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scale legnth too short?

#24
Congratulations on undertaking a difficult task that interests you. Don't be deterred.

This is the information age. There are a ton of resources available. For a better understanding of fret measurement, go to StewMac online and use their fret calculator tool. I didn't furnish a link because experience in looking for stuff is essential when constructing anything.

You are attempting to put a scale "A" neck on a scale "B" body. For a good starting point, measure from the inside of the nut to the center of fret 12, on the fretwire. Measure from 12th fretwire to the mounting screw of the bridge. If they aren't even close and you have no room to move the bridge further back, scrap the idea.

Good luck with your endeavor.
 
#25
Ok I'm a little confused now. From the middle of the nut to the 12th fret itself is 17" from the left hand side of the nut to the centre of the 12th fret is 16.5" which is the right measurement? I could adjust the saddles to near enough 33" but the screws their mounted on gets in the way. Help please?
 
#28
Builda ba5s said:
Ok I'm a little confused now. From the middle of the nut to the 12th fret itself is 17" from the left hand side of the nut to the centre of the 12th fret is 16.5" which is the right measurement? I could adjust the saddles to near enough 33" but the screws their mounted on gets in the way. Help please?
Click to expand...

Oh come on :-)
You keep asking things, we answer, you ignore the answer and come back for more :lol:
Seriously... various people have already answered this. Please read and think a little.
I hate to sound harsh, I really am smiling and I'm not trying to give you a hard time... but you really seem to ignore everything we say :lol:
 
#30
Honestly, I would chalk this one up to a leaning experience, and start over from scratch. There is very little you can do to fix what you've described, with the body too short. Maybe you could buy a 30" scale neck from Warmoth or someplace, and make that work with the body you've got. If you bolt the short-scale neck on the body, then you can use a tape measure to determine the correct new location for the bridge.

Also, when you start over, start by reading the instructional threads in this forum, before you cut any wood. :)
 
#31
Look at the attached picture.

The green and blue line should be the same length.

Sounds to me like your blue distance is too short and the bridge needs to be moved.

You can fit a new neck, but the blue and green lines must still be the same length.


Oh, and sorry about the picture. It's shamelessly stolen from google and edited in paint since I'm at work... :O
 

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#32
bongomania said:
Honestly, I would chalk this one up to a leaning experience, and start over from scratch. There is very little you can do to fix what you've described, with the body too short.
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Yeh ur probably right but in one last act of desperation I can move back the saddle by another 3/4 inch making the length of the g string 33" ish and I think the neck is 33 or 34 but I can't determine which but when I move the saddles back the screws theyre mounted on interfere with the strings how can I prevent this? Is the only way to cut off the offending bit of screw?
 
#34
To determine the scale length of your neck measure down the center of the fretboard from the nut to the 12th fret. You have to have that same distance from the 12th fret to the saddles on the bridge for the bass to be "close enough" to play in tune. I'd follow the advice of others here and start over, drawing it out first and placing your critical measurements on the drawing. Good luck!
 
#35
When you look at the photo above ^ (a few posts up) move the center arrow over one fret to the left. It's on the 11th fret.

Pick and choose what info you use that you find here. TBers aren't all perfect. I was in the amp forum the other day and some guy had others convinced that 8 ohms plus 4 ohms = 12 ohms. Do you smell smoke?

If you apply all the available info that you can absorb, you might get to where you want to be. I gotta ask: Do you do your own setups? If you can, then the info given throughout this thread should be understood.

Good luck!
 
#36
Builda ba5s said:
Ok I'm a little confused now. From the middle of the nut to the 12th fret itself is 17" from the left hand side of the nut to the centre of the 12th fret is 16.5" which is the right measurement? I could adjust the saddles to near enough 33" but the screws their mounted on gets in the way. Help please?
Click to expand...

Well, both measurements are correct. Did you make the neck yourself? Unless this is a fanned fret neck the nut and the frets should all be square to the center line of the neck and the distance from nut to 12th fret should be equal all across the neck. What you describe above is a bit bizarre and may indicate that your neck is beyond salvaging. I think you need to post a picture of your neck so we can tell what you are trying to work with. If it is a properly made fanned fret neck that you have then the scale length of each string has to be set up to be approximately twice the distance from nut to 12th fret for that string.

Ken
 
#38
khutch said:
Well, both measurements are correct. Did you make the neck yourself? Unless this is a fanned fret neck the nut and the frets should all be square to the center line of the neck and the distance from nut to 12th fret should be equal all across the neck. What you describe above is a bit bizarre and may indicate that your neck is beyond salvaging. I think you need to post a picture of your neck so we can tell what you are trying to work with. If it is a properly made fanned fret neck that you have then the scale length of each string has to be set up to be approximately twice the distance from nut to 12th fret for that string.

Ken
Click to expand...

Ken - I don't think it's anything that advanced. I think he's just measuring in a vertical line from nut centre to fret centre, then a diagonal line from the left hand side of the nut to fret centre so... no, scratch that. There's no way that measurement can be right, even with a fanned fret bass with a sloping nut - the second measurement would be greater than the first.

OP - if you stand to lose any money by carrying on with this project, step away right now. Otherwise, please continue and post a soundclip or video when you're done. :)
 
#40
khutch said:
Actually 8 Ohms plus 4 Ohms does equal 12 Ohms. But resistors only add when they are in series which is not how most people connect multiple speaker cabinets and 8 Ohms in parallel with 4 Ohms is only 2.7 Ohms.

Ken
Click to expand...

Thank you for the clarification. I learn a lot here.

It was a discussion about hooking cabs to a combo amp. It seemed odd to me that an combo (4 ohm) and a cab (8ohm) plugged into it equals a 12 ohm load. I'd never hook up my amp like that. I have 2x4 ohm cabs creating a two ohm load on my SVT head.

If that's wrong, let me know please. I'd rather not blow up my head.

Sorry for the thread hijack.
 

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