Wademeister Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Anyone seen one anything like this? I did some searching and couldn't find anything on the net. I know a guy who is a pro at faux finish (big $$$ aircraft guy) who will make it look very real too. Silly as it is, I think I'm really going to build this one!! Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 I like it but would a small mouth bass have better tone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 there's a custom jackson(i think) that's a fish. it looks pretty cool...i'll post a picture if i find it.[.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 I drew up a fish bass a little while back, but it was nowhere near that good. Will this thing be neckthru? Also, what will be carving and what will be painted? This could come out very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 what are the pickups gonna look like on that thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mleichtl Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 That is nice! My screen cuts off the head stock, it could look cool headless too. I had an idea thats alittle higher on the evolutionary scale. A frog. The body would the main body, top jaw - top horn, lower jaw - lower horn, the neck and head would be his toungue with a fly on the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirapop Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Nice sketch! Interesting idea for a bass... why is it that when I look at it I expect the bass to turn towards me and sing "Take Me To The River"? That would be a unique feature to integrate into your instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wademeister Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 I'll shrink the pic and repost it after a change or two. Looks like my neck pickup will be uncomfortably close to the outline of the body, so I'll move the bridge back toward the mouth a little. I really should have put the pickups on before sketching the body though. DOH!! I'll carve the body contours same as a real largemouth but flattened out a bit. The fins will be thick at the bases and taper as they get away from the body. Not too thin, but enough to prevent a flat cutout look to the outline. And since the bridge will be back near the mouth, I'll give it the right shape for a gill cover. I'll put the output jack inside the mouth so the cord will be like a fishing line, lol! I have a nice piece of lignum vitae for the fingerboard (fretless), which is a yellowish greenish color. Should look perfect on a yellow/green fish. The back of the neck will probably be black, but I may go natural wood. I'll have to think about that some more. The headstock right now is sort of a PRS that has less curve to it. It works pretty well and I may try to make that end look like a guitar and not part of the fish. I may change that all around too after I draw some tuners on it. Hmmm, just thought about control knobs. That could be a challenge. Sliders up on to of the dorsal fin maybe? Maybe just some miniature low profile knobs in the normaml location for convenience? Any suggestions on that? Funny thing is I don't draw well. First I took the neck dimensions and drew them out on AutoCad along with the strings and bridge so I could design around the mechanical part, then I looked around for bass pictures on the internet so I could see where to put the fins. Didn't find a whole lot, but I had some idea of what I needed anyway. Then I took out my pencil and the thing just said DRAW ME! Took about a minute and there it was. I'd like to see that Jackson, I looked around for fish guitars annd didn't find a single one even though I know I saw a shark guitar once somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 did you consider the back fin as the headstock? i think that'd really complete the bass. oh, and just for kicks and giggles, i just figured out where you got the idea for a widemouth bass bass...haha, it's the same word... im so dumb... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 You could get some carving inspiration from this guy; he hasn't done a fish yet, but when you do it, he'd probably like some pics. Also, is this going to be carved from basswood? I was thinking, a single P pickup would look great on this thing, especially something with a nice thumpy vintage tone; maybe seymour duncan? Also, two black round top knobs on the lower fin nearest the normal knob position would look good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wademeister Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 It's a fish! It's a guitar! No, it's both at once! haha. So ok I'll play bass. Say it either way, it's still right. I thought about mixing it up too. A fin here, mouth there, tail curved in a semicircle like it's jumping out of the water, face on like you're looking down the fish's throat...Just turns out that bass'(fish) nearly anatomically correct fin size and placement work out nicely so that it should be comfortable to play sitting or standing. Movin the bridge farther back will only improve balance on the strap, and I don't plan on playing above the 12th fret position too much so if the body starts to taper in at that point it should be fine anyway. OOH! I found a better pic, the one I wish I had in the fiirst place... I don't know about the pickups. That looks good but I have a whole bass that begs to be recreated and it happens to have those long soapbars. So I get to choose...spend more money and just add a bass, or adapt the parts I have and change it around? I also don't know enough about the sound that I want to have later to be sure a single P-pickup is going to suit me. I'm still pretty much a beginning player. Here's my donor guitar. Skibum, will I be limiting my tone much by using the setup you drew for me? Would that be a good combo for a fretless five string with flatwounds? ( say THAT 5 times fast!) Edit-Doug's stuff is very cool! I love the way he transforms stock bodies into high art. I especially like what he did with those SG's. Thanks for the link. Basswood....is it possible to carry a joke too far? hmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Given that setup on the current bass, you'd be losing quite a bit of versatility. Two pickups will always have more versatility than one, but you can make some alterations to best find max versatility. First, go for a bartolini P bass pickup and preamp. They have a great tone to begin with. Second, instead of having single pots, use concentric (stacked) pots, with Volume/bass and Treble/mid. Keep the look, but have a LOT more versatility. A P-bass pickup will have its distinct tone, but if you use a high quality pup like a Bart and have a 3 band EQ, you'll get a lot of that versatility back. Also, make it out of alder. It's a clear, distinct tone and you'll have a lot of versatility with it. It's supposedly easy to carve too. PS Sell that bass as is, or parted out, instead of using it as a donor. It'll let you choose exactly your look and sound without being limited to what you already have on hand. PPS I also like the back fin as headstock idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Here for the pickups Here for Preamps Here for the pots THe pots don't have center detents, unfortunately. You'll just have to have arrow on the knobs, if it even matters. Just tweak them until they sound good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurphC Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 I had the EXACT same idea! I thought about using a spoon lure as an inlay- and maybe headless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Jabsco Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 You could carve out the mouth and drill some holes, make the controls in the mouth so you cant see the knobs. ps that bass your stripping, what do you plan to do with the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wademeister Posted August 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 Whew! Ok there went about 3 hours playing with this on the CAD system. So when I start cutting I can do any or all of the shaping on the CNC machine, as well as locate holes, control cavities, or whatever is inconvenient to do by hand. Or I may just let the machine cut it to save time. I only moved the body about a quarter inch and the pickups are drawn to correct size and in the exact location as they are on the existing brown bass. I think the knobs will look good if I can find some nice round dome chrome ones so they look like bubbles. I thought about putting the controls in the mouth, but I think having everything within easy reach will be worth having them show. They should look pretty good to me anyway. At this point I'm planning on putting the output jack on the back side of the body and installing a big brass hook in the mouth for the strap attachment. I'll redraw that peghead a few more times before I cut anything too. Maybe I'll put all 5 tuners on one side and try to make it look like a fin as was suggested. I didn't want to do that really, but so far everything I've tried seems to look like an Ibanez to me and I'd rather not. Maybe a 4+1 on a fin setup...I'll work on it more tomorrow It's getting there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Jabsco Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 oh wow! i like that! abalone inlay for the eye?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 what about strap buttons tho? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Jabsco Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 and installing a big brass hook in the mouth for the strap attachment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wademeister Posted August 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 abalone inlay for the eye?? Oooh, I think I like that idea. I was planning on of carving it and painting it black, but that sounds pretty good. Anyone have experience with inlay on guitar bodies? I'm concerned that a clear coat covering everything might crack at the inlay. Maybe I'll need to cut the socket, paint including clear and buff, then insert the polished abalone eye. That could work, and I could give it some nice contour at the same time. What's the taxidermist do on their fish trophies? Maybe I just need to buy a fisheye! After everything is together on the new bass I'll talk to you about the woodgrained body if you're interested Doc. It's an Ibanez EDB 690 which means it's made of a material they call Luthite. I call it plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wademeister Posted August 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Couple more hours into the project, still all in the CAD stage. I think I'm just about there, nothing really glares at me as being a problem now other than the fact that I went for the painfully obvious tailfin for the headstock. What can I say, it just works. I can blow any of it up for detail if there any concerns or construction pointers. I think I still need to work on the neck/head transition and the nut area but I'll study those closer on the other basses tomorrow. I'd really like to get some feedback at this point because I'm about ready to start cutting. See anything wrong with the design? Any suggestions at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 I liked the headstock better with the two top, three bottom design. Also, the inlay can go under the clear coat. If alembic does it, it's got to work well. Overall, I like the design. It'd be cool if you took it to a taxidermist before you clearcoated it to have the whole thing recolored like an actual fish, just like they do on trophy fishes. It'd look better than just plain black IMHO. If you feel like going WAY overboat, it'd be cool to actually carve scale contours in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wademeister Posted August 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 I'll keep looking at it for a while. I have no deadline, so there's no point in rushing anything. At this point I like the new headstock design better and intend to use that. Funny how I seem unable to get away from established headstock feel. Sort of went from Ibanez to Warwick feeling to my eye. At least this one works well concerning the balance of contours between the mouth and tail. Maybe rotating the tuners around will help things along. For the finish, it will be painted up to look like a real bass(fish), but I won't be carving any scales. I want the surface to be smooth with a satin finish. I have full time pro artist who is going to make it look just right. I may have to visit a taxidermist if this guy says he has to charge me though, because I sure can't afford him! I was only talking about the eyeball when I said I was going to carve it and paint it black Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 dont know what you'd think of this, but why put the pots and controls along the bottom contour of the fins towards the mouth? they'd look more like an integral part, rather than just tossed on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirapop Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 How about using a rotary switch and put the pectoral fin on it? If you don't play sitting down, the volume and tone pots could be on the bottom of the body, shafts pointed down, tucked behind the other fin. BTW, I prefer the fin shaped headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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