[Bass of the week] Pk original Violin Bass

The feature bass this week comes from a builder who wanted a challenge (and succeeded).

Builder Paul de Kruif from PK Original Bass Guitars writes:

After making several basses I wanted a challenge. A friend of mine gave me a DiMarzio model one pick up which would be nice to place in a hollow body bass.

So I found a movie on YouTube on the making of a Hofner bass and  decided to  try and make a bass like that. But instead of making the body out of laminated veneers, I choose to make mine, like a real violin, out of  solid wood.

All the side pieces were made of 4mm thick cherry wood, which I bended around a solder iron. I was surprised how simple that was. It took some time but I felt I had total control. Yes I broke 2 pieces but for a first time I was quite content.

After making a mold and gluing the basswood blocks I  glued the side pieces one by one in place.

The back I made of 1″ thick cherry wood. Shaping the outside first and hollowing out the inside next until it was about 8mm thick. The top was made the same way out of walnut, but thinner (4mm).

The neck was laminated  out of 3 pieces of cherry. In my search for a nice fretboard I found some nice Madagascar ebony. This was too much for me so I found my wood dealer interested to buy it for a very good price. So I had a really good deal on the fretboard.

I wanted to keep the electronics simple: Just a volume and tone control. The jack input I placed in the back. I got that idea from Jens Ritter basses.

Since this bass resembles a double bass in its shape I didn’t want to put frets on it. That is why I choose flatwound strings from Pyramid.

The bridge I made from ebony with small pieces of bone.

During the assembly I found out my tailpiece  was not long enough so I had to order a replacement.

I’m very pleased with the sound. Very much like a double bass.

Well done!

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