A Bass VI for $200?

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:19 pm

Oh no, I just thought the edge rake for the new tuners would require an edge which was part-dowel, part-original. Thought it might fall to bits, as well as looking ugly (which does matter, sorry!)

But now I am thinking I could cut off the entire top edge and use that as the top edge of the smaller headstock. It needs a shorter edge at a steeper angle because of string length, also the high B and E would need to slip around the corner on the original one.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:26 pm

Oh, and just in case the "try-hard" police are watching - there is NO WAY I am going to try to stick a Fender decal on it.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:31 am

You might want to reconsider reducing the size of the headstock below the bass tuner holes; I think that will reduce the angle on the low E tuner a little too far, which could have some wonky effects on your tuning. you could probably reduce the headstock somewhat, but chances are not quite THAT much... which would leave doweling on the top edge of the headstock, which would be ugly.

If the appearance of the doweling is going to be an issue, I'd suggest painting the headstock to match the body.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:41 am

Of course! Nice idea.

Re the shape, my Jag's low E bends south a little at the nut, so as you say, it will be worse with a thicker string. I reckon I would take the top strip off the existing head and move it down to the Jag angle, but midway between the Jag edge and the original edge. I will simply cut out the strip with the bass tuner holes in it and throw it away.

That way there is a no-dowel edge, I can do some internal dowel or biscuit joins to make the headstock stronger, then refinish in the body colour. Perfect. There will be a bit of "construction" visible on the back of the headstock but that will just look cool.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:52 am

And in Photoshop:

2 pieces cut off and rejoined; one curve to sand smooth.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:57 am

Hmm, yeah, that could work nicely. You definitely want the biscuits/dowels in there for stability. The majority of the force will be directed towards the body, where the head hasn't been altered, and if you can mount the screws such that they're primarily in that wood as well the rotational force on the splice should be pretty low.

Chances are you'll be doing some serious sanding at the fretboard side of the cut too. The curve is going to be different.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:38 am

I would think that the string spacing the guitar bridge would create at the body end would be too narrow for the heel end of the bass fretboard?

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:43 am

I'm concerned about that, true. The bass bridge is 2 3/8 spacing according to Rondo, the widest guitar bridge I have seen is 2 1/8. So it would be 1/8 narrower on each side; slightly less at the heel of the neck, so the high and low strings might be 1/8 further in from the fretboard edge. Not perfect, but does it sound bad?

Alternatively - does anyone know of an intonating, top-load guitar bridge with a 2 1/4 or 2 3/8 spacing?

barry.b · Post by **barry.b** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:09 pm

I wonder how close a Fender Mustang Bass headstock would be?
http://images.google.com.au/images?q=fe ... 0headstock

barry.b · Post by **barry.b** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:07 pm

the bridge

I wonder if the Fender Bass VI had a custom bridge, or whether it came off one of the guitar models?

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:27 pm

Bass VI bridge was custom - like a Jag / JM bridge but a wider "tray" for longer intonation. Saddles were like Mustang saddles but beefier.

This thread at Offset by a Melbourne guy (David / "sookwinder") will tell you all you need to know about actual VIs:

http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=12214&p=182107

As for the Mustang Bass headstock, same angle problem I reckon - you'd need to put a tuning peg or two around the end of the curve, since guitar tuners need to be much closer to the edge:

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:39 pm

By the way - does anyone know if the bridge can be unscrewed from the trem block on one of these? I thought it looked like a reasonably priced, mechanically strong bridge with strong saddles:
eBay auction link

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:11 pm

i doubt it can be detached, it's a tremolo unit. looks to be constructed just like a strat, where it's a solid cast piece. (?)

you could probably cut it off with a cutoff wheel/grinder.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:16 pm

I see something that looks like 3 screw heads under the saddles, and three ridges in the trem block where the screws might run. I should just buy one and flip it if it's no good to me.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:18 pm

yeah, i guess i kinda see those. might just work.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:33 am

Yeah, that'll take the trem block off.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:59 am

I found the same setup on my cheap Strat bridge here at home.

Wonder if those saddles are up to the job? Actually the tension won't be all that massive anyway, and with a top-load the break angle will be very shallow. I have someone measuring one of the SXs to see if the string spread would be just too different, if that report comes back positive I think we are go for launch.

Not only that but I just discovered one of my friends has a workshop with a bandsaw, router, etc - she reckons I could build a guitar body in a day or two. Mind you she makes furniture so it's probably all pretty easy to her. But who knows, if it's easy enough I might just build a VI body to go with the neck ...

barry.b · Post by **barry.b** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:57 am

"As for the Mustang Bass headstock, same angle problem I reckon - you'd need to put a tuning peg or two around the end of the curve, since guitar tuners need to be much closer to the edge"

there's not a lot of options for necks that already work with a scale length of 30". You're right about the Mustang, the Bass VI has lovely straight lines from bridge to machine heads. I'm not yet convinced an SX neck would be a great fit either.

For a moment there, I was wondering if a Mustang neck onto a two- or three-pickup guitar body would work, just find a different bridge and mount it further down the body to get the 30" scale length.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Bass VI (not just because it'd be cool, but the look of it would fit in for what I wanted it for), but failing that, a working and playable instrument to do a particular job is what I'm after. This sookwinder guy has got great results, but gee, it's taken a fair bit of effort to get there (not least the custom necks)

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 11:25 am

barry.b wrote:wondering if a Mustang neck onto a two- or three-pickup guitar body would work, just find a different bridge and mount it further down the body to get the 30" scale length

The open notes would be correct but every single note on the fretboard would be hugely flat. The fret spacing is set for the scale length - a Mustang neck is 12 inches from the nut to the 12th fret; a VI or 30" scale neck is 15 inches from nut to 12th fret. The bridge is placed on the basis of the neck's scale, not the other way round.

barry.b · Post by **barry.b** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 11:43 am

please forgive I wasn't clear, sorry.

I meant a Mustang Bass neck - from a Mustang bass that already has a scale length of 30".

The only reason to throw away the Mustang Bass body is that the guitar body would already be routed for (and have) pickups for six strings, although you've already proven the guitar bridge would probably be useless.

additionally, you've also shown that doweling, filling and re-doing the machine head holes wouldn't work: the angle of the top of the headstock compared to the neck needs a slightly larger angle, and probably a touch more length, to fit 6 guitar-like machine heads and have a straight run for the strings, esp the low E.

at one stage I was wondering if it was possible to graft a Strat-like headstock onto the Mustang Bass neck, but at that point I realised it was only the vino talking and playing with bits like that was starting to get silly...