Double Bass fingerboard shaping for beginners

Hello,

I am going to have to dive into fingerboard shaping for double bass, despite lack of experience and the knowledge that there is an art to it. The reasons are:

1. I have an EUB fingerboard that I really need to fix, and it isn't worth the money that I would pay my local luthier to fix it.
2. I'm going to be building more EUBs, and the sooner I get a handle on it, the better.
3. I can't help myself. I've done setup on my electric basses all my life, and I'm used to the control it gives me in terms of understanding the interplay of instrument and results. Once I master the art, I can work on my real upright and really dial it in for my particular playing style.

So anyway, I'm wondering about the art. I'm kind of afraid of diving in with a hand plane. I thought that as a gentle introduction, I could create some radiused sanding blocks on my CNC, and use those to dress and make minor adjustments to the EUB. They make some pretty amazing abrasives these days. Is this a crazy idea?

In the longer term, I'm interested in techniques to master this art. I can't find anything substantive on youtube, and the Bible I bought on upright bass setup isn't even all that great in terms of getting started. Any resources would be welcome.

Finally, I'm thinking forward to "copying" the scoop of an instrument the local luthier shaped for me. It seems that using a precision straightedge and feeler gauges is a good way to document the scoop of the finger board, probably once at the E string and another run over at the G string. That could be used as a guide to check as I go.

And that reminds me. Do upright necks flex at all under string tension (I use fairly low tension strings)? That would complicate things. Certainly this won't be an issue at the octave and beyond.

Any help at all would be welcome. I know the standard advice it "have a luthier do it". But the luthier had to start somewhere too. I know I may screw things up, but I have nothing to lose at the moment, and it will be worth the investment. Because once I master the art, I can do the shaping to match my tastes and playing style. Even my local luthier can't do that.

- Andy

 

Thanks, I'll repost there.

 

I know the neck has a compound radius. I was suggesting creating a block with a compound radius to match. The lengthwise radius would be a bit smaller the lengthwise radius of the neck. I suppose then that the flat abrasive might buckle on application, but I might be able to work that a couple ways.

Do you have a pointer to that thread? I'm having a bit of trouble following your description.

 

That's fine, and I've heard that before. Other than the EUB which I either need to fix or throw away, I plan to experiment on fingerboard/neck assemblies I can throw away which are for EUB, until I go anywhere near
my actual upright.

I'm kind of resistant to the notion that this is a black art that cannot be systematically described, and therefore only wizards can do it. I've heard that sort of thing before in other fields, and found it to be false. Most things can be systematically described if the understanding is deep enough.

 

I'd love to learn from a master. I'm in the Phoenix AZ area

 

That's a great idea. I've used scrapers before for finishing.