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Making a bass neck


JJW
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Ive made a guitar body now so the next step is to build the body and neck of a guitar. I know how to do most of it but I have a few questions:
What trussrod do I need to use for a bass neck?
How can I shape the wood into the back of the neck shape?
Does anyone know where to get ready made fretboards because you need lots of tools that I don't have access to and I'm not ready for that yet.
Also does anyone have some general tips?
Thanks
Josh

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Probably worth asking on the bass build diaries section.

There are some seriously skilled people on that thread.

The main thing I've picked up is that you need a lot more clamps than you might think when building a bass.

Edited by Cato
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If you want to make things a little easier, you could start with a pre-slotted fingerboard. I got the one for my last build from David Dyke, and despite the website straight out of 1998 they're pleasant to deal with and their woods seem consistently good. [url="http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/"]http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/[/url]
I've just picked up a slotted fingerboard from Touchstone Tonewoods for a new build which I'm a bit less happy with as it has a couple of issues. Perhaps it's a one-off, but I'll be sending that one back. Pre-slotted boards usually still need to have the radius sanded into the face, but radius blocks aren't expensive.
For truss rods, if you pick up a modern double action rod rather than a vintage Fender style it will be easier to install, as the double action rods fit in a simple straight 6mm channel whereas the Fender style need all sorts of jigs to route a curved channel. If it's still available, I'd recommend picking up a copy of Melvin Hiscock's book "Make your own electric guitar". While you might find all the information you need online, I still find it useful to have a book to hand.

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+1 on Melvin's book. Ignore the ridiculous prices on Amazon - he now sells direct from his own website (sorry, you'll have to search for that!). I phoned the number on his site and spoke to the man himself, who was kind enough to sign it too. He's a very nice bloke and the book is a mine of information.

Also have a look at the build threads on ProjectGuitar.com

Edit: in fact I'll have to read my copy again as my guitar building course starts in a couple of weeks. Excited! :D

Edit 2: Here you go ...
http://www.melvynhiscock.com/MYOEG.html

Edited by Norris
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