Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB)

Go Back   Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB) > Double Basses > This New Bass > Chinese/Asian

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-26-2007, 11:24 AM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default My Willow

Here's my SB 200, 3/4 Willow, purchased from and set up by Jeff B in 2006:


Height (bottom to button): 43 ½”
UB: 20”
Cb: 14 1/8”
LB:25 3/8"
String length: 41 1/8"

Spruce top
Willow back and ribs

The varnish doesn't look quite this yellow under netural light . . .
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	front.jpg
Views:	908
Size:	18.1 KB
ID:	56  Click image for larger version

Name:	front1.jpg
Views:	794
Size:	16.3 KB
ID:	57  Click image for larger version

Name:	backribs.jpg
Views:	865
Size:	15.0 KB
ID:	58  Click image for larger version

Name:	back1.jpg
Views:	813
Size:	14.9 KB
ID:	59  Click image for larger version

Name:	fbbridge.jpg
Views:	816
Size:	13.6 KB
ID:	60  

Click image for larger version

Name:	scroll.jpg
Views:	815
Size:	18.8 KB
ID:	61  
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-26-2007, 11:29 AM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default couple more pics

here are a couple more . . . I'm curious to find out what type of wood the tailpiece is.

The last pic is hard to see - it's of the x-bracing joint.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	back.jpg
Views:	850
Size:	17.1 KB
ID:	65  Click image for larger version

Name:	scroll1.jpg
Views:	707
Size:	8.6 KB
ID:	66  Click image for larger version

Name:	tail.jpg
Views:	738
Size:	15.3 KB
ID:	67  Click image for larger version

Name:	xbrace.jpg
Views:	765
Size:	4.7 KB
ID:	68  
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-26-2007, 01:27 PM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Thumbs up Wood..

The wood and varnish on your Bass looks beautiful, especially the Willow.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-27-2007, 12:29 AM
Brett Clark Brett Clark is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Gettysburg, OH
Posts: 4
Brett Clark is on a distinguished road
Default

I've got a Willow on trial from Nick Lloyd and from the look of the tailpiece on mine, I assumed it was ebony.

Something else I noticed is the string length is also about 41 1/8. They advertise the bass as having a 41 1/2 string length. 3/8" seems to be a fair amount off from the spec.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-27-2007, 07:28 AM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default

Huh - I wasn't aware of their advertised string length. I always thought 41-41-1/2 was sort of a standard for these smaller basses. Maybe you should ask John Sprague (at TB)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-16-2007, 02:24 PM
John Sprague's Avatar
John Sprague John Sprague is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 03-16-2007
Posts: 4
John Sprague is on a distinguished road
Default

Hey Gents,
I just checked our site, and indeed it says 41 1/2, but we are now making that bass at 41 1/4. The stock tailpiece for that model is rosewood, and Stan yours does look like rosewood after a closer look in photoshop (pic's a bit dark).
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-17-2007, 09:10 AM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default Thanks, John!

Yeah, I believe it is rosewood.I'm very happy with this bass, by the way. Although it seems to be going through puberty at the moment. Can't wait for spring to start!
__________________
A is A
http://gluedtothestring.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-19-2008, 08:34 PM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default Just to continue . . .

I am still enjoying my time with this bass, even if I know its limitations. It's a solid instrument. I'm not ashamed to play it in any situation.

It seems to respond very well to synthetic core strings, higher tension steel strings really choked the sound. Flexicores are too dark for it. Evah Pirazzis seem to be treating it really well for the moment. My recently upgraded bow is making the sound jump out a little more easily, which is nice . . .

A couple of months ago, i ended up taking the bass in to Arnold's shop because I wanted to try playing with very low string height (teacher's reccomendation). While it was there, Arnold did the following:
-Cut the tailpiece down a few inches and replaced the tailwire
- adjusted the bridge position and the afterlength tuning (this fixed the "short mensure" we were discussing last year)
- cut down the bridge to a ridiculously low playing height (4mm at the g string, 8 at the E, I think)
- adjusted the arch of the bridge to better fit the fingerboard radius.

The result: a new instrument. Produces more sound, is easier to play. More even up and down all strings. Less wolfiness (**almost** no wolfs).

It took me a couple of days to notice the new string length - there were some serious struggles with intonation after the work was done. It's ***much*** easier to play, though.

Arnold's the man. Get to him if you can.
__________________
A is A
http://gluedtothestring.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-19-2008, 09:16 PM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Question the new string length??

Quote:
The result: a new instrument. Produces more sound, is easier to play. More even up and down all strings. Less wolfiness (**almost** no wolfs).

It took me a couple of days to notice the new string length - there were some serious struggles with intonation after the work was done. It's ***much*** easier to play, though.
Stan, I am curious about this. The pictures in your first post show the string height quite low. How much difference is the string length from the adjustments Arnold made? How high were the Strings before?

How long was the total length of the Tailpiece before and how long is it now? I am curious because they only vary about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in length on average between the 3/4 and 7/8 or 4/4 models. You mentioned Arnold cut a few inches off the length of the Tailpiece? From what to what?

You mention "Height (bottom to button): 43 ½". Is that the Back? If so, how long is the Top from the bottom edge to the Tips bordering the Neck?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-19-2008, 11:12 PM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default

Ken -

Sorry I can't be more exact. The height I measured last year, i measured along the back, just like you would size a viola. The original string height when I bought the bass was "standard" - though I never measured it, I would guess 8mm at the gstring to about 10 or 11 at the E. It played pretty well, but had some extreme variations over the course of the first year.

I don't know how much Arnold took off of the tailpiece, but he said he had set up a lot of these Willows, and it seemed to be all routine to him. I would have to guess he took off less than two inches - still a considerable amount. Then, the bridge was adjusted down toward the tailpiece. I haven't remeasured the mensure, and my bass is packed up as I'm taking the night off. But I'm sure the string length was a little bit longer - I had to "find" the notes again, especially above the octave.

I think the bass changed shape a lot over the last couple of years. It's playing much better after the recent surgery.
__________________
A is A
http://gluedtothestring.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-21-2008, 07:47 PM
stan haskins stan haskins is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 01-22-2007
Location: Orange County, NY
Posts: 0
stan haskins is on a distinguished road
Default Since you asked . . .

Ken, since you asked, I got out the tape measure to find those measurements.

Surprise, surprise - the string length is actually 1/8" shorter than it was. It's exactly 41" now. (weird - I could have sworn it *felt* longer. Now that I think about it though, I can stop a c# at the top of the neck, where before I could only stop a c. So the string length had to have gotten shorter.)

The height of the top, from the saddle to the seam of the neck joint, is just over 43"

Tailpiece is now 13". I don't know what it was before.

Long story short, the bass plays better now.
__________________
A is A
http://gluedtothestring.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:14 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2007 - Ken Smith Basses, LTD. (All Rights Reserved)