Bruce Johnson's Scroll Bass

gweimer · July 07, 2009, 02:28:38 PM

Here's a close-up of the M pickup. I took the Scroll out to a jam last night. I'm getting a lot of good comments on it. This thing is better than an old Vette, and it's cheaper.

chromium · July 07, 2009, 02:53:05 PM

Cool! Man no wonder it takes so long to turn these out, what with all the iterative r&d and custom parts. Neat to see that he's evolving the original intent of this bass as a portable alternative to an upright, rather than Fenderizing it - like my 80s SLM-sponsored prototype.

I can really see the massive arch of the fingerboard in that pic! Is it a cylindrical radius all the way up to the nut? or it is more of a progressive taper? His improved take on the "mystery pickup" sounds like a neat feature too

Highlander · July 07, 2009, 04:22:44 PM

I wonder what using 2 F*nd*r P pups in a similar configuration would sound like...?

Dave W · July 07, 2009, 04:56:06 PM

Now i get it. When you said 4 coils, I figured it was some sort of quad-coil humbucker arrangement, i.e. with coils perpendicular to the strings as usual. This is an full-size individual pickup per string. Bet it sounds thick.

clankenstein · July 13, 2009, 01:59:12 AM

what happens to the note when you bend strings?

gweimer · July 13, 2009, 03:30:36 AM

Quote from: tubehead on July 13, 2009, 01:59:12 AM
what happens to the note when you bend strings?

It goes sharp.

clankenstein · July 13, 2009, 05:06:03 AM

if there is no volume drop'between' the pickups i guess you might be able to do something similar with 4 single coil pickups,lots of wiring options.wheres my chisel...

Highlander · July 13, 2009, 02:07:27 PM

Tony...!

gweimer · August 02, 2009, 09:32:03 AM

Well, fool that I am, I went to the annual FDP jam yesterday. Only played a couple very easy songs, then watched one of the other guys play the Scroll for a few songs. Great sound through an SVT!

Dave W · August 02, 2009, 10:27:47 AM

You crazy! Rest that arm!

Pilgrim · August 02, 2009, 05:34:34 PM

Quote from: Dave W on August 02, 2009, 10:27:47 AM
You crazy! Rest that arm!

I REALLY hope that I don't read a tale of woe about that short playing excursion...dang it, take it easy on that arm!

Beautiful bass, though.

Lightyear · August 02, 2009, 07:35:55 PM

Let me pile on - if I may. Are you NUTS!?

The fractures and such may well recover from continued stress but nerve damage is nothing to screw around with.

You keep this up and the Karma gods are going to send you some really ugly ass nurses

gweimer · August 02, 2009, 09:07:46 PM

Fear not. I wasn't tempting fate. The sling was resting on the bass, while my fingers dangled in front of the strings. I really wasn't putting any stress on the arm. I did "No Other Baby" from McCartney, which is three notes for the whole song.

Dave W · August 02, 2009, 09:56:26 PM

At least you didn't try anything complex like "Why Don't We Do It In The Road."

gweimer · August 02, 2009, 10:11:32 PM

Quote from: Dave W on August 02, 2009, 09:56:26 PM
At least you didn't try anything complex like "Why Don't We Do It In The Road."

LOL! I did tell them that "Roundabout" was a no-go.