Moisture in the neck:( - Page 2

62bass · #21 03-26-2008, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnLovesRush

ok well for those who are still interesting!. I doubt many lol.. I brought it back to the shop.. he basically put it back the way it was in the beginning and then agreed to give me a refund which is fair enough.. apparently the neck if warped a bit but may improve with the forthcoming summer... however if it doesn't I don't know what to do with regards to getting a new neck..any thoughts?

Without having the bass right in front of me it's hard to say what the problem really is. It's possible the neck can easily be salvaged and at low cost. Or, it may be warped so badly it would cost more to fix than a replacement would cost. Anyhow, from your posts it's easy to tell you don't know enough to fix it yourself or to know if a tech is competent or not. I wouldn't wait for summer weather to hope the change in climate will fix it. What happens when winter comes again?

You can buy replacement necks from Allparts and other companies that should fit your bass. You'll need someone to instal the new neck and do a set up for you. That's going to cost you a fair chunk of money in the end. You'll have to decide if the bass is worth it to you or not.

GlennW · #22 03-26-2008, 06:31 AM

I'm glad they gave you a refund. I know you're new to this, but it isn't difficult to shim the TR nut. In fact, this is a great learning opportunity for you because if the neck is really warped you're not likely to screw it up, so you have nothing to loose other than 5 or 10 cents for a nut and some time to get it to slide over your truss rod.

Edit: Maybe the shop is using "warped" to describe an excessive bow. I can't tell without seeing it. If I were you, I'd loosen the strings so they aren't under tension, and then back off the TR nut (make sure you use the correct size allen wrench or whatever tool is required) until it's loose. Let it set a while, then take a framing square or something to act as a straightedge and set it edgeways down the center of the neck. See if there's clearance between the straightedge and frets, especially around the 6th-9th frets. If there's a lot of clearance there's a good chance shimming the TR nut will help. The straightedge might want to rock instead (opposite bow), but I doubt if that will happen from what you've described.

JohnLovesRush · #23 03-27-2008, 05:10 AM

basically the very top of the neck(where it meets the body

to save confusion)..is slightly higher up then the rest of the neck..and thinking back I don't think the guy who did it was amazingly competent.. I have the number for another guy who is one of the highest recommended in Ireland.. did work for U2 etc, before I got the refund I brought it into another shop and the guy there didn't think it was warped at all.

Only other prob with it is it's a 19 year old neck..fretless.. always used steal strings

rounds..so that has done some material damage to the fretboard..however I really amn't a fan of flats..so realistically I should switch to save the neck..but you sacrifice tone etc

GlennW · #24 03-27-2008, 05:23 AM

I overlooked or forgot about it being fretless.

Where the neck meets the body is often called the heel.

If the only thing wrong with it is that's it's a little high in that area the good tech should be able to sand it down easily since it's fretless.

You might like TI Jazz Flats, they sound great and last for years.

Good luck with it.

JEDI BASS · #25 03-27-2008, 05:40 AM

I haven't read the whole thread. But, I'm betting the shop told you the truth. Moisture damage will make the fret board have high spots that NO amount of truss or saddle adjustment will fix (sounds like your problem, to me). If the neck had frets, they could be filed in a manner to minimize the high spots. But, a fretless will need the whole board levelled (sanded) and refinished if it's maple. If the board is coming unglued in spots, you have major damage!! I've had this on a used Rick. Anyways, if it's just high spots, consider HG Thor at http://www.woodwiz.com/epoxy/ he's fixing my fretless Yamaha neck and putting his super-hard epoxy (ala Jaco) coating on it. My neck had a back-bow even w/ the truss completely loose, and mucho buzzing. He's sanding the bow out for me. It'll play perfectly when he's done, guaranteed! His work is phenomenal.

JEDI BASS · #26 03-27-2008, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnLovesRush

basically the very top of the neck(where it meets the body

to save confusion)..is slightly higher up then the rest of the neck..and thinking back I don't think the guy who did it was amazingly competent.. I have the number for another guy who is one of the highest recommended in Ireland.. did work for U2 etc, before I got the refund I brought it into another shop and the guy there didn't think it was warped at all.

Only other prob with it is it's a 19 year old neck..fretless.. always used steal strings

rounds..so that has done some material damage to the fretboard..however I really amn't a fan of flats..so realistically I should switch to save the neck..but you sacrifice tone etc

BTW, HG Thor's conversions are like glass, and you can use the most abrasive strings on the market, no problem. It'd cost you, but some things are SOOO WORTH IT!! He's got a price list on his site, and a waiting list. He got to me in about 6 months.

GlennW · #27 03-27-2008, 06:55 PM

It might have been caused by being too hot for too long. I've read about similar conditions; the bass is left in a car trunk or attic and bends a little where the nech meets the body. On some older ones the glue holding the fretboard also gets hot enough to soften, so when the neck bends the heel end of the fretboard goes past the end of the neck; then it cools down and stays glued in the new spot. I've seen a couple like that.

Jim Carr · #28 03-27-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEDI BASS

I haven't read the whole thread...

Shoulda....Harris G. Thor is in Vestal, New York, but the OP is in Dublin, Ireland.

However, Jedi Bass has a point. Dressing (planing) the FB of a fretless is not that big a deal. Heck, it sounds like you have a hump in the high frets. Many older Fenders get these.

On a fretted bass, the fix is to defret, plane, sand, refret, and go. With fretless, it is plane and sand. Find a real pro and be ready to spend at least twice what that setup cost. This is really a semi-restoration.

The results of neck restoration vary, of course, but the two I have had done worked out well.

Get someone who has done it a lot. Oh, and epoxy works so much better on a well-dressed fingerboard, IMHO.

JohnLovesRush · #29 03-28-2008, 07:11 AM

yeah I have a tech I can ring.. i shall do that and see what he says