Johnson neck replacement

[PrimusPanda]

I might be getting a Johnson bass free from a friend but the neck is in terrible condition. Looking around people have usually put J necks on these P basses and have said it almost fits but has a small gap. If I am correct, P necks and J necks have the same width at the pocket, so both would end up with a small gap. I was planning on ordering a neck from warmoth, does anyone know what the specs should be for the neck to fit snug?

[walterw]

that's a losing battle. you could likely get a used fender mexi bass for the cost of a warmoth neck once you factor in a finish, a nut, and proper installation (not even counting the fret leveling it would likely need to play at its best), and have a better instrument.

what's "terrible" about the stock neck?

[pnut166]

Originally Posted by walterw

that's a losing battle. you could likely get a used fender mexi bass for the cost of a warmoth neck once you factor in a finish, a nut, and proper installation (not even counting the fret leveling it would likely need to play at its best), and have a better instrument.

what's "terrible" about the stock neck?

+1. You`re putting a Corvette neck on a Hyundai body. And odds are good you may not get a proper fit.

[PrimusPanda]

So there is no neck that would fit this bass properly? It doesn't need to be a warmoth neck, i just need something that will fit and look good.

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by walterw

what's "terrible" about the stock neck?

+ 1

Why not try

Checking for high frets
Setting the relief
Check the nut slots to make sure they are the correct depth
Set the intonation and action
Smooth any sharp fret ends (with fine emery cloth/paper)

You could even try your hand at fret levelling knowing that you have nothing to loose.

If you make a complete mess of it then get another neck but you may be surprised at luthering abilities (especially if you read the relevant posts) and how good a terrible neck can be once it is set up properly. Get looking through the stickies for setup information before throwing a load of cash at it.

I set up a cheap guitar (70s Les Paul clone) for a work college a while back, it was a complete dog to play. I levelled a couple of high frets, set the neck relief, action, intonation, pickup heights, and a new set of strings. Not really rocket science. He could not believe it was the same one when I gave him it back.

[PrimusPanda]

I will try to put a pic up of the neck. Idk how old it is but the frets have lime buildup or something all over and the fret board looks like it has been charred simply by use and not being properly taken care of. The gloss on the back of the neck is chipping off the whole length of the neck plus it has a few dings in it. All of this along with my personal opinion that the headstock looks bad leaves me thinking it would be better just to get a new neck. P basses from Johnson are short scales aren't they? I am also wanting a full length P neck for it.

[PrimusPanda]

Just measured the width of the neck at the base, its 2.5 inches wide. Is that a normal size for P necks?

[delta7fred]

What is the scale length (distance from the nut to the saddles) a P is nominally 34".

If it is a short scale then I would be a bit careful just screwing a standard neck onto it. I would first compare it to a P to see if the bridge (saddles) to neck pocket measurement is the same or very close. If it isn't then don't waste your money on a new neck as you will probably not get the intonation correct without moving the bridge.

[Bassquest]

I bought a new Johnson replacement neck on ebay for my jazz copy. It was a little snug so I turned it over on the floor and stood on it until it went in. No damage and plays ok. (By the way this is my 1st post and I finally got up the courage).

[Richard G]

i put a squier jazz neck on a johnson precision body it fit good, to me maybe a small little spare space in there but worked fine for me then i put bart p bass pick ups and preamp and a bad ass bridge ..and it is a monster to me!

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by Richard G

i put a squier jazz neck on a johnson precision body it fit good, to me maybe a small little spare space in there but worked fine for me then i put bart p bass pick ups and preamp and a bad ass bridge ..and it is a monster to me!

Ignore my last post, I just didn't want you wasting your hard earned cash.

[PrimusPanda]

Any input for a mighty mite P neck? They don't seem crazy expensive and I'm not looking for a crazy expensive, decked out bass. Just something that will function, play, and look decent.

[PrimusPanda]

I just want to make sure everything will work out before spending a decent chunk of money.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by PrimusPanda

...the frets have lime buildup or something all over and the fret board looks like it has been charred simply by use and not being properly taken care of. The gloss on the back of the neck is chipping off the whole length of the neck plus it has a few dings in it. All of this along with my personal opinion that the headstock looks bad leaves me thinking it would be better just to get a new neck.

none of those are reasons to bother with a new neck (except if you just hate the look of the headstock).

the frets and fretboard can be easily cleaned, and finish flaws have no effect on playability.

it's like you want to put a new engine in your car because the old one's dirty!