Aftermarket Headless Necks?

Zooberwerx · #1 10-22-2005, 10:46 AM

I have an older Bunker / PBC 5 banger with the "tension-free" neck. The concept is neat but doesn't really hold up well in real life. The relief is artificially induced by warping the wood components of the neck; the inner steel rod remains stable. Problem is that the action is inconsistent up and down the fingerboard requiring higher-than-desired action.

I really don't want to put a lot of time and effort into truing the neck, I would prefer to replace it with a simpler in-God-we-trust headless neck (maple w/ trussrod). Yes, graphite has been considered but I'm trying to keep this a budget project with a cap cost under $300 (wishful thinking?).

I appreciate any input you can provide.

Thanks

Riis

Captain_joe6 · #2 10-22-2005, 02:39 PM

you could just get a basic neck that has the truss nut at the heel, cut the head off, and install one of those ABM headless nut-bridge kit things (allparts.com # BB_0340-010).

Zooberwerx · #3 10-22-2005, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_joe6

you could just get a basic neck that has the truss nut at the heel, cut the head off, and install one of those ABM headless nut-bridge kit things (allparts.com # BB_0340-010).

The thought had crossed my mind. I see more than a handful of 5 string necks cross E-bay that might fit the bill.

Has anybody ever made this modification and with what degree of success?

Riis

Wolak · #4 10-22-2005, 10:14 PM

. . .with a Carvin neckthrough with great results. The access to the truss rod is at the top of the neck. You have to leave enough space at the head to attach the string retainer anyway, so the truss was not a problem at all. It was my first bass I've ever built and it works perfectly and plays like a dream.

tjclem · #5 10-23-2005, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolak

. . .with a Carvin neckthrough with great results. The access to the truss rod is at the top of the neck. You have to leave enough space at the head to attach the string retainer anyway, so the truss was not a problem at all. It was my first bass I've ever built and it works perfectly and plays like a dream.

Looks nice too!
.t