Help, My Neck Moves From Side to Side!

m0nst3r · #1 06-17-2008, 12:21 PM

I recently got a used MIM P Bass, and it's fine in terms of sound and playability, but today I noticed something. I picked it up out of its case, and the upper horn accidently hit against my chest, not too hard though. When I did this, I heard this creak-like sound coming from the neck pocket, and it felt like the neck moved sideways a little. I tried to replicate the sound and movement, and unfortunately, I was able to. I tightened all the bolts just to make sure none of them were loose, but it still does it. Now, the neck doesn't move enough to really affect playability, but I'm worried that this could get worse. I have no idea what's causing the neck to do this, nor do I know how to fix it. Any ideas? Is it serious?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a picture that shows which way the neck is moving:

JimmyM · #2 06-17-2008, 02:58 PM

You need to shim one side of the neck pocket so it forces the neck to stay in position. You also have to really really tighten down your neck bolts. A lot of Fenders have loose neck pockets, but they can usually be fixed by shimming and tightening.

JTE · #3 06-17-2008, 03:34 PM

It's a "feature" to make them more like the coveted '70s Fender basses. When I was a dealer we were told at a dealer seminar that if an instrument had the neck mis-aligned, that the proper way to "fix" it was to just pop it back in place.

Tighten the neck screws a little.

jte

bassmanrocke · #4 06-17-2008, 08:48 PM

I have always been able to tighten my necks enough that I didn't have this problem, but I have heard a trick to help. You can get a small piece of sanding screen(used by auto body guys to take down filler) and place it under the neck then tighten down the neck. The tangs on the screen will grab ahold of both the neck and the body and decrease any side to side movement. Like I said I've never had to do this, so I wish you the best of luck.

m0nst3r · #5 06-19-2008, 11:21 PM

Cool, thanks everyone. It's good to know that this isn't serious.

Webtroll · #6 06-20-2008, 10:35 AM

I was told by an older luthier that the mesh material used in some belt sanders can be used in the neck pocket and once clamped down by tightening the screws it makes the neck much harder to shift. This was suggested to me for the same problem on my '75 Strat but I haven't tried it yet. The mesh I aquired bends fine but is very resistant to torque (side to side shifting) so it looks like it could work pretty well. This is nothing like screen mesh which can be twisted around easily.

staindbass · #7 06-20-2008, 12:28 PM

no-no on the mesh. that joint is what makes your instrument vibrate. the tone will change. sustain will lessen. only one way. shims need not apply, the weather will make them change thickness. crazy glue. both sides of the joint must be finished. if the body has no finish, paint it with nailpolish. leave the 2 outside strings on, take the rest off. loosen the strings so u can take the neck off and on, with just enough tension to pull the strings straight, so you can tell if the neck is lined up properly. make an X with crazy glue in the center across the bolt holes. quickly put the neck back in, and move it so the strings are where you want them to be on the outside edges of the neck. then tighten the screws. this is the only way i have found to fix this. otherwise you will knock it out of tune all the time. to remove: remove the neck screws, give a sharp rap on the back of the neck, it will pop off, and you can scrape the crazyglue residue off with a butterknife. johnny a.

Pilgrim · #8 06-20-2008, 01:20 PM

It's no big deal, and IMO, being able to shift the neck left and right helps to align the strings on the fretboard when installing the neck.

If the neck shifts too easily, I'd use the sandpaper in the neck pocket trick, tighten down the screws and go on with life.

**Mark Wilson** · #9 06-22-2008, 04:33 PM

How did you pick it up? Deadlift?

marcau · #10 12-15-2008, 04:14 PM

Based on JTE's post, this is normal for 70s style basses? my 75 RI does the same thing, does not affect playability, but kinda eating away at me from the inside... The only reason im considering picking up another bass.

JTE · #11 12-15-2008, 04:27 PM

Yeah, it's a common "feature" on '70s Fender instruments, especially the 3-bolt ones. It's not because of the 3 bolts I don't think, but because of the sloppy neck pocket build. The pocket is bigger than the neck, and the finish is pretty slick so things slide around.

Don't be afraid of the hardware mesh. I've done it to quite a few instruments and it didn't make any noticable differenc in tone. Super glue utterly defeats the reason for a bolt-on neck and is just as likely to affect the tone as a bit of wire mesh will. And wood shims will absorb moisture, but not likely enough to move the neck around (if you do the shims right they'll be too tight to absorb much humidity). And plastic shims won't absorb humidity anyway.

jte

perucci · #12 12-16-2008, 08:55 AM

Just be careful not to over-tighten the screws.

They should be good and snug, but don't "torque them down". If you over-tighten, you'll probably get warpage of the fretboard tongue over time; the high frets will be too high, and cause buzzing.

Zooberwerx · #13 12-17-2008, 11:27 AM

Here's another trick that also works well when aligning / gluing fingerboards: Remove the neck and, with a quality staple gun, zap a couple of staples into the heel of the neck. I would space them evenly betweenst the two pairs of screw holes. Caution: be careful not to to "bury" them into the wood; you need at least 3-4 mm protruding. Clip the heads off at an angle (you need the resulting post ends to be sharp!). Re-position (may take a couple trys) the neck and press down firmly so the posts dig into the neck pocket. Insert / tighten the screws and you're back in business. The staple posts will prevent the neck from shifting and does not interfere with contact between the neck and body woods.

Wile E. Coyote.....genius.

Riis

JLS · #14 12-17-2008, 07:01 PM

Another option: Do what I just did, to a Yamaha BB G5, which is to convert it to 1/4-20 buttonhead machine screws, and threaded inserts.

alexgeddy · #15 12-17-2008, 07:20 PM

I think a simpler answer is to go buy a bunch of guitar pics (specd out in size) and find one that fits the side of the neck that is moving, and cut it like a shim on the side of the neck pocket and put it all back together.... I have done this a lot and use measured guitar picks for shims under my fingerboards!!

any questions feel free to pm me !!

good luck ,
bill

Mr.Bassie720 · #16 12-17-2008, 10:29 PM

Another option: Do what I just did, to a Yamaha BB G5, which is to convert it to 1/4-20 buttonhead machine screws, and threaded inserts.

I second the advice that JLS gave. Threaded inserts significantly improve the mechanical connection between your neck and body.

John Wentzien · #17 12-17-2008, 10:44 PM

Take a peice of sandpaper and just lightly roughen-up the neck pocket and the heel-joint. Make sure you clean it good after.. That will give it some "tooth" when you tighten up the screws.

JLS · #18 12-18-2008, 06:41 AM

[quote=
I second the advice that JLS gave. Threaded inserts significantly improve the mechanical connection between your neck and body.[/QUOTE]

Yep--I can feel the difference, playing unplugged, against my body; feels much more like a neck-through. I ordered some steel inserts from McFeely's, don't trust brass ones, which might strip internally from zealous torquing--I can tighten these machine screws way past the point that a woodscrew would've either stripped out the wood, or snapped its head.

I did this to my two other basses about 20 years ago. None of these necks moves one iota, I can assure you!

Monkey · #19 12-18-2008, 09:39 AM

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with a quality staple gun, zap a couple of staples into the heel of the neck. I would space them evenly betweenst the two pairs of screw holes.

I think this is by far the best solution. I also have used thin brad nails with the head snipped off. This preserves the wood-to-wood contact while preventing side movement.

I would be reluctant to put sandpaper, mesh or anything else that might interfere with the transmission of vibration.

georgestrings · #20 12-18-2008, 09:18 PM

I once used a couple of spots of wood glue between the neck and pocket for such a situation - trued it up, tightened it down, then strung it up the next day... There was no noticeable difference in sound, and the neck never moved again... Later, when I removed the neck again - to have the body painted - it came back apart with no trouble...

- georgestrings