Stand up bass

[Jerry Ryan]

I picked up an old standup bass at a college auction for $200. The neck has a high spot about 2/3 of the way up the neck, right above where the neck and body join. Essentially it appears the neck needs to be planed down to stop the buzz. Or just keep the action sky high. Has anyone done that?

[Mike Kolb]

As a matter of fact, I just planed one down yesterday morning!  One of my stand-ups is an old German 3/4-size with a rosewood neck. After sitting in a corner for the winter, it developed a buzz on the D-string, roughly between the F# & G. 

First step is to accurately identify the location... take a straightedge and place a strong light behind the suspect area. Look for the high spot with the light, then verify it by using a shorter straightedge and "rock" it on the high spot and mark it with a pencil.  I've had the best luck using a fairly heavy, but medium-length, plane to take the high spot down. 

The only caution to add (but it doesn't apply in your case) is to be really careful trying to take-out a high spot on the unsupported portion of the fingerboard over the body, as that area tends to flex a lot and it's hard to tell the difference between a high spot and the end of board tending to curl.  Good luck, you bought it $$ right!

[Jerry Ryan]

Thanks! That seemed to be the logical approach, glad you confirmed it!   Jerry

[Kerry Krishna]

Jerry, you are one blessed guy! There are probably dozens here on the site that would have loved to have been in your shoes buying that monster for $200! 

[Len Biglin]

I love the pic. with basses lined up on the road surface , even I aint that rough !

[LARRY KLOSE]

Looks like the road surface might be carpet.  But given the side finish, it probably doesn't matter.

I, too, would have liked to have found that college... .

Larry

[Steve Kirtley]

Just keep in mind that this ain't no guitar fingerboard. It's not supposed to be dead-straight. A bass fingerboard has a bit of relief on the high string and lot of relief on the low strings. Obviously the relief should be a gentle curve without any buzz-inducing humps.

Steve

[Jerry Ryan]

Steve, Thanks for the tip!

Jerry