Double Bass Advice on Maple neck blanks

[eh_train]

Hi all,

I want to carve my first bass neck, and need info about how the blank is cut. There is an auction coming up near me where, supposedly, there are larger pieces of dried maple to be had. But I need advice on how to identify an appropriate piece. If at all possible, I'd like to avoid paying two or three hundred dollars for a block of maple. At least for my first try.

Can someone explain how an appropriate block is cut, and the necessary dimensions for a 3/4 size neck? Also, rather than a purely verbal description, can anyone direct me to a visual? The link below does a great job of describing plain vs. quartersawn wood:

Plain or Quarter Sawn Lumber

Thanks,

Paul (Eh_train)

 

[eh_train]

Well, I looked at the quartersawn diagram from the link in my OP, and I'm thinking that sections 8,9,10,5,4 (uncut, joined together) might be an appropriate way to cut a neck blank.

Anyone able to confirm or deny? Also, what are appropriate dimensions?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[forester]

yep you have the right idea.. you are looking for hard maple, and ordinarily two to three hundred dollars should put you neck deep in maple.
in a perfect world you will be looking @ the ends of the cant/billet/stave or what ever you want to call it, to determine the texture, runout, etc. talk to a local wood guru for some advice, and perhaps some hands on before you invest.

i have more but the library is closing

 

[eh_train]

Thanks Forester! I will likely go and have a look. They have some carving tools as well which could make it worth the trip...

Cheers,

Paul

 

[powerbass]

check this out Live Edge Slabs Toronto

 

[tyb507]

Do you have a template for the neck and scroll? That's a good place to start for dimensions. It's a big piece of wood you need, and you want one without knots, and heartwood in the pattern. It's good to have the template handy so you can lay it on to make sure you can get anything undesirable out of the pattern. You want a nicely quartered piece, with the quartered surface wide enough for the depth of the scroll and heel. Again, use the pattern to determine if you can get what you need without heartwood, live-edge, or knots and wormholes. A less flamey piece will obviously be cheaper, and also will have the benefit of being a lot easier to run on a jointer, plane and carve without chipping out.

 

[forester]

someone tell me why necks have to be quartered, assuming the material is dry and stable, flatsawn through the neck and heel would look like this (lll) strong,stiff,(as in handle wood) and better use of resources to boot. quartered looks like this:
(=) rings stacked horizontal, and separation often occurs (blunt shock) at the transition zones from late to early wood. the FB would stiffen a flatsawn piece should it want to bow to either side...the scroll should be an interesting carve any thoughts? twist, surfacing, etc. won't be showie but it could be strong.

did i already ask this?

 

[arnoldschnitzer]

Flatsawn wood splits more easily (think about all the Kays with heel splits); also the quarter-sawn maple shows off its figure on the sides. In my opinion, bass neck blocks need to be quartered at the fingerboard side, but the rings can wander from there with no major consequence.

 

[forester]

AES,
many thanks.

 

[tyb507]

Arnold, how common is it to see basses (historical or current) with necks quartered perpendicular to the FB surface (I ask because you, of all people have likely seen your share of historical and new instruments)? Fairly uncommon in the rest of the violin family, no?

Any considerations in carving a neck in this orientation? Planing the quartered FB surface rather than flat might be more challenging? Strength of the pegbox floor or sides? Maybe easier to flatten the bottom of the heel in that direction rather than across the end grain?