I'm confused about my neck

[Lord Henry]

I'm playing an Ibanez blazer. Not a quality bass I know, but it's getting my by for now. The thing is that the neck does not appear to a fretboard.

It's a single piece of wood (not sure what, light in colour, but if anyone could tell me I'd like to know). There is an inlaid thumb line on the back but at the front the frets are set striaght into the neck. Why is this? Is it simply cheaper and easier to build a neck that way? Is there any kind of advantage to this style of neck?

If pictures will help that let me know and I'll dig out the camera.

Cheers

[Hambone]

That still is a common construction method. But be assured that it takes just a little bit better piece of wood to do it that way than it is to put a matching fretboard on top. A fretboard will add a bit of stiffness. What you refer to as a "thumb line" is actually called in slang a "skunk stripe" and it's where a slot was routed to insert the trussrod. After the rod was installed, a contrasting wood was used to fill the void.

Fender's had 1 piece maple necks until about 20 years ago. My 75 P was a one piece.

[Puru]

A solid maple neck is fine, I got an 87 P bass with nice one. I've heard that the maple fretboard gives a brighter sound than the typical rosewood, although I've never compared them directly. If you look around you'll see that they are not at all uncommon.

[floopy]

I've just bought a cheapo 5-string (have never played a 5 before and wanted to test the water).

It has a one piece maple neck, with no finish on it whatsoever - just bare wood front and back.

Is it best to leave the neck unfinished, or to give a poly finish?

thanks

[Puru]

I don't have a wide experience with these, but my P bass neck has a solid gloss finish on it, my guess is that's standard. I saw Marcus Miller http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ric?sku=510405 with Herbie Hancock last night in Jacksonville, FL. His Fender has a solid maple. So did Kim Stone's with the Rippingtons. Lots of pop-slap going on there.

i have a fretless blazer myself. i added a jazz pickup and god deeyum, best bass ive played. i mean that seriously btw

[Mississippi Al]

Originally Posted by Lord Henry

I'm playing an Ibanez blazer. Not a quality bass I know, but it's getting my by for now. The thing is that the neck does not appear to a fretboard.

It's a single piece of wood (not sure what, light in colour, but if anyone could tell me I'd like to know). There is an inlaid thumb line on the back but at the front the frets are set striaght into the neck. Why is this? Is it simply cheaper and easier to build a neck that way? Is there any kind of advantage to this style of neck?

If pictures will help that let me know and I'll dig out the camera.

Cheers

All I can say is that at one time I owned five Precision Basses, the newest being a 1976, each had its' own character, size neck, weight ect. Alas I have sold them all but retained an Ibanez Blazer---why? One piece Maple Neck, Swamp Ash Body---which is exactly what a P-Bass is supposed to be. The tuners and brass bridge aren't too shabby either. Had mine set up professionally and it would be difficult not to say it nailed the Precision tone perfectly.

Right size, weight and most importantly price--I paid 140.00 for mine new. If it were stolen, dropped, lost in a fire ect--EBay has them for around 200 bucks. Labels and brand names are over rated. I played some really bad, heavy P-Basses in my day. What's funnier is the prices stupid people are willing to pay for these pieces of junk. Lots of fakes too thanks to laser printers, waterslides and frankenstein axes. Never saw anyone try to pass off a "fake" Blazer.