If the fretless is your main player expect to re-level your fretboard every couple of years. All this doesn't happen with flatwounds though. I also prefer roundwounds and am happy living with the extra work every few years or so.

If you're just a casual player you might be able to last a lot more than 2 years before needing re-leveling.

Phil No I was not talking about a fretted bass. I am these days a very casual player and for many years did not play at all but for several years after I bought the bass in about 1983 i played for hours each day with roundwounds and to my eye there are small marks accross the fretboard from the strings but there is not noticable wear and certainly it is not in need of re leveling. I dont know if this is the result of an extra hard piece of ebony or my playing style but it s a fact.
Given that I might have to use ebony for the fretboard or as you say I will be in trouble real quick with a softer timber.

Ross