2016 Wildwood Mandobass

[Jake Wildwood]

First of all, I've written this whole project up in detail (and with a soundclip) at my blog post on it (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2016/03/2016-jake-wildwood-mandobass.html).

But, to sum it up -- I had this playing "in the white" at a show on Friday after two days' build. I was really pushing myself to get it done quickly. It's vaguely based on the sizing of old Gibson mandobasses with a touch of the aesthetic of the 30s Kalamazoo mandobasses. I wanted it to be durable, functional, and something I didn't care about getting all scratched-up like I knew it would be.

The scale length is shorter (34") which is similar to a few early Gibson MBs and I've strung it with upright 1/4 scale strings (Corelli 350s) though I may try roundwounds for the heck of it at some point. It's tonebar-braced, the body is entirely 1/16" birch ply (flat top/back), and the center 3/4" of the (maple) neck runs through from the headstock to the endblock.

After playing a lot with various bridges since Saturday I'm happy to say I've arrived at the tone/power I wanted out of it and it easily supplied bottom-end growl for a two-guitar, two-mandolin group even with my original (not-best-sounding) bridge setup. The current bridge isn't the one that's still on it (though it's similar but has a 3rd foot in the center to engage that portion of the soundboard).

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[atbuckner21]

This is gorgeous man! Thanks for keeping such a cool instrument alive :) I love the blacktop!

[Jake Wildwood]

Danke! FYI it's actually "forest-green-face." :D

[Simon DS]

Really nice.

[F-2 Dave]

Cool! Nice job. Do you play seated or standing?

[Jake Wildwood]

I think seated is more comfortable. I haven't figured out how to do standing right, yet.

[MikeEdgerton]

Really nice.

[Chief]

Very cool Jake. Are you putting a pickup in?

[JEStanek]

Nice work and it sounds pretty cool, too.

Jamie

[bingoccc]

I love that sound clip on your blog. I don't know why but I kept expecting/hoping you'd break into The Pink Panther Theme!

[Bob Bass]

Well done Jake! Very impressive tone w/depth and body!

[Jake Wildwood]

Very cool Jake. Are you putting a pickup in?

It'll get a K&K Big Twin installed with a jack mounted in the string-ends, probably.

- - - Updated - - -


Well done Jake! Very impressive tone w/depth and body!

Thanks! And thanks to all the other comments, too. :)

[billhay4]

Tres cool, Jake.
Very nice sounding especially with the soft pick.
Bill

[Jill McAuley]

Looks and sounds fantastic - love it!

[Simon DS]

Sounds great. How much does it weigh? I was wondering if you could attach a small weight under the head, and thereby bring the centre of gravity up so you could play it easier standing up. Or maybe it's ok already?

[Jake Wildwood]

Thanks again, guys, and here's some updates and replies:

#1 Will weigh it tomorrow for ya -- it's not heavy, though, at all.

#2 It stands-up just fine and I've figured out a good posture for playing upright -- very much like playing double bass but with the soundboard at slightly more of an angle to make flatpicking easy. I also tried it "thimbles" style with a couple of fingerpicks and found that I could use my double bass techniques (adapted) pretty easy with those, too. To get that "3/4" angle of the body I'd have to make a 3/4-installed endpin like on the old Gib MBs. Maybe for mandobass #2? -- though I don't play at that angle, really, as it kills my left arm that way. I like to be a bit more behind the neck.

#3 Two more bridges later and I have a winner -- 3-foot, mahogany, and rosewood-topped/adjustable:

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rE1pFWPbVsY/VvtiWcpZK2I/AAAAAAAAZlA/8Lu3Az2S4lIqHC14hU9qms_m9LbHyXTTw/s1600/mbassy-1.jpg

[Ron McMillan]

Superb blog post. Well done.

[Charles E.]

Digging that bridge Jake. The whole concept is very cool.

[Jim Garber]

Nice going, Jake! And it sounds great.

Just curious, you say the top is tonebar-braced. I assume you induced some kind of arch in it?

[Jake Wildwood]

Up in the middle of the night with the little one at the moment -- nope, it's simply flat and I expected a tiny bit of depression with tension -- which it has -- but it's sort-of designed-in since the idea is that this functions more like a banjo than a mando in terms of structure.

Thanks Charles. :)

Other notes from the last couple days -- strings are settling-in and sounding more to my liking... and I added strap-buttons and that's how I've been playing it since this morning (held mariachi-bass-style/elec bass-style) and I like it best this way. I may have to fill my endpin hole, now! Still haven't weighed it, yet, but it's about as heavy as your average Fender P or Jazz bass in total.

[StuartE]

Wow. Very cool with a nice sound.