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my 5 string bass project


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Hi everyone!

I'm planning on building a 5 string full 24 fret bass guitar, bolt on neck and the questions I had were if I went with a scale length of 34 in. how would I have to design the neck and how far apart should the strings be apart to fit onto the neck?

The bass will be mostly used for a high school jazz band so I was just wondering what my measurement be at the top nut all the way down to the 24th fret and I am just not too certain on the body measurements...If anybody could help me it would be much appreciated! I'll probably post pictures of my progress and accept any tips that anyone can offer :D because I am new to this.

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Well, I don't own a 5 string, but the measurements you need are the nut width, the distance between strings (center to center) and the remainder is split between the outside of the outer strings. THen you need string spacing at the bridge. With a consistent distance from outer strings to edge of the fretboard, you then have your neck width all the way down. There are numerous fret position calculators, just use the search function. As for back contour, I'm afraid I can't help you. Good luck!

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All that depends on a couple factors. The nut width depends on what you are comfortable with. The spacing of the strings at the 24th fret depends on your bridge spacing.

I've built two basses, both to similar specs, on can be seen here. The nut width is 1 3/4". The spacing of the bridge is 2 1/2". The width of the neck at the 24th fret is 2 5/8".

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Is it for you, or for the school. (just curious)

If its for the school I would make it as close to the standard jazz size as possible, (fender, modulus)

I tried a lot of basses out for playability before I decided on a size to build.

I ended up using the string and neck width of a 5 string Warrior bass (which it quite wide, but thin). I took the measurements right off the bass.

I did change the scale lengeth to get a more defined B though.

The distance between strings at the bridge also may depend on the bridge you want to use.

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The bass is technically for me, I am just part of the high school jazz band and I'd like to make it a good jazz bass then probably make an electric bass thats mostly designed for other uses, but I just needed to know what would be sufficient string spacing from string to string, and really what the bottom 24th fret measurement should be to fit onto the body.

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