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Bullet trussrod Jazz Bass necks... prone to crack, a untiringly story?

Discussion in 'Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]' started by InstantEctobass, Apr 29, 2019.

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  1. Apr 29, 2019 #1
    InstantEctobass

    InstantEctobass

    Feb 18, 2018
    France
    Hi!

    So as you may already read from my other posts in TB... I have a 70s Jazz Bass, MIM, which uses the bullet trussrod adjustement like the Jazz Basses from '74 and a few years on had.

    I started reading about these cracked necks/fingerboard yesterday and now I'm worried because I feel like it could happen to me anytime... so I have a couple of questions:

    - Is it a very recurrent issue that all these kind of necks are dealing with some day?
    - What can I do/avoid doing to prevent this from happening "too soon"?

    Thanks for your time
     
  2. Apr 29, 2019 #2
    jj.833

    jj.833

    Oct 19, 2006
    prague czech republic
    I haven't read the cracked neck articles, so I might be completely off the track.
    I have old 77 jazzbass with a bullet trussrod and it never gave any trouble in its 40+ years of existence. I play .40 strings and don't need to tighten the trussrod very much.
     
  3. Apr 29, 2019 #3
    Jazz Ad

    Jazz Ad Mi la ré sol

    Mar 16, 2002
    Langueux, Brittany, France
    It has held for 40+ years so far.
     
  4. Apr 29, 2019 #4
    jamro217

    jamro217

    Apr 12, 2013
    Beautiful coastal Rhode Island
    First I've heard of it. The old Ric 4001s would crack under the fretboard near the headstock if you didn't adjust the rods properly. Gibsons suffered from broken headstocks due to falling over or being dropped. Those are the only two chronic problems I know of associated with neck cracks. Stress cracks around the base of a bolt on neck joint due to too tight a fit is common, too, but that is on the body, not the neck. Hopefully this lack of data will put you at ease.
     
  5. Apr 29, 2019 #5
    InstantEctobass

    InstantEctobass

    Feb 18, 2018
    France
    Mine is a reissue so I'm sure it's quite not the same quality as the 70s original ones (true originals, not "American Original" or whatever). I've seen the issue happening on both maple and rosewood fret/fingerboards.

    I also play 0.040 strings so hopefully the matter is avoid for me as well! #fingerCrossed

    Any other feedback? :)
     
  6. Apr 29, 2019 #6
    InstantEctobass

    InstantEctobass

    Feb 18, 2018
    France
    So I went to see a 2010 Fender Classic Series 70s Jazz Bass with the 3TS body and rosewood neck... the guy wasn't sure at all of what he had... but the bass did sleep in a cave with humidity, all screws are rotten... I still try the bass and I feel something on my thumb...

    Here you go:

    [​IMG]

    I told him the truth about what this implies... he told me that it was fixable, he'd lower the price regarding how much a luthier would ask for that. I asked a quote but I'm 99,99% that I'm not buying that bass. It's so sad that he didn't take care of it, she never saw a tech/luthier. But I can't blame the dude, I wrecked my first bass' neck too!