newbie from the uk

hello,

i have not built any yet although the prospect seems quite exciting. i have been playing bass for the past 13 years, initially right handed but seeing as i am left handed i got myself a leftie last year and i really regret not doing so from the outset.

i have a daughter that has dabbled with 6 string and bass and a grandson who was 1 in january that loves twanging strings on my bass. so here's the thing;

i am looking to get a ready made leftie for me as i love the sound and want to learn something new. initially i want a 3 or 4 string but have no clue as to which one to go for or which is "better". i like the idea of taking it out across the marshlands where i live and settling on the riverbank just chilling and learning to play. listening to other people's music i have started to create tunes in my head (the way i developed basslines over the years) and would love to start playing them.

i would also like a custom built one for my grandson, i am pretty sure he is right handed so i am looking for a special one for him. prefferably i would like a picture of the two of us on the front but don't know how that can be accomplished or who can do such work. sound and look will be everything for his one. due to his age i am in no immediate rush to get it now. the looks will have to be right as if he dosn't want to play it as he gets older he can still have it a a nice piece of art.

i am looking to get one for me within the next month or two. i am not particularly flushed right now having been made redundant from the police about 18 months ago and only just found myself a replacement job at 20% wage cut. the one for my grandson i am prepared to save and pay over time as he hasn't said he desprately wants one this minute but i think it will be totally original and worth the time and saving.

what i need to know is who should i be talking to? and expected costs too i have no clue as to what i can expect to pay. i don't want to be ripped off by someone just wanting to take advantage of a newbie. so i guess i have come to the right place?

thank you for replying to my post, my mail address is apbk@rocketmail.com

some ideas i have had other than the pic on the front is using little dice (i was thinking red for some reason) for the adjustable brass colour bridge. i quite like your strap holders. twin pick ups with three way switch. the style of switches and volume and tone knobs i am not sure of. i think probably something quite art deco like the chicken heads (but maybe not them though) i like the idea of using red & black with brass trim. i am not sure about fretted or not, benefits and challenges are beyond me at this point not having played one. i am thinking 3 string, it was that i was originally attracted to . the head stock i had this idea of having the letters B & K one on top of the other. probably routed out of a single piece of wood although i guess they could be made out of different woods or materials and fixed togeather and perhaps using bass machine heads as they tend to be quite big. if there are acoustic holes then having the holes brass rimmed and meshed if they are big holes. down the fret board have my grandson's name displayed in some way. i'm not sure how though.

for my one i basically want a relatively inexpensive three string, fretted or not i don't know, if not then fret marked. something sturdy but can have a battered look. oh yeh for me it must be a leftie. pick ups would be cool, not totally necessary though if it has good sound.

dunno what you think? none of it is written in stone as they are but ideas. i also like the look of fake guages dials and "things" too but not at the expense of sound quality or playability.

i have some abilities with sourcing bits and can work with things like routers and such and carving wood. i don't mind making some "bits" if necessary. i like the idea of some of the hand made pick ups i have seen however i have not yet seen any that i would want. the idea has not crystalised in my mind yet :-)

so thank you for listening to my thoughts and cloudy coffee visions of what i think may be nice, the bottom line is i am a novice at this and do not know what is possible or not.

regards
A...xx

Roosterman said:

First of all.... welcome!

First port of call should be to join the Brits are Coming group if you havn't already done so.

2nd stop should be here;

http://www.homegrownmusiccollective.com/page6.htm

You'll see a list of builders, any one of which should be able to build you exactly what you want. Of course there are many other builders too, but I think its fair to say that the majority of those building on a commercial scale in the Uk are on that list.

String choice is a matter of preference, but 3 strings have a bigger following. I guess its easier to play a chord with 3 strings rather than 4, especially when in open tuning. Some folk may think that 3 strings are more restrictive than 4, but I would argue the opposite is true. I can play way more on 3 strings than I ever could on 6!!

I particularly like the decoupage or picture on the front of the guitar - that would be neat!

A quick look on Ebay will tell you prices vary considerably, from say £20 to £many hundreds. The difference may or may not always be obvious!! My only advice there would be to commission your guitars from someone who has built a few. Talk to some folk who have bought their guitars, get a feel for who does what.

If you send me a message with your real world email, Il be happy to discuss options and prices with you

Hope this helps!

Ben

Replies

Boo July 1, 2011 at 7:33pm

thank you for replying to my post, my mail address is apbk@rocketmail.com

some ideas i have had other than the pic on the front is using little dice (i was thinking red for some reason) for the adjustable brass colour bridge. i quite like your strap holders. twin pick ups with three way switch. the style of switches and volume and tone knobs i am not sure of. i think probably something quite art deco like the chicken heads (but maybe not them though) i like the idea of using red & black with brass trim. i am not sure about fretted or not, benefits and challenges are beyond me at this point not having played one. i am thinking 3 string, it was that i was originally attracted to . the head stock i had this idea of having the letters B & K one on top of the other. probably routed out of a single piece of wood although i guess they could be made out of different woods or materials and fixed togeather and perhaps using bass machine heads as they tend to be quite big. if there are acoustic holes then having the holes brass rimmed and meshed if they are big holes. down the fret board have my grandson's name displayed in some way. i'm not sure how though.

for my one i basically want a relatively inexpensive three string, fretted or not i don't know, if not then fret marked. something sturdy but can have a battered look. oh yeh for me it must be a leftie. pick ups would be cool, not totally necessary though if it has good sound.

dunno what you think? none of it is written in stone as they are but ideas. i also like the look of fake guages dials and "things" too but not at the expense of sound quality or playability.

i have some abilities with sourcing bits and can work with things like routers and such and carving wood. i don't mind making some "bits" if necessary. i like the idea of some of the hand made pick ups i have seen however i have not yet seen any that i would want. the idea has not crystalised in my mind yet :-)

so thank you for listening to my thoughts and cloudy coffee visions of what i think may be nice, the bottom line is i am a novice at this and do not know what is possible or not.

regards
A...xx

Roosterman said:
First of all.... welcome!

First port of call should be to join the Brits are Coming group if you havn't already done so.

2nd stop should be here;

http://www.homegrownmusiccollective.com/page6.htm

You'll see a list of builders, any one of which should be able to build you exactly what you want. Of course there are many other builders too, but I think its fair to say that the majority of those building on a commercial scale in the Uk are on that list.

String choice is a matter of preference, but 3 strings have a bigger following. I guess its easier to play a chord with 3 strings rather than 4, especially when in open tuning. Some folk may think that 3 strings are more restrictive than 4, but I would argue the opposite is true. I can play way more on 3 strings than I ever could on 6!!

I particularly like the decoupage or picture on the front of the guitar - that would be neat!

A quick look on Ebay will tell you prices vary considerably, from say £20 to £many hundreds. The difference may or may not always be obvious!! My only advice there would be to commission your guitars from someone who has built a few. Talk to some folk who have bought their guitars, get a feel for who does what.

If you send me a message with your real world email, Il be happy to discuss options and prices with you

Hope this helps!

Ben
Roosterman July 1, 2011 at 4:58am

First of all.... welcome!

First port of call should be to join the Brits are Coming group if you havn't already done so.

2nd stop should be here;

http://www.homegrownmusiccollective.com/page6.htm

You'll see a list of builders, any one of which should be able to build you exactly what you want. Of course there are many other builders too, but I think its fair to say that the majority of those building on a commercial scale in the Uk are on that list.

String choice is a matter of preference, but 3 strings have a bigger following. I guess its easier to play a chord with 3 strings rather than 4, especially when in open tuning. Some folk may think that 3 strings are more restrictive than 4, but I would argue the opposite is true. I can play way more on 3 strings than I ever could on 6!!

I particularly like the decoupage or picture on the front of the guitar - that would be neat!

A quick look on Ebay will tell you prices vary considerably, from say £20 to £many hundreds. The difference may or may not always be obvious!! My only advice there would be to commission your guitars from someone who has built a few. Talk to some folk who have bought their guitars, get a feel for who does what.

If you send me a message with your real world email, Il be happy to discuss options and prices with you

Hope this helps!

Ben

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