Three Octave Necks?

[Kalyptic]

Hi,
Did a search, couldn't find anything other than twelve string threads.
I'm looking at doing my first build towards the end of this year.
Are there any particular problems or issues generally associated with three octave neck basses. T'will be fretless and similar to the Zon hyperbass.

Thanks

 

[draftsmann]

My Wishbass has a three octave board, supposedly. The reality is that the upper part of the board is basically useless.

It'll limit scope for a neck pickup, remember.

Adrian

 

[Schlyder]

Invalid Link Removed
Jerzy Drozd builds 36 fret necked basses. He is currently building me a custom 6 string fretless with a 36 fret neck.

 

[Johnius]

If you count the open string, the 12fth fret and then the 24th, you have a 3 octave bass.

 

[Beginner Bass]

A 3-octave fretless will require impeccable intonation in that upper register.

 

[Kalyptic]

Thanks for the replies, I will most likely use the extra octave for sliding effects rather than the way the first and second octave are usually used.
In building it however, are there really any things to worry about that come with the extra cutaway and fretboard?

 

[BassinCT]

A playability consideration: If it is going to be played while seated, the length of the lower cutaway needs to be carefully planned so that it can balance in that position. Positioning the bridge away from the end of the body will make the upper frets more accessible, but the neck/body balance can become an issue.

The Zon and Drozd are great designs to study!

 

[cnltb]

Hi,
Did a search, couldn't find anything other than twelve string threads.
I'm looking at doing my first build towards the end of this year.
Are there any particular problems or issues generally associated with three octave neck basses. T'will be fretless and similar to the Zon hyperbass.

Thanks

My fretless has a three octave neck.
No problems if the instrument is set up well and if it's well designed(reach of upper positions etc.).
And if the pickup magnets are not too strong to avoid string pull issues (that hoes in the design section) .

 

[Diogenes]

As draftsmann mentioned a three octave neck will limit the position of a neck pickup which may limit your tonal options. I built a three octave fretless but wanted the option of switching between a barking Jaco tone and a mellow round bassy UB tone as well as blending the two. I had to rely on installing a piezo under the bridge for the UB tone.

 

[Rocky McD]

In my opinion, a 24 fret neck is the upper limit for anything that is practical and not just a odd conversation piece.
Rocky

 

[pilotjones]

The resultant amount of pitch error caused by a given amount of fret placement error doubles with each octave.

 

[Rockingbird]

You have to really pay attention to the action. If its low on the first 12 frets, and earable on the second 12, it may be too high on the final 12.

 

[Kalyptic]

Yes the action would be difficult.
i will most likely be aiming to have two pickups plus a piezo bridge.
You may say that 24 frets are the upper limit of practicality, but people said that 19 and 20 were. Why even bother playing above the first octave right?
Would i need a longer than average truss system?

 

[warnergt]

For a 12-fret bass, the fretboard needs to extend to 1/2 of the string speaking length.
For a 24-fret bass, the fretboard needs to extend to 3/4 of the string speaking length.
For a 36-fret bass, the fretboard needs to extend to 7/8 of the string speaking length.

 

[SDB Guitars]

For a 12-fret bass, the fretboard needs to extend to 1/2 of the string speaking length.
For a 24-fret bass, the fretboard needs to extend to 3/4 of the string speaking length.
For a 36-fret bass, the fretboard needs to extend to 7/8 of the string speaking length.

Exactly... Let's do that math of that:

On a 34" scale bass, the 36th fret would be 29.75" from the nut, and 4.25" from the bridge. And that's not including any fingerboard overhang after the 36th fret, which generally requires *something* (I always add .5").

Assuming the above mentioned half inch at the end of the neck, that leaves 3.75" from the end of the neck to there the theoretical saddle witness point starts. If your bridge has any material ahead of this point, that reduces your real estate further.

Couple this with the idea that you don't want your pickup *touching* your bridge, and it severely limits your pickup options. Taking all of this into consideration... you could *maybe* fit a MM humbucker in there, but you'd be better to have a single reasonably-sized soapbar, like a Nordy or other Bartolini-sized pickup. These are 1.25" deep, which would give you about 1.25" on either side of the pickup (balancing the pickup between the neck and the bridge).

 

[Kalyptic]

I think a mix between a MM Humbucker / Soapbar and a piezo bridge would provide some decent variety. I think i saw on one of manring's basses ( the brown one that looks like a mix between a hyperbass and other zon basses) two pickups after the extended neck, but that may not have gone to 3 octaves.