I was inspired to build this design because of its clean lines and simplicity. The idea of an acoustic bass was also appealing because it means that I can practice my runs without hooking up an electric and the session was a lot easier on my neighbors ears. Alternatively, I can easily electrify the acoustic by installing pickups.
I had a large supply of 1/8 inch Birch ply on hand and, since this was my first build, I decided to forgo the expense of higher quality verneers until I was confident that I could complete the build with good results however, the Birch ply had to be thinned to 1/6 inch to make it plyable. I had no access to a jointer planer so, I had to plane the boards to the required thickness with my hand plane, a workout indeed! The next time I build a stringed instrument, I will buy some quality verneers and cut my construction time by 60%.
I constructed the form from an old counter top because it was rigid and flat. The cutouts from the rib forms were not discarded. They were used to wedge the ribs in the form to a snug fit once they were shaped. In retrospect, I would make the rib forms taller to help keep the ribs true and square.
I used steam to give the thin planks their shape. Dry heat would have been much better because it saves clamping and drying time. Once dry, the thin sides keep their shape nicely. I would like to have made this a one piece installation but my boards weren't long enough. However, by taking the time to cut a decent 90 degree joint, the splice mated up surprizingly well. It's starting to look like I'm making progress and an Acoustic Bass Guitar.
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