The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: Basvarken on February 28, 2020, 12:59:39 AM
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I have just finished the build process of a new bass. I call it the Brooks Grabbird.
This bass combines the 1964 Gibson Thunderbird II with the 1973 Gibson Grabber. A nine ply neck through construction just like the Thunderbird. But with maple strips veneer in between the mahogany, instead of walnut. The nickel covered humbucker resembles the pickup of the sixties Thunderbird. But the sliding mechanism in the raised middle section refers to the Grabber of course. The shape of the headstock echoes the Grabber headstock, but the ebony veneer on top is a nod to the Thunderbird headstock.
The shorter headstock and the Ultra-lite tuners make sure the Grabbird doesn't suffer any neckdive!
I haven't found the time to do a proper photo shoot, but here's a couple that I shot from the hip without lighting.
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/brooks-grabbird-front-full-1500_orig.jpg)
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/brooks-grabbird-body-angle-1500_orig.jpg)
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/brooks-grabbird-body-angle-bridge-position-1500_orig.jpg)
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/brooks-granrid-full-back-horiz-1500_orig.jpg)
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/brooks-grabbird-head-close-1500_orig.jpg)
Sliding the pickup in the neck position brings out the low frequencies a bit more. And gives the sound an open character.
Sliding the pickup in the bridge position gives the sound a more agressive edge.
I'll make a video when I can find the time. Hopefully this weekend.
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Very well thought out an executed Rob!
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Spectacular!
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:toast:
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Absolutely beautiful Rob! You've really outdone yourself! The cherry finish is stunning, always looks great on a bird.
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And the sliding pickup works well with the design too, looks great!
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Beautiful!
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V 8)
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Thank you guys.
More pics of the Grabbird and pics of the build process can be found here:
https://www.enkoo.nl/brooks-grabbird.html
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Personally I think that the headstock detail REALLY sets this apart.
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that headstock looks beautiful on a bird!
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Here's a video to give you an impression of the sounds of the Brooks Grabbird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t98NAXLGCxM
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Fantastic. Good job
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A P bass killer in the neck position and a Stingray killer in the bridge position. Great job. I can see a five string version working well on this platform too. :thumbsup:
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Absolutely beautiful, and it sounds as good as it looks!
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Sounds great, especially in the neck position (I'm biased).
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A P bass killer in the neck position and a Stingray killer in the bridge position. Great job. I can see a five string version working well on this platform too. :thumbsup:
A Grabber killer in both positions ;D
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I am pleasantly surprised by the difference in sound between the neck position and the bridge position.
An often heard criticism about the Grabber is that the sliding mechanism is just a gimmick with little or no effect for the sound. This clearly isn’t the case with the Grabbird. :toast:
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a Stingray killer in the bridge position
I like it a lot but I don't exactly hear a Stingray there. What I perceive as a MM/J(bridge) tone is there about 2.5-3" from the bridge, at >4" it's gone. Like a real Grabber, the pickup doesn't go back enough for that.
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I like it a lot but I don't exactly hear a Stingray there. What I perceive as a MM/J(bridge) tone is there about 2.5-3" from the bridge, at >4" it's gone. Like a real Grabber, the pickup doesn't go back enough for that.
That's probably why it's better. Bite without the honk.
As an aside, I'm proud nobody here has taken the opportunity to make jokes with the double entendre that the name Grabbird could entail. Stay classy outposters. ;)
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Haha wait till Uwe chimes in :mrgreen:
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Great work! I like it.
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That's so cool...congratulations!
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I am pleasantly surprised by the difference in sound between the neck position and the bridge position.
An often heard criticism about the Grabber is that the sliding mechanism is just a gimmick with little or no effect for the sound. This clearly isn’t the case with the Grabbird. :toast:
Little or no effect would be stretching it a bit far. It's not as dramatic as in your Grabbird vid, but it is very useful. I used to think the bridge position was too aggressive on it's own, especially with stainless strings, and always kept it in neck pos. But live, if the stage sound became too muddy, it was nice to slide it down and cut through. Later I found out that Thomastik Rounds made it sound more organic (as organic as a Grabber can sound) and eventually it got flats.
But no matter what I strung it up with, I could never match the sound you get out of that sliding bird of yours - pretty impressive!
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Very nice. I like the truss rod nut at the heel end, makes the neck stronger. Is this bass for your personal use, or to sell?
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I built it with the idea to sell it.
I do think I’m going to have a hard time letting it go... 8)
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I built it with the idea to sell it.
I do think I’m going to have a hard time letting it go... 8)
8)
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I am pleasantly surprised by the difference in sound between the neck position and the bridge position.
An often heard criticism about the Grabber is that the sliding mechanism is just a gimmick with little or no effect for the sound. This clearly isn’t the case with the Grabbird. :toast:
that sounds great,
The sliding pickup really appeals to the mad inventor in me, can I ask how the mechanism works? Ive never been near a grabber, do you use the same principles or did you engineer from scratch ?
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It's basically the same concept as the Grabber mechanism. The pickup is mounted on a plate that slides in a routed cavity and it is covered by a frame.
Here are some pics of the build process
I cut the parts for the sliding mechanism from the same nine ply centerpiece. I just used the part that was under the neck. I had to remove a lot of wood there anyway.
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/centerpiece-with-one-insert-in-place_orig.jpg)
And I routed some slots for the pickup screws and the pickup wiring
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/centerpiece-with-two-inserts-2_orig.jpg)
I sawed a hole for the pickup in the part that was going to be the frame. Plus I routed the back side, so the plate with the pickup would fit in nicely.
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/frame-for-the-sliding-mechanism_orig.jpg)
The pickup is mounted into the sliding plate.
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/sled-with-pickup_orig.jpg)
The pickup wire goes through the hole on the side of the centerpiece
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/fitting-the-holes-and-slots-for-the-wiring.jpg)
This is how the underside of the mechanism looked like in this stage of the build
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/underside-of-the-sliding-mechanism_orig.jpg)
Had to work a bit on getting a perfect fit for the frame in between the routed gap in the centerpiece
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/fine-tuning-the-sliding-mechanism_orig.jpg)
(https://www.enkoo.nl/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/fine-tuning-the-sliding-mechanism2_orig.jpg)
Hope this helps?
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Very nicely done.
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Your laminates would stand on their own without paint. Very clever.
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Wow!The Brooks Grabbird is Bass of the Week at NoTreble!
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2020/03/09/bass-of-the-week-brooks-grabbird/
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Congratulations! And nice work on that Grabbird. Nice that your name is getting an even wider spread.
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Wow, cool!
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Congrats Rob
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Wow, excellent. Congrats Rob!