Which Contoured Heel Design Out Do You Find Better

[doran.dragic]

Hi guys,

I'm frustrated by the lack of upper fret access on my Warmoth (it has a jazz body) so I decided that I'm going to contour the neck heel.

However there seems to be (at least) 2 possibilities of how to contour the heel and I wanted to ask you which do you think would work better or if it would be smart to combine both of them.

#1 is what Fender does with their new models:

#2 would be the Warmoth:

Option #1 would require to either buy a new neck plate like this one

or cut the old one down to size and reshape the body like this guy here did (skip to 5:40 to see the result):


However I'm a bit considered about stability of the neck; does this still offer enough support? The Fender bass in my first photo seem to have a different neck plate which has 3 screws on top so maybe.

As for #2 I'm worried about the fact that the screw goes vertical but the top surface is not perpendicular to the direction of the screw. Could this be a problem, does one need special screws? I know they have to be shorter, but is this the only thing on should be careful about?

Would it be wise to combine both option? Cut the neck heel like in the video above and also reshape it like Warmoth does?

 

[TerribleTim68]

I would assume the Warmoth version uses normal screws and they somehow countersink or otherwise "index" into "something", whether that something be a plate or semi-countersunk holes in the body with ferrules of some sort. I haven't seen one finished, so just basing this off what I would do if I was designing it (keeping in mind I'm not an engineering major, just a guy who tends to fabricate things on his racecar). I'm not aware of the existance of any sort of screw with a tilted head, because how would you assure the tilt is at the same angle of the slope in the wood when the head spins as the screw goes in? My advice, don't over-complicate it, because I'm sure they didn't either.

Now, setting all that aside, given my choice of options on contouring this area, I like what Warmoth did better. Because in my mind (again, drawing on my fabricating experience with the racecar) what Fender did requires that third hole in the one "side" of that plate. Because they are trying to make up for stability lost in shortening the other side by adding the 5th screw. My experience also tell me that you'll probably find that the plate is actually longer than the old 4 hole plates too, to allow extra spacing between the added screw and the other 2, again for stability lost in shortening the other side. So I would think you will not be able to simply drill a 5th hole in your existing plate, you're gonna have to fabricate a whole new plate or buy a Fender plate and use that (which would be the easier option if you go this route).

Luckily, my playing skills are such that I never need that part of the neck anyways. So I have that going for me.

 

[TerribleTim68]

To expand on this a bit, the Warmoth website has the correct screws for that contoured heel -
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I'd go that route and just find the right length screws, or spend $3 and order them straight from them. Looks like they did the work for you!

I also think that shape is better looking than what Fender did too, but that's just me.

 

[Slidlow]

You could try a variation on this idea.

 

[Dadagoboi]

Here's my latest attempt, the 'wraparound', follows the neck heel shaping.

Here's some more with contouring for more access. The one thing they have in common is symmetrical screw patterns.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I just finished a 32” scale 4 string where I did similar to the Warmoth shaping. Just using a standard neck plate and shorter screws in the front. It’s only been a week but it seems to be holding up fine so far.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

There are many ways to shape the back of the neck/body joint to make it smaller and more comfortable. Here's another one, from the ill-fated SWR bass project in 1994. We made the neck plate long and tilted the front down. The plate is 1/4" thick and recessed flush with the body. The screws (10-32 flat head machine screws) are perpendicular to the neck. The countersinks in the plate were drilled at the correct angle. This was a nice design, comfortable and strong and not too hard to build. Mike Lipe and I came up with it and worked it out.

If you are curious about the SWR bass project, I wrote a quick story about it here, page 85, starting at post #1699:

love of Ampeg and other Scroll Basses, Part 2

 

[SteveCS]

IME, upper access is not so much restricted by the heel as by the lower cutaway and horn. My Warwick Corvette probably has one of the must sculpted heel joints out there, but upper access is dreadful because the lower horn and lack of cutaway prevents a 'normal' hand position...

See how much of the fingerboard is beyond the heel...

 

[JW56789]

I played neckthrus for years to avoid this question . . . . . .

 

[Deleted member 271037]

I'm sure the Warmoth solution works great but it just doesn't look quite right to me. But then I'm an middle aged grumpy traditionalist. Innovation on bass guitars? Not on my lawn!!!

 

[SteveCS]

I played neckthrus for years to avoid this question . . . . . .

To be honest the thickness of the heel has never been an issue, but the best I have in terms of access is the Eko BX-7. It's neck through, but see how the lower horn stays behind the heel...

 

[Diddywah]

I did this to my P. Cut an arc in the square plate and sanded down the heel following the arc. Access to the upper 15+ fret is so much smoother

 

[Dadagoboi]

Neck throughs are easy...

Twenty one frets.

 

[Slidlow]

Neck throughs are easy...

View attachment 3638781

View attachment 3638782

Twenty one frets.

Yes neck through is easy.

 

[turindev]

This has been an interesting challenge for me as well. My current builds use a rounded heel (rather than square) along with a deep lower horn cutaway and contoured thickness. It works but I'm still thinking of ways to improve it while still maintaining the aesthetic I'm looking for.

Here is a look at a single cut bolt on:

Similar concept on some normal double cut bodies prior to paint:

This is the earlier revision with a rounded heel but no sculpted cutaway

 

[Dadagoboi]

Glue in solution for 'bolt on' neck.

Going to combine this and rounded heel on next build.

 

[Rabidhamster]

Hi guys,

I'm frustrated by the lack of upper fret access on my Warmoth (it has a jazz body) so I decided that I'm going to contour the neck heel.

However there seems to be (at least) 2 possibilities of how to contour the heel and I wanted to ask you which do you think would work better or if it would be smart to combine both of them.

#1 is what Fender does with their new models:
View attachment 3637619

#2 would be the Warmoth:
View attachment 3637620

Option #1 would require to either buy a new neck plate like this oneView attachment 3637621 or cut the old one down to size and reshape the body like this guy here did (skip to 5:40 to see the result):


However I'm a bit considered about stability of the neck; does this still offer enough support? The Fender bass in my first photo seem to have a different neck plate which has 3 screws on top so maybe.

As for #2 I'm worried about the fact that the screw goes vertical but the top surface is not perpendicular to the direction of the screw. Could this be a problem, does one need special screws? I know they have to be shorter, but is this the only thing on should be careful about?

Would it be wise to combine both option? Cut the neck heel like in the video above and also reshape it like Warmoth does?

Fenders version has a stronger neck pocket. I’ve lost track of how many neck pocket cracks I’ve repaired on the angled/shaved/beveled style neck pockets, but those have almost all been basswood bodies of Ibanez guitars.

The shaved neck joint is a lot nicer feeling though. Just also gotta make sure to always use the right length screws so you don’t pop thru the fretboard in the shaved area of the pocket