[vansinn]

I resently shopped an unfinished bass project.

Just measured freboard widths: 51.8 - 67 mm. 34" scale; might be turned into a 35". I believe this is too narrow for a 5-stringer; not sure..

Although it has no trussrod, the neck seems pretty strong, surely a combination of sycamore maple and a relatively thick wenge board.
Bending with knee midways, body against feet, seemingly didn't give in..

Could this wood combination be strong enough for a low-action non-truss rod fretless? Of cause, not having seen it, it's diffficult to comment..

I could take off the fretboard and add the trussrod, in which case I will need references to sellers of ready made trusses.

I'd prefer not having to add the truss. If the no-trussrod neck strength is at the edge, I'm thinking maybe the new GHS nylon-coated tape wound strings for achieving a kinda upright sound may have lower tension.


Comments?

[Apophis]

You can build a 5 string with this widths, but individual bridges will be heplfull with that.

And you have to use trussrod, no way without it

[vansinn]

Meaning, it is a bit narrow at the body end of the fretboard, IIU you right?

WRT the truss, installing
Carbon Fiber Neck Rods at Stewart-MacDonald
seems somewhat easier than having to route for the steelrod anchor et al..
Advisable or not?
I know usaguitars (among others) use carbon inlays in some guitar necks, though it may be for stability in flat speednecks.

[Apophis]

If you can live and play with that strings spacing it should be ok

The easiest way is to add trussrod like in Fenders without taking off the fretboard.

[stubhead]

What happens when you "guess" the backcurve, tune it up and it bends too much? You pull off the fretboard and add a trussrod later?

I've heard of different guitar designs without trussrods, mostly older, mostly nylon string, but I've never even heard of a trussrod-less bass. If you've found a set of trusty data that tells you how to proceed successfully, I guess nothing could go wrong....

[vansinn]

Ok, got the message had to ask though, since the neck seemed so stiff..

My '87 Duesenberg guitar has a very flat maple neck with an ebony board. I hardly need to adjust the truss with different strings, and can hardly see any change with strings off, so I thought maybe the bass construction would be strong enough with the carbon truss.

This bass project needs quite some attention, and I'll have to take the fretboard off anyways, so I'll route for a truss that way.
I take it from your answers that even if the carbon thingy may be nice'n'stiff in it's own right, I will want/need to be able to make adjustments.

[Apophis]

^
Right

[stubhead]

I was on Warmoth's page anyway today (I'm getting a fretless neck from them for a build) so you can at least see their take on things here:
Warmoth Direct - Necks Overview

[vansinn]

Having done some further checking on designs and materials, I'll probably use a Bruko double expanding aluminum truss, mounted in a routing under the fretboard:
Vox Humana Guitar Centre Online-shop
and two carbon/epoxy stabilizers:
Carbon Fiber Neck Rods at Stewart-MacDonald

A friend of mine has used the Bruko alu truss with good results in a couple of designs.

StewMac has a Martin-style aluminum truss, also looking pretty good:
Martin Style Adjustable Truss Rod at Stewart-MacDonald

Before proceeding, more comments?


OT in this subforum: if the above works out as expected, I may do the same as a mod to my '87 Duesenberg Starplayer guitar. Tapping the neck produce a sound as if the truss is kinda loose in there, and the very flat speedneck could feel more rigid and stable.

Thanks a lot for reps/warnings/suggestions et al..

[Apophis]

Good luck then