Shen necks and fingerboards?

Heifetzbass · #1 10-01-2009, 04:12 AM

Esteemed Luthiers,

I am changing the FB, due to a tragic "set-up" job by a local luthier, on a one year old Shen SB-180. It is a pretty little bass.

I worked really slow and managed to get the FB off in one piece, just a few chip outs. I noticed a slot at the nut in in the neck and wondered, "what is that about?" When I got the FB off there was a channel in the FB and I immediately thought, "is Shen inlaying Carbon Fiber rods in their necks?"

The fingerboard came off with one of the little maple filler blocks still attached. There is not one long strip of maple to fill it in?

What do you think this is? Should I do anything to the bass except glue the new stronger, thicker board on? I have no experience with Shen necks, so just wondering if any of you do?

Thanks in advance,
Brian

Gary Lynch · #2 10-01-2009, 12:16 PM

Keep me posted. I have a SB180 and love it. I wonder if ANYONE has taken one of these apart yet? I'd like to hear from one who has looked inside and not just opinions and hearsay. It's interesting.

Thanks

Roger Mouton · #3 10-01-2009, 01:47 PM

How about additional pictures? I'm curious to see the channel and how many of those blocks are on the back of the FB. Are the carbon fiber inlays or carbon rods apparent?

Jake deVilliers · #4 10-01-2009, 02:04 PM

I would email John Sprague at CSC... http://www.cscproducts.com/

**Matthew Tucker** · #5 10-01-2009, 02:21 PM

A bit more info here

Shen overstand

Heifetzbass · #6 10-02-2009, 04:21 AM

Here are neck shots before I put on the new FB.

Thanks Matthew for the reminder... I read that before, but didn't remember. It is a really good thing I got a beefier FB on this bass. That neck was pretty flexible without it.

BTW, no carbon fiber. Just maple- I explored.

Thanks,
BG

ctregan · #7 10-02-2009, 06:22 AM

That is different looking. What are the gaps for?

Since Shen is a reputable company, they must have a good reason for doing this.

I wonder if the good people at Shen, ever imagined, someone would photograph the inside of their bass neck, and post it for discussion on the internet.

Maybe you could replace the routed out channel with some maple/carbon fiber strip, to make the neck more solid.

Jake deVilliers · #8 10-02-2009, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctregan

Maybe you could replace the routed out channel with some maple/carbon fiber strip, to make the neck more solid.

+1

Eric Hochberg · #9 10-02-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctregan

Since Shen is a reputable company, they must have a good reason for doing this.

Matthew's link in post #5 answers this.

Gary Lynch · #10 10-02-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

A bit more info here

Shen overstand

Thank you for this link. Funny thing is I bought a Chinese solid maple/spruce Juzek from Adam Juzek which the neck immediately warped and the FB started coming off. I had the humidity all controlled too. Adam Juzek replaced the bass with an upgraded 401 with no hassle.

I am betting suppliers try to sneak in green wood when Shen and others are buying it unknowingly. Neither Shen or Adam Juzek would do it on purpose because they are stand up folks and it just comes right back like on this forum.

I also have a Shen SB180 and the neck is beefy and has stayed straight after two years.

drurb · #11 10-02-2009, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Lynch

I am betting suppliers try to sneak in green wood when Shen and others are buying it unknowingly.

Are builders not able to test the wood for moisture content and examine it before using it to construct basses? I thought that could be done. No?

Gary Lynch · #12 10-02-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drurb

Are builders not able to test the wood for moisture content and examine it before using it to construct basses? I thought that could be done. No?

It can be done but apparently it is not done on all necks? Maybe their factory foremans are sloughing off on the job? I see photos of high rise buildings in China falling over because inspectors and contractors are not doing their job properly. Quality control can be sketchy in China.

forester · #13 10-02-2009, 05:39 PM

no one is sneaking in anything..it is the end users' obligation to fashion suitable material.
takes about 10 sec. to stick the building stock and ascertain the M/C.
most likely they are working through older inventory, but green none the less.

* it's a buyers market in the U.S.A at present, hardwood dimension and stumpage is hovering around the late 1980'$

fdeck · #14 10-02-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forester

no one is sneaking in anything..it is the end users' obligation to fashion suitable material.
takes about 10 sec. to stick the building stock and ascertain the M/C.
most likely they are working through older inventory, but green none the less.

* it's a buyers market in the U.S.A at present, hardwood dimension and stumpage is hovering around the late 1980'$

Stumpage? I've got a stump in my back yard that I need to get rid of.

But seriously, I am curious how moisture content is measured.

fdeck · #15 10-02-2009, 06:36 PM

I am also curious how carving a slot in a (presumably) maple neck, and filling it with maple, will make the neck more stable.

Gearhead43 · #16 10-02-2009, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

I am also curious how carving a slot in a (presumably) maple neck, and filling it with maple, will make the neck more stable.

+1 No comprende.

drurb · #17 10-02-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Lynch

Quality control can be sketchy in China.

You don't say! Really?

Roger Mouton · #18 10-02-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

I am also curious how carving a slot in a (presumably) maple neck, and filling it with maple, will make the neck more stable.

Francis - As I understand it, the slot is carved and carbon or carbon fiber rods are ionserted in the slot, then covered with the maple strips. Anyone else?

drurb · #19 10-02-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heifetzbass

BTW, no carbon fiber. Just maple- I explored.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Mouton

Francis - As I understand it, the slot is carved and carbon or carbon fiber rods are ionserted in the slot, then covered with the maple strips. Anyone else?

Yup, someone else. Seems what you understand isn't the case.

Francis' question stands.

forester · #20 10-02-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Stumpage? I've got a stump in my back yard that I need to get rid of.

But seriously, I am curious how moisture content is measured.

as moister in the wood moves below the fiber saturation point (25-30%) it will lose free water rapidly,the cell bound water takes much longer. old school measurment employs the senses as in weight,touch,smell,tooling etc.
new school is electromagnetic scanning and it uses "wood friendly" penetrating waves to measure below surface M/C to aprox.5-6%

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