TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Then, what you need is an old Kramer "Lumie". The neck on my '78 450B is... not a "baseball bat" (I couldn't play it, if it was), but it isn't anywhere as skinny/thin as the neck on my Rick 4001, either. It's pretty similar to the "A-spec" neck on my '78 Fender P-Bass. Which is essentially a '78 Jazz Bass neck, with dot inlays instead of blocks - and a "Precision Bass" decal on the headstock... I have to warn you though; the reason aluminum necks now, are hollow - and thin- is because a solid, beefy one is a neck diving terror. Unless the bass's body is stupid, stupid heavy... Put a grippy strap on my 450B; hang it on your shoulder; and let go of it? It will try really, really hard to pull your shirt right over your head - and do it really quick, too. Ask me how I know...
Beautiful!
My ‘76 450b and my ‘78 DMZ4000 have never had issues with neck dive. My ‘80 XKB2000 on the other hand was a brick and super neck heavy. The bodies on those are way too small compared to the massive neckThen, what you need is an old Kramer "Lumie". The neck on my '78 450B is... not a "baseball bat" (I couldn't play it, if it was), but it isn't anywhere as skinny/thin as the neck on my Rick 4001, either. It's pretty similar to the "A-spec" neck on my '78 Fender P-Bass. Which is essentially a '78 Jazz Bass neck, with dot inlays instead of blocks - and a "Precision Bass" decal on the headstock... I have to warn you though; the reason aluminum necks now, are hollow - and thin- is because a solid, beefy one is a neck diving terror. Unless the bass's body is stupid, stupid heavy... Put a grippy strap on my 450B; hang it on your shoulder; and let go of it? It will try really, really hard to pull your shirt right over your head - and do it really quick, too. Ask me how I know...
Well, Kramer must have changed the body size/ wood (or woods), somewhere between yours and mine, then. Because mine dives like a spooked U-Boat. I own several basses that everybody labels as bad neck divers, every time they're mentioned. None of the ones I own come anywhere close to diving as badly as my 450B does...
I imagine there was a lot of spotty QC in the Kramer workshop. My XKB had the fattest neck I’ve ever experienced on a bass, while the other two are much more manageable. Such is the way of hand making instruments I guess. I also heard that the necks were cast at Kramer instead of machined from a billet, maybe that also had a lot to do with neck profiles and weightsWell, Kramer must have changed the body size/ wood (or woods), somewhere between yours and mine, then. Because mine dives like a spooked U-Boat. I own several basses that everybody labels as bad neck divers, every time they're mentioned. None of the ones I own come anywhere close to diving as badly as my 450B does...
Maybe it's just how I'm built. After all... Rick basses - which supposedly are horribly un- ergonomic, according to almost everybody around here? They fit me like a surgeon's rubber glove...
That Baguley Jazz looks amazing. SO CLEAN and what a great combination of colors.
Thanks! I see a lot of aluminum neck basses that are black or other dark colors (which look super cool), I thought it looked pretty nice with the blonde/mint color scheme and stood out because of that.
Those Aeros are gonna be a pain to install on a “normal” body. They thread through the back of the instrument body into the pickup. I was going to do the same thing with the single Aero TB pickup I have in my parts bin but changed my mind lol
