Neck set - bridge height question

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Dewars makes Varnish now?

Spirit varnish, yes...

[Ken McKay]

Hi Craig, Here is a sober opinion.

Since you are building the bass, start with the ideal numbers for bridge height and overstand.

[Ken McKay]

Use a neck template to find the neck angle.

[Ken Smith]

30mm overstand? Is that what you have there? Quite low in my book. Most builders today use from 35-40mm. Decreases the angle of the Neck to the player and helps with the Top tension as well. Keeps the hands closer to the body when playing with less angle pitch I would think.

[Ken McKay]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

30mm overstand? Is that what you have there? Quite low in my book. Most builders today use from 35-40mm. Decreases the angle of the Neck to the player and helps with the Top tension as well. Keeps the hands closer to the body when playing with less angle pitch I would think.

Thanks Ken, I raised it to 40mm. And now this bass has KS stamped on the back in tribute to your many suggestions (kidding).

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

30mm overstand? Is that what you have there? Quite low in my book. Most builders today use from 35-40mm.

Well, it all depends on the bass, doesn't it? Ken's bass is a cornerless model with sloping shoulders, already easy to reach around into TP, so I don't think he necessarily needs a higher overstand.

My cornerless has 30mm and it's perfectly adequate. any more and it would start to look odd ...

Having said that, its good to start with a deeper overstand. You can always reduce it when fitting the mortise.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Well, it all depends on the bass, doesn't it? Ken's bass is a cornerless model with sloping shoulders, already easy to reach around into TP, so I don't think he necessarily needs a higher overstand.

My cornerless has 30mm and it's perfectly adequate. any more and it would start to look odd ...

Having said that, its good to start with a deeper overstand. You can always reduce it when fitting the mortise.

It's not just the overstand Matt. In order to achieve the desired Bridge height, you will have to pitch the neck more in angle to the Top with a lower overstand. My Gilkes had about 13mm when I got it and no one complained about that for 50 years. I was on my Toes trying the reach the harmonics at the end of the fingerboard. Also, the tension feels better now with the increased overstand and decreased angle to the Top.

I guess a player can notice this best when he has had a bass for awhile, gotten used to it, had it modified and then compares the difference of before and after. In making the bass new and just picking a singe design of overstand and bridge height, there is no comparison to the playability not having tried it with other measurements.

Therefore, playing basses before and after modification is the best way in my opinion to form judgment on this subject. Not being the Luthier that does the job has no smaller amount of awareness than the the player that lives with the results. Actually, the player might notice the changes even most being more familiar with the bass overall than the Luthier.

As you may know I have a fine old Cornerless bass and regardless of the shoulders, the larger overstand makes it easier to play the upper positions. I played the Pulcinella suite and solo within days of purchasing the attr. Storioni and that is moving from a 41" string length to over 44". If not for the combined ease of playability (and my love for the sound of this bass despite the finger stretch) I would not have been able to use this Bass in concert at 44". Actually, prior to bringing it in for restoration I used it for several concerts. If the Bass had a workable c-extension then I might have used it one all of my concerts but the condition of the bass was not getting any better so I retired the bass to Arnold's shop until it's fully repaired and modified with a shorter string length.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Therefore, playing basses before and after modification is the best way in my opinion to form judgment on this subject. Not being the Luthier that does the job has no smaller amount of awareness than the the player that lives with the results. Actually, the player might notice the changes even most being more familiar with the bass overall than the Luthier.

Well, I guess that means you're right then. How silly of me to even think that it might depend on the bass ...

[Craig Regan]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

Hi Craig, Here is a sober opinion.

Since you are building the bass, start with the ideal numbers for bridge height and overstand.

Still searching for the ideal number for the overstand. I set up an adjustable neck simulator so my "client" could see what felt most comfortable.

It moves in and out for overstand ht. and pivots for the neck angle. The screw in the neck block isn't very cool but I was very careful.

[Craig Regan]

Came up with 1 1/2" Overstand, could be high but the bass is huge.

Ken, your bass is looking great!

[Ken Smith]

Cherry Back and Ribs? Classy looking fellow..

Minimum I think is 35mm and 40mm maximum for the overstand. Bigger shoulders might need 36-38mm as opposed to 30-35mm. Bridge height should be 6.5-6.75" at the center with lowish string height. This is my personal preference.

[Craig Regan]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Cherry Back and Ribs? Classy looking fellow..

Fun Fact: Cherry is part of the Rose family, Prunus Serotina Rosaceae.