Planning my first bass from scratch

[neepheid]

I'm planning out my first neck made from scratch (and body for that matter) and I'm looking for advice about dimensions.

I have quite small hands, but quite long fingers. I sometimes find 34" scale a bit of a stretch. However, going down to 30" seems a bit much. Is 32" a good compromise? How will this affect string tensions, tone etc?

For the long fingers, I'm thinking of going with a P-bass nut width (1.625") rather than a Jazz. What would the width at the heel be, assuming I make quite a traditional, say 20 fret neck?

To keep things fairly familiar feeling, I'm thinking of sticking with the standard P fretboard radius of 9.5".

Is my logic correct here, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

I'm going to use walnut for the neck wood. Strong enough? What are people's thoughts on laminating? I have enough wood to make a 1 piece, but is it worth laminating with something else for added strength?

Edited December 7, 2007 by neepheid

[eude]

Hey bud,
just to let you know, I went for a 33" on my recent custom, as I have big hands with wee fingers, and it's been great!
It's a 6 string and the low B on it is fine too!

I reckon you could go to 32" for a 4 string without noticing too much of a difference in tension and tone.

Shorter scale basses tend to sound a bit plummier, i.e. less defined on the lower notes but have a much sweeter sounding upper register, something like a nice Jazz Guitar...

Reckon 32" would be the one to go for, however, probably a good idea to maybe try and find a 32" and give it a go before you start cutting into the walnut.
On the one piece neck thing, I don't know much about construction of basses, but I'd maybe use some kind of reinforcement, graphite, or steel rods or something, just as a precautionary measure...

Good luck!

Eude

[Peaty]

Hi Neepheid, To get the width of the neck at the heal you will also need to know the string spacing on the bridge and total width of the bridge so that the strings stay parallel to the edge of the neck all the way along the neck. Once you know the nut width and bridge spacing and scale length you should have no problem drawing it all out in plan view.

For drawing out plans I use long rolls of graph paper marked with 1 mm grid (I have a load of this stuff as we used to use it in chart recorders) so if you want a six foot length let me know and I can post you some.

Good luck
Pete

[neepheid]

Well, here is an initial idea, fresh off the AllyCAD drawing board.



I can't help thinking I've seen the body shape somewhere before. I suppose it's a little Jazz like, with the slightly offset waist and the slight angle at the bottom, but it's nowhere like as pronounced as a Jazz. The bottom is rounder (ooer). The initial inspiration came from a Warmoth guitar body (the LPS) -

[url="http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/bodies/lps.cfm?fuseaction=flatop_lps"]http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/bodies/lps.c...tion=flatop_lps[/url]

but the horns moved and extended and ended up as you see now.

Some specifications:

Strings: 4
Scale length: 32.5" (825.5mm)
Neck width at nut: 1.614" (41mm)
String spread at nut: 1.369" (34.77mm)
Nut: Graph Tech Trem-Nut PT-1212-00
String spread at bridge: 2.25" (57.15mm)
Bridge: Hipshot A style (chrome or black NOT GOLD)
Tuners: Hipshot Ultralite 1/2" post cloverleaf key

Woods:
Body: Walnut
Neck: Walnut
Fingerboard: not sure yet, quite like the look of Padauk, mmm warm orangey red.

More design tweaking still to do (like design a headstock for instance), but I'll keep you posted. Opinions welcomed and encouraged.

[neepheid]

[quote name='BeLow' post='101129' date='Dec 7 2007, 08:58 PM']Hi - unless you really want want a walnut neck I would suggest maple - there is a reason why it is so widely used it is very good for the neck build. A good piece of quarter sawn maple can be used without laminating.[/quote]

I hear what you're saying about sticking with the familiar, but in walnut's defence Warmoth list it as a suitable neck wood, it's hardness being superior to mahogany (although granted not as hard as maple). With the lesser string tension because of the 32.5" scale I reckon I'll be alright. I have a suitable piece of walnut already, which is also influencing my choice. It's going to be a bolt on, so if it all turns into a pretzel, I'll make a new neck.

[quote]Laminating the neck blank is a worthile thing to do, if you split and oppose the outer splices the tendency warp should be reduced as the opposing parts are likely to counteract on another's tendency to warp. The downs side is that you have to block the neck pieces out then glue them together, then square them off again.[/quote]

Yeah, I might well do this, even though it is a bit of a scutter. Failing that, I could embed some stiffening rods in addition to the truss rod.

[quote]I have found drawing up the plan full size helps to make sure you understand the geometry of the bass better, and it reduces the tendency to make gross c*ck ups, this is good for working out the neck dimensions.[/quote]

Don't worry, the actual drawing in the CAD package is 1:1 on an A0 paper.

[quote]The fb radius should not be too much of a problem I would guess, I can't remeber the way the raidus and fretboard choking interact, I think the flatter the board the better in that respect, but flat boards can be a bit uncomfortable. a p bass is a pretty standard one and a good compromise.[/quote]

Yeah, in this respect I'm quite willing to respect tradition

[quote]The shape reminds me of a Status Kingbass.[/quote]

It will have a headstock, if that helps. The body started off a lot more like the Kingbass before I offset it slightly, lengthened the top horn and deepened the bottom cutout.

[neepheid]

More designs - [b]very [/b]provisional headstock design

[Brave Sir Robin]

nice shape. Reminds me of a Gibson Les Paul, with a upper horn and contours.

Maple/walnut neck, mahogany body, walnut top and back, black accent, pau ferro fretboard...

[neepheid]

[quote name='Brave Sir Robin' post='104007' date='Dec 13 2007, 06:58 PM']nice shape. Reminds me of a Gibson Les Paul, with a upper horn and contours.

Maple/walnut neck, mahogany body, walnut top and back, black accent, pau ferro fretboard... [/quote]



Goddamn it, I've basically gone and recreated the Les Paul Money Bass, haven't I? Except for the top cutaway isn't as deep and the curve at the top is more elongated. Plus I've made it ever so slightly oblique. Ach. Well, I guess it just goes to show how hard it is to create anything original these days, maybe we're all subconsciously influenced by existing designs. I still like the shape and I'm going to go with it though.

[neepheid]

[quote name='BeLow' post='104144' date='Dec 14 2007, 12:08 AM']Be careful it is not going to nose dive on a strap due to short upper horn[/quote]

I think (hope) it'll be OK, the horn extends to between the 15th and 16th frets, it's only 32.5" scale and I'll use Hipshot Ultralites.

Whatever happens, it can't neck dive worse than my EB-3