Luthier to Convert a Long Scale Bass Into Medium Scale?

LenMinNJ

LenMinNJ

Supporting Member
Dec 22, 2010
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#1
Can someone recommend a luthier who would be able (and willing) to convert a Warwick Thumb NT4 from a 34-inch long scale to a 32-inch medium scale?

I've checked with Warwick and their dealers: a new, custom-made, medium scale, 32-inch Thumb NT4 costs way, way too much!
 
#4
Thanks for the creative suggestion. I never would have thought of it.

I tried it. String tensions are a bit strange. I guess that I should experiment with different gauges.

It would be nice if the dot markers were in the right places. Any suggestions for that?

I guess that I'm still interested in finding someone who could really convert the bass.
 
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#6
Thanks.

Maybe it'd make sense to use a bass with a bolt-on neck, and then order a customized neck for it with all of the markers moved up one fret. I'd miss my Thumb NT4!
 
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#8
If you don't mind the extra length being out there, a competent Luthier could make a "permanent" capo. Basically, install a slightly taller fret at the 2nd position and take out the 1st fret. What was the 2nd fret becomes a zero fret. Then move all the dots, by plugging and redrilling. Of course, you'd be losing two frets at the heel. It might look a little odd to some folks, but it would play and feel about like it does now.

If you want to really convert it to 32" scale, just like what a factory custom would be, that will be fairly expensive. Probably in the range of $800-$1000 by most Luthiers. It means a new custom neck-thru style neck, matching the Warwick construction and dimensions. Then the original bass get sawn apart and the wings transferred to the new neck. A lot of fitting and matching the finish.

Yes, if you chose a bolt-on Warwick model to start with, that would make things easier. A custom conversion neck for it would be more like $400-$500.
 
#9
Low84 said:
1. Remove bridge.
2. Re-position bridge closer to neck.
Click to expand...

???? If you did that, you'd also have to replace the fingerboard and all the frets. And, there isn't 2" of space behind the bridge pickup anyway, so you'd also have to fill and move the pickups.
 
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#10
Bruce Johnson said:
If you don't mind the extra length being out there, a competent Luthier could make a "permanent" capo. Basically, install a slightly taller fret at the 2nd position and take out the 1st fret. What was the 2nd fret becomes a zero fret. Then move all the dots, by plugging and redrilling. Of course, you'd be losing two frets at the heel. It might look a little odd to some folks, but it would play and feel about like it does now.

If you want to really convert it to 32" scale, just like what a factory custom would be, that will be fairly expensive. Probably in the range of $800-$1000 by most Luthiers. It means a new custom neck-thru style neck, matching the Warwick construction and dimensions. Then the original bass get sawn apart and the wings transferred to the new neck. A lot of fitting and matching the finish.

Yes, if you chose a bolt-on Warwick model to start with, that would make things easier. A custom conversion neck for it would be more like $400-$500.
Click to expand...

Unless I'm missing something, it seems like it'd be a lot easier to replace the fretboard with one slotted to 32" scale and relocate the bridge. No?

I guess that wouldn't be as 100% tidy as replacing the entire neck-through, since you'd have the plugged holes from the original bridge location, but I'd think with some careful wood selection for the plugs it could still look nearly undetectable.

Still wouldn't be exactly cheap, anyway.

Edit - ooops, I wasn't thinking about pickup placement. Nevermind............. and I'm sure I'd have noticed that before breaking out the power tools. Really :)
 
#11
BruceWane said:
Unless I'm missing something, it seems like it'd be a lot easier to replace the fretboard with one slotted to 32" scale and relocate the bridge. No?

I guess that wouldn't be as 100% tidy as replacing the entire neck-through, since you'd have the plugged holes from the original bridge location, but I'd think with some careful wood selection for the plugs it could still look nearly undetectable.

Still wouldn't be exactly cheap, anyway.

Edit - ooops, I wasn't thinking about pickup placement. Nevermind.............
Click to expand...

Yeah, that could be an in between solution.....if the bridge pickup wasn't so close to the bridge already.
 
#14
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#18
LenMinNJ said:
Can someone recommend a luthier who would be able (and willing) to convert a Warwick Thumb NT4 from a 34-inch long scale to a 32-inch medium scale?

I've checked with Warwick and their dealers: a new, custom-made, medium scale, 32-inch Thumb NT4 costs way, way too much!
Click to expand...

If that were a fender style bass then a new neck and moving the bridge would do the trick
 
#20
Converting a bass, especially one with that kind of value, seems like a huge disaster. Have you considered having a custom builder (not Warwick) make you something similar? I’m not sure if you know this already, but the same bass in medium scale is going to sound pretty different. So to me it doesn’t seem like a big deal to just have something built that’s similar. If you sold your thumb, and put that money with the money you were willing to spend on the modification, you should have a pretty nice instrument.
 
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