Short scale replacement neck

[MrPierre]

I have this old Ibanez Roadstar II with a completely twisted-up neck.

I'm looking to change to neck but I want to convert it to short scale.

Is there a place other than warmoth where you can buy short scale bass neck?

[mrbell321]

You can usually order SX short-scale necks from rondo. But, you know you'll have to move the bridge or reroute the neck pocket, right? If you move the bridge, you may change the relationship between the bridge and pickup which can significantly alter the tone. The neck is only 1/2 the scale length. You need both halves to be equal.

[Pilgrim]

To change to short scale, as noted above, you have to re-mount the bridge, probably closer to the neck. If it's a single pickup instrument in a mid-position, I wouldn't expect the difference to matter. If I'm right, the Roadstar has two pickups, so the bridge will get pretty close to the lower pickup.

But you're gonna leave some big ugly bridge screw holes visible when you move the bridge closer to the neck.

[MrPierre]

I didn't think about the bridge...

Out of sheer curiosity, what would happen if I didn't move the bridge? I suspect it would be impossible to get in tune, but at what point?

My roadstar is a P-bass copy.

And i'm not finding any short scale neck on rondo

[Steveaux]

Originally Posted by MrPierre

I didn't think about the bridge...

Out of sheer curiosity, what would happen if I didn't move the bridge? I suspect it would be impossible to get in tune, but at what point?

My roadstar is a P-bass copy.

And i'm not finding any short scale neck on rondo

"In tune", yes. Intonated, no.

[MrPierre]

Originally Posted by Steveaux

"In tune", yes. Intonated, no.

Since english is not my first language, i'm not entirely sure of the diference between "in tune" and "intonated"

[mongo2]

I've replaced several longscale necks on P and J basses with shortscale necks where there was enough intonation adjusment in the stock bridge to intonate properly without relocating the bridge. I'd try it first without relocating the bridge and see how it works out. You can always relocate the bridge later, if necessary.

[mrbell321]

So, a regular scale is 34" and short scale is 30". That's a 4-inch difference in total scale.
The 12th fret is the middle.
That's 2 inches shorter on both sides of the 12th fret.
Let's be generous and say both necks are 20-fret(many short-scales are only 19... I have seen some have 21 tho, 20 makes math easy). 12 to 20 is very approx 1/3 of the distance from 0-12. So, without moving the bridge you'll need about 2/3 * 2 inches or 1 and 1/3 inches of extra bridge movement to get to the right place. My bridge intonation screws are only about 2" total. Of course, that's all very approximate.

"In-tune" usually used to mean "the open string makes the correct note"
"Intonation" usually means "at the very least, the 12th fret makes the correct note, more specifically, all fretted notes are correct"

[MrPierre]

Ok, back when I said "in-tune" I was thinking "intonation" without knowing the word.

If the bridge need to be moved, I can easily do it.

My main problem right know is finding a short-scale neck.

I was hoping I could get one somewhere for around 100$

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by mrbell321

Let's be generous and say both necks are 20-fret(many short-scales are only 19... I have seen some have 21 tho, 20 makes math easy). 12 to 20 is very approx 1/3 of the distance from 0-12. So, without moving the bridge you'll need about 2/3 * 2 inches or 1 and 1/3 inches of extra bridge movement to get to the right place. My bridge intonation screws are only about 2" total. Of course, that's all very approximate.

I didn't need to do any of that. I just put the neck on, strung it up and intonated it.

[mrbell321]

Congratulations?

My point is you seem to have been lucky. The approximate math says it won't intonate well. He can try it and it may work, but more likely, it won't.

[Pilgrim]

I suggest that Mongo's result is unusual and it's probably not realistic to expect it. Good luck is a wonderful thing when it occurs.