MIMF

When shaping the back of a neck for a bass - what is considered a "safe" distance from the bottom of the truss rod slot? I'm using LMI's two-way truss rod and I've been carving my necks to .200 at 1st fret to .250 at the other end and have not had any problems yet. But I'm wondering just how thin you can go and still be considered "safe"?

Thanks

Obviously, more is better.
For guitars, the typical answers range from 0.10" to 0.125" minimum. I'd say 0.125" should be OK for a bass.

Yeah I agree in that 1/8" (0.125) should be the absolute minimum.

I try to keep it at 1/8" minimum but I have a feeling I've probably gone thinner once I get everything shaped and sanded. Haven't had any problems yet.

I'm still in the process of building my first bass, but I'm planning to keep around 4mm (0.160) of wood under the truss rod nut of the headstock end, but that's because i like my stuff "solid". I agree with John that 0.125 would be the minimum. Remember that when using a double action rod, especially in a bass guitar (expecting that you will need to control an upbow tendency), you need some meat under the truss rod nuts but not on the lenght of the rod, meaning that you can go thinner on most of the neck and leave it a bit thicker under the nut. The profile below shows how I do it.

You can use a small neodymium magnet on the back of the neck to estimate how much meat is left over the rod.
I also wonder about where this .125" /3mm minimum figure came from. I have a feeling it was originally in reference to single, curved or straight rods?