well..
Interesting Math you speak of. For the record, I have had basses with all kinds of necks over time and never has a Neck Heel been broken in my possession in about 45 years.
The Old English bass was most likely a Blockless neck originally but more of a Gamba style construction and not the more common German style. It was later converted to a Dovetail when a Block was added but some of the old Blockless tab was left in. Now it has a deep mortise joint in the modified block.
The Martini, Gilkes and Hart are all out about 35-36mm from the Top. The Old English is out at 46mm. The Loveri came and went as-is, never altered under my watch. The Shoulders helped that despite it being a long bass. The Mougenot needs a Neck Graft as the current neck is thin and bowed forward as well as being an Eb-heel. The overstand is fair at best but with a Graft I can shorten the string length and make it a D-heel. Maybe a few MMs more on the 'Stand or so. The other Bass is an old Neapolitan Bass that is in restoration and will get a graft as well for more reasons than one. That bass and the Mougenot already have added buttons in the heel and need replacing besides. The Storioni Neck is already out of the bass and the Scroll on a shelf at Arnold's. The Block area will be Cut and the new lower Button will be cut and shaped from the existing Back. The Block will probably get beefed up inside as well like was done with both the Old English and hart Basses during their restorations in place of an entirely new Block.
I think the pictures show about how deep or shallow the Necks are set into the Block. Three of the Basses have yet to be restored with new Neck Grafts. Three out of four of the restored basses had Grafts done in the process. The Gilkes Neck and Scroll are still one piece. That had a tiny Button added that moved it from maybe 10-15mm out only but also had a pitched ebony ship under the fingerboard. The Shim Button were removed and a longer button attached put in to help push the Neck out about another inch along with a new FB.. The results were night and day as far as playing over the Shoulders.
My personal test for playability on a bass is the opening of the Dragonetti as well as the harmonic parts in the first movement. That takes you up, down and across quite rapidly as well as playing past the fingerboard on 3 strings hitting the harmonics. This is basic I think for judging the playability of a bass in regards to reach and overstand.
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