c.2014 Antebellum Double Banjo Bass (Part 2)

Ah, the saga continues with my latest "DBB." This is not the same rig but it's nearly the same rig as my "egg shaped" double banjo bass save that I had to replace the rim, dowel stick, and bridge after the initial design took an unfortunate tumble and destroyed those sections.

Now it's lost its "body frame," added a slightly heavier maple bridge and the rim is now a 22" Remo "tar" frame drum with its faux-skin (synthetic head) looks and canvas-looking exterior finish. I've gauged the strings back up to regular upright gauges and the result of this mix of tension plus thicker head and slightly better-quality rim has made an improvement in bottom end "boom." It sort of responds a bit like a "bluegrass" bass in that it's a bit thumpy but carries well (especially for its size) in a jam. It's still no replacement for a true "big boy" double bass but it got the job done at today's jam with 5-6 guitar players and a mixed array of other instruments.

I woke up at 4:00 AM today to finish this one up before the jam. By the end of the day I started calling this my "jungle bass."

Same old silly headstock...!

A final "bummer" from when the bass took a fall initially was that my original D-string Hipshot tuner ($25 a pop) had its shaft and housing snapped into several pieces. Oh well!

 

Don't mind the extra slots at the bridge... I'm still playing with spacing.

Rubber grommets eliminate overtones.

I decided to round off the (quartersawn like the neck) dowel for a Civil War retro look... and also save on weight.

The simple electric upright bass-style "belly rest" works just fine. The bar is aluminum so it's lightweight and the endpin is aluminum as well. In the pictures the "short endpin rod" is installed for use while sitting on a stool with the bass.