Just a couple of bass design questions!

[Zetora]

Sorry to post, I would have thoguht i may of been able to find something more throguh search but couldn't, but is a glued on headstock good (strong) enough for a 6 string bass? I was just wondering as I was going to have one where its all one peice of wood yet it seems I may not get a long enough headstock out of it, then I was looking at my brother classical guitar then thought, why not a set headstock-neck joint? I noticed my bass has one also, thoguh this is set before the nut (under the fretboard) yet the classical guitar is set where its glued on with a parallel joint to the neck. I would have thoguht the classical design joint would be better suited to take more tension but not certain so thats my second question, which would be the better joint type or is there a different one which would work better?

Also while on the subject of set, is there any major worries with set neck 6 string basses? I know you can't replace the neck obviously if anything goes wrong, but is there any other major flaws of it?

I am quite suprised I thought I may of found more info on this from the search, sorry if this is somethign and I just missed it while looking but any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

Zetora

[Geoff St. Germaine]

A glued on (scarf jointed) headstock is find for a 6 string bass as long as it is done properly (an improperly joint one may not be suitable for any number of strings).

I don't really understand what you are saying as far as the two different styles, but the two ways I've seen it done are with the headstock piece being glued onto what is the end of the neck or being glued onto the back of the neck. I don't know that either is better, but when glued onto the end of the neck, the headstock piece will also wind up being glued to the fretboard as well.

There is a tutorial here that Wilser put together on doing a scarf joint. It is here: This is how I cut a scarf jointed neck

[Zetora]

And that would be why I couldn't find anything on it, I didn't think it would be what i searched for but I should have thoguths about scarf joint, I've known it in the past. Anyway thank you very much thats just closed that issue, and yeah thats the two methods I was on about, joint at the end of the neck or on the back, a double bevel cut joint or a single bevel cut joint relatively.

Though one question, I know someone will of tried it though I am racking my brain for the term of the joint but I can't think of it....

.....thinking.....

....ah thats it, a dovetail joint. Would that work? A mixture of beveled and a dovetail joint? Not the best explination but I thought if it was dovetailed or at least interlocking then that would make a stronger joint would it not?

Also whats peoples experiences with set necks? Any advantages/disadvantages to it?

Thank you Geoff, that one word brought it all back to mind. Also thanks for the tutorial, looks good I'll make sure to take some tips from that.

Thanks

Zet.

[Hambone]

A canted headstock is perfectly suited to a 6 string and might be desirable. Greg Curbow didn't use them but his Rockwood necks had major stiffness built in and he was able to incorporate a deep drop from nut to the face surface of his headstocks. When you cant the headstock, you eliminate a lot of the upward tension and convert it to linear tension. This has the effect of pulling the two pieces of the joint together rather than apart. At least the well designed joint is supposed to do that.

[Zetora]

Thanks Hambone, I'm thinking up some type of joint to suit my needs as we speak, I might post a picture of it in a few days once I've drawn it up to see the practicallity of it.

Thanks

Zet.

[Suburban]

A dovetail has to be of significant depth, to do any good. I think that a standard acrf joint will be as good, and less risk. The glue spread of a small dove tail joint is not, not at all, an easy task.

[Zetora]

Thank Suburban, I'll make sure to take that into consideration though I am thinking of combining the both in a way, I can't explain but I'll draw up some pictures sooner or later to see if it should work the way I think.

Thanks though

Zet.