Tweaking the Doodle Bass

[Tres Seaver]

I spent most of the day yesterday in the shop, working on two projects: my first "real" CBG (more on that later), plus updating the "Doodle Bass" CBB my son and I built while on vacation a couple of weeks back. We made the following tweaks to his bass:

• Replaced the "E" string (old one doubled the "A" at .090") with .105" weed whacker line.

  

• Added a piezo pickup inside the box under the bridge sandwiched between two thin pieces of pine.

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• Gouged / filed / sanded the top of the box at the bottom of the fingerboard, to avoid fretting with plaing up high. We also drilled out soundholes and glued down the top.

  

• "Ebonized" the fingerboard using ebony colored stain (it needs sanding and another coat, I think). We also added a thong hanger.

  

• Moved the tailpiece anchor from the end of the through-neck to the box, to allow anchoring a footpiece (so he can play stand-up style more easily).

  

It sounded pretty good plugged in, and he was definitely pleased.