Neck popping out (oohhh sh...) [pics] + middle of the ocean

[clochard]

[Problem solved. see last post]
Greetings folks,

Little catastrophe happened.
My beloved fell on its left shoulder while being picked up - not a big drop, less than a foot while the bottom left-side was still on the ground - and, well, she's losing her head, aem, I mean, neck.

Here's pics. Is it bad?

http://www.milesages.net/neck/back.jpg
http://www.milesages.net/neck/side1.jpg
http://www.milesages.net/neck/side2.jpg

Now I live in the middle of the ocean with many skilled woodworkers but no bass luthiers. The usual and best doctor is 1300km away, but I guess I will find someone closer in Atlantic Canada (other topic started).

Before I can reach the land (couple weeks) and get a luthier to see to it, is there something I can do to keep it alive? Can I / should I hope it won't completely pop out?

I'm sick with worry and sadness, even though I guess it's not a big affair...

Thanks for sharing insight, tips, info, etc..

Hugo

[arnoldschnitzer]

The bass should not be played the way it is (duh!). The button area is broken as well as the neck being loose in its joint. Proper repair will involve reinforcing the button as well as cleaning out the old glue, refitting, realigning and regluing the neck. Not a job for an amateur. I believe you have an Eberle or similar East European bass. My experience has been that the neck joints on many of those basses are almost non-existant. In several cases I have seen contact only at the top edge of the joint where it shows, and at the back button, but nowhere else. You need a pro luthier or an excellent woodworker willing to take advice to get your bass into good playing shape. if someone offers to pour in some glue and see what happens, run in the opposite direction.

[clochard]

Salut Arnold,
*thousand thanks* for your fast and strong reply. This helps a lot, as I'm in love with that loose-neck one. Thus, every mishap tends to get me in a rather sad and jumpy mood.

The darling is a "german" Musima Eberle indeed. They didn't like neck joints over there? I fail to understand how this got to be. Is this simply a let's-speed-the-building-process, not-bother-at-that-price-range, what-are-these-for-anyway kind a deal?

Back to the bass, you mentionned :

1. reinforcing the button
2. cleaning out the old glue
3. refitting, realigning and regluing the neck

Two more questions :

1. how to?
2. how much?

1) I'm way off as far as "imagining" how the repair could actually be done. More questions arise than answers...
[Just reinforce the bottom of the bottom? What "solvent" (is it the same English word as the French's?) to use to clean the glue? What are the angle numbers for acceptable neck alignment?Where's the manual ?]
Bottom line : I'm one to recognize the use, importance and value of a skilled luthier. I will try to hold on until I can reach helping hands.

2) From what I understand, it seems like a rather regular job (?) : I'm hoping the costs will be (way?) below the value of the bass... (crossing fingers)

Anyone?

[salcott]

Bottom line-loosen the strings and don't try to do anything!

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

The bass should not be played the way it is (duh!). The button area is broken as well as the neck being loose in its joint. Proper repair will involve reinforcing the button as well as cleaning out the old glue, refitting, realigning and regluing the neck. Not a job for an amateur. I believe you have an Eberle or similar East European bass. My experience has been that the neck joints on many of those basses are almost non-existant. In several cases I have seen contact only at the top edge of the joint where it shows, and at the back button, but nowhere else. You need a pro luthier or an excellent woodworker willing to take advice to get your bass into good playing shape. if someone offers to pour in some glue and see what happens, run in the opposite direction.

Sir Arnold, I don't think he can walk on water. Don't you mean SWIM in the opposite direction?

[arnoldschnitzer]

Originally Posted by clochard

They didn't like neck joints over there? I fail to understand how this got to be. Is this simply a let's-speed-the-building-process, not-bother-at-that-price-range, what-are-these-for-anyway kind a deal?

I guess their thinking went something like this; "The button joint will hold the neck in for a while, so as long as it looks ok we can sell it".

[Darren Molnar]

"""They didn't like neck joints over there? I fail to understand how this got to be. ""

This is not meant to be mean, clochard, but I think basses of that type are made along an assembly line by regular Joe type workers. Fine people, all, but they could just as easily be assembling book shelves.
If you're a general labor/assembler type, quality is generally determined by the boss men in the air-conditioned part of the building, and if one was to complain about flaws in the assembly process, assuming they understood that it was a quality issue, they would get &^%4 on. As in, "do you're job, do it faster, and keep quiet."

And that's not meant to paint all production shops with the same brush. A lot of them are run by luthiers, and a lot of them treat their workers as apprentices in a craft.And they make very good instruments. But this problem seems to shows up often, with these, so I'm assuming that's how this one is run. By the profit/numbers margin, not by a quality margin.

[MingusAmongUs]

I'm curious -- why are you on the ocean? Navy?

[JustOpenYourMind]

LoL les Îles-De-La-Madeleine, He lives on an island, the only way to go on the continent is by boat.

[MingusAmongUs]

Originally Posted by JustOpenYourMind

LoL les Îles-De-La-Madeleine, He lives on an island, the only way to go on the continent is by boat.

Aha. thanks, I should have figured that out... i used to know a little French

[clochard]

@ darren. I hear your word. I guess I'm still getting used to the proportions things take with DB - it's only been two years i'm completely... "engaged".
Playing piano or clarinet, a broken string or key seemed easily imaginable. Neck popping out is a surprise I didn't think would come so fast.
And yes, my bass is a factory-made instrument. Too bad it was made shaky, for it sounds round and loud, and even shows soul and spirit. Anyway, more than any of the other plys I've tampered with.

@ anyone : any rough idea on how much this repair could cost?
(I'm still awaiting quotes from the atlantic canada luthiers i've contacted)

I'm wondering now what else will happen to the poor thing? Any other casual breaks?

@ Mingus et JOYM - haha, yes well, the Magdalens are a bit excluded from the real-world as we usually think it. 13 000 souls in the middle of the ocean, or the st-lawrence estuary, to be more precise.
The ferry ride, which is up 3 days a week, is 5 ½ hours from Prince Edward's Island (ferry stops for a couple monthson the 31st of January), or an overnight cruise to Eastern Quebec.
Then it's all about mileage to get where you intend.

It's a paradise, but the distance is part of both its magic and its pains...

To everyone : thanks for your input...

[clochard]

Greetings folks,
just an update to let know any interested forumers how the problem was solved.

Turns out

• the break was a clean one,
• the neck block was not broken,
• the neck joint was poorly done on that Eberle bass (neck was glued on neck block only on the outer part of the contact area),
• the closest luthier was in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia (found him trough www.vectorinstruments.com) : Nicholas and his shop, vector instruments,
• repair cost : ~350
• repair procesure: neck was removed, contact areas evened and cleaned, then reglued, but with an additionnal piece of wood glued from the inside of the button to the inside of the body, thus making the connection back with the body. And a bit of refinnishing.
• The bridge was readjusted to deal with a change of string height.

And that's about it.

I've been totally satisfied with Nicholas' work and patience - a great guy to work with.

Thanks again to the TBers who contributed to the thread, and good luck to the next poor bass seeing her neck popping out.