I'm at it again. BAS has replaced UAS.

KohanMike

Los Angeles, Beverly Grove West
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I thought I was satisfied with the three basses I now have, but I was in Guitar Center the other day and saw a reissue limited edition Rickenbacker 21" scale 325 guitar that got me salivating to convert it to a bass, but not for $3400. So I mocked up a drawing of a Rickenbacker 360 guitar as a bass to send to my Telecaster bass builder Bruce Herron in Michigan when the right time comes.

Then I was on the Talk Bass forum and a thread about the Hofner Beatles violin bass got me thinking about making one of those in sub-short scale, so I mocked up a drawing of that one too that I sent to my ukulele and u-bass builder in Vietnam, Bruce Wei.

Rickenbacker bass build700.jpg

Violin bass build705.jpg
 
Those look great. 22"-23" scale for a bass seems to be a sort of comfort zone for me, but other than a U-Bass SUB or Goldtone Acoustic none seem to exist near this scale.

I hacked together a bass bridge, pickup and geared bass tuner for a 1-string bass rig on a raw piece of quarter-sawn Oak 1"x2" from Home Depot, in order to test the so-called 'short scale' bass strings, but found that at that short a scale length, the were either unable to achieve pitch tuned to a low-E (which is the most problematic) and had not nearly enough tension until tuned up to an A (in the standard octave for bass guitar).

I tested over a dozen different single strings in all different gauges from 0.095" up to 0.140", and also a few 'high tension strings' and they were all too floppy.

I am curious as to just how you got those La Bella black nylon tapewound strings (despite the through-body modification) to work on such a short scale for your converted Les Paul Express...my experience showed them to be quite loose and floppy.

My next step might be to abandon the 'electric' strings and magnetic pickup, and go with a piezo UST pickup and try out some cello strings, which are more for a 24" scale length, but the cheapest set of these I could find were like $60, and an expensive one-shot test if it fails, so I'm holding off for now...
 
the short neck will fix the hofner neck dive issues.
You could try to use a set of strings for an ibanez mikro gsrm25 (contact basstringsonline) and use the low-b as an 'e' string. There's that pesky scale thing to deal with as you'd have 4+ extra inches of string.
 
Booli, the Les Paul conversion with the nylon wrapped strings I did works very well, below is a video and construction details. Also, last night I was on the rondomusic.com web site and they have solid body 20.75" scale piezo Thundergut string u-basses for about $160 that I'm seriously thinking of buying.

blue - http://www.rondomusic.com/ukbe22bl.html, sunburst - http://www.rondomusic.com/ukbe22sb.html, white - http://www.rondomusic.com/ukbe20wh.html, natural - http://www.rondomusic.com/ukbe22n.html

Les Paul 22" scale conversion parts, prices and vendors:
•Epiphone Les Paul Express 22" scale guitar - $99 - zZounds.com
•Rotosound Tru-Bass RS88s 30" short scale black nylon coated strings - $31.99 - Amazon
•Black Bass Bridge BA-1004BK L Shape Saddle - $19.99 - lotmusic (China) via Amazon
•Four 3/4" steel pan head machine screws that fit the bridge - $1.24 - Koontz Hardware, Los Angeles
•Tibesti 4 string black bass nut - $1.60 - Aaron Store via AliExpress.com (China)
•4 Chrome Guitar String Ferrules - $4.20 - C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply via Amazon
•4 Black plastic 3/8" hole plugs - $1.96 - Koontz Hardware, Los Angeles
Total Cost: $159.89 US



LP Bass convert.jpg
 
Booli, the Les Paul conversion with the nylon wrapped strings I did works very well, below is a video and construction details. Also, last night I was on the rondomusic.com web site and they have solid body 20.75" scale piezo Thundergut string u-basses for about $160 that I'm seriously thinking of buying.

OMG. Mike, no matter what anybody says to the otherwise, you sir are just, AWESOME!!!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I seem to never have the funds when I see that these are available, and when I do have the funds, they are always sold out.

But THANKS TO YOU, I got in before they were all gone.

I *just now* bought the sunburst model:

I am so excited now. I cant wait. I need one of these for a recording project, and while not a high-end unit like the ~$500 Kala models, it should serve my needs fine, even if it needs a setup or fret work (which I can do myself). If the preamp turns out to sound bad, I'll just replace it with a Mi-Si (since this Hadean model is so affordable).

Les Paul 22" scale conversion parts, prices and vendors

Thanks again for sharing all that info. I had started a similar project with an older 'beater' no-name strat copy (25" scale) that I had laying around, but never finished it. Now, I can re-use that projects parts for a fretless electric tenor guitar based upon a strat-style body. WOO HOO!!!

SO Thank you very much. Mike, you're ACES in my book. :)
 
You could try to use a set of strings for an ibanez mikro gsrm25 (contact basstringsonline) and use the low-b as an 'e' string. There's that pesky scale thing to deal with as you'd have 4+ extra inches of string.

bnolsen - Thanks for the info. Tried a low-b string in many gauges. Still had problems with it being too loose. Also to note that basstringsonline.com no longer seems to offer the 'mini-bass' strings by Pyramid, nor the La Bella MB-23T black nor white nylon tapewound strings that used to be on their site like 4-5 months ago.
 
you may need to call them directly and ask about the ibanez mikro 5 string set. Apparently they can be very accomodating and help you put together a custom string set if need be.

I'm not sure what the gauge is on the mikro's low-b. I sure wish I could find one to test drive.

For the price of the rondo music solid bodies I'd say "go for it!". The solid swamp ash ones look nice.
 
Booli, you're very welcome, glad I could inspire you. I just ordered the blue Rondo Hadean and I'm going to see if I can have it modified, shortening the horns and coloring the head plate the same as the body, never liked the long horns on basses, then I'll change to chrome hardware (I got the last set of chrome HipShot fat spool tuners) and Road Toad Pahoehoe yellow strings, don't like the feel of Aquila Thunderguts.

Rondo blue bass.jpg

Rondo blue bass chrome.jpg
 
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you may need to call them directly and ask about the ibanez mikro 5 string set. Apparently they can be very accomodating and help you put together a custom string set if need be.

I'm not sure what the gauge is on the mikro's low-b. I sure wish I could find one to test drive.

For the price of the rondo music solid bodies I'd say "go for it!". The solid swamp ash ones look nice.

Thanks for the info. Not sure if this matters any more since the Rondo sunburst Hadean bass uke is on it's way (just got a notice that it's being prepped for shipping). We'll see. :)
 
Booli, you're very welcome, glad I could inspire you. I just ordered the blue Rondo Hadean and I'm going to see if I can have it modified, shortening the horns and coloring the head plate the same as the body, never like the long horns on basses, then I'll change to chrome hardware (I got the last set of chrome HipShot fat spool tuners) and Road Toad Pahoehoe yellow strings, don't like the feel of Aquila Thunderguts.

I've always been partial to the traditional tobacco sunburst, to me, it feeds my eye more than the other colors...

The natural wood one was second and then the white third choice, but I was not liking the blue one, but glad that you like it and bought it.

I too found the white Thunderguts to be undesireable in feel, having a texture to me that felt very much like silly putty or Fun-Tak.

However I found the RED Thunderguts to not be too bad and so far my preference is for the Black Pahoehoe strings, but would consider another color set of the Pahoehoe (direct from Owen @ Road Toad Music). Were it not for USPS having their head up somewhere near Uranus, the Silver Rumbler strings I ordered off eBay would be here already...looking forward to trying those out too...

also - FYI - I have an ebay search that sends me new auctions related to the Ashbory bass each day, and last week they had an item being sold by Large Sound (largesound.com) for the Ashbory/U-Bass tuners, the WHOLE set for $32 (but only in 2R/2L and not 4-inline). This is MUCH cheaper than getting them from either Kala or Road Toad for $20-$25 each tuner. I ordered not from ebay but direct from their web site 2 sets (of 4 tuners) [link below] and 2 Ashbory nuts. They arrived in a few days and after enlarging the holes in my Rogue( actually Savannah) Baritone with a 35/64" drill bit, and then thinning out about 1/8" from the front of the headstock with a dremel tool and sanding disc for the shaft threads to be able to meet the top bushing (headstock was too thick), have them installed now.

Note that they are NOT reversible, and can only go 2 per side because of the housing that holds the worm gear and peg button.

I then rough cut a new nut from some black micarta and replaced the nut, and then drilled out 4 holes in the bridge, right down where the existing string holes were and then painfully fed the black Pahoehoe strings through the body. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about a pickup yet. but thus far the instrument 'works' and sounds like a U-bass. before I do a full setup I am probably going to convert this to a fretless by de-fretting it, and then I will make final adjustments to the nut and glue it down.

Thus far, this baritone conversion cost me:
$42 for the Savannah baritone (ebay, musiciansfriend was sold out of the Rogue at the time)
$32 for the large spool tuners (from largesound.com)
$24 for the black Pahoehoe strings (Road Toad Music)
$ 7 for the 35/64" drill bit (ebay)

$105 total sans pickup...

Had I to do again, I might have just bought the acoustic Hadean model, but they were not available for a long time, and the one that Rondo had last week looks like 1970's wood wall paneling and I detest it's appearance, but if other colors were an option, I'd recommend to others to just get the Hadean one, which appears to have an unbranded Fishman Kula or Shadow pickup and preamp already installed (I have not seen one in person, but I'm just going by the off-angle pictures).

When I am done with the de-fretting of my converted baritone, I plan to strip the orange plastic paint off with acetone nail polish remover, which thankfully works well and leaves a nice shiny bare wood below, with little mess and comes off easily when you wipe it on, and then off with a paper towel. Oh but the SMELL - gotta do it outside and wear a mask.

Once the color is removed, I may either get some redwood stain (think picnic table color-LOL), or just use some flat black spray paint, which will be real easy to touch up later on.

One thing to note also, is that most 'bass tuners' need a 35/64" hole in the headstock and a standard drill has a maximum opening in the chuck of 1/2", so this drill bit will not fit unless you get a drill bit that has a smaller diameter shaft than the drill's cutting flutes...thus I had to use some vice-grip pliers @ a 90 deg angle, and VERY carefully turn the drill bit by hand, which only required about 8 total rotations before it had cut all the way through the headstock (VERY sharp tungsten carbide drill bit). Yes, I know I could have used a 'paddle' bit or Forstner bit, but it was 3am when I was on ebay and ordered the first and cheapest thing I could find...

Once I get this conversion completed, and looking and playing how I want it, I will do a video and post here in case anybody else wants to see the project...

And if I somehow manage to mess up and render the instrument 'dead', I'll probably just buy the Hadean wood-paneling colored acoustic one, de-fret it, sand it and then paint it flat black.

Either way, I will hopefully end up with an acoustic fretless U-Bass and a solid-body fretted U-Bass. :)

and in case you might ask, here is the link to the U-Bass tuners from Large Sound:

https://www.largesound.com/buy/index.php/products/large-sound-elastomeric-bass-tuning-set
 
The ashbory tuners are only slotted, that's it. I did the whole fold down the string end and twist around to hold it, even with the E string. That was with a set of white thunderguts I had.

The hadean omega sub I have the tuners each have a hole in the middle in addition to the slot for the string end to go into. I like that configuration a whole lot better, and the tuners seem pretty solid.

Both my D and G strings (stock white thunderguts) are sausaging at this time. I've got a set of pahoehoe's ready to go whenever I need them. Apparently those don't sausage.

And definitely take a close look at the intonation of the rondo ubass when you get it.
 
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Thanks Booli for the links, good prices. You sure are workin' it with your build, I'm going to have my luthier do the cutting and refinishing of the blue, I'll take care of the hardware, easy enough. As you see in my signature, I have a sunburst and a natural. When I saw the blue Hadean, I decided it would be my "Ric" one instead of spending $1000 on a custom.

The last couple of days I've seen on Rondo's bass listings a zebra wood and a really nice looking flamed maple acoustic base uke.
 
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As I tinker with the redesign of the blue Rondo Hadean, I came up with a nice pickguard. I like having a thumb rest, but I want it to be integrated to the instrument; on the Les Paul I doubled up the top edge of the pickup frame, which works just great, on my Gold Tone I used an electric cable guide clear plastic holder along the edge of the soundhole, and on the Telecaster bass, I had the builder make a thumb rest that matches the pickguard held down by the pickguard screws. Adding a pickguard to the blue Hadean allows for the same kind of thumb rest.

Rondo blue bass thumb.jpg
 
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As I tinker with the redesign of the blue Rondo Hadean...

Looks like your design is coming along.

I received a notice from UPS that my sunburst model is to be delivered TODAY!!!!

I know that Rondo has at least one location in NJ (where I'm currently located) so this is pretty nice. I'm also going to call them today (WED) and see if the local store has these Uke Basses in stock, and if so, maybe take a trip over there to check out the acoustic models. I haven't been there in over 10 yrs, but they are about 35 mins drive from me.

Depending upon getting the solid-body model to fit in a case easily or not, I may be forced to shorten the 'horns' similar to your rendering above...

But I will at least try to see if it will fit in other different cases that I have before I get out the hacksaw and sandpaper - LOL :)
 
The custom u-bass I had made in Vietnam is a 21" scale. 31.7" long, all of my gig bags are way too big for it, so I searched around and finally came across the gig bag made for the Traveler acoustic guitar, it's 32" long and wide so I bought it from their web site, $60 plus shipping and tax, http://travelerguitar.com/store#!/GIG-BAG-AG-105-105EQ-200EQ/p/36486665/category=9463084. I plan to use it for the Hadean (UPS shows delivery next Tuesday).
 
Well, I must be seriously overcome with UAS/BAS right now.

Last night I could not stop thinking about the other acoustic Rondo Uke Basses, so...in a mad frenzy, I gave in.

Yep, I bought one!

The natural model: http://www.rondomusic.com/UKB-24.html

ubk24nm1.jpg


Which is listed as a prototype, and has the trap door for string installation, which the other model (more yellow-colored) does not, as per the description and photos: "Now with rear access panel to make string changing easy!"

ubk24nm3.jpg


As far as a case for this one, the dimensions listed on Rondo seems hopeful for it to fit into either a Uke Crazy style case, or the Lanikai Baritone Hard-bag case (both of which I have for other instruments), and can do a test fit before ordering another for this instrument.

As to my project Bari-to-UBass conversion project- I'll now have a fully formed Bass uke to compare it to, and should I decide to do any mods to these new Hadean uke basses, I can test it first on the conversion instrument...worst-case-scenario (hopefully) is to have a fretless (in the Bari-to-UBass conversion) and maybe leave this Hadean one fretted...otherwise I'll have a batch of spare parts in nuts and tuners and strings in case of any repairs later on.

I fully realize that I may have jumped the shark here by buying both of these sight-unseen, but since others here on UU have reported them to be playable and functional and sound pretty decent, I think I am ok, and rumor has it that Rondo is good about returns, and I'd only be out the return shipping costs. :)

The custom u-bass I had made in Vietnam is a 21" scale. 31.7" long, all of my gig bags are way too big for it, so I searched around and finally came across the gig bag made for the Traveler acoustic guitar, it's 32" long and wide so I bought it from their web site, $60 plus shipping and tax, http://travelerguitar.com/store#!/GIG-BAG-AG-105-105EQ-200EQ/p/36486665/category=9463084. I plan to use it for the Hadean (UPS shows delivery next Tuesday).

That case is definitely a contender for the Hadean solid-body, and one to consider. Please report back how it fits.

Also, to note that Kala has a padded gig bag for their U-Bass SUB: DUB-UBASS-SB Deluxe Bag for Solid Body U-BASS

seen here: http://kalabrand.com/ProductPages/BagsCasesU-BASS.html

on sale for $48 USD here: http://kala-gear.hostedbyamazon.com/SOLID-U-BASS-DELUXE-PADDED-BACKPACK/dp/B007KONIBM

and the dimensions they list for it here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As-vcb1c9SOqdHVJb0RqazBwR09NeGpuekp6ZjZieFE#gid=0

suggest that it just might be a better fit for the Hadean solid body, and also to note that Kala's UC-B Acoustic-Electric U-BASS Hard Foam Case
(also shown at the above links)have dimensions that should accomodate the acoustic U-Bass if all the specs for the dimensions from both Rondo and Kala are accurate.

I should also mention, in my excitement I mis-read the tracking info on the solid-body, and it''s actually scheduled to be delivered TOMORROW (Thurs 4/16) and not today. If the 2-day transit time holds true for the acoustic Hadean uke bass, then that item may arrive on Sat 4/18...

so if all goes well, my weekend will be full. :)

Again, Mike, thanks for the heads-up on these being available again!
 
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You're certainly welcome. With your "plywood" complaint about the the natural, I'm surprised you chose it over the flame maple (one of my favorite looks). BTW, that preamp is not Fishman, it's Chinese made that I've used on my ukes, I like it. I know how xAS can take hold, I came very close to ordering the Hofner AND the Rickenbacker builds, but that's been squelched for the time being with the Rondo Hadean, I just don't know how long.

I actually had the Traveler gig bag modified with an extra large front pouch to fit my 13.3" tablet I use just for music, and added a pouch on the lower back side to hold my modified music stand (a conversation unto itself). My Bruce Wei u-bass fits perfectly and it has some removable padding, I see no problem with the Hadean.

Hey!!! I just looked at your string sale link and found Thunder Red bass strings for $23, I couldn't find any on the internet when I searched yesterday, so I ordered them direct from Aquila Italy for $47, crap!!!. I'll see if I can cancel.
 
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You're certainly welcome. With your "plywood" complaint about the the natural, I'm surprised you chose it over the flame maple (one of my favorite looks).

I liked the look of the flame maple better, but installing the strings through the soundhole is a PITA without the trap door in the back of the body.

Literally fishing a wire down into the string hole from the top, and then pulling it out the soundhole, and taping the end of the wire to the end of the U-Bass string, and then stuffing it all inside the uke and gently trying to pull it all out the string hole. Too many times the tape came off, and I tried 4 different kinds of tape before I had success with the brown plastic shipping tape. All of this trouble is despite having enlarged the string hole diameter, with multiple incrementally larger diameter drill buts, as large as I could without sacrificing the structural integrity of the top or the bridge.

I did it with my conversion project and ran out of good profanity before I was done, so wanting to avoid repeating that experience, the grain patterns on the natural plywood model are a lot less offensive to me than the zebrawood model, which I thought looked more like the 1970's wood wall paneling. The model I ordered seems figured in a more of a 'wave'-type pattern than just the black grain lines of the zebrawood veneer, which is softer to my eye.

Plus, I'm curious to see how they did this trap door in the back, as I'd like to copy it and put a trap door on the back of the conversion instrument. However, since this is a task that requires great finesse in the cutting of the hole, I am more comfortable using a 2.5" hole saw with a hand drill on a slow speed, than using a dremel to cut out an area of that size by hand.

BTW, that preamp is not Fishman, it's Chinese made that I've used on my ukes, I like it.

Thanks for clarifying that. Knowing how many ukes and basses you have, this helps me rest easy that it's not total crapola. :)

I know how xAS can take hold, I came very close to ordering the Hofner AND the Rickenbacker builds, but that's been squelched for the time being with the Rondo Hadean, I just don't know how long.

and in a future post...you will of course detail that experience - I look forward to seeing it.

I actually had the Traveler gig bag modified with an extra large front pouch to fit my 13.3" tablet I use just for music, and added a pouch on the lower back side to hold my modified music stand (a conversation unto itself). My Bruce Wei u-bass fits perfectly and it has some removable padding, I see no problem with the Hadean.

Thanks for that info. If Empire Music in Canada has the Uke-Crazy style canvas covered hardfoam baritone cases in stock, and are still priced ~$39 USD, I might opt for that if the one I have here fits the Hadean. The added rigidity is a plus in my book, and a bit more protection that a floppy gig bag can provide...and I'm not concerned with air travel yet, just protection maybe in/out of the car if/when necessary and in the closet when not being played or hung on the wall.

They are out of stock at the moment for the bari-sized, but have the other sized cheaper than every other vendor I've found online for such a case:

http://empiremusic.net/index.php?route=product/isearch&search=ukulele case&description=true

I've also ordered this Kala baritone case from Sweetwater for $43 (with free shipping) in the past, that works well:

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

Hey!!! I just looked at your string sale link and found Thunder Red bass strings for $23, I couldn't find any on the internet when I searched yesterday, so I ordered them direct from Aquila Italy for $47, crap!!!. I'll see if I can cancel.

Thanks for clicking that link. Each order earns me points that I can use for future purchases.

I've found the Aquila RED Thundergut strings available online at quite a few online vendors, including SAB as well as Amazon, but with my link (IIRC 5%?) and the current 15% off you can get a decent discount on them from SAB.

For future reference, here are some other links to them for sale:
(note that prices vary widely, and none are cheaper at the moment than using my link to SAB and their 15% off, sorry if this seems like I'm a shill, but I'm really just a happy customer of Strings and Beyond [SAB] and trying to recoup the small fortune I've already spent testing all kinds of uke and classical strings over the past 18 months)

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/ABU91.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Aquila-Thunde...TF8&qid=1429136163&sr=1-1&keywords=aquila+91u

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...&_nkw=aquila+thunder+red+strings+91U&_sacat=0
 
Thanks for all the links Booli. I received a processing email from Aquila in Italian and replied that I want to cancel the order. I hope they get it and understand.

For my u-bass from Bruce Wei, I had him enlarge the sound hole so my hand could fit, but it's still awkward, having an access panel on the back is a good idea, makes it so much easier.
 
Thanks for all the links Booli. I received a processing email from Aquila in Italian and replied that I want to cancel the order. I hope they get it and understand.

For my u-bass from Bruce Wei, I had him enlarge the sound hole so my hand could fit, but it's still awkward, having an access panel on the back is a good idea, makes it so much easier.

Yeah, I hate that I cant get my hand inside any uke. I have no small children nearby, nor with the manual dexterity required to help me, and at times I've thought of getting one of those robotic arm kits and mounting a pinhole camera with an LED light to it somehow, in order to be able to work inside the instrument, but it seems like a lot for that purpose. Much like a Rube Goldberg contraption LOL.

Can you go on their web site and login and look at your order history?

When I've gone to aquilacorde.com it seems they have an automatic script on the web site that sets the language to English via internet gelocation of your IP address being from the USA, allthough some deeper parts of their site are only in Italian. If you can get into the order history or send them a message right on the site via their 'Contact' page and include your order number, maybe that will be effective as well?

FYI: you can go to Google Translate via https://translate.google.com and copy the Italian text from your email and then paste it into the box and then hit the 'translate' button and it should auto-recognize the source language, and then render it into broken English, in like a 4th-grade reading level.

Once you see what it says, you can also do the reverse, by typing your intended message in English, and having Google translate into Italian, and copy/paste both the English and Italian text into your email, and they should be able to make sense of it.

I've seen Mimmo of Aquila post here on UU in English, and in many of his youtube videos he speaks in English with a nice an very thick Italian accent which is quite musical in itself, so hopefully they can understand your intent...:)
 
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