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The feature bass this week is a cool 2-string slide bass.
Bass builder Colin Meagher writes:
This bass build was inspired by the Mark Sandman bass that I saw him play when he came to Melbourne Australia. Its a Two String Slide Bass. Its a Beast and has the better of me so far. I have to learn how to play it. It has a mahogany body with Australian Ash verneer on the body and head stock, maple neck and rose wood finger board. The bone nut is set high so there is plenty of room under the strings so the slide does not clack up and down on the frets. Gretch Filtertron pickups going through an active Seymour Duncan on board preamp give it a sound much fatter and richer in tone that what Morphine fans would be used to hearing. I made the scratch plate and chromed a brass plate for the controls. I would like to thank David Searle and Robert Pryke at Melbourne School of Guitar Making for their help and guidance.
Well done!
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How is this bass tuned?
Absolutely beautiful. Reminds me of the old Premier basses – the way the upper bout is shaped – and I’ve always had a soft spot for those. Very nice work!!
While you were designing this, how did you end up with current fretboard and neck width? cDid you have thoughts on making them even narrower- to 2 string width? I was wondering what the playability would be with a slide with a very narrow neck.
Without giving it much thought, my immediate reaction to a narrow neck would be stability; there would be insufficient timber to ‘hold back’ the string tension (ironic, given the higher action required for playing slide). Possibly ergonomics, as well. After playing standard basses for a while, it would take some time to get used to a narrower neck.
This bass turned out so nicely! Colin is a hugely creative musician and maker of really interesting instruments. You wouldn’t believe Colin’s Les Claypool inspired one string ‘whamola’. Well done Colin, it’s always great to have you in our workshop.
This guy’s playing slide on a P bass with the E removed, but here’s a link to him playing a fretless – with ONE string!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bassplayersbybruno/775236799301153/?comment_id=777087672449399¬if_t=like¬if_id=1485329994497696
Nifty. I have been meaning to make a normal 4 string version of Mark Sandman’s bass for a while. All drawn up…
this is really beautiful. I applaud your choice to st it up the way Mark did. Outside thinking.
Very cool – nice work!
Thank you everyone for your kind comments. The bass is tuned to D and A. Research shows this to be Mark Sandmans more popular tuning. The neck is standard Fender Jazz bass width which I find narrow enough for a slide on my ring finger and I left it that width so that in the future I am able to put the other two strings on it for normal playing style. Trying to play this bass and keeping things under control has given me greater respect for Mark Sandman as he was singing at the same time.
Ei colin, can I have your contact? I would like to have an estimated price for this bass. Mine is ramosbrandao@gmail.com
Hello Colin, are you at all interested in making me one? It would be for a left handed player.
Pretty cool. Playing slide can be a different but fun way to play. Check out the archive from December 7, 2016 and see my “E string” one string slide cigar box bass. I made a 2 string slide cigar box bass too. The 2 stringer I made is strung D and G on a red oak 1 x 2 wood plank and holds the tension fairly well. see my video (my first video, so its pretty raw) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczXjeoy3ls
Good job on the build!
Who’s D & A is it tuned to? Everyone is different.