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Hello,
My name is Craig Whitaker, and I play 6-string basses. I would really like to find someone who builds, or would be interested in building a 35" scale 6-string acoustic bass guitar. I have thought about this for a long time, and firmly believe that it is possible.
Anybody out there doing it, or thinking about it?
Thanks,
Craig
email: cswhitaker@satx.rr.com

My friend actually made one. He made the body obscenely deep though, i think about 5 inches and he used an electric style bolt on joint. It sounds pretty nice but some kinks need to be worked out.

I assume that by 6-string you mean adding a top and bottom B-string. Well, acoustically you can forget about the bottom B. It's a waste of time unless it's amplified, of course, in which case, why build an ABG? Most serious luthiers who build ABG's build 4-strings. If they build 5-strings they add a top B string (Dave Maize, Mike Doolin, Harry Fleischman et al.)

Oh, and 5" isn't obscenely deep for an ABG. It's about standard. I'm working on plans for an ABG (strictly for my own amusement) and I'm working on 6". I'd go deeper, but the problem is finding materials, special bending tools, etc.

all abouve is true. still, I'll talk to ya, mate!!

Email sent.

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Acoustically they don't work, no matter what the wishful thinking...at least if it's fundamentals that you're after. I've seen three generations of luthiers try to nail this...and none of them have. The best of the ABGs (acoustic bass guitars) sound like cellos...that is great stuff from the 2nd harmonic up...faking real bass. Anyone who tells you he or she can deliver real bass is deluded.

So you're looking at something meant to be amplified, and that can be done... The big issue is feedback. If you want to think of this thing as an acoustic instrument, it will probably feed back very quickly when amplified. You're fighting basic physics, and none of us luthier-types can fake that other than faking you into thinking 100 Hz is 50 Hz, etc. It's about trade-offs.

wisdom as always, Rick

Craig, listen to this guy, HE KNOWS BASSES!!!

you know the bass on the chain by Fleetwood Mac?

Rick made it.

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