Alternative Scale Jazz & Precision Necks

[henry norton]

I've been following a couple of recent threads by players wanting to shorten the scale of a bolt on neck bass - I'm wondering if there's any serious demand for necks made to fit a standard (20 fret) Fender pocket but with a 30, 31, 32, 33, 35 and 36 inch scale fretting/markers, with a P or J profile and the number of frets adjusted to suit so nothing had to be altered on the body? I know Warmoth will do alt. scale necks for guitars but they seem to be stuck in 34" land when it comes to basses.

I got a couple of nice maple blanks.....

[Mr. Foxen]

I'd love a nice version of the necks I like (form cheapy johnsons) made, with a tele headstock. Would need to get hold of 33" and 35" scale basses though, always thought I'd dig the longer.

[Prime_BASS]

I'd be interested in a 35" or 32" for a P project I planning.

[Delberthot]

I've just bought a Squier Bronco of Ebay to see if I like shortscale. I've always been intrigued with shortscale basses but haven't really played one for long enough

[mononick]

A 32inch scale jazz neck for my P bass would be brilliant!

[flip]

[quote name='mononick' post='859792' date='Jun 7 2010, 01:01 PM']A 32inch scale jazz neck for my P bass would be brilliant![/quote]

I was thinking the opposite for my jazz with a 30" p neck, especially if it helps with the balance of neckdivey fenders!

[eude]

I'd love to have a 30" play thing bass, but not really all that impressed with any of the cheaper short scale basses.
If I could get a nice cheap copy Jazz or Precision Bass, for ongoing mods, and ditch the neck for a 30" Jazz Profile Neck with a Fender "style| headstock, I'd be a very happy bunny.
Would you mind me asking how much you think one of these necks might cost?...

Cheers,
Eude

[henry norton]

Kool - I'm a recent(ish) convert to short scales and I'm pretty unimpressed with what's out there off the shelf. I'm convinced that adding a decent, short-scale neck to an already decent body with decent pickups and hardware should make for a much better, more usable bass than shelling out for a not very good cheapie.

As for long scales, I also want to try a 36" scale neck and string my Precision B,E,A,D or maybe even lower if I can find the strings. Warwick do an ultra-low tuned bass don't they?

[eude]

[quote name='henry norton' post='862324' date='Jun 9 2010, 04:48 PM']Kool - I'm a recent(ish) convert to short scales and I'm pretty unimpressed with what's out there off the shelf. I'm convinced that adding a decent, short-scale neck to an already decent body with decent pickups and hardware should make for a much better, more usable bass than shelling out for a not very good cheapie.

As for long scales, I also want to try a 36" scale neck and string my Precision B,E,A,D or maybe even lower if I can find the strings. Warwick do an ultra-low tuned bass don't they?[/quote]

Quite a few companies are doing ultra-low tuning sets now, Warwick, Rotosound, DR to name a few.

I reckon a well made short scale neck and a quality bridge would make a very nice bass out of any of the Squier range of basses...

Eude

[henry norton]

[quote name='Johnston' post='862458' date='Jun 9 2010, 07:29 PM']Thats pretty much why I looked into building my own , locally I had two choices for SS.

Have you thought maybe instead of short scales for Ps and Js going for for tele's and strats instead.

I've seen a few on the forums using the fender shortscale necks on the guitars and swapping out the pups with railed 'buckers. Or doing some routing work and using scratch plates to hide the old holes.[/quote]
No I never had, although 25.5" might be asking a bit much to go down to low E - maybe it's more baritone territory than full on bass? The reason I thought "short scale neck for Fender Bass" was it's a relatively straightforward bit of woodwork you can bolt all your existing hardware to. I'd be interested in seeing what people have done though.

That said, it might not be too difficult adding another few inches to say, a Strat using a longer neck, bolt all the existing hardware back on and string it an octave lower, budget Fender Bass VI !!!

[henry norton]

[quote name='Johnston' post='863673' date='Jun 10 2010, 09:21 PM']I meant the 30" on tele's etc.

Theres a few been done over on the telecaster forum (tdpri).

I think they have been using musicmaster necks.

[url="http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bass-place/150467-my-tele-bass-project.html"]something like this[/url][/quote]
Ah, I see. That's actually looks pretty cool - a proper bit of hacking (the high-end design meaning, not the computer or general woodwork meanings )

[Rumple]

Hmmm.... I like the idea of a 35" scale 5 string neck with a Lakland style 3+2 tuner configuration to try out on Fender and Squier bodies. I wonder what sort of costs are involved in getting a one off made?



R.

[henry norton]

[quote name='Rumple' post='864428' date='Jun 11 2010, 04:34 PM']Hmmm.... I like the idea of a 35" scale 5 string neck with a Lakland style 3+2 tuner configuration to try out on Fender and Squier bodies. I wonder what sort of costs are involved in getting a one off made?



R.[/quote]
Ahh yesss, A 5 string would definitely benefit from an extended scale neck (it could increase the number of frets too), It would make sense to me if the neck pocket were the same for most Fender 5-string variants (Jazz, Precision, MIA, MIM, Squier etc.) Does anyone know?

[Rumple]

If they did have the same pocket size like the 4 stringers do that could open up a chance for some fun! not sure how you find out though.

[henry norton]

[quote name='Rumple' post='864949' date='Jun 12 2010, 10:54 AM']If they did have the same pocket size like the 4 stringers do that could open up a chance for some fun! not sure how you find out though.[/quote]
I'd have to visit a few music shops with my vernier callipers up my sleeve That said, that sort of leftfield information is the sort of thing the internet was made for. I'll bet there's someone who's done the deed...