 |
 |
 |
 |
|
The
neck is shaped largely by hand. I have specific tolerances for the thickness
that I carve all my necks to but the shapes can vary a bit according to
taste.
|
I
like to start shaping the neck by rasping the 2 ends into shape. I find
it easier to spoke shave the rest of the neck to the final shape when
I have the ends shaped first. I used the old neck (with the butt crack
glued) as a guide since the owner was very happy with its' shape.
|
|
The neck is shaped with spoke shaves and rasps. it is sanded to a fine grit. I raise the grain up by "sponging"- applying hot water to the wood which brings the grain up. I do that at least 3 times, stain the wood slightly to accentuate the flame and then hand rub in boiled linseed oil. All that is left to do is to varnish the peg box, scroll butt and neck butt. I use a centuries old varnish recipe that I make up from the same materials that were available 200 years ago. Then the gears are installed and the bass is strung back up. |
 |
 |
The new neck has flame that is easily as eye catching as the original neck's. We were surprised at how much improved the bass sounded with its new neck. I was able to make small corrections to the alignment of the neck that yielded much larger gains in the sound of the bass than I had expected from such small changes. Perhaps the fit of the neck neck is much better than the original (the old butt came out easily enough). It is all part of what makes bass luthiery such a rewarding & enjoyable occupation. |
Copyright 2001, William E. Merchant. All rights reserved.