Gecko Neck question and angled headstock

[Rolle]

Hi there,

Anyone that has encounter problem with the Gecko neck/angled headstock? I'm planning to build a Gecko 5 but my concern is the angled headstock. I have a custom j-bass with warmoth neck and a Fender AMD 5string. Both basses has fell on their sides, luckily while in their cases. No problem has occured, so the fender "straight" headstock is strong.

I play mostly on small stages and there is always a risk that something happens to the instruments. 5piece band means lots of hands, feets and stuff. While my bandmates and I take very good care of our and each others instuments something always happens. 3/4 times my basses has fallen, has been due to my bandmates mistakes, feet, amp or drum has puffed to my case and the bass has fallen to it's side. Such things just happen and usually when carrying the stuff back or to the stages.

So the questions are:

1. Is the angled headstock weaker than a strait headstock?
2. Does Warmoth Gecko necks support the "superbass" construcktion
3. Is the 4-bolt neckjoint enough stable to support the tension from a 35" 5-string scale?

Cheers, Rolle

 

[Wyliee]

1.) No problems with the angled headstock.  It is a scarf joint and quite strong.
2.) Gecko 5 Narrow and Medium use the reinforcing rods.  The Wide 5 and 6 use dual truss rods.
3.) Yes.  If it wasn't strong enough, it wouldn't be offered!

 

[tfcreative]

Shoot, Joe Veillette makes a 5-string with a 3-bolt neck.

 

[Rolle]

Thanks for the answers! Helped me very much.

So the angled back headstock is strong, comparable with the straight headstock, right?
Neck joint/pocket with 4 bolts is stable enough to keep the sustain though it's a 35" 5string, right?!

On talkbass.com I got answer about the bridge option. Heard that the Kahler 5 is discontinued, but still Warmoth has it on their sites. Have seen and heard many that have choosen hipshot A style bridge, which seams to be ok. Anyone tried gotoh or schaller?!

Anyone that knows if the bass fits a "normal" Warwick rockcase etc.? The hardshell case that Warmoth offer is quite expensive.

Now all I have to do is choose the right tonewood. Thought mahogany at first, but read on this forum that there could be big variations on mahogany, even in the same log. The neck is however going to be of wenge/ebony.

Does anyone got soundclips? Duncan or EMG pups are on the list. Leaning towards to the Duncan. Don't want to hitech sound, which I think EMG provides.

Rolle

 

[tfcreative]

Well, what do you want your bass to sound like? This should really inform your wood and pickup choices.

As for bridges, Hipshot A is really the king of bass bridges.