Shortscale bass (for baritone conversion)

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:57 am

This guy appears to have just cut a deeper angle to the headstock when re-shaping it, unless I'm missing something?

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:59 am

The Bronco Bass uses smaller tuners and has a smaller headstock than SX basses, it seems. Makes sense, the Bronco has a great weight balance as a result.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:49 am

I guess the rule of thumb would be to lay a ruler along each side of the neck and trace those edges onto the headstock - the bass side line would need to line up with the hole centre for the low E tuner, and the treble side line would need to be a hole diameter below the high E tuner hole centre. Klusons and similar are spaced an inch apart in the sideways direction, I think.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:08 pm

Yeah, it'd take a lot of measuring, no doubt. I'd just start by doweling the holes and then figuring out where to stick the tuners, cutting as necessary.

But, as it turns out, I don't think this idea would work all that well. Both the Bronco and Jaguar bass have a 1.5" nut width...same goes for the SX. That may be alright for some, but it's a deal breaker for me. I prefer 1-11/16" nuts...I think even a 1-5/8" nut feels a little narrow. Instead, I may just buy a conversion neck and stick it on the JM body I have

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:17 pm

Dillon wrote:Yeah, it'd take a lot of measuring, no doubt. I'd just start by doweling the holes and then figuring out where to stick the tuners, cutting as necessary.

But, as it turns out, I don't think this idea would work all that well. Both the Bronco and Jaguar bass have a 1.5" nut width...same goes for the SX. That may be alright for some, but it's a deal breaker for me. I prefer 1-11/16" nuts...I think even a 1-5/8" nut feels a little narrow. Instead, I may just buy a conversion neck and stick it on the JM body I have

Apparently that's the same nut width that original Fender Bass VI's had, though. Good enough for me, it's not like I've ever played a real 60s six-string bass before anyway. Only problem I can see with the Bronco is string length, possibly. Dano Baritones are conversions, with the neck converting the usual 25" scale to 30", I think (would that be right? Surely that would result in an overall scale shorter than the full 30"? Maybe I think about scale length all wrong) and the strings anchor at the bridge so the overall length of string before it narrows out for the tuners is shorter than on a Bass VI string, which are made longer as a result of having to be threaded through the trem first. Which means if I just used a Duo-Sonic-type guitar bridge on the Bronco the string lengths might be a bit out. But there's very little space at the end of the guitar to stick anything there. It would possibly have to be a string through job over a tunomatic to add an extra inch or so for full Bass VI strings.

Hmmmm.

Another option could be to buy a cheap Jass Bass body and shave the horns down to make it look more like a Bass VI and loading everything onto that, which would leave plenty of room for the Jaguar trem plate, too, which I think is what the guy above did.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:17 pm

Weirdly enough the original Bass VI has a 1.5" (or A width) nut as well. The neck I adapted had a 1.5" nut and although the feel is quite different to a bass or a guitar, it's very playable. Your fingers press "on" the strings instead of "on and around" the strings if that makes sense.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:27 pm

ekwatts wrote:Maybe I think about scale length all wrong) and the strings anchor at the bridge so the overall length of string before it narrows out for the tuners is shorter than on a Bass VI string, which are made longer as a result of having to be threaded through the trem first. Which means if I just used a Duo-Sonic-type guitar bridge on the Bronco the string lengths might be a bit out.

The length from the trem to the nut on a VI is 35-36" I think - that's where the taper starts. I actually strung mine using individually bought standard-scale bass strings because I have a shorter length between trem and bridge, the taper happerns in the right place and the Kluson copies take those strings easily.

ekwatts wrote:Another option could be to buy a cheap Jass Bass body and shave the horns down to make it look more like a Bass VI and loading everything onto that, which would leave plenty of room for the Jaguar trem plate, too, which I think is what the guy above did.

More or less - the JB body part is correct and I will be altering it (more like a Mustang). That didn't leave enough room for the trem though - a "real" VI neck is 19 frets but a JB neck pocket is deeper so everything moves toward the tail end of the guitar. I solved that using a Mustang trem which I had to slightly modify so it wouldn't snap strings when I threaded them up. The length works fine and it's a pretty good setup but I've only tried it with the tail-bar screwed down, not floating.
Clearly it's time for me to revive this project, I'm going to get it out and start work today.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:41 pm

I actually have a cheapo Jazz bass body. Problem is, it's lefthanded. But if I manage to grab a cheap Bronco I can at least see how everything fits together, even if it is the wrong way round.

I'm looking through your thread again, it's good stuff, the Mustang bridge is a really good idea and visually doesn't really alter the Bass VI design at all at first glance. I'm also guessing that means the overall length is slightly shorter than a "proper" Bass VI? Have you measured yours from end to end?

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:46 pm

It's in pieces at the moment, but yeah, it's about 2" shorter in overall length than a proper VI. No real idea if the trem will work, but if not, it will just stay screwed down. Thanks for the compliment!

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:21 pm

Also, what sort of tuners are you using on your build currently? Are they just regular split shaft Kluson types?

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:47 pm

Yep, split shaft Kluson copies (I think they were ex Fender but they have white plastic buttons). They take all the strings without problems - only the low E needs the taper to fit.
If you use a guitar bridge/tailpiece/whatever, be aware that you may need to modify it - bending a bass string 90 degrees is a likely way to snap the core when you tune it up. I needed to file grooves in the Mustang tailpiece to allow the strings to curve around when they pass through the bar - the sharp bend snapped 2 or 3 strings.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:50 am

I wonder if a Bass V (in the same style as a VI) would be cooler than a Bass VI, since it's probably easier to play, especially with fingers.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:00 am

Different animal I think - a Bass V is like most contemporary 5-string basses, and it has a 34" scale, a P bass pickup and wider string spacing - it's unquestionably a bass. The VI has the 30" scale and the tight string spacing - with the Strat / Jag pickups, multiple pickup switching and strangle switch, it's conceptually more a guitar, but an octave down.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:00 am

I guess I didn't express myself very well, I mean a Bass VI with one fewer string, so a 30" Bass V w/ EADGB tuning. Would be fun.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:17 am

Ah, the "Keith Richards" VI. Nice.

Mr Mustache · Post by **Mr Mustache** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:49 pm

This is worth looking at

scroll down to the red bronco bass with a guitar neck on it.

http://ilovefuzz.com/viewtopic.php?f=149&t=2333

Also i just got the Gretsch Baritone from Aen, it's a great instrument. You can pick them up for around 350-400 on the bay. I've got mine tuned E-e and it sounds fantastic.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:00 am

yeah, i posted that one in matthewk's thread a year or two ago. it looks awesome.

mordechaister · Post by **mordechaister** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:09 am

I've been thinking about doing this with one of those Gretsch shorties. (talking bass here) It's one of the few short scale basses that has a 1-5/8" nut, and as a bassist I'll take as much room as I can get playing with 6 strings.