Double Bass Neck profile shape and thickness

[brandonwong]

Having played a dozens of bass, there are some necks that feels just bulky, some slim and some just right. Sounds a little like Goldilocks story and I guess it's true for every single bass player out there. There is no one size fits all neck but I think there's a good referenced one for most.

Like to know what luthiers and bass players think about the "best" comfortable neck to play on and how so; from a fully rounded to an almost V shaped neck. I have even seen some that goes to an almost flat D shape at the heel.

On the fingerboard side where most are completely round these days, radius are also different from different makers. It doesn't feel as much of a difference for me as compared to neck shape but do any bass players feel it contributes to the playability.

 

[JoeyNaeger]

The V shaped or parabola shaped profile is more commonly seen and accepted based on my observations. I just finished fitting a new neck to my bass with a parabola type shape, and despite the neck being on the thick side, it feels really nice. As far as fingerboard radius, a smaller radius will make the neck feel a little thicker, particularly if the nut is really tight. It is important that the radius at the end of the fingerboard be tighter than the bridge so that the string heights are even across all four strings. I see a lot of basses where the fingerboard has a flatter radius than the bridge and the middle two strings are always higher relatively.

 

[drurb]

...It is important that the radius at the end of the fingerboard be tighter than the bridge so that the string heights are even across all four strings. I see a lot of basses where the fingerboard has a flatter radius than the bridge and the middle two strings are always higher relatively.

Okay, I'm confused. If the fingerboard and bridge radius were precisely matched, then the string-heights would be exactly the same. That is, the heights would be the same across all four strings which is usually quite undesirable. The smaller/offset radius of the fingerboard allows the heights to become progressively greater as one moves from high to low. No? Seems that a fingerboard radius flatter than the bridge would be a bad thing but so would one that was matched to the bridge.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

This is only the case if you put the center of the bridge circle in the middle of the bass but not if you move it to the side to get the lower strings higher (rotation around the highest string contact point of the bridge).

But you might still be right that simple projection (and rotation) might not be the best solution. I think luthiers don't go too deeply into mathematics for that and just put every string to the desired height rounding the top of the bridge as needed for aesthetics.
I wouldn't even make the bridge top a circle segment if this makes the string layout better (but I'm only making some adjustments myself, I'm not a luthier).

 

[JoeyNaeger]

Okay, I'm confused. If the fingerboard and bridge radius were precisely matched, then the string-heights would be exactly the same. That is, the heights would be the same across all four strings which is usually quite undesirable. The smaller/offset radius of the fingerboard allows the heights to become progressively greater as one moves from high to low. No? Seems that a fingerboard radius flatter than the bridge would be a bad thing but so would one that was matched to the bridge.

Trust me I have setup many basses. The strings make a conical shape. The circle they have at the bridge is larger than at the end of the fingerboard. If the fingerboard has the same curve as the bridge, the middle two string will be relatively high. This problem is amplified by having an excessively flat fingerboard curve. Whenever you cut a bridge to fit the fingerboard, you always set the height of the E and the G. The fingerboard determines the height of the D and the A.

 

[JP Morin]

Asking for our preference : I love the jazz bass style necks and my preference is the warwick extra slim neck of their early version... I have one with standard neck profile which is nice but I prefer the extra slim version and shape. That would be my best and buildning a bass myself I'll try to make a neck with these specs !!
IMO

http://www.warwickbass.com/modules/...P=WOOD_NECK&submenuID=14620&katID=14626&cl=EN

 

[DoubleMIDI]

@JP Morin: This is the Upright Bass forum.

Setting the G and E first is right, I set D and A so that I have maximum equal bowing angles for each of the four strings (angle just not touching the neighbor string or C-bout) making life not too complicated with the bow. (OK, some players might not care about bows at all, but at least should for practicing.)

 

[JP Morin]

@JP Morin: This is the Upright Bass forum.

Setting the G and E first is right, I set D and A so that I have maximum equal bowing angles for each of the four strings (angle just not touching the neighbor string or C-bout) making life not too complicated with the bow. (OK, some players might not care about bows at all, but at least should for practicing.)

Doh !!!!
Well I haven't notice what the DB or BG meant at the end of the section...
Sorry for the mess !!! hahaha

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Trust me I have setup many basses. The strings make a conical shape. The circle they have at the bridge is larger than at the end of the fingerboard. If the fingerboard has the same curve as the bridge, the middle two string will be relatively high. This problem is amplified by having an excessively flat fingerboard curve. Whenever you cut a bridge to fit the fingerboard, you always set the height of the E and the G. The fingerboard determines the height of the D and the A.

There are two 'ends' to every fingerboard. Maybe your point would be clearer if you specified which 'end' you're talking about.

 

[JoeyNaeger]

Yes you are correct. I'm referring to the bridge end of the fingerboard unless I specify that I'm talking about the nut.