Multi piece and one piece neck and graphite opinions

[Peter Parker]

I've made several basses and have used a few different methods and woods for necks. I've made 5 piece with 3 pieces of maple and 2 pieces of walnut, 3 piece necks with 3 piece of quartersawn maple, 3 piece with 2 pieces of maple, one piece of purpleheart, and I've made one piece necks with either quartersawn or flatsawn maple. I've made a few one piece necks with no graphite bars, a couple with. What I found interesting is that I didn't see any significant increase in stability or rigidity in the multi piece necks compared to the one piece. In the one piece necks with quartersawn compared to flat, I didn't note a difference. Comparing 1 piece with graphite to 1 piece without, I noticed that the neck with seemed easier to adjust; the truss rod seemed more responsive and was a little easier to turn. In the short term I haven't experienced that the one with graphite any more stable. I've had to adjust the one piece less often than the multi, which brings me to my epxerience with other high end basses I've owned. Through several F Basses, Fodera's, Ken Smith's and many others, the F's and Fodera's had necks that moved much more often than any others. I've had/have several Fender 5's with 1 piece and graphite and it seems I never have to adjust them whereas the F and Fodera without graphite I adjusted all the time. The Smith's I've had had graphite and were more stable, similar to the Fenders I've owned. from a tonal standpoint, I've come to prefer 1 piece. They seem to be punchier with less compression.
So what experiences have you guys had with necks you've built or from the basses you've owned?

[wilser]

you've hit the jackpot my friend! I've also noticed that, at least all the way up to 6 strings, there's not much gain in multilaminates. There is evidence though that in time multi lams may be less likely to bow or twist given that the grain direction from one piece to the other will 'hold' better the other pieces. My opinion is that, if the neck blank is stable in terms of tension in the wood (after it's cut to rough size) and moisture content, then it should all be jiggy.

I also prefer 1 piece necks.

[Musiclogic]

I'll be the first dissenter.....I prefer multi laminate necks. I like the stability, and the sound tempering ability you have with a multilam. I haven't noticed much discernable movement in any of my own basses, and have only had a few comments in 22 years about necks moving frequently.

As for 1 piece, I love the consistent resonance, and the ease of building with 1 piece, but the ability of a single weather change to effect it always mkes me hesitant. I have a 69 and 72 Jazz Basses, both are wonderful, and both stay in my studio. The 72's neck twisted last summer, after 34 years of being straight, so I lean firmly towards multilams. Although, this could happen to any neck at any time. Wood is a fickle bride.