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how do i measure my neck

Discussion in 'Luthier's Corner' started by iplay4-5, Dec 1, 2005.

  1. Dec 1, 2005 #1
    iplay4-5

    iplay4-5 Guest

    Feb 4, 2004
    rockford, IL
    im building my 1st bass an 8-string i know how to everything but find the correct neck width and angle at the nut i am having 16.5mm spacing between each string, so i have that done but how do i locate the correct angle of where to measue and cut for the neck from the bridge? thanxz
     
  2. Dec 2, 2005 #2
    HeathW

    HeathW

    Nov 15, 2005
    Northamptonshire, England
    Hello, I will try to help and make it as simple as I can, because it is really. there is 'a' way and there's the right way, I'll give you both.
    first you will need to decide your string spacing at the nut, 9, 10 or 11 mm. 10mm is a good arounder but might be large for an eight stringer, so maybe 9mm, but I wouldn't go under that as it will start to feel very tight.
    for this example let's say you're going for 10mm at the nut and 16mm at the bridge.
    way one.
    get a piece of paper around 40 inches long, mark the nut at one end and then mark your scale length at the other (either 34" 35" or 36" up to you) now draw on your outer most strings at the nut and bridge, the right distance apart from each other. now measure down and mark on the 12th fret position. now you must decide how much fretboard you want outside of the string, is normally something like 4 1/2 mm on the bass string at the nut and 3 1/2 mm on the treble string at the nut, mark these on your drawing, now mark at the 12th fret position 5 1/2mm on the bass side and 4 1/2mm on the treble side, this is because the fretboard will get a slightly larger overhang as it goes down, because the string will move more as it gets toward the middle of the scale(bass), now join the two marks up on the bass side and then the two marks on the treble side (the one at the nut and the one at the 12th fret) and you now have the outside width of your fretboard.

    Here's the right way and a good way to check if you're drawing is right.
    Ok, let's say you're going for 8 strings 10mm apart at the nut, this will give an overall string distance of 70mm at the nut,
    let's say you're going for 16mm at the bridge this gives you a overall string distance of 112mm at the bridge
    right, minus the nut distance from the bridge distance, 112 - 70 = 42, divide this in two 42 :- 2 = 21, now add this number (21) to you nut distance 70 + 21 =91mm this will be your string distance at the 12th fret.
    now add on your fretboard overhang (5 1/2 mm bass side, 4/12mm treble side = 10mm) to the string distance at the 12th fret 91 + 10 = 101, this will be your fretboard total at the 12th fret (101mm),
    this should be the same as your drawing, :hyper:
    if not your drawings out, the maths are never wrong.
    I hope this helps, and I hope it didn't sound too complicated :help: as it really isn't.