neck angle relief for a single-cut bolt-on - where do you account for it?

[Rodent]

for those who are making bolt-on and/or set neck single-cut basses, I'm curious how you are addressing the relief angle need for the neck so that the strings lay parallel over the fretboard/fingerboard.

this is an easy thing to do when working a double-cut, as the mating surface is small enough that a shim can be applied if/as needed. with the longer mating surface design of a single-cut, it appears that adding a shim is not a valid approach.

I can see that one option is to route the neck pocket with a face that is non-parallel to the top surface - offset an an angle that matches the relief angel to accommodate for saddle height. Another option would be to address the angle on the neck butt mating surface. Both of these options leave room for manufacturing error, as the offset angle would need to be applied to the underside of the routing template.

so what's your methods and thoughts on this?

all the best,

R

[wilser]

umm, how about no angle at all? is there a particular reason why you use a neck angle? I've used hipshot and schaller bridges (as well as some generic all part bridges) and I've never used a neck angle or neck relief. I just make sure that the neck sits high enough for the bridge height (distance from body to top of fingerboard without the frets equals height of the bridge saddles when adjusted to their lowest position). This works great for me and simplifies the build process.

[Skelf]

I work the same way as wilser using no neck angle on single cuts or double cuts it is just one less thing to get wrong.

[DougP]

i use no angle myself but want to try a set neck one of these days with an angle. i can see how the angle would pull the neck a little closer while in the playing position and that intrigues me as far as how comfortable that might be. however, i havent looked into which bridges would work in this configuration.

everything i have read suggests angling the bottom of the neck pocket with a router is the best way to go.

[wilser]

Yes, if you have melvyn hiscock's book, he explains how to do neck angles there. it's fairly easy, just not necessary unless your bridge is massively high.

btw, you can do a neck angle with any bridge, just depends how close to the body you want the strings to be where the neck joins the body.

[Rodent]

my end goal is to reduce the height between the body top and fretboard in support of a client who prefers the feel (height) of a neck-thru but the sound/playability of a bolt-on. his main issue is string height above the body

all the best,

R

[wilser]

Solution is simple, shim your pocket template at the bridge end. For working out how much of a shim you would need to draw it in cad or do a full size drawing ...again, Hyscock's book has details.

[Dusty G]

Do you use an angle somehow on your singlecut bolt-on, R?
The way I see it, you could only really do a set neck singlecut with a shim as long as the attached upper horn only attached to the side of the neck past the neck pocket, with none of it behind the neck at all. And that would actually look pretty bad. Agreed. No neck angle.



Wilser has a good method there, but if your client wants the strings close to the body, you could just route the bridge in lower.

[Rodent]

I don't presently use an angle - just a flat pocket route. I was considering investigating the addition of an angle further due to the client request noted above

all the best,

R

[wilser]

I'm starting to feel like the friggin Aflac duck!!!!



HISCOCK!!!!

[DougP]

my current thoughts (after a couple of Guinness) are that an angled neck on a single cut would require more math than i have in my head.

it seems to me that you could still do the angled neck pocket but the top of the fretboard would probably cross the plane of top where it would attach near the strap button is. does that make sense?

[Rodent]

Originally Posted by wilser

I'm starting to feel like the friggin Aflac duck!!!!



HISCOCK!!!!

not ignoring you wilser - I have the book and re-read it about every third month just so I don't forget the concepts. Never fails that I learn something new each time I re-read

Yes, I know how to do the layout figuring and measuring ... and that's almost as good as being able to sketch it out

(bad attempt at revamping the Yogi Berra commercial)

all the best,

R

[budman]

Try a deeper neck pocket and a Hipshot 'B' bridge. You can get them to ride pretty low...that or a really thick pickguard.