Oh... my neck!

phyfe · #1 05-12-2011, 05:13 PM

Got a 2002 Schecter Diamond Series Custom 5, one piece maple neck, rosewood board.

Neck is very noticeably twisted, low side twisted upwards. Nut and bridge could possibly compensate, but...

On the low side, looking from the nut toward bridge, neck bows UP for about four frets and then DOWN (that's right.. an 'S' curve!). High side is straight. Neck rod is adjusted to give slight relief on the high side, but low side has this 'reflex' curve.

Repairable? At what cost? Am I done? Any five-string, six-bolt Schecter necks out there?

What do you think?

Thanks,
phyfe

Musiclogic · #2 05-12-2011, 09:12 PM

There are people who say they can fix a twisted neck, I think you are better off seeing about getting a new neck made or contacting Schecter about a replacement. They are usually pretty easy to get along with.mmbest of luck

phyfe · #3 05-12-2011, 09:38 PM

Thanks for the reply!

Schecter tells me they don't sell parts (bodies or necks). They directed me to Ebay, Allparts and some other place I can't remember.

Beej · #4 05-12-2011, 09:39 PM

How about some pictures of what we're dealing with phyfe?

lethargytartare · #5 05-12-2011, 11:26 PM

Yeah, Schecter is really bad about any kind of support or parts like they just get instruments from a vortex and sell them.

So the things I've heard and been told -- warped wood can't be unwarped (it'll want to go back to that warped state). And I can't remember ever seeing a schecter neck for sale.

You COULD try to plane the neck to a useable state and refret it -- which would probably result in the frets cutting into the neck wood on the low side...and would cost you a ton (for a shop to do it, 200-300+, for you to do it 200+ in tools and hours and hours of labor and learning). And STILL might be a poor result.

What you can also do is get the scale, find an aftermarket neck you like, then get a shop to route the neck pocket for your new neck -- or get the pocket routed for a standard heel size and get a neck to fit it. Should be cheaper than a refret, and with a standard neck pocket you'll have future freedom to try other necks with standard heel sizes.

I got a crazy messed up 5 string neck-through, and am considering these things too...I do my own refrets, but I'm still not sure it's worth the time just to mess with this thing, so I'm considering chopping off the neck and cutting a new pocket and body shape out of it.

Good luck, man!
ltt

phyfe · #6 05-13-2011, 08:02 PM

Thanks for the replies. 'lethargytartare' is having all the same thoughts I am.

I have come to a conclusion... my time and my money need to go toward a new bass.

Thread closed.

Thanks again!

phyfe

Beej · #7 05-13-2011, 11:06 PM

Some warped necks can be repaired.

No offense to lethargytartare, but I'm not sure he's a repairman or luthier, so be cautious about giving up this bass without taking it to a repairman/luthier to see what they think. You may find that it is easily and cheaply repaired.

My only anecdote is that I once spied a tele in my friend's closet and he said it had been in there for years as the neck was warped and he couldn't bring himself to put a replacement neck on it. Long story short, it was not warped, it just had a card shim in the pocket that had disintegrated on one side causing the neck to sit lower on that side of the pocket. Once we got some proper relief set, she was a beauty and a player. My well-intended friend had always done his own setups - incorrectly. He further had another friend who was "handy" check it out and he had also confirmed the neck was warped.

Take it to a luthier or someone who knows their way around repairs...

phyfe · #8 05-19-2011, 10:37 AM

Thanks, beej.

I'll take your advice.

phyfe

http://tb1.talkbasscdn.com/smilies/guitarist.gif

darkstorm · #9 05-19-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phyfe

Thanks for the reply!

Schecter tells me they don't sell parts (bodies or necks). They directed me to Ebay, Allparts and some other place I can't remember.

So they dont even do under warranty repairs I geauss. Thought they where supposed to come with lifetime warranty. That'll be the first large guitar company Ive heard of that has zero customer support for parts. Puts schecter on the "never buy any of those" list.

phyfe · #10 05-21-2011, 04:03 PM

To clarify, I bought this bass used, so no expectation of warranty or good factory support. Due to terms and nature of transaction, return is not an option.

My son went to the Galloup School of guitar building/repair last summer. We think it can be made playable. Gonna start with fret leveling and new nut. Depending on results, removing the first 7-9 frets and leveling the fretboard will be plan B.

He will get to try out his new Dan Erlewine neck jig!

Labi · #11 05-21-2011, 04:47 PM

I have an Aria bass which had a twisted neck. I contacted ariauk.com and they sent me a brand new replacement for £20. I then decided to fix the twisted neck so I can have a spare one. And I did fix it by removing the fretboard and sanding down the neck until there was no twist, then put a new fretboard. If you are carefull enough you may be able to preserve the fretboard and put it back. I wasn't, so I had to make a new one.