Archtop as a concept for acoustic bass guitar?

[Beate Ritzert]

There is no reason why a 25" scale archtop wouldn't work as long as you could find a way to employ a piezo pickup effectively.

You can even go with magnetic pickups if ou use thick shortscale strings like the GHS Brite Flats. These can be tuned down easily by three semitones which compensates for the difference in string length. Or ou try to get hands on one of the rare 5 string sets for shortscale basses and use the B-D strings as E-G on a guitar scale. Tensionwise that should roughly give the load of long scale strings. An (old, to be restored) archtop should be ideal for such instruments since suitable hardware is easily available as well.

BTW: one of my guitars is currently tuned in fifths. I am using Daddario Chromes with a maximum thickness of 0.08" tuned to the low F, just one semitone above the bass. On a 62.8 cm scale, ie, Gibson alike. Not nice but playable.

But that is not the scope of my project. I want to design an unconventional bass playing acustically better than my small SX (silent, but nice sound), but also electrically functional and build that from scratch. For the contest, for the fun of it and in order to learn a lot.

Today i learned about Tom Ribbecke's Diana bass and found that encouraging to try my idea. Very unconventional bracing - a bass bar combined with X bracing.

[Mark Wybierala]

I'm just patiently waiting for a Gibson ES of any sort to drop in my lap with a fractured neck that I'm able to pick up for cheap. I know I'll be committing a sin because if there's enough of the guitar intact to make a bass, its probably worth repairing to its original purpose. You certainly do not see many archtop basses. I'd even settle for a good Epiphone Casino. I want one just because...

[Beate Ritzert]

Modding something like that would be not an option: https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley_bent ... _stock.htm ?

BTW: i would expect this would simply sound like an ultra short scale solid body, as it mostly does as a guitar.

Another idea - i don't know if this guy is shipping to the states - scroll down a bit to see the white 70s Framus achtop body - i must admit i was tempted, but i did decide against doing the idea:
http://www.musikkeller.com/mk/index.php ... als/korpus

[Beate Ritzert]

Please let me add a remark: to *me*, luthery is something different from attachin some pre finished neck to a pre finished body (although i am well aware that there are business situation that imply such strategies, and although i have mostly been using pre finished necks in my project as well).
I also wonder how much we could learn from something like that or from a conversion of a guitar - there are actually successful examples demonstrating that.

And we do know from various examples what to expect - the Höfner 500/1 bass, Bill Wyman's Framus Star bass, the Epiphone Rumblecat are all (Sheraton like-) electric archtops. Especially in the 60s there were many interesting examples, e.g. those: http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/ ... /bass.html
Including a thick archtop. Some of those have also ben reissued.

So we just have to study what has already been there. And what advantages or disadvantages these instruments have (had) in order to learn how to do better.

And please go back in this thread and chekck for the great comments to my questions - next spring i am actually going to start the build.

And i would encourage all others also to start full builds. Conversions fo cheap guitars serve well as as case studies, if successful actually as possibly really nice instruments (my bass VI, and i still notice its compromises) - but that's onla half of the fun.

So a real build would be a lot more interesting.

[Eric Crawford]

This thread is old, but I’m new and planning an archtop bass build, as soon as I finish my current projects.
Good information here, thanks.

[Peter Wilcox]

Eric, I've just started building an acoustic archtop bass as my first (and probably last) archtop instrument. The top is redwood, already carved, 21" long, 17" wide lower bout, 1" arch height. The back is maple with walnut strips and maple center to reach the required width, and almost ready to start carving - not looking forward to dealing with the hard wood, but I'm planning on using a router to hog most of it off. It will probably be about 4" side depth and 34" scale length.

I'm planning on using the pics of this bass as a rough model:
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2017/11/0 ... htop-bass/

Let us know if you start building, and any ideas you (or anyone else) might have.

Beate, are you still around? It's been a long time since you posted anything.

[Eric Crawford]

Nice.
I have Sitka spruce for the top, but I haven’t decided on the back and sides yet. Final shape is still unknown, I like that link you posted, I’m thinking I might do something asymmetrical or with a cut out. I prefer short scale so it will probably be around 30” to match my Gretsch.
Also, I’ve read about some archtop guitars made with a flat back, that is supposed to increase the bass response in the guitar, and I wonder if it would help with that and the volume on an ABG.

[Johan Schippers]

hi, i am new to the forum but I intend to do an exercise like this soon. I have an old thick semi hollow dutch guitar and want to split it in two. that gives me the possibility to reduce the thickness a bit and also to work inside for some strengthening and the new neck adjustment. I consider to use an existing 30 in scale neck or a more traditional 34 in. it depends on where the bridge would come out on the body. it will be equipped with one pick up, my ideal would be to approach a Harmony H22. would anybody know the thickness of that body?

[Bob Francis]

2" depth.

[Johan Schippers]

thank you bob

[Johan Schippers]

well i did what i had in mind, it resulted in a 4 string barititone guitar and it really came out well. i think i can easily fit it with bass strings as well.

[Darrel Friesen]

That's pretty cool Eric. The two archtops I built with 34" scale and 22" long body proved to be a challenge for finding off the shelf bass strings that were long enough. I did find that the Elixers were "just" long enough!

[Peter Wilcox]

I had the same problem with the bass I just finished, with the outer wrapping on the E string about 1/2" short of the nut, so had to add an extension to the tailpiece.

[Beate Ritzert]

well i did what i had in mind, it resulted in a 4 string barititone guitar and it really came out well. i think i can easily fit it with bass strings as well.

Cool.
That is still the original guitar scale, isn't it?

(i hope i can come back to actually make complete guitars as soon as i retire (in a few weeks).