neck back bowed?

Juniorkimbrough · #1 01-12-2006, 03:17 PM

I have a replacement neck that I have had off of a bass for a month or so now and I looked to see if it was straight the other day and it seems it has a very slight back bow to it. Is this just because it's not on a body with strings and has no tension or is the neck screwed?

PilbaraBass · #2 01-12-2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juniorkimbrough

I have a replacement neck that I have had off of a bass for a month or so now and I looked to see if it was straight the other day and it seems it has a very slight back bow to it. Is this just because it's not on a body with strings and has no tension or is the neck screwed?

you won't know until you put tension on it...but, I'll tell you this much...I wouldn't leave it this way (there may still be a little tension the trussrod, in which case, you either detention the truss rod or put string tension on it.

since the neck isn't on a bass at the moment, loosen the truss rod.

if it is still back bowed after completely detensioning, then I'd suggest laying it face-up across a pair of supports and then hanging a weight on it (like a paint can from a guitar strap) until you have it strait, and leave it this way for a while (a few days or so, until the back bow is gone).

reason being, the last thing you want to happen is for it to get worse.

Juniorkimbrough · #3 01-13-2006, 08:12 AM

I already loosened the truss rod, that's when I noticed the slight back bow. It's not bad at all, but it's not straight.

Bass · #4 01-13-2006, 08:40 AM

I wouldn't worry about this one bit. When you install the neck and bring it up to tune, you'll likely find the relief to be just about right.

Pilbara... does the paint can trick really work? I removed a backbow from a guitar neck once, using a heat lamp, wood clamps and a fulcrum. I recall it took a few days to remove the bow, and a) I was applying far more pressure than a paint can would supply; b) the neck was a guitar neck vs a bass neck and c) the movement was assisted by the heat lamp. Mind you, the backbow was quite severe on the guitar neck, whereas Junior says his backbow is very slight.

Are there any other tricks for removing a backbow?