5 string neck graft or not?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

I'm in agreement with Ken, plus this: your bass appears to have inadequate overstand for modern playing. If you do decide to make it a 5-string, you may want to do so in a reversible way. Installing a wide fingerboard would be my first choice (after re-setting the neck).

[Mike Weems]

Wow thank you for all the great suggestions. I really appreciate you helping me think through this problem. After reading the last 2 posts it sounds like I should restore this bass to its original four string status. As I said in my last post I acquired this instrument in its current state. I am not wedded to the 5 string status. Your idea to install a “C” extension sounds quite good. Here are some dimensions that may be helpful.


1. Nominal body length 1103mm
2. The string length is roughly 41.5inchs(1054.10mm)
3. Width of upper bout 508mm
4. Width @ C bout 363mm
5. Width @ lower bout 637mm
6. Rib depth @ end block 197mm
7. Rib depth @ back cut 187mm
8. Rib depth @ neck block 157mm
9. F-stop 585mm
10. Chin of neck to heel 370mm
11. Neck length from frnt edge of nut to end 442mm

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Mike Weems

Wow thank you for all the great suggestions. I really appreciate you helping me think through this problem. After reading the last 2 posts it sounds like I should restore this bass to its original four string status. As I said in my last post I acquired this instrument in its current state. I am not wedded to the 5 string status. Your idea to install a “C” extension sounds quite good. Here are some dimensions that may be helpful.


1. Nominal body length 1103mm
2. The string length is roughly 41.5inchs(1054.10mm)
3. Width of upper bout 508mm
4. Width @ C bout 363mm
5. Width @ lower bout 637mm
6. Rib depth @ end block 197mm
7. Rib depth @ back cut 187mm
8. Rib depth @ neck block 157mm
9. F-stop 585mm
10. Chin of neck to heel 370mm
11. Neck length from frnt edge of nut to end 442mm

Please, inches, Very few people use metric in USA. Of those that do, divide by 2.54 to have a handle on it. 41.5", that is one we all understand. The rest require a calculator for me.

[Mike Weems]

1. Nominal body length 43.5“
2. The string length is roughly 41.5inchs(1054.10mm)
3. Width of upper bout 19 7/8”
4. Width @ C bout 14 ¾”
5. Width @ lower bout 25”
6. Rib depth @ end block 7 5/8”
7. Rib depth @ back cut 7 3/8”
8. Rib depth @ neck block 6 ¼”
9. F-stop 23”
10. Chin of neck to heel 14.5”
11. Neck length from frnt edge of nut to end 17 3/8”
Sorry about that.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Mike Weems

1. Nominal body length 43.5“
2. The string length is roughly 41.5inchs(1054.10mm)
3. Width of upper bout 19 7/8”
4. Width @ C bout 14 ¾”
5. Width @ lower bout 25”
6. Rib depth @ end block 7 5/8”
7. Rib depth @ back cut 7 3/8”
8. Rib depth @ neck block 6 ¼”
9. F-stop 23”
10. Chin of neck to heel 14.5”
11. Neck length from frnt edge of nut to end 17 3/8”
Sorry about that.

This is more then the basics but, it is a 3/4 and sound is an issue for 5s. I have a 3/4 (maybe) that is a 5er from birth and it is quite a boomer but, born as such. Compare the numbers to your measurements. http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/5string/

Still, if this was a 4-string and I wanted or needed to convert a bass to a 5er, this would NOT be the one to convert.

I have a huge English bass, born as a 4 and recently converted to a 5er and then not long after back to a 4. It's an organ and stands up to any bass. This would be the size you want for a 5er. http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/tarr/

For reference, here's a bass we converted from a 4; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/mystery2/

And here's one that came in as a 5 and sounded even better with the B lifted off; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/euro5/

Both were fairly new basses antiqued to look older. The sound was there. If your bass is a commercial sized 3/4 and made and intended to be a 4-string, keep it as a 4-string. Not all basses do well as 5s. Many of the old 4s were born as 3s and I have and have had many of those as well. 4-strings is the norm' so stay with that and play it safe.

[Mike Weems]

Thanks again for all the info. I will do just that

[Robert J Spear]

Unless I misread Mike's original post, the bass has already been converted. Yes? No? To answer the original question, width at the nut should be 51 - 52 (I'm European-trained so I'm a millimeters guy) at the least. Might be tough to graft a wider neck on the old scroll. Ken's right in that modern string technology allows the string spacing to be narrower at the nut, which will work to your favor if you convert the bass. I also suspect that making the fingerboard extend over the sides of the neck is one of those ideas that probably sounds better than it looks or feels. Can't say for sure because I've never done it. I think you might be seeing a negative domino effect setting up here.

In my opinion, for whatever it's worth, the body at 1100 is getting pretty small to reinforce a low B. Most worrisome will be the additional downward pressure on the top caused by modern steel strings. Top grads at 9 are about as low as I would dare go with the extra string pressure unless you know the wood well.

Five-string basses are alive and well in pockets in this country, but you'll probably sell 100 4-stringers for every five-stringer. I also think a number of players are getting tired of the problems with C-extensions, and my solution is to play a bass tuned in fifths. How great an idea this is I won't elaborate on any further since I'm still playing in fourths on the increasingly rare times that I actually play any more.