Adding a bass synth.... the long way!

[S2]

(Slight self indulgence here, apologies. Feel free to scroll by!)

I used to play around with a Roland guitar synth some years ago. I had a GK2 (or maybe a GK3?) on a Strat through a GR33. Then when I started to play bass more than guitar I kind of forgot about it and I sold it on eventually.

Fast forward to around a year or so ago, and Wonks posted a thread on here and Pitbull Guitars about how he built a Pitbull kit for Arkieboy with a built in synth and showed the results (which were excellent, but he didn't need me to tell him that).

That got me thinking about putting one on my bass and using it to supplement the band's sounds - brass runs, that type of thing. I got a great deal on a GR55 and a GK3 and installed it and started trying it out. I initially put it on my Fender Jazz, but then I found it played better on the scratch guitar I built a couple of years ago ..



However the stick on GK3 looks awful to my mind so then I considered installing a GK Kit (which are a lot cheaper than the stick on ones though trickier to install.) But decided against it as I thought the work i'd have to do might ruin it.

So the only thing left to do was build one from scratch. I had a slight head start as when I'd built the second guitar (a P bass variation) I'd made two necks at the same time and had a maple one spare.

So I found some interesting wood, (Kiaat) did some lamination and glueing (more for practice of the technique than anything else though i like the results) and came up with this.



The eagle eyed amongst you will notice that the shape is rather similar! I liked the first shape so much that I reused the templates I'd made, though I flattened off one edge (mainly to make it better to install the GK Connector). Wonks gave me some tips about installing the GK kit which I took and board and for which i'm thankful. also reread his original build thread which was pretty informative.

I decided to put all the synth controls on a metal plate and swapped out the press button patch changers for a rocker switch which is easier to use live. No tone, just volume and to date, no jack so you can't just play it as a normal guitar. So far that hasn't been a problem - I have the first guitar as a spare for most gigs. There is the potential to add one in at a later date if it starts to be an issue.

I have to say it's fantastic. I don't overuse the synth aspect live - think the brass parts on Superstition and I Feel Good as well as the odd synth pad at the start of a Killers song, the organ part of Walk of Life - that sort of thing. Took a little bit of time to set it all up with the GR55 but I'm absolutely blown away by it. Tips the scales at 3.9kg so it's not hugely weighty either (for a bass).

[Wonks]

Looks great, well done. Glad I could help a bit.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Nice job.

[Drew Stephenson]

Good work, and looks lovely.

[tea for two]

It must be so personally rewarding to be able to put together something as this.
The switches are neat. The body tone reminds me of 70s station wagons which I dig.

Ps. you must play Jump in a gig right when it's least expected.

[BJG145]

Cool.

[N i g e l]

nice

The body tone reminds me of 70s station wagons which I dig.

I get that.

[zenguitar]

Many years ago when SOS attended Analogue to Digital in Exeter I fitted a GK3 kit to a 6 string Yamaha bass belonging to my late brother.

I still have it around and will grab some pics at some point to share.

Andy

[S2]

It must be so personally rewarding to be able to put together something as this.
The switches are neat. The body tone reminds me of 70s station wagons which I dig.

Ps. you must play Jump in a gig right when it's least expected.

I hadn’t thought about that till you mentioned it!! That’s great!

[S2]

Many years ago when SOS attended Analogue to Digital in Exeter I fitted a GK3 kit to a 6 string Yamaha bass belonging to my late brother.

I still have it around and will grab some pics at some point to share.

Andy

Yea please do. As you can see it’s a four string which I’ve always played and I’m quite happy with. So any chords are usually two note affairs. I do have it my mind to try the same thing on a five string. Five and six strings open up more chordal possibilities, especially - in the case of a five string - I eschew the low B in favour of a high C as in the six string.

[Wonks]

eschew

Gesundheit!

[BigRedX]

Any chance of a recorded piece once you've got to grips with the system?

Personally I've not been able to make pitch conversion work in any manful way for me and I've been trying for over 40 years. Each time some new development comes along I've given it a go, but I've always found that trying to turn vibrating strings into CV or MIDI requires too much modification of my playing technique and still introduces too much latency. Other methods like the Yamaha EZ-EG are too far removed from the guitar to have any real advantages over a bit more work on my keyboard technique.

[S2]

The body tone reminds me of 70s station wagons which I dig.

Love it!!

[Sam Spoons]

I actually prefer this :-



Or, better still, this :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZSSl_XX-mw

[S2]

I’m not painting it! 70’s Chevy it will have to be!

[Sam Spoons]

[S2]

Any chance of a recorded piece once you've got to grips with the system?

Personally I've not been able to make pitch conversion work in any manful way for me and I've been trying for over 40 years. Each time some new development comes along I've given it a go, but I've always found that trying to turn vibrating strings into CV or MIDI requires too much modification of my playing technique and still introduces too much latency. Other methods like the Yamaha EZ-EG are too far removed from the guitar to have any real advantages over a bit more work on my keyboard technique.

Yes of course. As I say I don’t use it to play whole pieces - as the bassline would suffer. But I’ll try and record a couple of examples from a gig when I get the chance.

You’re correct, latency is an issue. I don’t use the E string (for some of the patches I’ve disabled it) as it’s just too long a delay and I don’t want it triggering by accident). But a lot depends on the type of sound required. A pad/drone type of effect doesn’t need to be so exacting, whereas a brass part does - hence I play them on the top 2.

Of course it incorporates some of a VG99, so just using the bass through that has no latency. But for MIDI stuff then you need to be careful and I’ve had to change the way I play.

[tea for two]

70’s Chevy it will have to be!

Drove my Chevy to the Levee a looong time ago, but the Levee was is now dry, still I can drink whiskey and rye singing.

[Martin Walker]

Wow - that looks great S2!!



Love the 'wing slices', while the maple neck is gorgeous.

The only thing that look a tiny bit odd to me (and I'm probably just being ignorant of the synthy component restrictions) is that slick in-line control panel, but then a separate rotary control next to it (not on the panel).

/nitpicker mode off

[S2]

Wow - that looks great S2!!

Love the 'wing slices', while the maple neck is gorgeous.

The only thing that look a tiny bit odd to me (and I'm probably just being ignorant of the synthy component restrictions) is that slick in-line control panel, but then a separate rotary control next to it (not on the panel).

/nitpicker mode off

No it’s a very fair point. I did play around with it all on the same panel (I made up one on a piece of thin wood to test it) however whilst it looks slightly better, I found it awkward to use. I’m used to the volume at that position and I wanted it separate from the synth controls. But you’re right - it doesn’t look as good. Definite function over form.

But it gives me an excuse to build another one with a slightly different design and some improvements (and five strings)!! I’ve started drawing it out and I have plenty of wood, so once I’ve done some house stuff to keep Mrs S2 happy so we can sell, I’ll crack on with it!

[Martin Walker]

Wow - that looks great S2!!

Love the 'wing slices', while the maple neck is gorgeous.

The only thing that look a tiny bit odd to me (and I'm probably just being ignorant of the synthy component restrictions) is that slick in-line control panel, but then a separate rotary control next to it (not on the panel).

/nitpicker mode off

No it’s a very fair point. I did play around with it all on the same panel (I made up one on a piece of thin wood to test it) however whilst it looks slightly better, I found it awkward to use. I’m used to the volume at that position and I wanted it separate from the synth controls. But you’re right - it doesn’t look as good. Definite function over form.

In that case I'd be inclined to leave your controls in their current positions, but make an extended control panel, more like the Les Paul Recording model, so they are more visually integrated:

[S2]

Wow - that looks great S2!!

Love the 'wing slices', while the maple neck is gorgeous.

The only thing that look a tiny bit odd to me (and I'm probably just being ignorant of the synthy component restrictions) is that slick in-line control panel, but then a separate rotary control next to it (not on the panel).

/nitpicker mode off

No it’s a very fair point. I did play around with it all on the same panel (I made up one on a piece of thin wood to test it) however whilst it looks slightly better, I found it awkward to use. I’m used to the volume at that position and I wanted it separate from the synth controls. But you’re right - it doesn’t look as good. Definite function over form.

In that case I'd be inclined to leave your controls in their current positions, but make an extended control panel, more like the Les Paul Recording model, so they are more visually integrated:

gibson-recording_pwi9ny.jpg

That's not a bad idea (actually very good!) . And no reason why I couldn't fit that now.

[Wonks]

In that case I'd be inclined to leave your controls in their current positions, but make an extended control panel, more like the Les Paul Recording model, so they are more visually integrated:

But hopefully rather more tasteful than the LP Recording one.

[Martin Walker]

Agreed - despite (or perhaps because of) my Harley Benton violin bass, I'm not a fan of cheap slide switches on guitar control panels

[tea for two]

I dig Harley Benton I had one of their semi hollow HB-35Plus. Become my go to brand for Electric now within my range.
Butt wot were they finking with that Violin Bass looks like they just stuck on an Elastoplast.

There's some rather attractive pick guards : shapes patterns on the guards. I suppose as I've never done so could repurpose an attractive pick guard.