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Super Mini Basses (16" scale or thereabouts)


ped

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3 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Is it really as simple as that? Just buy long-scale strings and chop off 18" including the silks?

Yes, it is with a headless design anyway... just pass the string through the clamp, activate the clamp and cut off the excess. I used the next heaviest gauge up to my normal set on a 34" (so 45-105 instead of 40-100). After some experimentation I found I preferred to use a 4 string set with a high C (32).

To avoid the spiky string ends, once I clamp and chop I remove the string from the clamp again and chop off nearer to the actual part of the string which is held by the grub screw so once put back in and tightened the ends don't come out of the clamp.

I don't think I've ever used the word clamp so much but I quite like it. clamp clamp clamp.

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Just now, Happy Jack said:

OK, so that's the same system on my (full sized) Westone 'The Rail'.

Totally agree about the bloody spikes. On my previous Rail I never did the second snip and I drew blood several times. 9_9

I often wonder why someone doesn't make a 'cover' which could snap over the end. 

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2 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

I used ... erm ... lots of gaffa tape.

Seriously.

 

I was just about to say, I actually spent about 30 mins looking for a roll of electrical tape that I was going to cut into strips and use to cover the spikes... then I sat there and thought 'hold on there's got to be a neater solution' when I realised I could just snip them more!!

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8 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Ah ok thanks so like the Kala then. I guess I’m thinking more of steel stringed magnetic pickup minis rather than ukulele derived versions although they’re fun in a similar way 👍🏼 I have a fretless Harley Benton uke which is nice for noodling but it doesn’t ‘feel’ like a bass

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Kala also did make the U-SUB which was a lot cheaper than the eye-wateringly expensive California ones. I've got a 5-string one to go with my Ashbory Mk I and Ashbory Mk II.

There's also one from the Bass Centre: http://www.basscentre.com/bass-centre-ashbory-bass.html - there used to be a larger range of these.

These, of course, are short scale but pitched at the same tuning as an 865mm scale, so not the same as the Wingbass et al. I'm tempted by the shortie but don't know if I could get it past Mrs Zero - it isn't as if it looks similar to any of the basses I own.

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Yeah thanks, interesting little basses but I’m looking for steel string half scale ‘mini basses’ rather than ukulele rubber string derivatives - which are also fun but not quite the same as they don’t sound like a normal bass. 

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4 hours ago, Grantd said:

The MÜB Miezo is coming on, looks like it's just the final coat and assembly.1F1FC281-1CF5-4E89-907E-049D26B51F67.thumb.jpeg.646c550c32e9d9983239a2680e185a8c.jpeg

 

Looks great - tell me more about the spec! I guess it’ll ‘sit’ further to your left than the wing? What electronics have you chosen?

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1 hour ago, ped said:

Looks great - tell me more about the spec! I guess it’ll ‘sit’ further to your left than the wing? What electronics have you chosen?

Here's the spec. Decided to keep it simple. I have a vox plug headphone, so I'm not adding the headphone amp and I will be playing it at home most the time.

Miezo 4 16” scale 

Ash body

Black stain

Birdseye maple fingerboard

Bartolini single coil pickup

Small knobs, passive

Black hardware.

Brass string anchor.

Satin hand rubbed finish

Edited by Grantd
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21 minutes ago, tauzero said:

I’d be interested to hear how the intonation is with that bridge. I guess it’s because of the half scale but I find my wing needed very fine adjustment. Welcome to the club!

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On 28/09/2020 at 19:12, ped said:

I’d be interested to hear how the intonation is with that bridge. I guess it’s because of the half scale but I find my wing needed very fine adjustment. Welcome to the club!

You seemed pretty contemptuous of them in the Ebay forum. I shall wait and see.

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23 minutes ago, tauzero said:

You seemed pretty contemptuous of them in the Ebay forum. I shall wait and see.

Not really, just think the cutaway along the top of the neck looks a little sharp and like I say the bridge arrangement looks interesting. And I'm not sure about the yellow ones... mind you for the price I'm sure you could probably do worse. I'd be interested to hear your experiences...

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On 25/09/2020 at 16:47, Grantd said:

Here's the spec. Decided to keep it simple. I have a vox plug headphone, so I'm not adding the headphone amp and I will be playing it at home most the time.

Miezo 4 16” scale 

Ash body

Black stain

Birdseye maple fingerboard

Bartolini single coil pickup

Small knobs, passive

Black hardware.

Brass string anchor.

Satin hand rubbed finish

Some progress made.

The spec is changing to a dual coil pickup with coil tap switch to be added. (no single coil pickups available for 6 weeks)

83B366DC-85A2-4973-BD97-6C3EB49D252F.jpeg

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