tengo unas fotos publicadas en flickr.com/photos/bajoscolmenares, aunq tengo esa página un poco olvidada, si quieres ver unas más actuales, tengo un grupo en el facebook llamado “Bajos Colmenares”, ahi si bastantes hay fotos y videos

demás esta decir que cualquier comentario esta más que bienvenido

saludos!

espero no molestar al escribir en castellano soy un luthier aficionado venezolano, he estado leyendo tu articulo y he visto que compartimos la misma inquietud de crear bajos mas cómodos de tocar y de cargar, me alegra mucho saber que no soy el único que anda probando y diseñando cosas nuevas para mejorar y hacer evolucionar las herramientas con las que contamos los músicos

felicitaciones por tu trabajo!

Sorry about the delay…

Ray, I see your point regarding torque. Having the string hole below the screw would give vertical torque instead, but that might be easier to manage depending on the design of the grooves in which the plungers move.

Thanks, both of you, for the travel estimates (1/2″ is 12.5 mm, so you confirm one another).

Santi, yes please, I’d like to see the pictures. My email address is agoest at gmail dot com.

So, is the torque mentioned by Ray a problem after all?

/Alex

answer this post and i´ll send you some pictures of my first bridge prototype. perhaps you´ll find them interesting. I was trying to eliminate the torque that ray de gennaro mentions, but i ended up gonig with it. the “plungers” as you call them or “string retainers” as i do have about 15 mm of travel.

The general rule of thumb for guitars is 1/2″ of string take-up.

Ray

“Nice feature with the hole for the string offset from the center axis of the plungers … It allows the plungers to be way shorter since the threaded rod can go all the way through it.”

Funny, I was thinking that the offset attachment looks like it introduces some odd torque on the blocks. I was trying to imagine them skinnier, so the string hole could still be centered along the line of pull, and taller, so the adjustment screw could go under the string hole.

Ray

So you know, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the challenges presented by the site’s current format in terms of interaction and posting of material.

There are a few ways to proceed here each presenting its own challenges but I’m hoping to expand our community’s ability to interact and exchange information.

Whatever you do, don’t let this bass get stolen, too!
It seems you’ve been very unfortunate getting both your G&L and first prototype bass stolen. Take more care, and guard it.

Although you can see my pictures here:

http://launch.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/kleinelectricguitars/photos/browse/535c

provided that you are a member of the Klein Electric group.

Many bass players vary the picking hand position depending on the sound that you need to get out of the instrument, closer to the bridge when you need more attack and precision, and closer (or even above) to the neck when you want the notes to “open” more (specially on the fretless),

I vary the arm position from one like the one in the first picture (for a warmer sound) to a position very close to the bridge, for which the shoulder muscle group lifts the arm. In this position the body still supports about half of my arm, still preventing the picking wrist from bending.

Right now i´m working on a more back arched bass, which is very useful, and is quite standard. I have never seen the klein KX bass. Do you have any pictures?

Thanks for the insightful comments

santi

Santiago, if you read this: How long travel do the plungers have? I assume they’ll have to allow for a somewhat slack string as you can tighten it all that much when mounting it. (I consider a similar system and might save some experimentations having an approximate figure)

Also, is the research you conducted formulated somewhere? It could be interesting to read the considerations on ergonomics, antrhopometrics, vibration, etc.

When he’s playing – from the picture at least – he seems to have his picking/plucking hand above the fretboard (I know, I know it’s fretless!) all of the time. I would like to have the sound from picking near or close to the pickup. I wonder how much you have to retract your elbow and arm and if it can rest still, on the body.

I think I do want a more curve on the body, the back could be arched more to the human torso, just as the Klein KX-bass. Which reminds me of one thing, I should’ve presented that one as well, around here, ages ago.

Funny “headstock” solution though. Especially string guides. Headstock does have impact on sound, sustain as well as balance. Well done and well thought out!

But it’s fretless!