Shaved E side of the fingerboard??

[topper]

Ok, I played a couple basses recently where the E side of the fingerboard had been shaped differently than the rest of the fingerboard. It had be shaved at a different angle or something.

I really liked it. What's this called?

Are there pluses and minuses to having this done to your bass? I liked the way those basses felt, but I don't know if that's why or if it was something else about the instruments.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks.

[Marcus Johnson]

It's a bevel ("Romberg Bevel")... it was featured on some older basses in order to allow enough room for the big gut E strings to oscillate without hitting the fingerboard.

[topper]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

It's a bevel ("Romberg Bevel")... it was featured on some older basses in order to allow enough room for the big gut E strings to oscillate without hitting the fingerboard.

Thanks!

So is there any disadvantage to a Romberg bevel? I'm not playing guts. I'm using sliver slaps and trying some rockabilly slap.

This would obviously be an irreversible mod (short of replacing the fingerboard) so I want to be sure about this.

At least one of the other basses I played with this bevel also had silver slaps. It also seemed to have a lot lower action.

[njwelch75]

I seem to remember a post here that said that the fingerboard will have to be completely replaced. The A string is actually higher than the D, so you could bevel the E, but the fingerboard still wouldn't be right. Hard to explain, and likely entirely wrong.
I have a bevel on my bass, and don't particularly care for it. But the bass sounds good for the price and hasn't given me any problems, so I'm not worried about it.

[topper]

Hmmm.... well now that I know what it's called I guess I can do a search. I don't know how expensive it would be to replace the fingerboard, but I'm guessing a lot.

[forester]

big $.
have you ever noticed any particular advantage of a round pencil over a beveled pencil.

[Marcus Johnson]

I'd leave it alone. I've played many basses with and without the bevel, and it's not an issue at all. It's just what it is, and I think you'll get used to it.

[Chasarms]

I'm not sure why, but I like the beveled fb. My Shen has it, and I prefer it over a bass without it. True, it takes about 30 seconds to acclimate to a non-beveled fb, but I do like the bevel.

[topper]

Yeah, I suspect there are other reasons I preferred the feel of those bases to mine. The basses I was playing were in a shop and I think it would be a good idea to take my bass in and have them set it up similar to the ones I liked with the bevel. Maybe it's just coincidence that the ones I liked all had the bevel. Or maybe it's time to start saving for a new bass...

[Tejano Bass]

Topper - check your PM

[hbfosho]

I prefer the beveled. I had it on a older bass and it allowed me to really get a good grip on string and instrument while playing both delicate and loud passages. My current fb has the standard curve and i find it causes my hand( in b/t wrist and fingers) to feel less natural, whereas the bevel allows the natural c curve of the human hand to remain steady. It also allows for better string crossing in upper registers between A&D&G strings. I would say any lower notes on e string to anything on another string are more difficult but a little tilting if instrument fixes that.

[mkandolf]

I learned on basses without the bevel, then when I got back into playing the past few years and borrowed a bass for a while, it had that danged bevel. I hated it. Probably due to playing a lot of electric and first learning without it, but I never got used to it.

I now have my own bass and am thankful it does not have the Romberg Bevel.

Personal preference. I just always felt I was setting up different for that E.

[Bass]

I prefer no bevel.

[drurb]

I've played both for extended periods (years) and prefer no bevel.

[Feral Feline]

My bass has the Romberg Bevel, but I've played basses without the bevel. I wish I could say I've played as long as Drurb, but no.

I prefer no Wrongboig bevo.

[Thumpie]

My "new" bass has a bevel. After playing it a few days, I don't even notice it anymore...

[SRT80]

I know this is a older thread but the Holbein 50/2 I just bought has this bevel. It's only a 5 year old bass. I thought there was somethin' wrong with the board, but the person I bought it from told me it was normal.

Glad to know it's not a jacked up/messed up board. Haha...

Bein' the first upright I have ever really played, I guess it's not gonna make much of a difference since I have never played one without the bevel...

Steve

[gerry grable]

I'll go with Marcus: "I'd leave it alone."

[sbassface]

Really weird for me to get used to at first, sold my bass that had the bevel, now I miss it!