Thread: Matthew....hows progress with the bass?

Well Its all there on my website, easiest place to see it!



Been a bit of a hiatus cos Christmas and also because in two weeks my shed is being demolished ... and I'll be in Hobart for two weeks from Saturday (if anyone wants to catch up down there i'm on 0414549174)

Once the shed is demolished, i won't have the new one for three months or so, so you can see why I'm a bit panicky.

Soooo ... I'll take the scroll down to Tassie and try to finish carving it there. the volute is done but the heel needs a lot of work. Then when i get back ... well, my wife is off overseas for a month, so the kitchen table will probably get hijacked ...

Thanks for the update Matthew. Ill check out the website for the whole story.

The scroll is looking very elegant..nice work. Are you going to pack it a shold luggage on the plane or as cabin baggage?...the airport security people will have fun deciding what the hell it is and whether or not its dangerous.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

... whether or not its dangerous.

Something that BIG has got to be classed as a weapon, hasn't it?

Fantastic job Matthew. Love the scroll, it looks great
Are you missing one brace, or is that it?

Violins and basses etc have one brace (unless Kasha principles are applied) on the front called a bass bar, on which rests the bass foot of the bridge. The treble foot sits more-or-less just behind the "sound post" which is a pine stick wedged lightly between the front and the back and which imposes a non-vibration point around which vibrations emerge. Sort of like a pivot.

I'll wrap the neck and gouges in bubble wrap and stick it in the hold!

I'd buy the scroll its own seat on the plane. Mr Scroll in Seat 3C....do not wake for meals.

I'm stuffed. Look what sort of thing is keeping me from my bass ...



Looks highly dangerous, eh? I knew it at the time of course, but chose to power on and be stupid. Luckily, this time I got the stump out. But my hands are peppered with blisters as penance ...

talk about working with wood!

Extract digit Matthew.

Pulling stumps isn't what we're wanting to see. We wanna see the Bass!

I've been watching your project with awe, man, that is looking good. I'd like to build a violin or cello. Don't know anything about them or how to play them, but I'd like to build one or ten of each.

Come to think of it I don't know a hell of a lot about playing guitars either

Dry it, condition it, shape it...
I can see a bass neck in that one!


(not a very good one, I admit, but there'll be a great story behind it!)

You bastard Malibu, look what you made me do!!!!



you wanna race, huh? You're ON, bud

progress posted on my website, below.

Originally Posted by contrebasse

You bastard Malibu, look what you made me do!!!!

.

The art of being a good luthier is being able to cover up your mistakes...

Originally Posted by contrebasse

You bastard Malibu, look what you made me do!!!!

Hey, what'd I do???
Ah hell... doesn't matter, everything else is my fault too... Just ask my boss or the ex, they'll tell you!

Say, Matthew... is that a mallet and chisel in the photo?
I remember my grandfather teling me about them in one of those "...I remember when I was young..." sessions...
A router is the way to go; that way you can do some serious damage with next to no effort! (Geez, don't know it!)

I was ribbing you, of course. Since you've been "progressing" an' all i've been doing is nothing. It feels like I gotta catch up!!! Thats the good thing about these WIPs. People are watching! The pressure is ON!

Actually, the photo above shows a success story. Just one whack with the mallet. I just wish i have a firmer chisel with an 8" blade instead of the nice old ebay special I'm using now.

No router is going anywhere near my blocks, ever.

I was ribbing you, of course.
Yeah, I know... Just ribbing back. It takes more than that to get through the walrus hide I call skin

Since you've been "progressing" an' all i've been doing is nothing.
Well, we've sort of noticed; we just didn't wanna say anything, that's all... you know?

It feels like I gotta catch up!!! Thats the good thing about these WIPs. People are watching! The pressure is ON!
One thing I've noticed building this is that it takes as long as it takes! Some things I've rocketed through, others seem to drag on. It makes a good change from my normal work day when everything has got to be done NOW, to pondering, thinking and then when everything's right, only then do I do it

Actually, the photo above shows a success story. Just one whack with the mallet. I just wish i have a firmer chisel with an 8" blade instead of the nice old ebay special I'm using now.
I did notice it was a beautiful clean cut! There's nothing like a chisel with good steel and sharpened perfectly to chip out a chunk of wood, even if it is an e-bay special

No router is going anywhere near my blocks, ever.
Go on, live a little! Just before you plunge down with a hurtling piece of HSS into your masterpiece, you think "Oh, geez... this could be the end of 300+ hours!"
If, as Martin says, "The art of being a good luthier is being able to cover up your mistakes", then I gotta be a master-craftsman by now!!

The bass looks good. What's the estimated "big day" arrival of the first stringing?

Just wanted to let you know that I am really enjoying watching the adventures of your instrument.

I think the story that goes behind any creativity is the real magic that adds to the final product.

What are your plans for the baby when ready? (I may have missed that along the way)

I have passed the link to many others & we are all enjoying the progress.

Do you think it will be up their with Richard tognettis 10 Mill violin?

Keep going.

Fiona