iconic Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Saw the Church Fitters last night, fantastic band, but the star for me was the bassist a french guy called Boris Lebret, amazingly good player and builds his own basses! His latest sqeeze is made from a Mercedes Benz hubcap with..well to be honest I'm sure how many strings....I thought I counted 7 (!) arranged in 'pairs'....but could be my eyes...? ....anyway gentlemen, that bass tone was simply achingly good, sublime, made me fill up with joy....haven't got a clue what amp he was running, all I could see was an hessian covered box.....made me want to build one those hubcap basses! The bass was set up like a telebass with big front mounted humbucker, body was, well the hubcap and wooden neck. "Boris Lebret (France) Boris's unique collection of instruments is as remarkable as his bass playing! He has made himself a double bass out of recycled bits and pieces including a saucepan and has invented a six string 'frying pan' bass banjo and even a bass thumb piano made from hacksaw blades! He combines all this with his selection of home-made percussion instruments to create hot rhythms for the band." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Yeah, but Mercedes Benz hubcaps sound much better than Volkswagen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Aluminium is a well known tone 'wood'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMM Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 That looks really cool! Seasick Steve played on Top Gear with a guitar made from Morris Minor hub caps. It had a really cool sound too it. Would love to have a go on a bass like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1214890' date='Apr 29 2011, 01:51 PM']But Japanese is the new German. If he had have used a Lexus one it would be so much better. Interesting he used a Rosewood Fretboard. Maple would go so so much better with that choice of body.[/quote] Well both have great QC IME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Also of note is the fact that it's not a modern plastic [i]wheelcover[/i]. One made from an inch-thick slice of alloy wheel would be phenomenal (and durable!) Jack socket through the valve hole, naturally... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Very cool. I've always been a fan of weird instruments and discouraging the worship of irrelevant woods. I got a chance to see Eddie Jobson last week playing an entirely plastic violin and it sounded great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1215324' date='Apr 29 2011, 09:14 PM']Also of note is the fact that it's not a modern plastic [i]wheelcover[/i]. One made from an inch-thick slice of alloy wheel would be phenomenal (and durable!) Jack socket through the valve hole, naturally...[/quote] The Rick bridges I still have half made are the same stuff as alloy wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS73 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1214852' date='Apr 29 2011, 01:31 PM']Aluminium is a well known tone 'wood'.[/quote] Pretty sure that style of hub cap is pressed Stainless around 0.5/0.6mm gauge. Speaking of tone metals, Magnesium is a fantastic metal, extremely light, very strong and has nice sonic properties, on the downside its very susceptible to corrosion, can be quite brittle and of course if it catches fire it will be gone before you have chance to undo the straplocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 [quote name='SS73' post='1215377' date='Apr 29 2011, 10:25 PM']Pretty sure that style of hub cap is pressed Stainless around 0.5/0.6mm gauge. Speaking of tone metals, Magnesium is a fantastic metal, extremely light, very strong and has nice sonic properties, on the downside its very susceptible to corrosion, can be quite brittle and of course if it catches fire it will be gone before you have chance to undo the straplocks.[/quote] Been looking into magnesium alloy necks, significantly lighter than aluminium, and stiff enough for racing car chassis/bell housings. If you are on fire enough for your bass to be on fire, you have enough problems, but I'd still stay clear of headstock pyros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merello Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 (edited) I can only afford to put a wheel trim on mine! Edited April 30, 2011 by merello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawtooth Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1214852' date='Apr 29 2011, 01:31 PM']Aluminium is a well known tone 'wood'.[/quote] True. It's been used in resonator guitars since the 1920's. Here's my resonator bass, a nickel plated steel body with an aluminium cone... Also, Kramer used to make an aluminium necked bass, which I believe was played by Derek Baxter on the 'Minder' tv theme ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 [quote name='Sawtooth' post='1215799' date='Apr 30 2011, 01:50 PM']Also, Kramer used to make an aluminium necked bass, which I believe was played by Derek Baxter on the 'Minder' tv theme ...[/quote] I thought that was the legend that is Mo Foster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawtooth Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='1215801' date='Apr 30 2011, 01:54 PM']I thought that was the legend that is Mo Foster.[/quote] you're right, I stand corrected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1215415' date='Apr 29 2011, 11:15 PM']Been looking into magnesium alloy necks, significantly lighter than aluminium, and stiff enough for racing car chassis/bell housings. If you are on fire enough for your bass to be on fire, you have enough problems, but I'd still stay clear of headstock pyros.[/quote] Stiff, yes. Also more brittle. Sure, it depends upon the specific composition of the alloy. You'd just have to be careful with material selection. That said, the "nice" Ferrari Dino 246 wheels were Magnesium Alloy. Forged by Campagnolo (the bike component manufacturer), BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I'd have been more impressed if he'd used the wheel with the tyre still on it.Bloody lightweight instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 that's wheely cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1217035' date='May 1 2011, 11:20 PM']But then do you go for Cross ply, radial or even Belt Biased . Road, competition, Dunlop, Good Year the list is endless. What is the best tyre for metal anyway ??[/quote] Slicks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1217035' date='May 1 2011, 03:20 PM']But then do you go for Cross ply, radial or even Belt Biased . Road, competition, Dunlop, Good Year the list is endless.[/quote] Nitrogen filled if you gig in the evenings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1217035' date='May 1 2011, 11:20 PM']But then do you go for Cross ply, radial or even Belt Biased . Road, competition, Dunlop, Good Year the list is endless. What is the best tyre for metal anyway ??[/quote] Steel-studded snow tyres, what else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Hubcaps? Last year. Alloys are where it's at. The spaces between the spokes help tonality, or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandro Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 OK, I ain't got any funny quips or hubcap humour...but was just youtube'ing (is that a word?) this band and I really want to hear them live now. I see a few UK dates, just wish something smack in the middle of London. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I would have thought using a metal instead of wood for a bass would sound a bit...... ...Tinny? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 [quote name='Tandro' post='1230635' date='May 14 2011, 03:35 AM']OK, I ain't got any funny quips or hubcap humour...but was just youtube'ing (is that a word?) this band and I really want to hear them live now. I see a few UK dates, just wish something smack in the middle of London.[/quote] one of THE best groups I have seen, I'm 47 now and that's a lot of groups, don't really love anything blues/country/folk/blue grass so a real shock for me too...well worth travelling an hour to see them live, even our 11 year old and moody teenager were impressed, they are a laugh too so entertaining as well. I'm gutted I didn't get a CD whilst I was there now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 (edited) Thieving gits..... just realised my bass neck is sat on a pile of bricks - no sign of the alloy. Edited May 14, 2011 by ShergoldSnickers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.7e18f76540598a8efc0e6ca9be453059.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.