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 Cyr Custom Guitars is introducing a new
product: an electric upright bass (EURB). As with everything
we build, these will be built custom for each customer. This
means that the customer is free to select woods, electronics,
and the details of the design of the bass itself (things like
scale length, fingerboard radius, for example - even body and
headstock shape)
General characteristics:
- The body will be solid or semi-hollow
(to reduce weight) with a core of alder or swamp ash.
- The top of the body will be
of bookmatched figured maple or straight-grained quarter-sawn
Sitka spruce
- The back will be bookmatched
flame maple
- The body shape is based on the
shape of a Bass Viol, but narrower for compactness and to keep
the weight down
- The neck is laminated from two
pieces of quarter-sawn hard maple with a 3/16" center stripe
of a contrasting wood (black walnut or purpleheart, for example)
- The neck design is a somewhat
stylized version of what you'd find on an upright bass
- The fingerboard and tailpiece
are Macassar ebony
- The neck is bolted on, with
4 brass inserts in the neck itself, and four 1/4x20x2-inch steel
screws with wide flat heads and allen sockets. The neck can be
easily removed for storage and transport
- The bass will be equipped with
the same type of bridge that upright basses use, with height
adjustment capability
- The scale length can be anywhere
from 38 to 41-1/2 inches, pretty much standard for upright basses
in the 1/2 to 3/4 size range
- The electronics consists of
the Double Big Twin system made by K
& K Sound, with a Bartolini 2-band preamp. Other
options are available.
- The bass is equipped with an
endpin of the type used by Englehardt on their upright basses
Pricing:
Prices start at $1900 for the bass as described above with
no extra-cost options. Costs for exotic woods and optional electronics
will be quoted on request. This price does not include shipping,
nor does is include applicable taxes or import duties. A soft
padded case by Colorado Case company is available for $250.
Video
The prototype
was sold to Rhonda in Sebastopol CA. She sent me a link to a
Youtube video of her playing the bass in a three-piece jazz combo:
Video of the Prototype
Specifications:
- The bass is 66" tall from
the tip of the headstock to the end of the retracted end pin
- The bass is 10-1/2" wide
at its widest point
- The bass is 8" deep from
the back of the body to the top edge of the bridge. The tilt-back
of the neck and headstock adds another 2" to the effective
depth of the instrument
- Scale length (as shown) is 41-1/4
inches
- Neck width is 1-1/2 inches at
the nut, 3-1/2 inches at the opposite end of the fingerboard
- Fingerboard length is 35-1/2
inches
- The bass as shown uses strings
designed for 1/2-size double basses. The tailpiece can be shortened
to allow use of 3/4-size strings, which will allow more choices
Note: details of most of these
specifications can be adjusted at customer request.
You can see a series of pictures
and a description of the construction of the prototype by clicking
HERE.
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 The headstock is designed to capture
the flavor and feel of a traditional double bass. The bass's
neck features the following:
- Quartersawn hard rock maple
with a center stripe of a contrasting wood selected by the customer
- Ebony fingerboard and nut -
these are the woods traditionally used in quality upright basses
- Quality tuning machines built
specifically for upright basses (I know, the pictures show electric
bass tuning machines - this is the prototype)
- The neck is bolted on, and can
be reomved for transport and storage
The neck in the bass pictured
was built with birdseye maple (an extra-cost option) with a walnut
center stripe. The tuning machines used on the prototype are
the type used on Fender electric basses. |
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 The body shape is designed to capture
the essence of a traditional upright bass, but in a compact package
that is easily transported and stored.
The bass features a Bartolini
preamp as standard equipment, as well as a K&K Sound Double
Big Twin pickup system. The pickup system's transducers are mounted
directly to the bridge for the best amplitude and accuracy in
reproducing the tone of the bass.
The electronics are powered by
a 9-volt battery in an easy-access compartment on the back side
of the bass.
The controls are conveniently
mounted for access while you are playing the bass.
The output jack, which also acts
as a power switch for the electronics, is mounted on the opposite
site of the bass from the controls so that the plug is not in
danger of being damaged while you are playing the bass.
A spacer bar or rail will be
designed for you so that the bass will rest naturally against
your body as you play it.
The body in the bass pictured
is solid swamp ash with a 3/8" cap of flamed maple. The
fingerboard is Macassar ebony. Gaboon or Mdagascar ebony is an
extra-cost option. |