Do I need carbon support in neck?

CptanPanic · #1 05-15-2009, 03:23 PM

I am going to build a 5 string using some dense and quartersawn african mahonony, non laminated. I plan on using a the truss rod from allied luthier, and was wondering if I should beef up the neck using some carbon fiber tubes. I read some on this forum, but it seems not everyone uses adds extra support for neck. I am not worried about dead spots, but I just don't want to have a soft neck. Well let me know what you think?
Thanks,
CP

DanSwain · #2 05-15-2009, 04:31 PM

I've just finished my first Bass, CptanPanic, and I decided quite early on to go with two carbon fibre rods (not tubes, but I should have!) to keep the neck stable. I'm anticipating doing a bit of travelling with the instrument, so aiding the warping issue brought me to that idea.

That said, the neck is made of Maple and Padauk, so it's not as strong as your Mahogany! At a guess from what I've seen on these forums, with a 5 string you probably wouldn't need to use carbon fibre.

However, if it interests you as much as it did for me, then go for it!

joeyl · #3 05-15-2009, 06:13 PM

really depends on the wood and laminate technique. I have a 10 year old Squier Jazz with a maple neck, no reinforcements whatsoever and the neck never moves, no matter what. My MIA Jazz has the carbon fiber rods, and the neck is highly reactive to weather changes, it also bows a lot under string tension, so I was like

erikbojerik · #4 05-16-2009, 09:21 AM

A MIA Jazz with CF? You must have a non-Fender neck on there....

CF rods are pretty proven, by a lot of builders. You don't necessarily need them, but the neck will be better with them. That said, CF rods won't make up for poor neck wood.

2minkey · #5 05-16-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanSwain

That said, the neck is made of Maple and Padauk, so it's not as strong as your Mahogany! At a guess from what I've seen on these forums, with a 5 string you probably wouldn't need to use carbon fibre.

However, if it interests you as much as it did for me, then go for it!

maple/padauk is going to be stiffer than mahogany. with a non-laminated (one piece, not counting the fingerboard) mahogany neck on a five string i would certainly put carbon rods in there.

joeyl · #6 05-16-2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikbojerik

A MIA Jazz with CF? You must have a non-Fender neck on there....

nope, and it makes me quite sad (only mod to neck is Hipshot Ultralites are used)