Weak neck?

[Lloux]

I've started my first build recently, and after starting to shape the neck, it seems too "springy". It's a 5 piece laminated maple and mahogany neck through. I wasn't planning on adding carbon fiber rods, but I'm worried that the truss rod won't be stiff enough. Any thoughts?

 

[Jefff]

The truss rod is really for adjustment, not so much for stiffness. You won't know till you string it up.

 

[Hopkins]

What do you mean by "too springy"? If its for a 4 or 5 that laminated neck should be fine without the carbon fiber rods.

 

[lbridenstine]

If you have it clamped to a table by just the part that goes through the body like I do when I shape my necks, it's going to move and feel weak just because you don't have enough supporting it and your tools are putting pressure on the unsupported end. If it's something else, explain?

 

[pilotjones]

How much of the neck is mahogany, and how much is maple? Also, is it hard maple or soft?

 

[Lloux]

It's hard maple with 2- 5/16 rips of mohagony between the maple. As I put the body end on the ground and put a little pressure on the neck, it has significant flex. It's going to be for a
4 string. Is this common after removing so much material? Without the fretboard on I'm at 13/16" thickness.

 

[pfox14]

I've seen a video of the Fender plant where they were flex testing necks with a jig that bent the necks 2-3" in the middle to see if they spring back to level. I don't think you have anything to worry about, but you really won't know until the bass has strings on it.

 

[Luthier Atlanta]

Take another neck and see if it flexes the same, you should be fine with maple and mahogany. Worse case scenario throw in some CF...

 

[devo_stevo]

Is the fingerboard on it? In my experience, this adds a significant amount of strength and stiffness to the neck. Mahogany and hard maple should be plenty strong for a 4 string bass.

Also, the stresses that you put on it by shaping the neck are very different from those that are on it while playing. Chances are, it's going to be just fine.

 

[Lloux]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I ordered some carbon fiber rods just incase. Once I figure how to post pictures, I'll start a build thread.

 

[Hopkins]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I ordered some carbon fiber rods just incase. Once I figure how to post pictures, I'll start a build thread.

How many strings is your build?

 

[Lloux]

It is going to be a 4 string 34" scale build. Maple and mahogany neck with mahogany wings and flame maple top.

 

[pilotjones]

Stevo is correct - flexing it without its fretboard on, it's going to have roughly half the stiffness ( = twice the bend ability) of the final neck. No need to worry.