Well, I decided to take a chance on one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260221147066&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=016
Looking ahead to my next long-term project. I've got a fair amount of parts collected, and I thought this might not be bad for a neck. Anyone familiar with the seller? He has a lot items that he's listing as being from the old Kalamazoo warehouse.
He is selling a stash of original Gibson parts from Kalamazoo. Many here have bought stuff from him. He's a decent guy.
I've been tempted to pick up one of those, but one thing that's made me hesitate it that he says it's for a 34" scale bass, yet also says it'll fit a Triumph. I'd love to know what you find once it arrives.
I can tell you what I get, but it may be a long time before a bass grows from it. He's got 9 left, and there are some measurements written on masking tape in the photos.
I've bought 2 so far from him for future projects. Looks the a Triumph but is definitely 34" scale. Anything else you'd like to know? I bought a set of 70: TB covers and rings too. Good prices, nice seller.
I bought Tbird pup covers from him, super nice guy to deal with.
I also bought a few things from him. good communication and pretty fast shipping I thought. he doesn't always know what he's got but can anybody really fault him for that? he's selling old Gibson parts after all. :D
Yep, ditto to all the above. Great ebayer. I bought two of those necks... they are quite roughly done - the volutes are very angular, and the headstock has room for trimming.
These are ripper/rd necks rather than triumph
I've bought a ton of stuff from them, very nice to work with. My Ripper/G3 has one of these necks on it (34" scale ) I don't know if the were Ripper or long scale EB necks, three piece maple, truss rods installed, volute. What are you thinking of building?
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/bassVI/G3Ripper028.jpg)
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/bassVI/PelhamBlueOrville63-65clone020.jpg)
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/bassVI/PelhamBlueOrville63-65clone018.jpg)
Cheers,
S.
Very nice. I was thinking of a Les Paul bass project, but really haven't gone too far with it. I may find a use for the Warwick bridge after all, although I also have a Schaller A-460 that needs a home eventually. I may even mull over a Dark Star project.
How much work did you need to do to the neck to finish it?
How much work did you need to do to the neck to finish it?
They are rough machine cut and the volute is squared off ( see Jules' comment ), but I found they are not terribly difficult to get into shape. Having the truss rods installed is a big plus, as the rest of the shaping is mostly "artistic".
Happy Carving!
S.
It can't be a Triumph for the simple reason that it is not mahogany even if the scale were right.
Most likely they are longscale EB, Ripper, RD necks.
For $60 how can you go wrong ?
No, you can't, just bought two!
Quote from: Bass VI on March 26, 2008, 08:49:04 PM
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/bassVI/PelhamBlueOrville63-65clone020.jpg)
You've done a really good job on that Scott - looking very smooth!
I was thinking that this might be cool for the body
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300209838362&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=020
I've seen these up before. They usually go for about $120. This one is one of the nicest I've seen. I could use the Gibson neck, the clone body, a Dark Star, and one of the few bridges I have laying around. Maybe the Schaller.
The neck pocket does not look like it's set up for a set neck?
I don't think it work work as is?
My luthier is pretty good. He's built a few harp guitars in his day. He's also done some very nice conversions of acoustic electrics to make a single-cutaway where there was none before.
Quote from: gweimer on March 27, 2008, 12:53:33 PM
My luthier is pretty good. He's built a few harp guitars in his day. He's also done some very nice conversions of acoustic electrics to make a single-cutaway where there was none before.
Yep, you could add some maple to the neck and rerout it to fit the Fender pocket on the bass body. It's very doable.
Quote from: drbassman on March 27, 2008, 02:54:23 PM
Yep, you could add some maple to the neck and rerout it to fit the Fender pocket on the bass body. It's very doable.
I concurr Dr.
Or redo the neck pocket to do a set neck, still very doable.
I was thinking of trying to put a medium scale fretboard on one of these.
Anyone think it would work?
Sure that would work if you're making your own body or working with an undrilled, unrouted body. Assuming the board would cover the same distance on the neck (you've got 24" nut to end), it would need to have 2 more frets than the 20-fret 34" scale it was designed for. A 32" scale is 23.02" from the nut to the 22nd fret, a 34" scale is 23.29" from the nut to the 20th. You'd just have about 1/4" more of open fretboard beyond the last fret.
The only problem would be if you planned to use an existing body drilled and routed for a 34" scale. You'd have to move the bridge forward 2" and if the pickup locations were routed, then that would change their position relative to the scale length. Big problem if there was a bridge pickup route. The bridge might have to be moved almost on top of the pickup rout.
Hope that makes sense.
Quote from: marcnorth on March 27, 2008, 05:31:22 PM
I was thinking of trying to put a medium scale fretboard on one of these.
Anyone think it would work?
I haven't been down to measure, but it would be doable, however, you'd probably have to do as Dave suggests depending on bridge alignment (assuming you have an existing body with mounted bridge) or trim some off the end of the neck. There's a little room for that but you wouldn't want to lose 2" off the existing heel in my estimation. It is not impossible, in fact it's easy enough, to take a maple neck, lope off some of the heel and add more maple to recreate a different heel configuration to accomodate a 32" fretboard.
In fact, I once had a neck thru design neck all built and it was 5/16" too narrow for the bridge I had selected for it (I got the bridge after I built the neck!). Yikes, was I screwed! Sooooooooooo, I removed the fretboard, planed a channel up both sides of the neck, glued in a maple strip on each side, hand planed and sanded it to size, added the fretboard back and had a usable neck that was 5/16" wider. I know, I could have gotten another bridge easier, but I had made my mind up and I wasn't going to do that.
After finishing, you can't even see the seams or wood that I added. With wood, almost anything is possible!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Repro%20NR%20TB%20Project/100_1290.jpg)
Thanks for the answer.
I figured it would work if the body wasn't already drilled for the bridge. The body I have in mind right now is just a one piece mahogany blank I have. I have 2 of them sitting in my garage just waiting to be used for something. I may just have to pick up one of those neck blanks.
Quote from: marcnorth on March 28, 2008, 10:16:49 AM
Thanks for the answer.
I figured it would work if the body wasn't already drilled for the bridge. The body I have in mind right now is just a one piece mahogany blank I have. I have 2 of them sitting in my garage just waiting to be used for something. I may just have to pick up one of those neck blanks.
With a virgin body blank, you could easily use this neck for either 32 or 34" scales. You probably would only need to trim a little off the end with wrecking the heel at all. I'll post detailed pics for you when I get home from work.
As promised..........
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Nitro%20Neck%20Pics/100_1352.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Nitro%20Neck%20Pics/100_1353.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Nitro%20Neck%20Pics/100_1354.jpg)
Is this one of the same greatdealz necks that he's selling now?
Quote from: Dave W on March 28, 2008, 10:08:17 PM
Is this one of the same greatdealz necks that he's selling now?
Yes, same one from greatdealz. They are nice. I bought one and liked it so much I got another just to have it. You never know when you'll need a neck and I couldn't build one from scratch for this price!
I'm tempted, but the 1 3/4" nut width concerns me. It could be narrowed, but to do it right would mean evenly tapering the neck blank all the way down to the heel. Might not be that easy to do without spending a lot of time on it.
Nothing a pencil and a plane couldn't solve. I wouldn't let a little thing like a fraction of an inch bother me. It's a lot easier to take some off as opposed to adding some on. I should know!
Quote from: Dave W on March 29, 2008, 10:35:11 AM
I'm tempted, but the 1 3/4" nut width concerns me. It could be narrowed, but to do it right would mean evenly tapering the neck blank all the way down to the heel. Might not be that easy to do without spending a lot of time on it.
Dear Mod Dave,
As the Dr. says not a big problem, The Ripper/G3 clone uses one of these necks (I bought 4) and it's down to a svelte 1 1/2" at the nut and about 2 3/8" at the end of the fingerboard. There's plenty to work with and laminated maple is pretty stiff stuff. I took quite a bit off the back also, it's slightly less than 5/8" thick front to back at the nut (not counting the fingerboard.)
I may have to pick up another (one?) of the three I have left, one's committed to the lefty R/G3 and I want at least one more righty, leaving me to choose between an RD clone and (?) I guess I'll be hitting Ebay again!
S.
Yeah, go for it! I might get another myself, just in case!