Jake Wildwood
Mar-28-2016, 1:09pm
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).
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uljfL3pEUpg/VvlfA_qIP3I/AAAAAAAAZhQ/HmqGvoSPYAAtzHeg_TCeQVlbOkLBWaapw/s1600/mbd-1.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpP0T8kxST8/Vvlmn7ceCPI/AAAAAAAAZic/jENonowHrGEqvNoegBUjzvVrVobkv2ygQ/s1600/mb.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrRTEAblxMk/VvllytHU6-I/AAAAAAAAZiQ/cygVn8mU7LoQAau9BMwbSkxm7-M-C8V6Q/s1600/mbd-2.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o7RdlLqkqNA/VvlfFaAu2lI/AAAAAAAAZhw/GHVzHNO12YcbseqkXcK0R7WHK_vJOQvSA/s1600/mbd-5.jpg
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fhjmc_MaM7Y/VvlfHP6RwiI/AAAAAAAAZiA/Jm0Nd1Cp5oITSo7YZtOC3-B8vFpNmDxVQ/s1600/mbd-9.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmgqD7JuWko/VvlfDMbX3dI/AAAAAAAAZhg/fquUEua14bICdqJIUbIX2LNH8BLbNYtMA/s1600/mbd-13.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kNPVqppmMI4/Vvlly_Z_PNI/AAAAAAAAZiY/zg0E8wpAMhkxabsDqDcS4XoOyTIHDrafg/s1600/mb-1.jpg
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).
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uljfL3pEUpg/VvlfA_qIP3I/AAAAAAAAZhQ/HmqGvoSPYAAtzHeg_TCeQVlbOkLBWaapw/s1600/mbd-1.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpP0T8kxST8/Vvlmn7ceCPI/AAAAAAAAZic/jENonowHrGEqvNoegBUjzvVrVobkv2ygQ/s1600/mb.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrRTEAblxMk/VvllytHU6-I/AAAAAAAAZiQ/cygVn8mU7LoQAau9BMwbSkxm7-M-C8V6Q/s1600/mbd-2.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o7RdlLqkqNA/VvlfFaAu2lI/AAAAAAAAZhw/GHVzHNO12YcbseqkXcK0R7WHK_vJOQvSA/s1600/mbd-5.jpg
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fhjmc_MaM7Y/VvlfHP6RwiI/AAAAAAAAZiA/Jm0Nd1Cp5oITSo7YZtOC3-B8vFpNmDxVQ/s1600/mbd-9.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmgqD7JuWko/VvlfDMbX3dI/AAAAAAAAZhg/fquUEua14bICdqJIUbIX2LNH8BLbNYtMA/s1600/mbd-13.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kNPVqppmMI4/Vvlly_Z_PNI/AAAAAAAAZiY/zg0E8wpAMhkxabsDqDcS4XoOyTIHDrafg/s1600/mb-1.jpg