To Bevel Or Not To Bevel ?

[iPlay15151515]

I'm considering replacing my fb in the near future. I play mostly bluegrass and some country.

My current fb is not beveled.

Should I consider an E bevel for the new fb?

How will it affect playability, technique and sound?

[Chasarms]

Playability: If the neck is correctly done, it will play fine eiter way.

Technique: No real biggies there either. My first bass round. My Shen is beveled. I personally think it is a little easier to get a clean stop on the E string with a beveled board, but I am sure that it's just a personal thing.

Sound: Not really. If you play flabby strings, you may have less problems with the E clattering with a bevel. But it will not do anything to the sound of the bass.

If you play all the time, you can switch back and forth and not even really notice it. I could pick up a bass and play it for an hour at a festival or open thing and if you ask me 10 minutes later if the fb was rounded or beveled, I might not be able to tell you.

[mrpc]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

If you play all the time, you can switch back and forth and not even really notice it. I could pick up a bass and play it for an hour at a festival or open thing and if you ask me 10 minutes later if the fb was rounded or beveled, I might not be able to tell you.

I'll second that!

[Don Higdon]

Originally Posted by iPlay15151515

How will it affect playability, technique and sound?

Much ado about nothing. Makes no difference. Get what you like.

[hdiddy]

My Chrissy came with a beveled FB when I first bought it. Since then, it's been back to the lutheir for FB work twice: a dressing the first time, and improvements for playing pizz and getting rid of some high spots the second time several months ago. I read this thread a few weeks ago and the other day I looked at the FB again. The bevels are gone and I didn't even notice it til now.

They were removed on the second trip to the luthier and I couldn't tell the difference. I just assumed that I always had bevels. Now only the E string has a bevel. The rest is rounded. I doubt if I'd notice it even if the E isn't beveled.

[M_A_T_T]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Now only the E string has a bevel. The rest is rounded.

That's what a beveled fingerboard is. I've never heard of the other strings having flat bevels under them.

[hdiddy]

Originally Posted by M_A_T_T

That's what a beveled fingerboard is. I've never heard of the other strings having flat bevels under them.

Erm, I coulda sworn my FB was beveled under every string. There are still high spots where the bevels used to be. I had an Ergo EUB ordered beveled and it came like that too. Maybe I'm crazy.

[Martin Sheridan]

The original intent of the bevel was to allow the E string more vibrating room which was needed in the old gut string days. So as a bluegrass player you might want to consider this if you use gut, otherwise it shouldn't matter. Why do you think you need a new fingerboard?

[iPlay15151515]

Martin:

My ccfb had some high spots at each end that reminded me of a ski jump. They prevented me from setting the string height correctly and often I felt I was playing a dobro.

Yesteday I planed the fb down and made some adjustments to the nut slots which made quite a difference in the tuning and playability. Today is bridge trimming day.

I was considering replacing the fb, but since things have taken a turn for the better, I'll play the old fb for awhile longer.

[Martin Sheridan]

Bass fingerboards usually start out at 10mm depth on the sides of the board, so unless your fb is really thin it just needs to be planed. Get a long metal straight edge. The relief under each string should be about the string diameter or even less with no bumps.