See the business listing for this bass builder here
This week’s feature bass has wood that was air-dried for more than 40 years!
Builder Peter Carlson writes:
Body and neck from a single plank of cerisier (cherry) given me by my dear (and sadly recently deceased) neighbor, M,Andre Castin: from a tree planted by his great-grandfather at the end of the 19th century, air-dried for more than forty years; fretboard, noyer (walnut), locally grown, harvested and milled by another neighbor, M.Remy Chauvineau. There are no mechanical fasteners in the assembly. Precision Bass Vintage Pickups and controls, Schaller Bridge, Warwick tuners, D’Addario Extra long half-round strings 45-100
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If you consider the violin shape, meaning no upper horn with strap button near the 12th fret, plus what looks to be about an extra 6″-8″ of length at the headstock, I’d guess it has a serious problem with neck-dive.
Who cares Mr expert! How many have You
knocked up at home lately? A hand made bass with obvious sentimental value. Good on you mate!
I agree with the neck dive issue and it looks like a real bugger to change strings. Other wise, I kinda like it.
Haters….. Pretty good job. May not be his first? Good try though!
Art for art’s sake over function isn’t always a bad thing! It’s unique and an exceptional work of art.
Cool that you had a dream and built it. Very nice looking and the story of the wood makes it all worthwhile. You are to be congratulated – a lot of people will never get off their butts and do this.
I commend any person who has vision to build an instrument entirely of one’s own drive, especially with such depth of meaning behind its origin. However, I am still curious, what’s the reason for the extended, dual nut headstock?
One of the finest finish carpenters living in the SF bay area for over 40 years. This is his first try at building stringed instruments. I’m not surprised it came out as well and as beautiful and original as it did. Hats off to you Peter.
In fact, it balances very comfortably (not just my opinion, confirmed by my brother, Dave, a lifetime musician and extraordinary guitar player, and Clive Wilson, 40 years a British session man) and is a pleasure to play–but you are right insofar as my principal motivation was the exceptional materiels that fell into my hands (and a casual suggestion from Clove)
A heavy neck can always be offset by weight behind the bridge, that’s probably why it balances