BluesHawk Bass

[Barklessdog]

I am still considering making a Blueshawk bass
Some things that were unique to the guitar-
http://www.blueshawk.info/specification.htm

A Varitone similar to the Big D varitone, in that it's not a pickup selector, but an overall capacitor varitone only
Single coil soapbar pickups


A noise canceling dummy rear mounted pickup


Semi hollow poplar body with maple cap, mahogany neck

three position Strat style pickup selector

[Barklessdog]

If I did a bass version, I would make the body from scratch, using poplar and a 1/4 maple flat top. I wonder how good poplar would be to anchor a bass bridge to?

For the pickups I would use the single coil G-3's with either three of them or use two and make a dummy coil, which I understand has to be the same output/windings as the pickups but with no magnets?

[Chris P.]

Isn't Photoshop nice?

Are there any real nerds here? It would nice to have a program in which you can select a Gibson body (SG, LP, Bird, Explorer, ...), a colour, a Gibson neck (short/long), a headstock (2+2, V, Bird, ...), pick up type, pick up amount. We can all make our dream basses then:)

[Barklessdog]

I remember reading a guitar article where some place in China does that, you pick the body shapes and build your bass on line ala Carvin/Warmoth/ Nike Tennis Shoes.


I just got off the phone with Lindy Fralin, he said you could just demagnitize the middle pickup and and the other two reverse poles??
to get the same effect, so I can just use what I have. You could then mount the pickups in cream Soap Bar like mounts (I could make).


My Friend has a Blueshawk guitar which is really nice. hopefully he can get me a tracing.

[Barklessdog]

[drbassman]

Man, you are killing me!  I' love the concept, in fact, it makes me think of a Duesenburg bass.  I've been thinking the exact some thing!

[Barklessdog]

Here are full size guitar blue prints for sale-

http://www.guitarplansunlimited.com/blueshawk_page.htm

http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-BLUESHAWK-GUITAR-BLUEPRINT-PLAN_W0QQitemZ110241078811QQihZ001QQcategoryZ47067QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[gweimer]

I just KNEW I should stay away from this thread.  Now, I have another item to watch on Ebay.  With the neck I just got, I've been debating how to use it, and this certainly looks like a great idea.  I've always regretted selling my Guild M-85.  Maybe I'll find the next best thing to replace it with.

[Barklessdog]

My question is pickup placement for the single coils on a bass.

If placed againt the neck, in a triumph set up, I might get a Triumph type tone, although the Bill Lawrence pups are high output?

At a modern LP placement a more Fender Jazz sound?


The guitar has quite a following and a lot of unique features that will be cool for a bass. Big D still makes the bass Varitones, I liked mine on my EB-0 project. A lot of cool tones can be had, but again, the output varies greatly between settings.

[Barklessdog]

I just KNEW I should stay away from this thread.  Now, I have another item to watch on Ebay.  With the neck I just got, I've been debating how to use it, and this certainly looks like a great idea.  I've always regretted selling my Guild M-85.  Maybe I'll find the next best thing to replace it with.

I have been debating on using a mahogany body with a maple neck, since the Blueshawk had a mahogany neck, it might be sonically closer. Still I find the Poplar body intreaging. They have single pieces big enough at our local exotic wood store, inexpensive as well.

Anyone have any comments on a Poplar body & maple neck for a bass?

[drbassman]

I have been debating on using a mahogany body with a maple neck, since the Blueshawk had a mahogany neck, it might be sonically closer. Still I find the Poplar body intreaging. They have single pieces big enough at our local exotic wood store, inexpensive as well.

Anyone have any comments on a Poplar body & maple neck for a bass?

Never seen it used, but anything is possible, no?  I'm a fan of maple necks though, love the brightness and snap they have.

[Dave W]

I have been debating on using a mahogany body with a maple neck, since the Blueshawk had a mahogany neck, it might be sonically closer. Still I find the Poplar body intreaging. They have single pieces big enough at our local exotic wood store, inexpensive as well.

Anyone have any comments on a Poplar body & maple neck for a bass?

I have a MusicMan SUB 4 and a SUB Sterling, neither semihollow but both poplar with maple necks (and rosewood boards). Plenty of pop without being overaggressive. They have a nice broad tonal range, not as warm sounding as mahogany but clearer, not mid-shy like some ash.

[shadowcastaz]

Ive worked w/ poplar a lot , but not for guitars.It is very stable and  mills/shapes well. Its not pretty but I have seen some woodworkers  do some select book matching with the occasional purple veins it has, with some beautiful results. Id ask your wood supplier if he has any with some purple grain. It also takes paint very well . Keep us posted .mike..
I would also imagine it would be fine for mounting a bridge.

[Barklessdog]

I just got off the horn with my luthier and he was less than enthusiastic with the whole concept as he thinks is it going to be horribly neck heavy to the point of being unplayable?

First if you have a smaller LP guitar sized body that does not have the best balance to start with, made out of a light wood, chambered, plus a long scale neck. He was not gun ho about the idea to say the least.


Of coarse I believe his is biased against LP basses and is a Fender guy. Thinking about it, my LP is somewhat chambered and long scale and too not terribly balanced.

[Dave W]

I can't agree with your luthier. My SUB Sterling isn't chambered, but it's a small body longscale with 22 frets and it's the best balanced bass I have. And that's without using lightweight tuners.

A top of a heavier wood can counterbalance chambering if you don't take out too much wood, and you can use lightweight tuners. If that's not enough, you could also move the lower strap button a couple of inches up the bass side lower bout.