Six String Bass Walkthrough

[dsdesigns]

Can anyone point me to a 35'' 6 string neck-through bass tutorial?

Thanks guys

[Mattia]

Buy Melvyn Hiscock's book?

Scale length and number of strings are pretty much entirely irellevant to actual build techniques.

[dsdesigns]

I have the book, Just wondering how many people may have done different things seeing that its a six string bass, such as how many truss rods (Im doing 7 piece curly maple/ purpleheart neck through) , neck/head thicknessing, and an assymetrical neck.

Thanks

[Prostheta]

Well, in terms of stability you will more than likely be fine but a six-string will have more tension on the bass side plus the longer scale length will exacerbate that - possibly causing twisting in the neck. Laminations help increase stability and may allay twisting to a degree. Purpleheart is solid as a rock. Two rods will provide better control over your neck.

As Mattia says, everything else is introduced in MH's book. IIRC the eight-string isn't too far out of the league of what you're proposing. The assymetrical neck may help or worsen the twisting possibility as one side will be slightly more flexible.

Careful choice in seasoned grain-aligned woods will be a greater factor in this kind of build IMO, but most of the time you'll probably "get away" with it. It really depends on whether you're in market for "just getting away with it" or building with the factors in mind and dealing with them.

[JohnRossitter]

Use 2 truss rods.

There are may-a-walk-thu in the in progress section

[mattharris75]

Most of the bass builders i've seen, both on here and on Talkbass, do not use two truss rods for a six stringer. Using a laminate of good strong woods (Such as purpleheart and maple) combined with a couple of graphite stiffening rods on either side of the truss rod should give you plenty of strength. That said, using two truss rods is perfectly acceptable as well if that's what you want to do.

As far as your question about neck/head thicknessing, are you asking about methods on how to do this, or are you wondering how thick each should be?

[Phil Mailloux]

If you're doing a 7 piece laminate neck that includes purpleheart in it there's no reason to put in more than one truss rod and no carbon fiber rods in it. Odds are your neck will be too stiff for the truss rod in the first place. So the two truss rods would actually be more for ease of adjusting the neck than to keep it straight. It'll stay straight on its own.

The neck won't twist because of that one extra string either unless the wood was crap in the first place. Having an assymetric neck won't make a difference either.

Edited March 13, 2008 by Phil Mailloux

[JohnRossitter]

If you're doing a 7 piece laminate neck that includes purpleheart in it there's no reason to put in more than one truss rod and no carbon fiber rods in it. Odds are your neck will be too stiff for the truss rod in the first place. So the two truss rods would actually be more for ease of adjusting the neck than to keep it straight. It'll stay straight on its own.

The neck won't twist because of that one extra string either unless the wood was crap in the first place. Having an assymetric neck won't make a difference either.

Don't discount the power of humidity.

I have a 5 part laminate neck with purpleheart and truss rod which needs adjustment twice a year when the seasons chenge.

[Prostheta]

If you're doing a 7 piece laminate neck that includes purpleheart in it there's no reason to put in more than one truss rod and no carbon fiber rods in it. Odds are your neck will be too stiff for the truss rod in the first place. So the two truss rods would actually be more for ease of adjusting the neck than to keep it straight. It'll stay straight on its own.

The neck won't twist because of that one extra string either unless the wood was crap in the first place. Having an assymetric neck won't make a difference either.

I think by that coin, I believe that you can make a neck too stiff though Phil - unless that's the aim of the game. If you're unable to balance relief against tension how you want to, then you're on the opposite end of the spectrum to necks that you can't get enough control over to bring back into line. Perhaps not too much of an issue on the fat stringers (sorry guys, i know it is really) but certainly an issue for guitarists.

I wholeheartedly agree about wood selection. My old growth mahogany/wenge Thunderbird's neck was straight as a die from construction to string-up and even then it fought back against the rod and string tension! Magnificent stability but a little annoying having to wrench any kind of relief into. I think that on wider necked instruments, two rods allow you more room for control which is where i'm coming from.

[mattharris75]

DSDesigns, the biggest thing that you can pick up from this thread is that there are a variety of methods that should all work just fine. Don't stress too much about the differences between a 6 stringer and a 4/5 stringer. Just be smart and stick with good building practices, and you should be fine.

[Phil Mailloux]

Don't discount the power of humidity.

I have a 5 part laminate neck with purpleheart and truss rod which needs adjustment twice a year when the seasons chenge.

That's totally normal. That will happen with any type of neck.

Prostheta, I totally agree with you too

[Prostheta]

I think DSDesigns could do well by going through your six string build Phil.

[dsdesigns]

Phil, How many basses have you built? Do you remember how thick the olive and wenge were? Beautiful build by the way.

Thanks,

DSD

Also, did you use oil to finish it?

Edited March 18, 2008 by dsdesigns