The Build Comes To A Stop

[Plain Old Barry]

What you're suggesting sounds easy but in order to keep the router flat I would need some sort of support around the neck pocket, no? Then I'd need to make sure the support is flat and 100 percent parallel with the body to prevent the pocket from being uneven. I don't have a planer, so I think this will take me several hours to pull off not to mention the cost of a router, bits, wood, clamps, etc.

You don't need a planer, etc... All you need is a piece of 1/2" MDF to make a larger base for the router, which keeps a lot more surface on the face flat of the body. Making a new baseplate is about a 10 minute job, you'd use the existing plate to mark screws and bit holes, then use your existing screws after countersinking them.

If your bit is long enough, you can attach a new 1/4" base to the existing base with double sided carpet tape.

If you don't have a router, take the body to a luthier or experienced woodworker, they have a bit of a learning curve and good bits aren't cheap.

 

[Gregory H]

Barry is correct - adding a larger baseplate to a hand router is super straightforward. You'll need to drill and countersink 4 holes, and cut a larger center hole for the bit to go through, and screw it onto your router. This is all waaaaay easier than what you've already been doing to your bass.

1 HP Handheld router - Bosch, $79 on amazon

Template Router Bit - $8.99 on amazon

I am a little reluctant to suggest Amazon, but they have what you need to do this task for around $100. Both of these items are on prime so you could have them within a couple of days. A router can be an extremely useful tool to have around. Once you have the tool in hand, you will be done with the job in under 10 minutes. The nature of the tool and the fact that there is already a neck pocket to follow makes this process somewhat foolproof. We believe in you!

 

[lark_z]

I had to cut my neck pocket deeper on my first body build. For some reason I never quite understood, I had to recut it deeper with the router and then refinish a tad. And yes, you are correct to be concerned about keeping the router flat with not much real estate.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Shims are really a temporary band aid, do it right. Template router bit is the way to go.
Small bites, no more than 1/8" depth at a shot, the wider the router base the better.
Go slow and pay attention.

 

[skycruiser]

Shims are really a temporary band aid, do it right.

What about a shim is necessarily temporary? If done with care there's no reason you couldn't play the bass for decades with a shim and with zero impact on things that matter. You want a solid, stable interface between the body and neck heel. This can certainly be done with a shim.

 

[mapleglo]

No, a shim will not completely fix this issue. All told, the strings will still be way too high above the pickup. The correct fix is to deepen the neck pocket so the neck sits at the correct height. Either buy a router and associated parts, or take it to a tech.

 

[dwizum]

If done with care there's no reason you couldn't play the bass for decades with a shim and with zero impact on things that matter.

I think what it boils down to is deciding what matters.

A shim will get you correct geometry in terms of string action over the fretboard. The experience of fretting notes will be 100% "normal" if you have a shim - you won't be able to tell the difference.

But a bass with an out of spec pocket that's corrected with a shim will always, by definition, have secondary geometry issues. The strings will be higher or lower above the body compared to an instrument with correct pocket dimensions. Pickup height is, of course, adjustable - which just leaves you with string height above the body itself. For most people this won't be a big deal, but depending on your plucking hand technique, it can be utterly frustrating. When I play aggressively, I really need room under the strings. A bass with a too-low neck that's corrected with an angled shim makes me feel like I'm running out of space near/under the strings. By contrast, I know bassists who have fairly gentle (and very fast) technique where they keep their plucking hand anchored on the body. A bass with a too-high neck that has been fixed with a shim feels totally wrong to them.

I know some people will try to make a tonal argument, that a shim means you don't get good connection between the neck and the body and thus tone or sustain are impacted, but I've never found that to actually be true (assuming you have the shim set up correctly).

Ultimately, I don't mind shims when small adjustments are needed, but in a case like the OP's where the pocket is grossly out of spec I'd strongly prefer just fixing the pocket.

 

[skycruiser]

Ultimately, I don't mind shims when small adjustments are needed, but in a case like the OP's where the pocket is grossly out of spec I'd strongly prefer just fixing the pocket.

This all makes sense, thanks for the well reasoned response. My understanding is the OP's pocket is only off by 3/32". If his saddles are coming off the end of the set screws, cutting the pocket to spec may not be enough. Maybe the neck heel is not level, in which case a shim might be the best fix (or a shim plus deepening the pocket). There is also the option of deepening the pocket cut beyond the spec depth.

 

[nashsnazzy]

I appreciate all of the feedback and knowledge. I'll probably pick up a router down the road, seems like. good tool to have. For now I'm going to let a pair of experienced and better equipped hands handle the re-routing situation. I've learned a LOT by way of this thread and I really do appreciate everyone's contribution. What a great community.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

"What about a shim is necessarily temporary?"

I suppose if you glue it in place, it then becomes permanent.

Want another temporary fix, build a wooden plate to put under your bridge.
I wouldn't do that for the same reason as the shim.

For such little time/effort you can just fix it permanently and correctly.

And having a router is a very handy tool and a technique worth learning, that is if you want to build something yourself rather than assembling parts.

 

[skycruiser]

"What about a shim is necessarily temporary?"

I suppose if you glue it in place, it then becomes permanent.

Want another temporary fix, build a wooden plate to put under your bridge.
I wouldn't do that for the same reason as the shim.

For such little time/effort you can just fix it permanently and correctly.

And having a router is a very handy tool and a technique worth learning, that is if you want to build something yourself rather than assembling parts.

I think what we mean by "temporary" is not the same. No big deal.

Sounds like the OP is going to take the bass to an experienced wood worker to make the adjustment to the pocket. Hopefully this will fix it, but I don't think other issues have been ruled out (e.g. neck problems). If they only need to cut the pocket 3/32" depth to get it to spec, that may not move the saddles to the middle of the adjustment range. Something else might be wrong.