5-bolt pattern on a bolt-on neck?

[Steve Sawyer]

I admit that the motivation is more cosmetic than anything else, but would there be any downside to a pattern like this on my current short-scale bass build?

[Andy Bounsall]

You’d want to make sure that the fifth screw/bolt...the one in the centre...isn’t going to run into the truss rod in the neck.

[Barry Daniels]

From a structural engineering aspect, most of the stress on the joint will be exerted on that single bolt. Not really a good idea.

[Steve Sawyer]

Andy - thanks! I would have ended up grinding the point off a screw (duh!)

Barry - good point on that. So taking all of this into account, would this be structurally sound, or should I push both body-side bolts back close to the heel?

[Peter Wilcox]

I'm an engineering (and lutherie) ignoramus so take what I say with that in mind. I think the vertical stress (that would fold the neck) on that joint is minimal, and in a well fit neck pocket a single bolt/screw would be adequate (of course I use 3 or 4 anyway. ) I've recently taken to making steel string acoustics with an adjustable neck (flat heel like an electric), and the necks are held on with two drywall screws - no problems yet, but it's only been months.

[Barry Daniels]

Yes, I would push the two screws close to the heel but try to make them closer to even with each other to allow both screws to carry equal stress.

[Steve Sawyer]

Ok. Thanks guys. On a related issue, my original plan was to have the heel 1” thick. Took a bit more planing to get everything nicely squared-up, so the neck is closer to 3/4”. I can easily “stack” the heel to 1” which will allow carving a smoother transition between the body and neck, but the body is about 1 11/16” thick. Do you think that gives me enough “meat” for mounting the neck, or should I leave the neck as-is @ 3/4” and the bottom of the neck pocket at 15/16”?