MAKE and Kipkay brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
In this video tutorial episode of Weekend Projects with Kipkay, you'll learn how to build a one-string electric bass guitar. Make a unique one-string, electric or bass guitar out of PVC and wood.
Check out the original article, Strung Out, in Make, Volume 9.
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4 Comments
Wow, I've never browsed Make Magazine but I am strongly dissuaded to ever buy it at this point.
Is this "project" meant to hit the trash can as soon as it's finished? What is the purpose of trying to make a musical instrument out of PVC pipe? Or is this part of the "Music for plumbers" series? This is odious. You're supposed to encourage a "do-it-yourself" attitude, not a "half-assed" attitude. You're not even trying. Really? A piece of wood for the "body"? What, is that the deluxe version? Why not PVC there, too? Who gives a damn about resonance and density and rebound? Nevermind centuries of luthier tradition, we can now make a musical instrument in a weekend!! Yay. Stop playing with Dremels, Dad, and go take your kids to the park or otherwise try to enrich the lives of your family. Because musicians are fine without you. At least I was fine before this ridiculous, ignorant, build project for lazy idiots came along. Now I'm insulted. Why don't you change the title from the Google-friendly "build a one-string bass" to "repurposing construction site leftovers for fun"? This is hands down, the most useless, worthless and pointless creation I have ever laid eyes on, serving no other purpose than to take perfectly good raw materials and reduce them to complete garbage.
All i have to say is Amen. To Serpentegena's post. It was rite up there with it was so ugly i had to watch .
"Is this 'project' meant to hit the trash can as soon as it's finished? What is the purpose of trying to make a musical instrument out of PVC pipe? Or is this part of the "Music for plumbers" series?"
Are you new to the DIY instrument making field? Making DIY instruments out of PVC pipes is VERY COMMON, and several have even been featured in actual commercial productions.
If you are not familiar with a certain field, you can always refrain from talking. No need to spread your ignorance to the world and piss on other people. Especially if it's just to give a rude, condescending rant, like you saying that this is a: "ridiculous, ignorant, build project for lazy idiots" and co.
Even more utter ignorance is evident when you say: "Nevermind centuries of luthier tradition, we can now make a musical instrument in a weekend!!".
Which shows you have absolutely no familiarity with the blues tradition, where such instruments (known as: diddley bos, unitars etc) were made with all kind of found materials, even cheaper and faster than this project, and were used by tons of blues guys back in the day when they were starting out. (Besides PVC, other items used have been planks of wood lying around, cigar boxes, bottles, gas cans, and tons of other random materials).
And, of course, similar crudely made instruments have been staples in lots of other music genres worldwide, from the British skiffle music, to Jamaican reggae, and all kinds of African and Latin music.
As for you being "strongly dissuaded to ever buy (the magazine) at this point.", well, don't let the door hit you on your way out.
i was hoping to see more on the amplifier and piezo pickup
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