Laminate Constriction

[Greg Lorisco]

Originally Posted by Maurice Hason

Can you explain please how a NT allows lower action?
I didn't know this has anything to do with action but I may be wrong...

IMO, the action can be functionally lower on a NT because it is one piece of wood the length of the string (full length laminate) instead of two pieces bolted together in the middle. A bolted joint is never as stable (immovable) as no joint at all. So if the strings stopped on a bolt-on at the end of the fretboard there would be no difference. But because the stings continue much beyond that it’s not the same.

Others may not agree with this, but this has been my experience with the bolt-on and NT basses I have owned.

[Greg Lorisco]

I’m looking at the NT MS basses and it states the necks are 3-piece laminate, but it looks like one piece?

How stable are these necks with only maple compared to the 5-piece?

Also, unrelated question: Since 6-stirng necks have more wood (wider, thicker, etc), would the low-B on a 6 be more meaty than on a 5-string?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Greg Lorisco

I’m looking at the NT MS basses and it states the necks are 3-piece laminate, but it looks like one piece?

How stable are these necks with only maple compared to the 5-piece?

Also, unrelated question: Since 6-stirng necks have more wood (wider, thicker, etc), would the low-B on a 6 be more meaty than on a 5-string?

Q:How stable are these necks with only maple compared to the 5-piece?
A: At least as stable.. All the same species of wood and less Glue Joints.

Q's:Also, unrelated question: Since 6-string necks have more wood (wider, thicker, etc), would the low-B on a 6 be more meaty than on a 5-string?
A's: First off they are wider overall but NOT thicker. The thicknesses stays the same hence the flatter FB radius.
Any and every note on a 6 vs 5-string has MORE wood around it being wider all over especially the neck and fb. Therefore EVERY note to my ear is 'meatier' sounding.

[Greg Lorisco]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Q:How stable are these necks with only maple compared to the 5-piece?
A: At least as stable.. All the same species of wood and less Glue Joints.

Q's:Also, unrelated question: Since 6-string necks have more wood (wider, thicker, etc), would the low-B on a 6 be more meaty than on a 5-string?
A's: First off they are wider overall but NOT thicker. The thicknesses stays the same hence the flatter FB radius.
Any and every note on a 6 vs 5-string has MORE wood around it being wider all over especially the neck and fb. Therefore EVERY note to my ear is 'meatier' sounding.

Thanks Ken.

And are all the MS necks 3-piece laminate? It looks like one piece from the pictures. And are the graphite bars in all necks?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Greg Lorisco

Thanks Ken.

And are all the MS necks 3-piece laminate? It looks like one piece from the pictures. And are the graphite bars in all necks?

Look close. Yes, they are 3-pc laminated. All Smith NTs have the Graphite inlaid Bars.. Please read the web pages. This is listed on the website. It's not a secret.

[Ronen Tat]

Reviving this thread to make a point regarding the action issue.
To my observation, the main difference between bolt-on and neck-through is the string-to-body distance. With BO's, there's a limitation on how deep the neck can be set into the neck pocket - unless you don't mind ending up with a 3" body. This limitation doesn't exist with NT basses.
However, while the fingerboard on NT's mounts flash on the body surface the bridge might be too high. This is compensated by creating an angle between the body and neck. Take a look down the fingerboard, headstock to body. Notice the body face surface in relation to the fingerboard surface (assume it's flat for that matter). Both my NT Ken Smith's have this angle taken into account which allows for great low action all the way - bridge to nut.

BTW, with many mass production bolt-on instruments, when you want to lower the strings, the saddles are already all the way down. The solution (poor but works) is shimming the neck - lifting its base from within the neck pocket, thus increasing the body/neck angle. This improves string/fingerboard distance and also has a little effect on string/body distance. Poor, because less contact between neck and body now.

Hope it makes sense.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ronen Tat

Reviving this thread to make a point regarding the action issue.
To my observation, the main difference between bolt-on and neck-through is the string-to-body distance. With BO's, there's a limitation on how deep the neck can be set into the neck pocket - unless you don't mind ending up with a 3" body. This limitation doesn't exist with NT basses.
However, while the fingerboard on NT's mounts flash on the body surface the bridge might be too high. This is compensated by creating an angle between the body and neck. Take a look down the fingerboard, headstock to body. Notice the body face surface in relation to the fingerboard surface (assume it's flat for that matter). Both my NT Ken Smith's have this angle taken into account which allows for great low action all the way - bridge to nut.

BTW, with many mass production bolt-on instruments, when you want to lower the strings, the saddles are already all the way down. The solution (poor but works) is shimming the neck - lifting its base from within the neck pocket, thus increasing the body/neck angle. This improves string/fingerboard distance and also has a little effect on string/body distance. Poor, because less contact between neck and body now.

Hope it makes sense.

While the string-to-body distance is different at the end of the fingerboard, the two models are 'pitched' differently but end up at the same height at the bridge. The NT is pitched about 3 degrees and the BO about 1 degree. This makes them meet at the same height at the bridge.

I believe that two styles feel as different from the Neck pitch as they do from the BO or NT build method in itself.

We have made in the past set-neck models and a few non-pitched Neck-Thrus for testing. I think the Pitched method in either BO or NT performs better than non pitched.

How much room needed under the string at the end of the Fingerboard is a matter of taste. Everyone has their own playing style, likes and dis-likes. Many people however also adapt to new things they have never tried as well. Altering ones technique to play a different design is quite common.