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Well as the bass building bug hasn't quite worn off yet (or perhaps it's just me trying to avoid learning how to play properly?... :-P ) I'm already going through ideas of a new bass project. Intrigued and inspired by Danelectros like The Lost Patrol's long-horn baritone guitar and Daughter's DC bass in silver sparkle (my preferred body shape), I'd love to build one myself, their Masonite and skeleton bodies seem to be DIY friendly, and important original/reissue parts are still available. But there's that one sticking point - the neck... One option is to try to adapt it to suit the regular long-scale format, but I'm just not sure there's the real-estate to do that (I'm working on that at the moment). There are some fingerboard-less necks around, but for a newbie like me they might as well be a unshaped log - I really need a fretted, fingerboarded and radiused one, just with a blank headstock
Ideally though, if there were a ~30" neck available that could be used for both baritone guitar and short-scale bass conversions I'm sure there'd be a number of builders who would be interested in it - particularly if it were undrilled and symmetrical (full paddle) so as to be able to be adapted to suit inline 4/6 or 2+2/3+3 or other tuner layouts and headstock shapes. But how feasible is a neck that could suit both bass and guitar bodies? I just don't know... Maybe the experts can comment?
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This is what I'm hoping to make - only the right way around... ;-) (And probably in black + sparkle)
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con.../56831-DC1.jpg
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Good question... Bass necks are generally around 56 to 60 mm wide at the heel, depending on the make and model...
Baritone Guitars are starting to make a comeback, so there may be some necks floating around but I have not seen any yet.
I have a feeling that in your case it might be easier to contact your in house and very friendly Luthier at dingobass@pitbullguitars.com
I can build a neck to your specs for a reasonable price.
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Thanks DB - I'll keep the custom neck option in mind if my experiments in QCAD says no to a long scale version being feasible. :)
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I reckon you might be able to negotiate some "get out of the naughty corner free" cards at the same time, John!
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I picked up a second hand neck from the big E - not a Dano but has 70s? style closed tuners on it that I hope will will be usable. It'll do for this DIY experiment - a bit of a junkyard/pawn shop build
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John - check for the Gavmeister's Baritone Build where he converted a HB to a baritone guitar... http://www.pitbullguitars.com/commun...iewtopic&t=856. Looks even better in real life...
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I'd forgotten about that build, and hadn't noticed the HB was a short-scale... Maybe next time - I've got to get this Danelectro/Silvertone/lipstick-pickup bug out of my system first. Perhaps if there were a Sunday special sale on them one day... ;-)
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Well that sucks - the eBay G.P.S. company refused to send the neck from Kentucky, so I'm without a short-scale neck but at least I will get a full refund... So it's take two - this time with a similar "vintage"? long-scale neck (and tuners) from Tasmania, not really what I wanted but as a starting point for a experimental project it will do...
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Bummer... With all the mucking around it would prob. have been easier to get me to make one to your exact specs..
oh well, next time :)
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When I have one I want to make properly (a pedigree not a mongrel) I will definitely look into a proper built to spec neck DB ;-)
