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| Intonation on a bolt-on electric bass off. http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10122&t=43357 |
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| Author: | AGTG [ Fri May 02, 2014 8:44 am ] |
| Post subject: | Intonation on a bolt-on electric bass off. |
Hi there, please excuse me if I don't use the proper terminology while explaining my issue, I'm a bit new at building guitars. I put together a bass and a neck from two different basses. It appears from my estimation, that the base of the new neck is 1/8th of an inch further away from the bridge than the original neck. Here are the intonation issues I'm having. I can intonate the open E and the E at the 12th fret, but many of the frets in between are sharp. Can I take off 1/8 of an inch off the base of the neck and remedy this issue? Since it's just an 1/8th of an inch, do you recommend I file it down as oppose to try and cut it with a hand saw? I wish I had access to a belt-sander, but I don't. your experience and wisdom are appreciated thanks |
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| Author: | Freeman [ Fri May 02, 2014 11:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Intonation on a bolt-on electric bass off. |
Jeff, first what I would suggest is calculating just where the bridge should be for your neck. Measure from the nut to the 12th fret and double it - that will be the scale length of your neck. Plug that and the number of frets into this http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator click on Bass and ask it to calculate, that will give you all the fret locations (which you all ready have) but at the bottom it will give you the location of several different styles of bridge. Measure back from the actual location of your bridge to the nut - that will tell you how much you have to shift the neck. Without seeing the actual neck to body joint I can't answer your question possibly a photo would help. If its a bolt on neck, then yes, you probably can move the pocket or shorten the neck to fit the pocket, but then you have to deal with new mounting holes, the shape of the neck heel and all the other details. Is it possible to fill the mounting holes for the bridge and move it closer to the neck? Again, without seeing your bass I don't know what to tell you. Lastly, this isn't really a question that fits the "kit" subforum - I would suggest you ask it in the electric guitar section where lots more people will see in. Include the measurements you get from the calculator and a picture or two - you'll get lots of help. |
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| Author: | Linus [ Tue May 06, 2014 10:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Intonation on a bolt-on electric bass off. |
I don't think shaving off the end of the neck is your solution. The scale of the old neck and the scale of the new neck may be different. If you shave off the end of the neck you might get it to be in tune at the 12th fret but other parts of the fretboard may be progressively more out of tune because the scale length is different. If the bridge is bolted onto the top (the strings DON'T pass through the body) you might be able to move the bridge forward or back to make it work. Essentially you need the distance from the nut to the 12th fret be the same as the 12th fret to the bridge. There is a little bit more to it (tiny fractional adjustment for intonation) but usually on an electric the final adjustment can be done by moving the saddles back or forward a few millimeters. Clear pictures would help others give you helpful advice. |
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| Author: | B. Howard [ Tue May 20, 2014 7:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Intonation on a bolt-on electric bass off. |
Moving the bridge is the correct way to remedy the situation. I see this all the time, people put together parts basses and get the bridge on at the wrong spot. Most of them put a 3 screw bridge on a body that was drilled for a 5 screw type and figure the lines of holes should line up when that is not that case. |
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