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scale legnth too short?

Your distance from nut to saddle needs to be equal to your scale length. Compensation
will make the the actual string length a bit longer, but basically it will be equal for the G
and successively longer for the lower strings. There is not much leeway.
 
goran said:
Measure the distance from nut to 12th fret and multiply it by 2. I think you'll get 34".

But you may still have the bridge at the wrong place.
Unlikely though... I can't imagine any maker would miss that, especially if mass produced.
What bass is this?

To find the scale length, do what goran says above. Do you get 34? 32?
The saddles should be roughly at about that distance from the nut.
There is no hard fast rule, unlike what someone else suggests above regarding the G string... compensation depends on the string gauge you use, and how high the strings are above the frets (action), because that dictates how much a string is stretched when fretted, so it's something you need to adjust on a case to case basis.

So, what bass is it?
What's the length between the bottom of the nut (side of the fingerboard) and the 12th fret?
What are the distances from the nut to each individual saddle (the fulcrum part of it, the last bit in touch with the string before it can vibrate freely)?
 
There's 8" from the last fret to the saddles, if I replaced my neck with a custom 30" scale 23 fret neck where the last fret is 22" from the nut would that be usable?

Comparing the distance from the last fret on two different scale necks can get confusing. For this type of thing all measurements have to be made from the 12th fret on the neck to make everything consistent and understandable.

For a 30" scale neck (15" from the nut to the 12th fret) the point where the string comes off the G string saddle needs to be 15" from the 12th fret. The saddles of the larger strings will be a slightly longer distance.

These measurements are approximate for a 30" scale neck. Center of the 12th fret to saddle.....
G = 15"
D = 15 1/8"
A = 15 1/4"
E = 15 3/8"

mech
 
mech said:
Comparing the distance from the last fret on two different scale necks can get confusing. For this type of thing all measurements have to be made from the 12th fret on the neck to make everything consistent and understandable.

For a 30" scale neck (15" from the nut to the 12th fret) the point where the string comes off the G string saddle needs to be 15" from the 12th fret. The saddles of the larger strings will be a slightly longer distance.

These measurements are approximate for a 30" scale neck. Center of the 12th fret to saddle.....
G = 15"
D = 15 1/8"
A = 15 1/4"
E = 15 3/8"

mech

That's all well and good but does that mean yes I can or no I can't use the custom neck?
 
That's all well and good but does that mean yes I can or no I can't use the custom neck?

Nobody on here knows for sure since we don't have the parts in front of us to see the exact relationship the neck will have with the bridge. There are too many variables to say yea or nay. The best thing to do is to put the neck in the neck pocket and see if it measures 15" from the 12th fret to the G saddle and still allows for some adjustment for all the saddles. If it doesn't, it won't work.

mech
 
Builda ba5s said:

Seriously?

Look, we try to help, but you have to help too. :-) Various people have been explaining to you how it works, and you seem to not want to read their posts. :lol:

At this stage, I think you should stop and go to talk in person with someone local to you who can show you and give you advice.

I hope it works out, good luck!