*REALLY* short scale, flyweight bass

S

swarfrat

Guest
Last year I found this 25.5 P-bass for my son. We've had a ton of fun, it's really not a bad little bass. Wouldn't make it my main instrument, but I'd sure as heck pull it out for gag in a band situation.  He's almost 3 now, and wanting to play it standing up, and it's just way too heavy. So I've been scheming again.

So far, the narrowest bass string spacing I've found is the single saddles on ebay - those come down to 15.5mm. If I can get the strings through, I'd like to get to a guitar spacing. Of course with balance - headless might work, but that really limits my hardware choices (and string spacing).

If this will work (or can be modified) for bass strings, it looks about perfect - size and price wise:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-4-STRING-BRIDGE-SCREW-FOR-CIGAR-BOX-GUITAR-ELECTRIC-UKULELE-TENOR-BASS-/201278438501?hash=item2edd213c65:g:WXEAAOSwa39Uzxm5

Or even a 3 string (12mm spacing)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-string-Adjustable-Chrome-Hard-tail-Bridge-for-Cigar-Box-Guitar-/272070594064?hash=item3f58abce10:g:Rh8AAOSw3xJVbmOV

It really can't have much of a body due to weight.  As much as I'd love it to have a P-pickup, that doesn't really work with string spacing and body width. I'd like to avoid making a neck, but am willing to modify. And it needs a loooong but light horn for strap button.  I'm open to silk & steel / piezo if it helps, but it's supposed to be a bass, not a guitar. 

Turns out the cigar box crowd already has some stuff that looks interesting:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cigar-Box-Guitar-Neck-3-string-19-fret-Handmade-shellac-/171584007208?hash=item27f3342c28:g:7rEAAOxy0x1TRqzQ

I'm thinking "solid body" but more like "steinberger with a strap arm" - instead of a cigar box. Anyone done a cigar box build or something that might be applicable?
 
Have you looked into the DeArmond (formerly branded Guild) Ashbory silicone-string bass thing?  The scale on that is only 18", and they're easy to finger.  They may all be fretless, so if you're cool with enduring the toddler's intonation, hey, have fun.  I'm not sure what the electronics are like, but the string pull is really quite negligible so you could probably build one out of whatever lightweight timber you have lying around, in a thickness that will keep your boy from being weighed down.


Kala makes a ukulele bass and a solid-body with the Ashbory-style silicone strings (fretted as well as fretless), but the price is kinda high for a kid's instrument.  Workmanship's good,though, and it actually sounds pretty close to an acoustic bass through whatever piezo system they have on 'em.


Here's Bakithi Kumalo, famed for his work on Paul Simon's "Graceland" and elsewhere, doing a Kala Ubass demo.  He switches from a long-scale ordinary electric bass to the Ubass at about 9:00, and steps out on a solo on the Horace Silver standard "Song For My Father" at about 12:00.


[youtube]xrro7mOEGmQ[/youtube]
 
Yeah, I remember the ashbory. I'm ok with a 3yo's intonation (his rhythm actually isn't bad at all, but we are mostly banging). Still this is kinda sub $100 territory. I'm kinda torn between trying to use as much of the Stedman as possible, or go solidbody cigar boxless.  If he were 9 or even 6, I'd be looking at 30" SSB territory like the GIO or one of the Rondo's. (http://www.rondomusic.com/ursa2jrrncar.html - even though I'm trying hard to steer him into the picked-P direction - hey the kiddo actually lifted my wallet to use on his own snare drum the other day. Yes! He likes 70's and 80's snare drum sounds.)



 
A bit more than I wanted to spend (especially since he already has a bass that'll be fine once he gets a bit bigger). But I'd be all over this if it no longer than 30" scale. I can add a horn before finishing - that should keep it from flopping around.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SB-Style-DIY-Headless-Bass-Guitar-Kit-Ash-Body-Solo-Guitar-Kit-Right-Handed-/331737802316?hash=item4d3d1d264c:g:plsAAOSwuTxV8yFS

I've looked and looked - there appear to be two varieties of headless bass systems on ebay - the Overlord ones, and this thingy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Headless-Bass-Bridge-System-4-String-Never-used-/272062099215?hash=item3f582a2f0f:g:pzYAAOSwxN5WXSa~

I've seen dozens of instances of each, and I can't seem to find a string spacing for either. Of course, the version here is way out of the price range, but it's getting close - 30" scale, headless, and that leg rest is similar to what I was thinking about for a strap horn. And the tuners at the butt headless design lets me use one of those super tight spacing cigar box / tenor guitar bridges I linked to above.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UltraLightBass

This is also getting there.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hofner-Shorty-Electric-Bass-Black-/131679128098?hash=item1ea8b00a22:g:cisAAOSw3KFWczX7
 
After more headscratching and searching, I think we got a plan:

Found individual string bridge saddles on ebay for cheap:
s-l500.jpg

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400549035413

These are only 15.5mm wide. That lets me get the string spacing down to little finger range and squeezes them down onto a half a P pickup. Pop the magnet off the back of the other half and stick it inside as a dummy coil.

Now - I'm keeping my existing neck and tuners, $10 for a bridge and $6 for a pickup, and some scrap lumber. As small as that body is, I might even make it a hollow box made of plywood and filled with spray foam.  Not sure about the neck weight, but I'm hoping i can get the sucker down into the <5 lb range.

lightweight-ssb_zpsivutbyr3.png

 
Screeching halt - found it already. I actually did look at Rondo, but didn't see the UKE basses.

http://www.rondomusic.com/product7752.html

20" scale length, 4lbs. I had an Amazon gift card, and it was on sale on Amazon - so I ended up paying $30 out of pocket for it.

If they had it in lefty, I'd have bought that one, but Amazon didn't have them and I really want to steer him towards playing righty anyway. (I'm about 85% certain he's a lefty, and he certainly picks up the bass that way most of the time. You can set your drums however you wish kiddo, but I think you'll be happier learning to play righty. (I'm righty and recently switched my drum kit to lefty - so I can play hats right handed without crossing).

Here it is to scale for comparison with a 34, the 25.5 I already have, and the 20" Uke base. I think we're finally into territory he can hold.
ittybittybasses_zps2j2dkomx.jpg


 
Bass arrived, returned unopened. Because the kiddo has been making it pretty danged obvious he's lefty on a daily bassis now. Fortunately, Rondo has an incredible return policy, so I'm waiting onit to get there and come back in the reflect version

Waiting...
 
He can finally hold the Stedman, and it's amazing how much more natural he looks playing a righty bass upside down than he does trying to play it right handed. That Hadean should be about *perfect*.

blues-brother_zps5a5jnq0e.jpg
 
Came today. Having an instrument you cannot play absolutely sucks.  Guess I'm gonna have to learn to play basic blues bass lines left handed.

ukbe-20SBL_zps7yn6pffq.jpg
 
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