I built a FRETLESS PIEZO BASS out of my uncle's CABINETS (while traveling in a motorhome) FULL BUILD

[@GunsandGuitars]

This bass is for sale here if you’re interested! www.gunsandguitars.net/product-page/001

[@StinkfaceMcPew]

All things considered that’s a very reasonable price.

[@drivenmad7676]

The Bass is beautiful.

[@juliachild9377]

$2499 seems quite pricey for what amounts to a plywood bass, especially considering you got that wood for free. Someone out there might pay $2499 for it, but it doesn't seem fairly priced to me. I don't know how you calculated the price though, so maybe I'm wrong.

[@StinkfaceMcPew]

@@juliachild9377 how to tell everyone you don't know the value of labor without saying you don't know the value of labor.

[@JamieLamb]

Very reasonable price. Considering I've spent so much money lately on "toys and trips" lol, I'll have to hold off for the time being... but if by some miracle it is still available in a couple months, I'll grab it lol. But it won't be.

[@jasperguitaring3673]

"I'm gonna try my best" he says right before building one of the coolest looking fretless piezos I've ever seen

[@kellnola]

It looks great for sure. Also sounds surprisingly good.

[@Oasudude]

@@kellnola It sounds shat, and it looks aweful............... sorry

[@timbarrow95]

Me: If only I had $10k worth of fine wood working tools, the best brands and a huge shop - I'd make some great guitars. Dan: I'll just use this old angle grinder to shape the neck after I freehand route the f-holes.

[@timchapin6482]

Right?!?! What most definitely sets our boy apart from all the rest!!

[@christianmcdepressed5899]

Those radius blocks can be expensive thou

[@Cranedewd]

Between that grinder, a half round iwasaki rasp and a Shinto rasp literally anything can be done as far as shaping.

[@GunsandGuitars]

What’s the worst that can happen?

[@bruceswabb7145]

All I need is a belt sander!

[@RubyRoks]

Especially with the music i'm into (hard rock/numetal), this has a sound i really don't hear often. Makes me miss playing Double Bass in high school band class. I think my favorite part of the build is the unorthodox build method. I've seen a ton of guitar building videos, and nobody's process looks anything like this, and you prove you don't need to necessarily follow all the rules to come away with a great sounding and great looking instrument.

[@zachary2541]

Check out a band called First Fragment. Their bassist plays a fretless 6 and its pretty insane.

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks for the encouragement! I agree, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. I use a circular saw 😂🤷‍♂️

[@RubyRoks]

@@zachary2541 Thanks for the recommendation. Just looked them up and the musicianship on display is impeccable!

[@icedvengence3845]

A lot of metal and tech death metal plays fretless.... Steve Digorgio is a popular thrash death metal bassist who plays fretless and some nonfretless. Check out some of the bands Obscura or Beyond Creation videos

[@StinkfaceMcPew]

Dude check out Intronaut. The bass player plays a fretless 5er.

[@buddyhimself]

You went from having a workshop and building kits to working out of an RV and building from scratch. What a madman, I love it.

[@BradWillisWriter]

Man....just the finishing section of this video makes me want to get back in the shop. You're a damned hero, man.

[@timowns2]

Dude, that rendition of teen town was awesome!!! Amazing build as always Dan!!!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks Tim! That’s until the jazz police arrive, then they’ll tear down my playing 😂 I played teen town for my junior recital in college, let’s just say I played it a lot better back then rather than now

[@cetorbett]

Agreed. Was never expecting that in G ‘n G video!

[@boden_gamerboy6139]

@@GunsandGuitars that bass is gonna be thumped the hell out of. lol cant wait to see her in more vids man. great job too btw. and great design

[@flaviusrotarita6666]

Damn Dan, you're a fricking legend, building a bass with some basic tools

[@tonybutterworth1794]

Only just seen the video for the piezo bass this morning (with time dif) all that freehand grinding. Fearless man. Definitely more content like this for me, that’s my plan for the future. But the draw at the end - OMG!! - I’d like to thank my wife and kids, mum and dad, for their support… 🤣😱😁

[@carriermonkey4821]

Great version of Jaco's " Sandy sandy sandy town " . lol Really cool body shape design dude !

[@emersonsrandomvideos248]

Dan, bro, you made an amazing instrument while breaking the rules of building that instrument!!! That was one amazing journey!!!

[@hdrjunkie]

I love the fact that you’re useing just hand tools, no machines like table saws or band saws and belt / disk sanders… bravo!

[@itskennyjohnson]

I never knew I needed a Billie Jean / No Roots bass mashup until today. Sounds great man!

[@shelleywetzel7292]

Wow. Just wow. Dan YOU, my son in law, are quite gifted! That was/is utterly remarkable!! Rules are not necessary when you have this designer talent. Love you!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Wow thanks Shelley! That means the world to me!

[@claylittleton8414]

Simply the most perfect instrument ever crafted.

[@PhattyBarnett]

Excellent content Dan. I’ve known of your channel for awhile and have loved it, but there are not many guitar build videos like this one on KZbin. You could definitely own the DIY guitar space. Please keep these scratch builds coming! And please, keep doing them the Dan Thompson way. There are millions that would join you!

[@MusicByVicWozniak]

Going back and re-watching a bunch of your bass builds .. This one I didn't watch before.. So cool D.

[@Waskul72]

Really nice build, I like how you showed pretty much everything from start to finish, great work and skill, thanks.

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks John!

[@TemkaUwU]

This whole project really inspires me to do something like this. I have a lot of pine planks for the neck and some good pieces of oak for a body. Wish me luck

[@rockingyeti56]

Good luck you got this

[@jayce4897]

We need progress videos

[@TemkaUwU]

@@jayce4897 currently in the design stage. Might make a video when done

[@frazergiles6801]

Would avoid pine as it's not a particularly stable wood.

[@benic9341]

This is one of the most fun to watch builds that I've come across.

[@BubbleWrapPerson]

My favorite finish is Tru Oil Gunstock Finish. Might be fitting to the channel too!

[@Hateweek1984]

I feel inadequate and inspired as a neophyte guitar builder...hats off on a really rad build sir!

[@noAPlease]

Absolutely nailed this one, man. The price is fitting, excellent work!

[@guitarshapedpizza]

Yes more diy! This was great to follow. I learn so much by just watching your builds!

[@rbattistin]

Very impressive! And it is brave to free-hand cut and route the wood. The end result is fantastic! Congrats! Great project!!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thank you!

[@kennyblackbird2853]

Nice! I couldn't build a bird house so I admire your ability.

[@davidblanco8625]

I'm a simple man.. I see "guns and guitars" , I subscribe.

[@humblegeorge]

Not only an amazing build ,,but great playing !!!! wonderful indeed.

[@rinonhoxha4059]

Kudos for Artistry and Mastery. Bravissimo.

[@charlinhosbrown]

Dude, you're such an inspiration. I don't have any idea about the crafting of guitars or basses, but the DIY spirit makes me wanna make a big effort and give a try to have my own custom bass. You just made an awesome instrument and hope one day i can make something like that.

[@natenate11]

Rising Sun isn't too far from me! After talking to you about IEM's and continuing to play more I couldn't find a bass I wanted, so I've bunch of parts ordered for a build in process! Thanks for the great videos!

[@WandersOfficial]

Hell YEa... Love RV Life...did bus Life for 2 year to get me to where im at today... And will continue it for traveling and vacationing... planning alot of off grid tie ins... epic work.!.

[@1683clifton]

That eleven minute riff was sick bro.

[@rooseveltpeoples762]

Truly awesome. Very impressive. The sound and craftsmanship...amazing. Superb work.

[@tristonmurdock609]

this might be one of my favorite basses you've ever built, that thing is FONKY

[@freddiesoverbite6162]

That is freakin gorgeous. Looks like a custom Warwick. Sounds amazing

[@beercheersrccrawlers]

Sweet! Has a nice lounge room upright vibe. I dig it.

[@jps_musics]

Dude that headstock design is genius

[@aaronthompson4537]

The way you really go after the build and seeing the great results is truly inspiring, fantastic work!

[@smarkalet9078]

Ok. That angle grinder neck shaping got me. Kudos bro.

[@LWonderchild]

Thanks for making a full build vid dan, it looks amazing and I hope someone pays what it’s worth! Can’t wait to see more stuff like this

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks man!

[@Ansis99]

Very good! Sound is excellent! Me and my friend in younghood do the same - he gets old perfectly dry guitar - do restoration, but I take piezo sound pickups (self-made) and we get that crisp/deep sound! Your build is like a bass violin! :) 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸!

[@williamcastleberry7338]

Good looking and sounding Bass. You done well grasshopper.

[@jamesmarkham7489]

Dan you should know that if an instrument isn’t made of extremely rare endangered wood it can’t sound good. /s nice to see a cool original design.

[@michaelrodgers6559]

Gotta love that "tonewood" myth, right? 🤦‍♂️

[@aidken5290]

@@michaelrodgers6559 I'm sure there's some truth to it unless it really is that simple although I'm sure all trees are different

[@michaelrodgers6559]

@@aidken5290 nope. If it uses pickups, wood makes no difference in tone.

[@aidken5290]

@@michaelrodgers6559 oh cool good to know brotherman

[@aleksandrnestrato]

@@michaelrodgers6559 What??? That is totally not true. Wood does make a really noticeable difference in tone. Even in comparisons on KZbin (with its compression and sound wrench) the difference is heardable. However there are a couple of dozens of other factors that alter the tone as well-the strings, the way and the place you pick, the pickups, the pots, the cables, the amplifier, the effects, the loudspeakers of the cabinet, the environment you play in or at. The effects and the amp being most contributive here. Yes, I admit that the tonewood oozes away among those other tone forming factors about half of which are adjustable, so you can compensate much of initial signal making tonewood even less noticeable. Tough stating that it makes no difference is utterly incorrect 'cause it is reeaally apparent. I mean you don't need special equipment to measure the difference, you can hear it with bare ears.

[@ConstrutorMusical]

Great work, Dan!

[@puebloruizrecords8255]

the bass sounds amazing

[@hdrjunkie]

Very inspiring because my brother has just moved into a trailer in a park and can only have a 10’ x 12’ shed to work in (or out of) to do his machining… he ent from a house with a basement and three garages of storage to a trailer and tiny shed… the only issue is it’s here in CT so winters will be fun…lol

[@StinkfaceMcPew]

When I did a fretless conversion on an old Kent bass I used a pen-turners’ trick of using CA glue to fill the fret slots and to finish/clear coat the neck. Hard as a rock and polishes up niiiiice. That doesn’t help your tung oil problem but that’s my contribution.

[@bruceswabb7145]

Also love the head with the winders coming through the side. So cool!

[@diopappa]

Dan this thing is an absolute masterpiece!

[@NorCalGuy]

That Bass is beautiful Dan.

[@74dartman13]

What a gorgeous bass! Nice work, Dan!👍😎🎸🎶

[@kryptych]

Simply beautiful work, sir!

[@number41dl]

Re: Formby’s - Brad Angove has been using Mohawk’s modified tung oil for a while to good effect. Might be worth a shot.

[@ryanrogers8923]

And now 8 have to try to build my own! Great bass! Love the look and how you did the neck with the really thick finger board. Well done!

[@Rauzwel]

Whaaa? Good time lapse music??? Great job, man, looks fantastic

[@robertr4193]

Liked the custom color you mixed for the stain. Looks similar to an old aged wood left in the sun but with the poly a lot smoother.

[@adamulias2315]

AWESOME build Dan!!! That was really fun to watch and shows what can be done when someone has a vision and is willing to take some risks. I would like to offer a suggestion for your search for a good quality Tung oil. I have used a pure Tung oil from WATCO for some time now and liked it very much. If you need help finding it, feel free to let me know. All the best!

[@gulf_coast_gypsy]

That is absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!

[@Jenisonc]

Wow. You did not disappoint. Fantastic work! She sounds amazing.

[@vazzydazzy]

Really good build dude! Fretless basses are godsend

[@shakyblues2099]

Totally inspired. You are my favourite guitar builder on KZbin. Great work.

[@roryconley9763]

You should try danish oil. I like using light danish oil, letting it dry, then going back over it with dark danish oil. You can then finish with wax!

[@misinformationwithrandy]

The sound of that bass is way better than expected

[@phatbassanchor]

Roto Sound bass strings, as with most string brands, come in different scale lengths. There's 30" short scale (Fender Mustang size), 34" standard (Fender Precision and Jazz basses) and Long scale that ranges from 35-37" scale. Those lengths are what the bass measures from bridge saddle to nut. So, measure your bass from saddle to nut to determine your scale length. The string packages are labeled with their scale length but may only state, short, medium or long rather the the actual length in inches. You are correct that the outer wrap should extend through the nut. But, I didn't hear any buzzing. So, the nut seems to be a proper height for the strings you have on the bass. Oh... you may need to adjust the string depth in the nut when swapping out for longer scale length strings. Hope that helps, brother. This is an amazing build. I'm a retired pro bassist so after forty seven years on bass... I picked up a few things. You did an amazing job with Jaco's Teen Town! That was as impressive as this awesome bass build! Seeing you go after the neck with the sawzall and the headstock with a circular saw was a bit gut wrenching to see. But, you are well skilled with your tools and did a first rate job. Toward the end... I was just thinking, "hmmm, wonder why he's not using tung oil..." when you advised exactly why you weren't using tung oil! Hahaha ;D Yeah... bit of a double take there... felt like you read my mind! Hahaha ;D Again, exceptional build, amazing bass, tasty chops and very well played overall. I clicked the thumbs up as soon as I saw the completed bass in the intro. But, your rendition of Teen Town earned you a new sub today as well... Very well played indeed!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Hey phat! Thanks for the sub and for the helpful comments and encouragement! I appreciate all that you typed out. Honestly I was nervous to even use that sample of teen town I recorded. I played that for my junior recital in college 15 years ago. I nailed it then, I realized now that my chops have degraded significantly, I had to take it more than a few bpms slower than I used to play it, and I felt it was pretty sloppy overall. I was afraid people would rip me apart for botching it, so it was very encouraging to hear your positive review! Thanks man

[@phatbassanchor]

​@@GunsandGuitars In school, I played a '66 Gibson EB-2 (ES335 as a bass) and a '72 Ibanez copy of a Flying V bass, both in Gibson Heritage Cherry... Both were gorgeous... When I first heard Jaco play Teen Town with Weather Report on the Heavy Weather LP and Come on, come over with Sam and Dave on Jaco's first solo LP... I was so blown away that I ripped the frets out of the V just to get the same sound. I had to start at around half tempo and spent months working my way up to Jaco's live tempo which was even quicker than the studio recordings... These days, with arthritis among my disabilities, I'd be lucky to play that half tempo again. You reminded me of better days, friend. You started with a nice groove, actually better than what I'd expect from a luthier. Most guitar builders can play some. There are some that are more equally adept at building and playing. That first groove put you in the high side of the former group. However, your rendition of Teen Town put you firmly in the latter!

[@175kva]

Great job Dan !

[@adammono1839]

Good work Dan. Extra long scale strings might work out the string length problem.

[@georgerobartes5989]

I'm catching up here . I'm building a similar bass but lucky to have a 100 year old Mahog from a fireplace in East London. I'm using a twin fixed carbon fibre truss rods with a piezo under the nut as well as the bridge . I'm using the cigar box bridge piezo that has the wire in the middle and this will run in a groove in the middle under the ebonised English oak fretboard with the straightest grain I've ever seen . For fretless the fretboard has to be very hard and English oak if you can't afford ebony is a great choice . That too was slavage . To make it black right through , apply several coats of Ferric or Ferrous Sulphate or Chlorate ( its called Coperas here at craft shops ) in a solution with alcohol, lighter fuel etc., and it reacts with the tannin in the oak turning it permanently black . Careful , you may get sold this as ebony ! The buffers preamps etc will go in a cavity and have a mono/ stereo output switching facility through a stereo strap jack. This will go out to a cheap stereo tube preamp the type sold on ebay for £9 ($10) before heading off to the amps. Obviously the nut vibes will be completely different to the bridge so splitting the 2 into a Spark 40 for the bass tones and Code 50 for guitars tones (or vice versa ) will make some interesting sounds , plenty of punch and a pretty lightweight haul for gigging .

[@doknox]

Coolest thing I've seen in a while! Nice work!

11:45 some Weather Report, very nice

[@DTGuitarTech]

Wow, this is hack luthiery at its maximum. Never seen anyone build an instrument with an angle grinder before! All credit to you, that think looks amazing.

[@stkeeley]

Such a talented guy! Ive been a subscriber for years and as soon as i see a new video i cant do anything other than watch! Nice playing on this video too brother! Man of many talents!

[@adrenalinegroove]

Throwing Teen Town in was a nice touch!

[@andreacampana4754]

That's a gorgeous build! Congrats!

[@Harry20000Hl]

Just one technical question I have after watching, if you set the truss rod into your fretboard instead of the neck portion does it function very well? and does that mean you’re relying on the strength of the glue joint between the neck and the fretboard to adjust the bow on the whole neck and not just the fretboard portion? I’m not a guitar builder or anything but that part just made me wonder about how it works

[@GunsandGuitars]

Yes it works just as well as any other truss rod setup. It’s literally the exact same thing, only backwards. Exact same function.

[@ChrisHendrix117]

First off, design is 10/10! Beautiful bass! Next, the concept is really interesting and well executed. Finally, I’ve seen enough of your videos I feel I could be a graduate of the Dan Thompson College of Guitar Building Knowledge. I’m definitely building another guitar when I get home from Texas Toast. And it’ll be 100% “The Dan Thompson Way!” Looking forward to it in fact. Already have the scrap pile from which to get my “tonewood”

[@timchapin6482]

Congrats on another great Bass Build man! Guess I have no excuses to finish my two projects!! Can’t wait for the next one!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks Tim!

[@saulgoodeguitars]

Cmon Tim get to it

[@kentabenno]

beautiful bass and totally fair price! great build!

[@Cradley684]

Well I think you have done a BRILLIANT job of the Bass guitar with all the tools you had keep um comin, have a nice day & Stay Safe , Brian UK !!!.

[@anthonycamillos3719]

Commenting mainly for the algorithm, but honestly this was a bit of an inspiration! I've made an acoustic from scratch through a school with all the tools I don't have, but just because I don't have the tools doesn't mean I can't work something out

[@GunsandGuitars]

Yes! That’s what I’m hoping to inspire with this video!

[@hextray]

What a nice sound... Grezt, GREAT JOB !

[@umami0247]

All I can say is wow! Nice work.

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks Scott!

[@wjewell63]

This is awesome bud.,good to see a build again....after all it was you that got me started.,so now I have 9 guitars I have built so thank you for the kick in the ass a couple yrs ago....

[@GunsandGuitars]

That’s awesome! So glad I could inspire you!

[@Burger-urger]

This is INCREDIBLE!!!!

[@patriciaptrs]

Thanks!

[@sonnyd1527]

Thanks!

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

So much of what you did in this project originated with Brian May. In 1963 when he and his father began work on the Red Special, they had even less to work with. I don’t even think they had all of one type of wood. In any event, who says that guitar-building rules aren’t for breaking? If they weren’t, we wouldn’t have a Les Paul, the Stratocaster, the Precision bass,the guitar synthesizer, the Steinberger line or the Superstrat. I wish I had your skills at building instruments, Dan. I also wish I had a proper work facility and wish to do it. Then, I would just try building my own approximation of every guitar I’ve ever had a yen for since I was a teenager.

[@gertvanpeet3120]

Good sound for jazz!

[@joebwannabe]

Awesome job so cool looking and sounds great too! Loved how you were playing it throughout the video too instead of making us wait to the end for a reveal.

[@PaulHofreiter]

That turned out great - awesome job.

[@gillamb8669]

I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed. Fantastic build. 👍🤘

[@GitaraMaker]

On the thumbnail, I thought it's an expensive wood and to my surprise it's plywood 😮. I never thought that it will actually look so good, and look expensive and sound great. Also very skillful with the circular saw 😊.

[@davidjessee7701]

Great looking Bass! You have alot of skill on the circular saw!!! Pun intended!! 😆

[@mattc3152]

You can make your own wipe on poly and save a lot of money, plus you can choose your own consistency. Just mix your favorite poly with mineral spirits. Start with 50/50 and adjust from there.

[@illryt]

Great job! Jaco would be proud.

[@jamtmill]

Haven’t seen a new video in a long time. Keep it up man

[@jasonstrickland5251]

That thing is beautiful! wow nice job!

[@famitory]

if it becomes financially necessary to do more sponsored content, you might consider accepting offers from toolmakers for fancy chisels and such. that way, you can still do DIY-focused videos while blending in reviews of the tools in question.

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks for the tip. I’d be open to it but I haven’t gotten offers from tool companies

[@AntoekneeDE]

Thanks for sharing, fantastic build

[@nativegamer3384]

My 2 favourite things in one channel