names
This is amusing, somehow.
Here the current preference is the one you said, Ken, the thumb at the heel, the second finger opposite, the first finger plays D on the first string.
The trend is for a little stretch of the first finger toward the nut to reach D.
And we name it D neck.
There are many long neck grafts, made until the '60, where in the same position, thumb at the heel, second finger opposite, the first finger plays Eb. We name these Eb necks.
I don't know why they made these long neck grafts, probably they wanted to reach more notes with the hand at the heel in orchestra playing, and a longer string lenght for the gut strings they used these days.
Anyways, the D neck as we call it here, or the "proper" D neck you said, allow us some freedom to find a better balance for middle positions, where some variables are neck height over the top, body outline near the neck, string lenght, bridge height, stop lenght and so on.
It's over the standard, a good reason to play and work on basses, I hope.
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