Bass of the Week: Joe Goldsmith Fretless Singlecut Bass
We’re featuring another incredible bass made by an amateur builder this week. Bassist Joe Goldsmith sent us some pictures of a stunning singlecut bass he built to suit his style. The eighteen-year-old, who mainly plays double bass, decided to make something that would make him feel more at home on an electric.
“As a double bassist, I’ve found that I’m not immediately comfortable on electric basses, so I set out to make my own,” he tells us. “My biggest problem with ‘standard’ bass guitars is how short the fingerboard is; for that reason I built this fingerboard long enough to reach the pickup, leaving plenty of room for the right hand. For that same reason, this bass has an unlined board and features very minimal controls (just a simple volume knob).”
Goldsmith got the wood to build his dream instrument for under $100 by utilizing reclaimed Lebanese Cedar for the body and working for a guitar-building friend in exchange for a East Indian Rosewood top. The fingerboard is Macassar Ebony. He opted for simplicity in electronics by fitting the bass with a single bridge soapbar matched to a single volume control.
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Body-1000x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-1000x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Back-Angle-1000x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Body-2-853x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Bridge-1000x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Control-View-853x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Fingerboard-853x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Headstock-View-853x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Headstock-1000x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Strap-button-1000x667.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Body-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Back-Angle-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Body-2-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Bridge-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Control-View-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Fingerboard-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Headstock-View-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Headstock-300x200.jpg)
![](https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Joe-Goldsmith-Singlecut-Strap-button-300x200.jpg)
Scale: | 33 1/4” |
Strings: | 5 |
Body: | Lebanese Cedar (Chambered) |
Top: | East Indian Rosewood |
Neck: | 3-piece Rock Maple with book-matched Flame Maple headstock cap |
Fingerboard: | Fretless Macassar Ebony, Unlined |
Nut Width: | 47mm |
Thickness at 1st Fret: | 19mm |
Pickup: | Single Soapbar |
Electronics: | Passive with Single Volume Control |
Bridge Spacing: | 17mm |
Weight: | ~9lbs |
Good gravy, he could build a bass for me any time he wanted.
Looks great. Hope Joe eventually does a YouTube video to demonstrate it.
Is that a hole under the bridge?
Hi Srdjan, it’s a recess for the ball ends of the strings. They anchor against a copper plate that grounds the electronics (this is my solution to a bass without a metal bridge).
Great work. She’s a beauty.
Looks like it might just be space to get to the strings’ ball ends.
That too!
Nice!
I’d love to hear it, too!
Deep mwaaah…
Can you make me 1…..wow beautiful bass ….would really like too hear you play it …you have a youtube video yet
Stunning, would love to hear it in action! Keep me posted should you post a video…
I would love to here it as well.
:Good job young man. Love the thought and workmanship involved with this build. You may have found your calling.
I want one!
Sign me up : )
Looks cheap.
Thank you for your constructive comment.
STFU hater and go make something better if you think you can (pfft). Awesome bass kid
Are you sure you are an amateur luthier? ;) Impressive
I like that art deco logo.
Thank you! It’s made with little bits of rosewood and veneer pieces
Spectacular! I’m a keyboard player, but I peruse this site just to see the workmanship of handmade instruments. I’m stunned by your design and workmanship, especially from someone so young. Engineering, craft, art. Just wanted to chime in with my congratulations! Best of luck.
Thank you very much!