I used angle iron from a discarded bed frame. I like the idea of using teflon tape.
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The Hossenfeffer Bass Build
- Thread starter Gilmourisgod
- Start date
I used angle iron from a discarded bed frame. I like the idea of using teflon tape.
Hrodbert696
As an American, I reserve the right to mis-spell foreign language words at will, particularly if it allows me to put an umlaut over the O in Hossenfeffer, which instantly transforms my project from hack amateur luthiery into Art. Alright, alright, I just like bugs bunny and goofing on the Rickenbacker name, so sue me.
As an American, I reserve the right to mis-spell foreign language words at will, particularly if it allows me to put an umlaut over the O in Hossenfeffer, which instantly transforms my project from hack amateur luthiery into Art. Alright, alright, I just like bugs bunny and goofing on the Rickenbacker name, so sue me.
One of the reasons I used two dual action (Hot-Rod) truss rods on the "Mickenbacker" was that I had no idea how to wood would twist and warp over time. I bought the neck maple from a regular lumber merchant an ha no idea how dry it might be. This resulted in a much thicker neck than I would have liked but I knew I would be able to have more control over any unexpected warping. I just saw that Hot Rod have just started doing a low-profile version of their dual action truss rods, which would have been perfect for my build and would have meant a much slimmer neck.
Unfortunately, I can't comment on whether your stiffeners will prove too much. I pretty much winged the whole thing when I built the Mickenbacker and have few words of advice on the right way to do anything.
Unfortunately, I can't comment on whether your stiffeners will prove too much. I pretty much winged the whole thing when I built the Mickenbacker and have few words of advice on the right way to do anything.
Betyouaint
My goal was a 4001 era neck profile, which is much thinner than the 4003 current production. The big hunk of wood removed at the headstock/neck joint to allow access to two trussrods always worried me, that's where Ricks break. Seeing the Warmouth necks with a single double action trussrod and two graphite stiffeners made me think this must be a sound approach, I hope I'm right. I'm adding a volute under the nut to further stiffen this area. Thanks for looking in on my build, your 4005 is an inspiration.
My goal was a 4001 era neck profile, which is much thinner than the 4003 current production. The big hunk of wood removed at the headstock/neck joint to allow access to two trussrods always worried me, that's where Ricks break. Seeing the Warmouth necks with a single double action trussrod and two graphite stiffeners made me think this must be a sound approach, I hope I'm right. I'm adding a volute under the nut to further stiffen this area. Thanks for looking in on my build, your 4005 is an inspiration.
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Bed rails are great. I've 4 sets stashed away for future projects. I got them for free.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,008
- 1
- 31,709
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Man, I tell ya, the last few necks I've made have been super-stiff. One truss rod, no carbon, and still the neck hardly deflects under string tension. Truss rod isn't really even doing anything that I can tell. My profile tends to be about 7/8" at the nut, and about 1" where the neck meets the body. Maybe that's thicker than you're planning on; I'm not sure. Maybe that's thicker than most people who worry about having enough neck reinforcement. Maybe it's also due to my preference for 32" and 33" scales (although I usually use higher-gauge strings). Maybe it's because I like a nice thick fingerboard with a gentle 20" radius, and that provides the extra stiffness? Maybe I have nothing constructive to add, but felt like blabbering a bit..... 
Ct mullins
In the absence of new progress to show, blabbering is about all I can do, so blabber away. Are you using rock maple for the necks? My neck beam (two piece lamination) is extremely rigid in it's current state, still 1-3/8" thick by about 2-1/2" wide, but that's pre-carved of course. This is my current neck profile at First, Seventh, and Twelfth frets below, based on dimensions taken off an original 4001 bass (Thanks Blindrabbit!). Ric necks are all over the place thickness-wise front to back, but have remained consistent across the fingerboard. I'm going to carve to these profiles, which seems to give me some safe distance between the carbon stiffeners (outer rectangles in the section profiles) and bottom of neck. If it feels too chunky when it's carved, I can always shave a little more. Ric necks derive a lot of the overall neck thickness from an unusually thick (3/8" +/-) fingerboard, so the maple section isn't really all that deep to house stiffeners and trussrod. Comments or constructive criticism highly welcome.
In the absence of new progress to show, blabbering is about all I can do, so blabber away. Are you using rock maple for the necks? My neck beam (two piece lamination) is extremely rigid in it's current state, still 1-3/8" thick by about 2-1/2" wide, but that's pre-carved of course. This is my current neck profile at First, Seventh, and Twelfth frets below, based on dimensions taken off an original 4001 bass (Thanks Blindrabbit!). Ric necks are all over the place thickness-wise front to back, but have remained consistent across the fingerboard. I'm going to carve to these profiles, which seems to give me some safe distance between the carbon stiffeners (outer rectangles in the section profiles) and bottom of neck. If it feels too chunky when it's carved, I can always shave a little more. Ric necks derive a lot of the overall neck thickness from an unusually thick (3/8" +/-) fingerboard, so the maple section isn't really all that deep to house stiffeners and trussrod. Comments or constructive criticism highly welcome.
Very cool! I tell ya, every day I learn more from project posts like this. I am looking forward to my first build, which will be posted as well (should be a laugh riot for all). 
I forgot about that thread, really nice builds. I can't remember if I saw the single truss rod/two cf rods thing there first, or on the Warmouth site, in either case if its good for John k , its good for me.
One step forward, one step back....
Found that my nicely angled headstock face was very slightly out of square to the neck beam sides across the narrow dimension, my jig was very slightly taller on one side than the other, I guess. Arrgghhhh! Fixed the jig and re-cut headstock face, probably shaved another 1/32" off to get back to square. It still changes from flat to pitch right on the tuner side of the nut, so I guess I'm OK. Made another jig to cut the portion of the neck beam that gets attached to body wings down 1/8" to create the "ledge" the fingerboard sits on above the plane of the body.
I brought this up before, but the neck beam has a acquired a very slight (maybe 1/32") backbow as measured against my straightedge, roughly mid-span. Should this make me nervous? At this point I could:
1. Re-plane the top of the neck beam to get back to perfectly flat. This would suck, because then I'd have to re-cut truss rod, CF rod slots and 1/8" body cut down lower to compensate.
2. Clamp the snot out the neck beam to my jointer bed and glue in the carbon stiffener rods, hoping this will cancel the backbow.
3. Have a beer and don't worry about it, trusting that the double action trussrod will be able to level out any tiny backbow later on. I realize it needs to be dead flat when I go to level the frets.
Advise me, oh Wise and Powerful TBers!
Found that my nicely angled headstock face was very slightly out of square to the neck beam sides across the narrow dimension, my jig was very slightly taller on one side than the other, I guess. Arrgghhhh! Fixed the jig and re-cut headstock face, probably shaved another 1/32" off to get back to square. It still changes from flat to pitch right on the tuner side of the nut, so I guess I'm OK. Made another jig to cut the portion of the neck beam that gets attached to body wings down 1/8" to create the "ledge" the fingerboard sits on above the plane of the body.
I brought this up before, but the neck beam has a acquired a very slight (maybe 1/32") backbow as measured against my straightedge, roughly mid-span. Should this make me nervous? At this point I could:
1. Re-plane the top of the neck beam to get back to perfectly flat. This would suck, because then I'd have to re-cut truss rod, CF rod slots and 1/8" body cut down lower to compensate.
2. Clamp the snot out the neck beam to my jointer bed and glue in the carbon stiffener rods, hoping this will cancel the backbow.
3. Have a beer and don't worry about it, trusting that the double action trussrod will be able to level out any tiny backbow later on. I realize it needs to be dead flat when I go to level the frets.
Advise me, oh Wise and Powerful TBers!
My vote is to have a beer and don't worry about it. String tension just might correct that backbow w/o much of a truss rod adjustment.
Shoulda' known you pack of shiftless boozers would go for the beer option. I do like a nice cold beer after ruining expensive lumber.
That said, when should I glue in the carbon stiffeners, right before FB goes on?
That said, when should I glue in the carbon stiffeners, right before FB goes on?
It would seem to me that the truss rod and stiffeners go in right before the fret board is glued on. But I've never used stiffeners, so I'm just going with what sounds right to me.
#3 for me.....THe same thing happened to me with my Ampeg Scroll bass build. Even with medium Chromes, there was a faint back bow to the neck; the dual action truss rod took care of that.
59 jazz
Do you have a link to your build thread? I love scroll headstocks, wish I had the skills to carve one.
Do you have a link to your build thread? I love scroll headstocks, wish I had the skills to carve one.
