First Build, Fanned fret 5 P

[need4mospd]

This one has been in the planning and tool acquisition stage for roughly a year now. Concept is sort of a "super P" similar to the Dingwall Super J. It'll be a bolt on with a 35"-32" scale. Neck will probably be a three piece maple with a wenge fretboard. Body will be painted dark green and I'll have a pick guard so I can get a little sloppy with my routing. I'm still up in the air with which pickup will work better. I'd really like to do the NP5. Picking up wood this weekend, so hopefully we'll see sawdust soon!

Here's the initial concept drawing. Feel free to comment on the ridiculousness of a multi-scale as a first build.

 

[Jon_West]

This is the most natural looking fanned fret bass I think I've ever seen. Most end up looking weird and disoriented due to the bridge and pickups having to follow the direction of the frets, but you hit the nail on the head, imo.

 

[whitcomb-basses]

I've been tossing around the idea of a fanned fret myself. Haven't had the B@[[$ to go ahead and try it yet. I'm interested to see how it goes.

 

[TomA1234]

Please explain to me:
What is so good about having fanned frets?

 

[sloasdaylight]

Please explain to me:
What is so good about having fanned frets?

More uniform tension and sound from string to string. Higher pitched strings don't sound so thin, and lower strings aren't as floppy. It's also very ergo-dynamic as the frets move with the natural position of your hand. Also they make people go "What in the name of all things holy is that?!" which is cool.

 

[Bocete]

A 4+1 headstock might be a good idea, for balance reasons. Try creating a sketch and see if you like it. Inverting the headstock will allow you to push the tuners even closer to the fretboard (because of the fanned nut), but it wouldn't look to Fenderish.

That said, it's a fanned P, you can hardly go wrong with it. Good luck!

 

[TomA1234]

More uniform tension and sound from string to string. Higher pitched strings don't sound so thin, and lower strings aren't as floppy. It's also very ergo-dynamic as the frets move with the natural position of your hand. Also they make people go "What in the name of all things holy is that?!" which is cool.

I am enlightened!
Thanks

 

[David Pinton]

I think it would look cool with a reverse headstock, too.

Your neck seems a little too narrow, but it's not easy to tell for sure, in this small picture.

It's a neat idea and design too!

 

[ZolkoW]

A 4+1 headstock might be a good idea, for balance reasons. Try creating a sketch and see if you like it. Inverting the headstock will allow you to push the tuners even closer to the fretboard (because of the fanned nut), but it wouldn't look to Fenderish.

I like the design, but 2 things came into my mind:
first is the pickups: I always toyed with the reverse P idea on a fanned fret... with straight pickup halves
okay, that's my perversion.

2nd: I would use 2+3 headstock (the fanned nut suggests this), but as you said, it wouldn't look fenderish.
great design!

 

[need4mospd]

Thanks for the compliments! That makes me feel good that I waited such a long time before sticking to something. I sort of disagreed about the headstock options til I drafted them up. The Fendery vibe really sets this thing off, and the reverse actually works really well. Not sure why I did the 5 in a line in the first place.

The neck is actually a bit wide and I'll probably narrow it another 1/8" by the time I make sawdust. Not sure why, but I started off with a 2" width at the nut and it just stuck since I didn't feel like drafting a new fretboard.

Anyways, here's the options I did this morning in 15 minutes. I'll play with it a bit more tonight.

 

[Gigarob]

Fanned fret is a big task. I've built about 15 basses and fanned-fret is kinda the ulitmate to me. Hats off to you for giving it a go first up.
If you're anything like me you'll dig the whole process so much that you'll be compulsed to do it all a second time, although much quicker and better.
Good luck...

 

[ZolkoW]

I like them, maybe except the 2+3 headstock, but it still can be improved /I rather used a Fender-like design on this, too /
of course you don't have to redraw it for me ;-)

one great thing with fanned fret and straight headstock: you don't have to worry about compound tilting

 

[stflbn]

revised headstocks version 2 or 3 in my opinion. Just depending if you want to keep a hint to fender vibe or not.

 

[natw42]

The 4+1 and strangely enough the 1+4 configs do it for me. Good luck with the build.

 

[Gord_oh]

if you have success with this, let us know if you decide to "go into business".
id buy one.

 

[tonechaser]

Not sure why I did the 5 in a line in the first place.

My vote is on the Normal 5-in-line. You may need to have the the tuning posts to get progressively farther from the nut from long scale string (B) to the short scale (G). This will make-up for the increasing excess string length/increasing string winding 'round the posts.

And it looks better (IMHO).

 

[mikeyswood]

Your original hs design is the best. The balance of the curve perfectly compliments the body.

 

[Rickett Customs]

i gotta say, I like the rev, 4+1........ But that's just how I roll.

 

[pasta4lnch]

Very cool!!! Can't wait to see this one . . .

 

[need4mospd]

Fanned fret is a big task. I've built about 15 basses and fanned-fret is kinda the ulitmate to me. Hats off to you for giving it a go first up.
If you're anything like me you'll dig the whole process so much that you'll be compulsed to do it all a second time, although much quicker and better.
Good luck...

It doesn't seem so hard in my head, but I'm used to working with angles. I'm an architect and I've built some fairly complex models with complex curves/angles that were presentation quality. I fully expect to start a second build, if not when this is complete, before then. I really want a "Super J" fretless too.