Unorthodox Bass

[Annoying Twit]

Initially I thought that I quite liked the look of this custom fretless bass. It's made by a company called 'Unorthodox guitars'. But why is there that sharp bit where the neck joins to the headstock. And while I like the neck through natural wood look, what's up with the massive wide 'through neck' bit on the back of the body?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fretless-bass-/171141299388?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27d8d0fcbc

[paulpirie8]

Really like the look of that. I've seen a couple of basses with that same bit where the neck joins the headstock. It's quite comfy for your hand if you play down that end a lot, which I do. Not sure what the purpose of the huge through body part on the back is but again, it looks nice.

Paul

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1380800885' post='2230679']
Initially I thought that I quite liked the look of this custom fretless bass. It's made by a company called 'Unorthodox guitars'. But why is there that sharp bit where the neck joins to the headstock. And while I like the neck through natural wood look, what's up with the massive wide 'through neck' bit on the back of the body?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fretless-bass-/171141299388?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27d8d0fcbc
[/quote]

Probably cos they're unorthodox

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1380800885' post='2230679']
But why is there that sharp bit where the neck joins to the headstock.
[/quote]

It's a "volute" which is there to add strength to a supposedly weak point in the neck where it transitions to an angled headstock. On a well made multi-laminate neck it should be unnecessary from a structural PoV and there simply because the luthier thinks it looks good.

[Roland Rock]

The front looks ok in a kind of Jack Bruce Warwick kind of way. I can honsstly say that the back is the ugliest back of a bass that I have ever seen. It makes me cringe, especially the bulge where the body meets the neck.

[tauzero]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1380800885' post='2230679']
Initially I thought that I quite liked the look of this custom fretless bass. It's made by a company called 'Unorthodox guitars'. But why is there that sharp bit where the neck joins to the headstock. And while I like the neck through natural wood look, what's up with the massive wide 'through neck' bit on the back of the body?
[/quote]

As BRX says, the bit on the neck is the volute and it shouldn't get in the way. Looks to me as if he was using a number of narrow planks to make the body rear (easier to get hold of narrow planks and they're cheaper) and decided to [s]use up his offcuts[/s] make it decorative.

[itsmedunc]

It probably only weighs 12 stone. On the upside it would have great buoyancy if you were to sink at sea...

Edited October 4, 2013 by itsmedunc

[xilddx]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1380803851' post='2230775']
It's a "volute" which is there to add strength to a supposedly weak point in the neck where it transitions to an angled headstock. On a well made multi-laminate neck it should be unnecessary from a structural PoV and there simply because the luthier thinks it looks good.
[/quote]

Is that the biggest volute you've ever seen? It should have a bloody base camp on it. Other than that it looks like an interesting instrument, I quite like the look of it.

[iamtheelvy]

It's got a bit of a Stanley Clarke vibe...

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1380879193' post='2231765']
Is that the biggest volute you've ever seen?[b] It should have a bloody base camp on it. [/b]
[/quote]



I'd heard of volutes, but hadn't seen one like that before.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Annoying Twit