Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

ItsaBass

ItsaBass

New member
Hi,

I've been jamming with a band, and it looks like I'm probably gonna join. Thing is, they tune to C# standard with a drop B on the bottom. I've downtuned my Precision and it's okay for practice, but not great. I really dislike five string basses (they're ugly and clunky), so I want to dedicate a bass to a B standard tuning using the bottom four strings of a five-string set. This got me thinking about longer scale basses too. I've played five string basses and never liked the floppy tone or low tension of the bottom string, so I think I'd like 36" scale quite a lot. I do have an unfinished Precision body sitting in my garage. I'd love to put a 36" scale neck on it, but none of my usual neck sources make them. Some offer 35" necks, but they are five string only, and have ugly headstocks on top of it.

So, the question: Who makes extra long scale four string necks? Or am I gonna have to build one myself?

Thanks.
 
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Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

I have a Peavey Grind 4-string bass in a 35" scale. Their 5-string version is also 35".

The basses in the picture are older models. You can get the newer ones, still 35", for about $400.

744_Peavey-Grind-4-and-5-string.jpg
 
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Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

If you want a really long scale, Skip Fantry at Knuckle Guitar Works makes the Knuckle Quake, a bass with a 39.5" scale. (39.5" is not a typo.) He makes a 4-string version. Of course, you need a spare 3 grand, and you might not like the headstock.

ash.jpg
 
Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

ItsaBass said:
Hi,

I've been jamming with a band, and it looks like I'm probably gonna join. Thing is, they tune to C# standard with a drop B on the bottom. I've downtuned my Precision and it's okay for practice, but not great. I really dislike five string basses (they're ugly and clunky), so I want to dedicate a bass to a B standard tuning using the bottom four strings of a five-string set. This got me thinking about longer scale basses too. I've played five string basses and never liked the floppy tone or low tension of the bottom string, so I think I'd like 36" scale quite a lot. I do have an unfinished Precision body sitting in my garage. I'd love to put a 36" scale neck on it, but none of my usual neck sources make them. Some offer 35" necks, but they are five string only, and have ugly headstocks on top of it.

So, the question: Who makes extra long scale four string necks? Or am I gonna have to build one myself?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I thought you were a fan of shortscale basses?
 
Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

Just slapping a longer neck on a body isn't as easy as it sounds. I did that many moons ago (put a standard neck on a body that previously had a short scale neck) and also had to move the bridge back as well to adequately compensate for the length. It also threw the balance of the bass off to the point where the concept of neck dive seemed like a wonderful idea.

I'm with funkfingers; get a heavier set of BEAD strings and you should be fine. I play on a 34" scale bass, use a .120 B string and it sounds brilliant, full and clear. If you prefer a heavier set, talk to the guys at Kalium Strings, as they have the heavier gauges DOWN, and are experts at all of the altered/different tunings out there.
 
Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

Yeah I would say just the lower four strings of a 5 string set would work. Or a set of Dunlop Heavy Core Bass Strings (Heaviest Gauge 55-120).
 
Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

As mentioned in the OP, the bottom four strings of a five string set is already the plan. The set I'll be using is .132 through .065 (flats).

The reason I am considering extra long scale is because I have never played a 34" five string that I thought had a good tone or feel on the bottom string. I don't want to buy a pre-made 36" bass because they are all expensive, ugly, and overengineered/techie type basses (weird shapes, too many pickups, knobs, switches, active electronics, etc.). I just want a fairly classic Precision style bass. I also don't want to alter the nut or setup of my Current P, so it's a build for me.

I got a quote from a luthier named Brian Monty who seems very highly recommended. I'm probably gonna go with him. I'd like to try building it myself, but that takes time, which I don't have a lot of these days.

As for the issues of putting longer or shorter necks on bodies, they are all taken care of by using a "conversion" neck. All Brian is going to do is basically add another fret's worth of length to the low end of a standard P neck design. That allows the use of an unaltered neck pocket and bridge position. The only thing that ends up a bit off is the pickup position.
 
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Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

FWIW, here is what I have so far. It will have the chrome covers and a Tele Bass headstock, which were not an option on the virtual bass builder. And the neck will of course go one fret lower.

Screen Shot 2014-11-20 at 1.21.17 AM.jpg
 
Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

I did some quick Photoshopping to illustrate what the hell I'm talking about.

It's a scale conversion neck that makes the scale longer. To make it, what you basically do is build in an extra fret on the low end of a normal bass neck. It doesn't require altering the standard spacings between all the other frets. You just design in an extra low fret (and shift the dots down one fret to match). As another way of looking at it, the extra fret ends up where the nut would normally be, and the nut ends up farther out on the neck. This results in a longer scale length, while allowing the use of the stock neck pocket and bridge position.

In the picture, a normal 34" scale bass neck is on the bass in the top picture, while what I want is on the bottom. If you use a ruler, you can see that the fret spacing between the two is the same. The bottom one just has an extra fret, and the dots shifted.

In this picture, I show a regular P-Bass headstock and a curved heel. That's because they were the only options available on the virtual guitar sketching program I used. The neck I'd like to get would have a square heel and the '51-style P-Bass head.

Screen Shot 2014-11-20 at 1.21.17 AM.jpg
 
Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

In 26 years of playing bass, I can't recall ever going much, if any, past the twelfth fret, or any song that would benefit from doing so. Therefore I will not be adding any frets to the high end of this bass.
 
Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

if it were me
and its not I know

but if it were
I would call Carvin
tell them I needed a 36 inch scale neck that would bolt up top a precision Bass body
and let them do the math

they have a 35.5 " scale neck
all they would have to do is match the heel pocket and wrap it up

they could probably make it for you for about what your luthier would charge
add some stainless frets and a graphite nut
mmmmmmm



EDIT
OMG the Peavey Grind BXP is only $399 new
35" scale
less than a custom made neck
http://peavey.com/products/index.cfm/item/778/116713/Grind%28tm%29%20Bass%204%20NTB
 
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Re: Extra-long-scale conversion necks??

I looked at Carvin. They don't offer what I have in mind.

I just put in a deposit to have the bass made by Brian Monty. Well, mostly made. I will be supplying the body, hardware, and electronics. He will be making the neck and painting the neck and body, and possibly assembling and setting up too.

Neck specs: maple and ebony with white dots. Square heel. 7-1/4" radius with skinny frets. Black early P-Bass ("Tele Bass") headstock face, with Charcoal Frost Metallic on the back. Nut slotted for BEAD tuning.

Body Specs: one piece lightweight ash, painted Charcoal Frost Metallic. B/W/B pickguard

Pickup: S.D. Quarter Pound for Single Coil P-Bass (SCPB-3). I'm going to see if I can get this in a tapped, no-logo version without having to go the full-on Custom Shop route. I might be putting in a Blackouts P-Bass tone control thingy too.

It'll have the early '50's-style bridge and pickup covers, as well as a body-matching thumb rest.
 
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