MIMF

Dear Mimf,

I'm trying to fulfill a promise I made 13 years ago to build a bass for a dentist in NJ.
However, I plead ignorance on basses and electric instruments.

Are there any pitfalls/cons on neck through guitars?

I'll be building both a neckthrough and a bolt on bass using port orford cedar (just happen to have both glued up from before my move to the new house).
I'll have carbon TOW in the neck, along with a dual action truss rod.

I'm not sure if wood warpage is an issue for neckthroughs (not being able to easily repair it)?
Not sure if I can prevent it with more Carbon TOW on the back of the body?

Also, my apologies if I'm typing weird.
I've been trying to go on a modified keto diet, and have low blood sugar.
I find myself typing and speaking like Yoda sometimes.

I had to shim the saddles (cheap Chinese) on a neck through bass I made years ago, as they didn't have enough vertical adjustment, and there was no way to change the neck angle after the fret board was on.

Carbon tow on the back of the body? Does that mean it will be exposed? I don’t think that is a good idea. I have used tow in necks but I bury it in slots cut into the neck before the fretboard is glued on.

Warping is mainly a factor of unstable wood that has not reached equilibrium with your shop environment. I prefer to have wood in my humidity controlled shop for a year or two before I use it.

Sorry not to clarify.

The carbon tow will be buried in the channel under the truss rod.

It won't be visible.

Also, the wood has been in my house for about 15 years now.
It should be dead nuts stable.

Now, I'm trying to figure out if I should cut the wings off, bandsaw the neck profile, and reglue the wings (reocmmended at yesterday's luthier meet by Bruce Sexauer). Alternatively, I'm tempted to just use a router for thicknessing/tapering the neck (routersled), and cutting the profile.

I like to put my carbon tow or pre-cast bars into their own slots on either side of the truss rod. I don’t know how much difference it makes, but I think it could have more effect to control twisting of the neck. However, the bottom of the truss rod slot is further from the neutral axis of the neck which is a good thing in regards to strength. So either position should be fine.