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Are jazz bass necks too small?

#41
ultra60 said:
I've owned a couple of '62 reissues where the truss rod was maxed out. In both cases, the necks had to be clamped and the truss rod adjusted. I thought I'd heard that this was fairly common. The '62 is one of my favorite jazz neck profiles.
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Mine is a sixties Jazz and I know someone else on here who had one with the same issue. Someone IRL told me that Jazz necks are just too thin and always need adjusting. That is why I brought it up. I don’t mind playing a smaller neck and I like how I play differently on my Jazz than I do on a P. I play my Rick a little differently too. Thanks for all the feedback, I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s response. If I get to where I need to adjust the neck, I will take it to someone. The action is perfect right now.
 
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#42
Mantis Tobaggan said:
Is it uncommon for the truss to be maxed in a jazz neck?
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yes.

As to "too small": I loved my Geddy when I was in a mood to be playing with relaxed hands. If I: got stagefright; got all rambunctious and jumping around; got cold... any of these situations and I'd be gripping every drop of snot outta that sumbich and soon pain would have me be having to stretch out my forearm and hand every song and sometimes even massage a knot out from between my thumb and fingers.

My fingers do miss the close string spacing, but the lack of fatness front to back is something I'm sure I won't miss till my head is all grey.
 
#43
Mantis Tobaggan said:
A couple years ago, I was hankering for a good jazz bass. I had been listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin. I eventually found a used CS that I couldn’t say no to. The action is perfect. However, the truss is maxed and I had to get the saddles just right. The neck feels very small to me, I am used to classic Precision style necks and my Rick has a club for a neck, which I like btw. Talking with other bass players, it seems this is not uncommon with jazz basses. I am surprised it would happen with a CS being that they can choose the wood first etc. So are jazz necks just a bit too small or what? Is it uncommon for the truss to be maxed in a jazz neck?
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I prefer the size of a jazz neck. Regarding setup I bet you need a shim. The truss rod shouldn't be maxed like that.

I like to take my jazz apart, strings off and neck off a couple times a year. Loosen up the truss rod and just let it relax and settle wherever it settles, then assemble and start over. Reset sale height, shim, and tighten truss to wherever it feels good. Intonate and play.
 
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#48
Mantis, I’ve seen many Jazz Basses in for sale ads with the truss rod nut buried way up into the neck. It’s not uncommon, I see plenty of Precisions in the same condition. I believe it’s the result of cranking too hard on the nut.
When adjusting the nut begins to require excessive force, one needs to help the neck get to a position of less relief by manually (carefully!!) bending the neck.
Obviously (yes?) the strings must be detensioned before attempting to reduce relief by tightening the truss rod. Otherwise the nut will burrow into the wood surrounding the end of the truss rod without achieving further relief reduction.

And yeah, I find Jazz necks to be too narrow across the nut and usually too thin front to back as well. Rickenbacker 4003 necks from the 80s and 90s are ideal. Yeah I hear they can vary greatly, even within one production year, most of the ones I’ve handled have been great. I have a ‘94 4003 with a neck that’s just perfect for me. My ‘63 reissue Precision, while different in profile, is similarly ideal. I replaced the neck on my ‘12 Am Std Jazz with an Am Std Precision
neck for the same reason. The Precision neck is so much more comfortable than the Jazz, I now enjoy playing it.

I bought a BlueBoy 4003 recently knowing that the neck would likely be chunkier than my fave ‘94, because it’s such a cool color. As I have practiced and gigged with it, I have gotten used to it and like it!
So, yeah, no skinny necks for us, eh?
 
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#50
Don’t forget that depth front-to back is a huge factor in comfort too and often overlooked, and there are jazz necks that are MASSIVE in this respect - play an AVRI ‘74 and you’ll see what I mean!

That said, the setup issue is separate - Jazz necks are no more or less susceptible to ‘maxed rod’ problems than any other.
 
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#53
There are several Jazz Bass neck profiles. Standard, slim ('C' shape), and what I call 'thick' ('U' shape). The standard is what comes on most Jazz Basses. Slim is what a MIJ Geddy Lee has, and the Warmoth slim profile falls into this category too me thinks. The thick necks are what are found on the Reggie Hamilton CS bass, probably the USA Geddy Lee, and probably others. I have a parts bass with an AllParts Jazz neck and it is thick compared to others I have. Thick refers to the depth of the wood from the top of the fretboard to the back of the neck where the palm of your hand rides. I prefer the slim profile necks for playability best of all, but that is totally subjective. I believe part of the tone in a bass comes from the neck, so I don't mind a thick neck if the bass sounds great. Ditto for 1.65 width necks. I don't care for 1.75 necks ever. If you like a heavier neck, you might want to check into the thicker Jazz Necks that are available.
 
#54
BobKos said:
There are several Jazz Bass neck profiles. Standard, slim ('C' shape), and what I call 'thick' ('U' shape). The standard is what comes on most Jazz Basses. Slim is what a MIJ Geddy Lee has, and the Warmoth slim profile falls into this category too me thinks. The thick necks are what are found on the Reggie Hamilton CS bass, probably the USA Geddy Lee, and probably others. I have a parts bass with an AllParts Jazz neck and it is thick compared to others I have. Thick refers to the depth of the wood from the top of the fretboard to the back of the neck where the palm of your hand rides. I prefer the slim profile necks for playability best of all, but that is totally subjective. I believe part of the tone in a bass comes from the neck, so I don't mind a thick neck if the bass sounds great. Ditto for 1.65 width necks. I don't care for 1.75 necks ever. If you like a heavier neck, you might want to check into the thicker Jazz Necks that are available.
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My CS is a U shape and the other person on TB that had the same problem also had a U neck. He sold his.
 

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