De Trepagny Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 This is my first topics in this forum so i will introduce myself. My name is Philippe and i'm from quebec, canada. I play basse for over 18years and i'm a modelmaker for aerospace industry. I built my first complete basse in april '06. This is a bolt-on 4strings/fretless/mahogany. Here is the problem; i built a 5pcs mahogany neck with a .300" purpleheart centre piece surounded by 2 .100" strip of maple. The truss rod is a martin type with the aluminium channel. The neck is realy stiff, even with the string tension. When i use my string as a straight-edge, there is a .012" gap in the centre of my neck and the trussrod nut is loose. I want a little more bow to prevent string buzz. My neck profile is much more like a warwick than a jazzbass. I like that chunky feel, but will i have a better neck movement if i reshape it much thinner? thanks Philippe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Trepagny Posted May 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 any suggestion? Philippe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyd Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 For a fretless, personally would put a some tension on the neck with the truss and then resand the fingerboard flat, then when you loosen the truss again you will have some relief bow. Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 any suggestion? I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that one way to achieve this is to bend the neck while setting the trussrod --you use clamps to position the neck while setting the trussrod accordingly. Don't do this until a real luthier confirms it though. Might not help your problem either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 any suggestion? I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that one way to achieve this is to bend the neck while setting the trussrod --you use clamps to position the neck while setting the trussrod accordingly. Don't do this until a real luthier confirms it though. Might not help your problem either. Not sure I'm a 'real luthier', but that won't help much. It is, however, how I adjust all my rods; hand-bend it into place, adjust rod under less tension. If you thin it down a little (total thickness, but watch the rod!) it should get more flexible, but whether that's going to be enough... Honestly, I think the best way to deal with this is to 'simply' plane/sand more relief into it. Crank the rod (well, bend, then turn rod) so you've got a little backbow (about the .012 you have now, perhaps? negative relief..), plane or sand it flat in that tensioned position, release rod, voila, more built-in relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Trepagny Posted May 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Mattia: .012 of positive relief. I like the rosewood smell but it's pretty hard to sand. But i think that is the way to go! I want a relief between .030/.040" to lowered the action. Thanks for your advice guys! This forum is realy useful for a hobbyist like me. Philippe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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