Problem With Neckthrough Bass

[Bassdoc]

I'm a newby from italy and I'm building my first bass.

It's a 4 string neckthrough; I have three pieces: two wings and the neck. The neck obviously goes stright from the headstock to the end of the bass body. I'm going to glue the wings on each side of it, but I can't understand how to set a neck "angle" (or better... I can't understand how to set any angle having a neck which goes stright all along the instrument!!!) to get the lowest action of the strings considering that the neck is one stright piece of woods glued toghether. I'm not talking about the headstock angle, but i'm talking about the angle between the neck and the body like the one that you can find at the joint between body and neck on a bolt on bass.

How can I reproduce that angle (if necessary) on the neckthrough??? it's impossible!!!

the solution I found was to carve a little step on the neck at the end of the fingerboard to lower the whole plane of the neck in the portion of it that runs through the body (from the end of the fingerboard to the end of the bass). I'm not sure that's the right solution, but what else?

the bridge I want to put on is an hipshot A class bridge, so I have to consider the height of it and lower the plane of the body and neck (from the end of the fingerboard on) consequenty with respect to the fingerboard and nut height...

is that right? I hope my question to be clear... sorry for bad english....

thanks for any kind help

Edited May 6, 2005 by Bassdoc

[Phil Mailloux]

Please use the search feature before you post anything. It's probably been answered thousands of times before.

Here's one thread.

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=14036

[Newc of the JCF]

I'd just recess the bridge a little.

[Phil Mailloux]

I'd just recess the bridge a little.

You could do that. However a neck trough bass with a one piece flat neck thats the same level than the body and a very recessed bridge on it definitely belongs in the second rate instrument box.

I personally think that if you're going to spend all this time and money building your own instrument you should do it the right way.

And thats the way explained in the thread I posted up there.

[Bassdoc]

thanks for help, but I've just had a look at the thread you posted in the link you gave me yet, just before starting mine....and I've started mine just because in the thread you posted they talk about the neck angle on a bolt on instrument giving detailed informations about it too, of course, wonderful to read....but I think my problem is a little bit different because it deals with a neck which can't be angled at the point in which the neck itself passes through the body. So, I was asking your help about this specific problem, but probably I've made a mess and what I was asking was not so clear.

So how can I reproduce that angle on a neck through body instrument?

I was thinking about making a sort of "step" just at the end of the fingerboard and lower the plane of the body wings and of the neck from there on in the portion of it that crosses the body. This to avoid digging in the wood to lower the bridge in the place where it will sit, that not seems to be the solution i'm looking for....

I've got a sort of diagram, if i could only post it maybe it would be a little bit clear, but I don't know how to attach it to this message,,, .

thanks for your kind help

Edited May 6, 2005 by Bassdoc

[GregP]

You just glue the body "wings" at an angle, and then plane the middle part (the "neck-through" portion) to match the body. Ideally, your neck-through portion will be thick enough that you then plane the entire back to be level. I'm about to eat, or I'd whip up a diagram for you. I know I've seen one around....

Greg

[orgmorg]

In other words, the top surface of the neck blank becomes the plane of the fingerboard, and both the body part and the head part are cut to their respective angles. Clear as mud?

[fryovanni]

Another option would be to use a taller fretboard. I have used this method and was very happy with the end result. Just a thought. Heres a pic.Thick Fretboard Bass

BTW; When I do a neck thru. I cut the neck angle into the neck blocks shape. I find this is easyer than angled wings. Here is a pic of a how I would cut the angle in.http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fryovanni/detail?.dir=8b29&.dnm=5fec.jpg&.src=ph, and after Bandsawing.Rough Cut

Good luck! Rich

[brian d]

What's the problem with recessing the bridge?

With a TOM bridge and a neck angle, the bridge pickup always seems to sit high above the body of the guitar. If you recess the bridge it would alleviate that issue.

How does a recessed bridge put the body in the second rate instrument box?

(not trying to be argumentative....I want to know so I can avoid dooming the guitar I'm currently designing that I thought about recessing the bridge)

Regards,

Brian.

You could do that. However a neck trough bass with a one piece flat neck thats the same level than the body and a very recessed bridge on it definitely belongs in the second rate instrument box.

←

[GregP]

Brian,

I don't think it was the idea of recessing, it was recessing the Hipshot bridge that the author had selected:

This is NOT a suitable bridge for recessing. At best, you could recess it the depth of the base plate, and it might even look cool doing that, if it was a perfectly done job. But really, it shouldn't be recessed.

I wonder if there any alternatives, like putting a strip of veneer between the neck wood and the fingerboard to give it the couple of millimetres extra height 'proud' of the body that you could get with a bolt-on. I mean, if your calculations show that you do in fact need a neck angle, I think a neck angle's the best solution, but I'm just thinking aloud here.

Greg

[erikbojerik]

What Greg said....build a jig to glue the body wings on at the angle you want, then go to work planing down the neck blank where it passes through the center of the body.

Hopefully your blank is thick enough that the back presents no problems...if not, you'll need to come up with some creative carving.

[Southpa]

Hopefully your blank is thick enough that the back presents no problems...if not, you'll need to come up with some creative carving.

If the wings and neck block are already cut down to the thickness of the guitar body then you will be SOL at angling the whole neck block. It will not work. You will have to cut the neck block, where the neck joint would be, at an angle to the nut. And then hope there is enough material left to make a headstock.

[Pr3Va1L]

i'm having the same problem here... except its for a guitar with a TOM.

i really think i'll have to recess it simply because i'm getting a Carvin neck, wich is 1.7" thick... if i'd angle it it would be like... 1.3" thick...

so any other solutions than recessing?