Official Luthiers Forum! :: View topic - 5 string variscale bass

Author:

martinedwards [ Mon Nov 02, 2009 6:31 pm ]

Post subject:

Re: 5 string variscale bass

peters instruments wrote:

i like the looks of the variscale and i have been considering doing it on a build i will be doing before long. i am assuming you basically just have a longer scale length on the low E and a shorter one on high E and run a connecting line between them?

exactly.

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i dont really know much about them.

neither did I till I built my acoustic!

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if that's the case what was the difference between the scale length on top and on bottom,

from memory ( and I'm nowhere near to measure) theres about 1 1/4" difference

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and how did you determine at what angle and all that?

as the fretboard is two pieces I put the join at the 90 degree fret. that's the 8th. the rest just fall into place either side.

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it seems like technically you could leave your bridge in a straight line but you would just have a far more aggressive angle on the first frets.

right again!

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one other thing, what kind of effect does having and angled fret have when you bend the strings?

bends are easier on the shorter scale strings as ther'yr at lower tension.

I'm HOPING to have strings on within two weeks.......

Author:	martinedwards [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 3:57 am ]
Post subject:	5 string variscale bass
SO I've never played a 5 string. never played a fanned fret bass either..... BUT I have some wood laying around!!! what this wood is? well, that's where things go off a bit as I have no clue!! it came from one of my dumpster diving expeditions. it FEELS (and carves) like cherry, but doesn't smell like it. looks a little like some mahogany I've seen BUT IS LIGHTER..... The neck is a 3 piece lam. centre is walnut. outer is....... well for 45 years it was the side of a chalkboard frame in school. looks like light magogany, but VERY dusty thru the thicknesser....... fretboard is ebony, actually two of madinters 3rd standard guitar boards joined at the 8th fret (the straight one) all the shiny bits come from Bezdez from the Canadian branch of eBayland before the routes and after concentric pots for volume recessed into the top. the frets are still mid atlantic on their way from stewmac, so hopefully I'll have this up & running for Christmas church services.

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Author:	Zach Ehley [ Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:55 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 5 string variscale bass
What single string bridges pieces are you using? Ive seen them several places for varying price. Hows the quality?

Author:	martinedwards [ Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:50 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 5 string variscale bass
These ones are from Bezdez on eBay. Dirt cheap and seem solid enough. my ony concern is that the mounting screws are slightly domed so reduce the length of travel of the saddle for intonation adjustment. Modification (ok, another screw) may be required...... meanwhile, back at the workshop The frets arrived!! so the neck now has two coats of varnish....... and I've started loading the hardware. note the 5 individual earth wires from the seperate saddles

Author:	peters instruments [ Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 5 string variscale bass
i like the looks of the variscale and i have been considering doing it on a build i will be doing before long. i am assuming you basically just have a longer scale length on the low E and a shorter one on high E and run a connecting line between them? i dont really know much about them. if that's the case what was the difference between the scale length on top and on bottom, and how did you determine at what angle and all that? it seems like technically you could leave your bridge in a straight line but you would just have a far more aggressive angle on the first frets. one other thing, what kind of effect does having and angled fret have when you bend the strings?

Author:	martinedwards [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:48 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 5 string variscale bass
Still a bit of setting up & tidying to do, but it's playable!! with the two pups so close to the bridge, there's maybe not as much difference in the sound between them, but hey! I can live with it!! I'm REALLY pleased with this one, so I gotta get it tidied up and then get my head down and finish the 4 commissions I have to get sorted!! a mandolin & an octave mandolin that are both nearly done, then a 00 shaped bouzouki for a guy in Lanzarotte and a Jumbo for an American. anyway, back to the bass.........

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