New neck for a Laredo 5-er (project infancy opinions)

[incubus2432]

Well, I left it to Dale since he's the expert. He's following, what sounds like, your method with the addition of stronger truss rods.

My tentative plan details are to use my JetGlo Laredo......

......finishing it in JetGlo as it is currently with the new, wider fretboard done as well.
......the ACG electronics that I already ordered being installed with the 5 knob layout resembling 4001/4003 control setup.
......headstock bass side reconfigured for three tuners.
......Nordstrand p/u's installed.
......possibly using a black pearl inlay material for traditional full width inlays with a black bound fretboard.

A possibility I'd like to explore with Dale is making it a 21 fret (I'd prefer 24 but 21 will do) fretboard. I'd like to leave the bridge position roughly where it is and extend the fretboard in slightly. Another consideration, I imagine, would be the the p/u position would have to be altered and I'm not sure how possible it is to fill the stock routes and have them remain invisible in the years to come. Like how the neck glue joints are visible in solid color basses after several years......it's fine that joints show up but a few block fillers visible on the face would be, IMO, hideous.

Final details have to be worked out still.

Dale's pretty backed up, Brian. I wouldn't expect it to be ready for RIO.

I talked to him last year about my thoughts on an eight string project when I was going to convert the Red Laredo I had. The timeframe was this Spring sometime and he had mentioned that he took note of my project. So maybe when I contacted him about this "5 instead of 8" project my original slot was still "held". Maybe not, but he said that when I find my donor to send it off and he'd start on it ASAP (which may mean in the Fall). No big deal but I'd rather not send anything off until the work is near. I'll find out when I can catch up to him on the phone.

[aceonbass]

If the original neck is cut right down the middle after the old fingerboard is planed off, you'll not only be able to use the original truss rods, but they won't even have to be removed. Stronger truss rods aren't needed. I would move the bridge back 3/4" and go with a 20 fret-34" scale. If the original pick up routes are simply enlarged to accomodate the new pickups, there will be no reason to fill them and worry about it showing throught the finish.

[gshadoan]

Brian, let Dale know that I would be willing to drop by, and have him inspect the CII/5, if he wants, and also, I would LOVE to be there when he does the dirty deed, hell i would even video tape it for you all, the neck sawing part

[incubus2432]

If the original neck is cut right down the middle and after the old fingerboard is planed off, you'll not only be able to use the original truss rods, but they won't even have to be removed. Stronger truss rods aren't needed. I would move the bridge back 3/4" and go with a 20 fret-34" scale. If the original pick up routes are simply enlarged to accomodate the new pickups, there will be no reason to fill them and worry about it showing throught the finish.

Dale mentioned changing to stronger rods and I see no reason to second guess him. Plenty of Rics are fine with 5 strings but a few are not and plenty of 8 strings are not. If it gives a measure of added security I see no reason to not swap 'em out. The scale is fine and I see no benefit to changing it.....I'd just like another fret. I realize enlarging the p/u routes are the way to go BUT if the fretboard comes more inland then the bass p/u needs moved as well. I'm not sure how much of the original route will remain exposed but that is something for consideration when I finalize the details.

Brian, let Dale know that I would be willing to drop by, and have him inspect the CII/5, if he wants, and also, I would LOVE to be there when he does the dirty deed, hell i would even video tape it for you all, the neck sawing part

I'll pass it on and thanks for the offer.

[jwr2]

Also adding a 1/4" strip of wood through the middle of the neck should strengthen it as well ...

[nattiep]

This is a lot of work. Sure you just don't wanna drill one hole?

[aceonbass]

Brian, one advantage to changing truss rods would be that you could extend the fretboard to 24 frets without burying the original truss rod ends. If Dale wants new rods then that would get you your two octave fretboard. If you have the neck pickup up against the neck, all of the original route would be covered by the new fretboard(after filling the old pickup route and re-slotting for longer rods. To increase accessability to the 24th fret, you can bring the cutaways in a little deeper too. Since there's room, moving the bridge back to make a 34" scale would increase the resonance of anything on the B string as well as every other note on the bass. Your left hand wouldn't know the difference.

[sloop_john_b]

This is a lot of work. Sure you just don't wanna drill one hole?

The narrow spacing is the issue here. I've played some 4003s5's, which I assume are pretty similar to the 425 method, and it was completely unmanagable, which I imagine it may be for Brian. The 4004 does have the slightly wider neck, but it's probably not enough to make much of a difference.

[markbass99]

Actually John there is a very noticeable difference between a 4003/S5 and a 4004 conversion but this option is only for someone who has medium sized hands. I played an S5 one time and and was too tight for me, with a 2.25" bridge the string pitch is about 14.3mm vs 17.5mm for a standard 4001. Most bass manufacturers build their fivers at 17.5, 18, or 19mm. My 4004 conversions are around 16mm and that 1.7mm difference over the S5 will allow finger style playing, provided you don't have big sausage fingers, which I think is Brian's problem.......

[jwr2]

This is a lot of work. Sure you just don't wanna drill one hole?

+11

[jwr2]

Actually John there is a very noticeable difference between a 4003/S5 and a 4004 conversion but this option is only for someone who has medium sized hands. I played an S5 one time and and was too tight for me, with a 2.25" bridge the string pitch is about 14.3mm vs 17.5mm for a standard 4001. Most bass manufacturers build their fivers at 17.5, 18, or 19mm. My 4004 conversions are around 16mm and that 1.7mm difference over the S5 will allow finger style playing, provided you don't have big sausage fingers, which I think is Brian's problem.......

Like I said before with replacement pickups you can get a 2 5/8" spacing at the bridge ...

[jwr2]

Brian:

Take a vacation in Denver and come over and play all 13 of my 5 string basses with various spacings