Winter Build Off 2022 - Get Ready

[Flamingo21]

I like the string spacing (...) on the Schaller

Isn't the spacing adjustable on this bridge?

 

[mapleglo]

Isn't the spacing adjustable on this bridge?

It is.

 

[TerribleTim68]

...Should I do the 5 or the 4 first?

Why limit yourself?

Who makes a good truss rod?

Honestly, I just use the StewMac hotrods. There's probably much better options out there, but it works good and it's fairly easy to get.

 

[Beej]

I'm really digging the Allied Lutherie double acting single rods. A little fiddly to get your routing fixtures set up, but looking to be worth it. I'm thinking about using them exclusively. Well, I'm also thinking about building my own setup, but they are groovy.

 

[RichterScale]

The burger bass had a dbl acting single rod. I forgot to measure it while I had it out, or did and forgot to write it down, or wrote it down and lost what I wrote it on.
Point is, I'm not smart.
Does anyone know the length of what's typically used in a 34" scale 24 fret?

 

[Beej]

The burger bass had a dbl acting single rod. I forgot to measure it while I had it out, or did and forgot to write it down, or wrote it down and lost what I wrote it on.
Point is, I'm not smart.
Does anyone know the length of what's typically used in a 34" scale 24 fret?

Nut to 24th fret will be 25.5" so anything in there that fits but isn't too short should be good.

 

[RichterScale]

Nut to 24th fret will be 25.5"

Wait, is that why I had "25.5" stuck in my head? From when I did my frets on the bass?
I did a 25.5" scale length on the CBG guitar. Is that even a typical scale length? I guess it doesn't matter because you can type anything into fretfind and it will figure out the fret spacing.

 

[Flamingo21]

I did a 25.5" scale length on the CBG guitar. Is that even a typical scale length?

Yes it is. Strats and Teles are typically 25.5".

 

[Jeff Siddall]

Octaves are easy calculations. One octave = twice the frequency = half the string vibrating length. Half of a 34" scale is 17" which is where the 12th fret sits.

24th fret is double again, or 1/4 the string vibrating length. That leaves 3/4 of the length between the nut and the 24th fret not vibrating. 3/4 of 34" is 25.5".

 

[RichterScale]

Octaves are easy calculations. One octave = twice the frequency = half the string vibrating length. Half of a 34" scale is 17" which is where the 12th fret sits

Right on.
I was asking if there was a standard or typical length for truss rods used in 34" scale, 24 fret bass necks.
I don't see anything longer than about 22", so that must be the typical length.

 

[Jeff Siddall]

Right on.
I was asking if there was a standard or typical length for truss rods used in 34" scale, 24 fret bass necks.
I don't see anything longer than about 22", so that must be the typical length.

Most bass truss rods tend to be about 24" since that is the length of a 21 fret board on a 34" scale bass.

 

[postalflunkie]

Somehow I got a five pack of 24 Inch DA truss rods. Thankfully I just pull out my welding machine and weld it to whatever length I need, cut off the end and put on a new wrap. I'm actually starting to like this, I never have to worry about if I have the right one for the current neck.

 

[RichterScale]

Most bass truss rods tend to be about 24" since that is the length of a 21 fret board on a 34" scale bass.

Ya know, 22" did seem a little short. I feel like I remember the one in my bass being longer.
But I looked at LMI and that Allied place that Beej posted and the longest they have are 22". Or 21.5", or something like that.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I have used 24" in my builds. Well, I have used 24" in the one build that I actually got that far on, and I have a 24" waiting for the next one.

 

[RichterScale]

I have used 24" in my builds. Well, I have used 24" in the one build that I actually got that far on, and I have a 24" waiting for the next one.

I just looked on Stewmac.
They have the the 24" hotrod DA single rod for $12. I like the 24" and like the $12 even more.
Though, I do like the Allied design.
Cool, now I have something else to overthink for no reason.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I just looked on Stewmac.
They have the the 24" hotrod DA single rod for $12. I like the 24" and like the $12 even more.
Though, I do like the Allied design.
Cool, now I have something else to overthink for no reason.

I just order them thru the Amazonians.

 

[RichterScale]

I was looking for fret wire and saw this.
For $130??
It's a frikkin clamp!
I seriously need to quit my job and open a luthier supply company.

 

[RichterScale]

Speaking of fret wire,....
Is there a specific size made for zero frets, or do people just use jumbo fret wire and then use a smaller wire to get the appropriate height difference?
Can you use jumbo wire and order extra extra jumbo wire for the zero fret?

 

[TerribleTim68]

Speaking of fret wire,....
Is there a specific size made for zero frets, or do people just use jumbo fret wire and then use a smaller wire to get the appropriate height difference?
Can you use jumbo wire and order extra extra jumbo wire for the zero fret?

This seems to be a highly debated topic. Some swear you need jumbo wire and then smaller wire for the rest. Some say to just use the same wire and don't level it when you level the rest. When you figure it out, you can then let everyone else know the correct way!

 

[Jeff Siddall]

Speaking of fret wire,....
Is there a specific size made for zero frets, or do people just use jumbo fret wire and then use a smaller wire to get the appropriate height difference?
Can you use jumbo wire and order extra extra jumbo wire for the zero fret?

On the only build I have done so far with a zero fret I used the same fretwire for the zero fret as all the others. Worked great.

EDIT: I can't see any reason the zero fret should be different from the first, second third etc. As far as I can tell, the only argument for it to be taller is to allow for wear -- kinda like a nut I guess. I should point out that when I built mine I used a stainless zero fret.