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    • Just Finished!

Victor Wooten Double Bass Project Part 2: Designing and Building the First Prototype

(Read part ONE in the series if you missed it)

To build our first Victor Wooten double bass we started with tracings of his centuries-old Carcassi instrument. The outline was so asymmetrical, we thought it would be better as a NEW instrument to correct the outline, and we created two mirror images, yielding very different basses, and opened it up to social media for feedback on which outline was preferred.

Center is actual asymmetric Carcassi tracing – on Left, mirror image version of Carcassi left side, on Right, mirror image version of its right side…

Ultimately we went with our gut (sorry internet!) as, without the context of the SIZE of the bass, the smaller upper shoulders weren’t needed for ergonomics, while maintaining the character of the original aesthetically and keeping as much air volume in the already petite body was needed for tone.

After deciding on a pattern, we got to work on the foundation, creating a new inside form to build the ribs on. Our first prototype would be a hybrid, to work out the pattern and geometries with a quicker build.

Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass
Wooten bass rib form being built
Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass
Wooten bass neck block layout
Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass
Neck block roughed out
Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass
Carving, carving
Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass
…and ready
Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass
Ribs setting on form

Interestingly enough, the Carcassi had a straight rib assembly (no taper) to the widest point of the upper shoulders, and then a canted back.  The angle of the cant is the same on our award-winning Brescian model, so by using geometries we knew already, all we had to do was reduce the rib depth from the 8.5″ Brescian depth to the 7″ Carcassi depth.  In many ways, the Carcassi is a small version of our Brescian, as the arching height and neck length are also the same.

Victor Wooten Upton Double Bass

Wooten prototype double bass finished rib assembly

Having the original to study, we were able to trace an exact ff-hole and place it on the body in line with the original.

Wooten Double Bass ff-Hole

ff-Hole shape and placement directly from Carcassi

As we were nearing completion, Victor asked us to get a Yin & Yang on the bass, so we asked him for a quick drawing… We stylized it into a digital format and laser engraved it on the bass. We loved that it was a profile of our own unique scroll!

Wooten Bass Yin Yang
Sketch from Victor Wooten…
Woo Yin Yang
Wooten Bass Yin Yang
Woo laser etched in place
Wooten Bass Yin Yang
…and varnished on finished hybrid!

The first prototype Victor Wooten double bass from Upton Bass finished!  And already work had begun on the follow up – a fully carved Travel Bass.

Wooten prototype double bass
Wooten prototype double bass
Wooten prototype double bass
Wooten prototype and test pilot Brian
Wooten prototype double bass
Prototype Hybrid on the right (Travel on the left!)

STAY TUNED FOR PART 3!

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Upton Bass
String Instrument Company

159 Packer Road
Mystic, CT 06355

Hours: Tues–Sat, 10 am–6 pm
Telephone: +1 (860) 535-9399
Email: Sales@UptonBass.com

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