fingerboard skewed

alanbarnosky · #1 08-01-2007, 12:14 PM

Hello all,

I recently (thought I) got a great steal on a Kay for $600. Took it to get set up and it was another $600

. So I paid $1200 for a bass that sounds great and can probably sell for $2000. Its a 1949 C-1 that is very playable.

One problem I didn't realize when I bought it and just realized today... the fingerboard is skewed to the left slightly. At the nut, the fingerboard is in line with all the strings. But there has been a previous crack in the neck and I don't think the repairman did a good job for a number of reasons; at the end of the fingerboard there is much more space on the E string than on the G. Its not the bridge placement. The luthier I brought it to placed the bridge closer to the left to compensate, but it is still noticable.

Heres the deal. It plays great, sounds great, looks good too, and this tilt in the fignerboard is not really noticeable. Will this pose a problem later? I mean now, if its not hurting anyhting, I'll just live with it until I have the funds to have it fixed, but I know the bass must be taken apart to align it properly. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan

clothsnake · #2 08-01-2007, 12:35 PM

difficult to imagine this is not anythig other than the bridge being misplaced..?
have you measured it from he sides or f-holes just to make sure?
my bass had a similar problem, and the bridge would just seem to 'snap back' to being misaligned... turns out the tailpiece cable was not sitting properly... once this was put back the bridge sat snug right in the middle.

otherwise... if it doesn't bother you...? don't bother it..!

MingusAmongUs · #3 08-01-2007, 12:45 PM

Looking at the pic from the other board, it could actually be a saddle/tailpiece problem. The bridge already appears pretty far over to compensate. And the neck does appar to tilt a bit.

Bottom line, you don't have the funds right now so there's not much you can do. It's been this way a while so it will probably survive a while longer. But do take it to a different luthier when it's in the budget.

alanbarnosky · #4 08-01-2007, 12:55 PM

Well, I like the luthier, and he gets the professional players in the area going to him (Dave Sharp, Paul Keller, to name a few). He didn't set the neck, it was a hack luthier in Detroit that the seller even told me didn't do a heck of a good job. I'll look into it being tailpiece or cable, but I think its the neck... Heres some pictures of it.

MingusAmongUs · #5 08-01-2007, 01:02 PM

I guess unless I missed part of the story, it sounds like the repair guy either didn't think this was an issue, or he didn't notice it, either way I would question that. If he was just sparing you the bad news that it is an issue but it would cost too much to fix, then that's something else altogether. But if it plays good and sounds good, then it could be worse, right?

clothsnake · #6 08-01-2007, 01:06 PM

ouch..!! that's just weird man.
tailpiece and cable looks pretty plumb... the bottom of the fingerboard looks a little off though (using a ruler on my screen) and towards the E side..?
the bridge is already way to the E side, and if anything... that's the wrong side..?

nice looking bass though... probably worth the work... but gonna put you over you 2k resale along with what you've already spent on it?

alanbarnosky · #7 08-01-2007, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clothsnake

nice looking bass though... probably worth the work... but gonna put you over you 2k resale along with what you've already spent on it?

clothsnake, I dont think I understood your post? What I meant is that I could probably sell it for 2K, so I'd make 800 altoghther (2000-1200). Thats if I decide to sell, which I don't think I will.

I took out the tape measure, it without question is the fingerboard, not the tailpiece. The end of the fingerboard is skewed left roughly half an inch (measured from the center of the fingerboard to the left edge and the center of the fingerboard to the right edge and took the difference). But it plays great...

I think my luthier probably noticed it sometime after I dropped the bass off. If he didn't notice, why would the bridge be that far off? He knew I didn't want to spend more than I had to, and probably didn't tell me for that reason. I will give him a call tomorrow and see what he thinks. Thanks guys for your responses.

clothsnake · #8 08-01-2007, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbarnosky

clothsnake, I dont think I understood your post? What I meant is that I could probably sell it for 2K, so I'd make 800 altoghther (2000-1200). Thats if I decide to sell, which I don't think I will.

no worries mate... i wasn't very clear

what i meant was... if you had it repaired... this might be an expensive fix... me personally, i would have it repaired... but you're right... if it plays, it plays.
there are a lot of basses out there that don't, and some of 'em are a lot 'straighter' than yours

good luck with it and enjoy

Jake deVilliers · #9 08-02-2007, 09:10 PM

If you really want to know how off centre your neck is measure from the scroll to the floor with it lying on the driver's side, then the same lying on the passenger's side.

If the bass sounds good and plays acceptably, that's what really matters. For now you might try putting the tailpiece wires off to the left to make a straighter line over the bridge to the board.