Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 6!

[Dave Siff]

Just priced a fretted neck for my SB5000. Tung oil finish, ebony board, low-wide frets, SB headstock. If the taxman has good news (or at least not terrible news) I think I'm gonna go for it. It'll be cool to have the option of going fretted or fretless with the same bass.

 

[mcglyph]

Just priced a fretted neck for my SB5000. Tung oil finish, ebony board, low-wide frets, SB headstock. If the taxman has good news (or at least not terrible news) I think I'm gonna go for it. It'll be cool to have the option of going fretted or fretless with the same bass.

How difficult is this? I was thinking the opposite direction..let me know.

 

[Dave Siff]

How difficult is this? I was thinking the opposite direction..let me know.

Shouldn't be too difficult to swap necks.
And, if I go that route and end up really digging it as a fretted bass, the fretless neck might be for sale..

 

[JoeVictim]

I went with classic white, be maple board and hs, tort guard, chrome hardware. Quoted 10 weeks.

 

[Eggman]

I went with classic white, be maple board and hs, tort guard, chrome hardware. Quoted 10 weeks.

That should be awesome.

 

[G On Bass]

Just priced a fretted neck for my SB5000. Tung oil finish, ebony board, low-wide frets, SB headstock. If the taxman has good news (or at least not terrible news) I think I'm gonna go for it. It'll be cool to have the option of going fretted or fretless with the same bass.

How difficult is this? I was thinking the opposite direction..let me know.

Shouldn't be too difficult to swap necks.
And, if I go that route and end up really digging it as a fretted bass, the fretless neck might be for sale..

If you order a neck, make sure that you order it pre-drilled! I did mine that way and it was ridiculously easy to swap. Took less than 5 minutes.

 

[mcglyph]

So is it something can endlessly swap out, like today I wanna go fretless..tomorrow I'll be back with the frets? Surely not quite so simple...??? There's nothing wrong with switchin back around all the time...?

 

[Dave Siff]

If you order a neck, make sure that you order it pre-drilled!

Haha, yes! Looking at that undrilled headstock almost made me pass out!
Question for you: if you order a neck by itself, does it come with tuning machines or is that an add-on?

 

[Dave Siff]

So is it something can endlessly swap out, like today I wanna go fretless..tomorrow I'll be back with the frets? Surely not quite so simple...??? There's nothing wrong with switchin back around all the time...?

It's just a matter of taking one neck off and putting the other one on. You could do that as often as you like, if you don't mind wear on the neck bolts (which can be replaced if necessary), un-stringing, re-stringing and re-setting the bass up, and any "cosmic" implications (taking the neck off a bass bugs me for some reason.) If I get a fretted neck, I will probably make the swap and leave it. As much as I love my fretless, it doesn't leave the house. The guys in my band love the sound but hate my intonation, and fretless really doesn't work for much of what we play.

 

[Freddels]

Haha, yes! Looking at that undrilled headstock almost made me pass out!
Question for you: if you order a neck by itself, does it come with tuning machines or is that an add-on?

I believe you have to order all the hardware separately. I'm sure they'll install it if you ask . . . nicely.

 

[UntitledProject]

If one were interested in repeatedly swapping necks, I would suggest installing threaded inserts. The bolts themselves should be fine for thousands of swaps before they would need replacing, but the wood where those bolts are constantly inserted and removed will slowly turn to mush. This also would take many (not as many as with the bolts) repeated installations to occur, but the inserts aren't expensive, and they are easy to install.
If you're only planning on swapping them once and selling the fretless neck, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[G On Bass]

Haha, yes! Looking at that undrilled headstock almost made me pass out!
Question for you: if you order a neck by itself, does it come with tuning machines or is that an add-on?

Mercifully, the The headstock comes pre-drilled regardless. I was referring to the holes where the neck attaches to the body.

I believe you have to order all the hardware separately. I'm sure they'll install it if you ask . . . nicely.

As usual, Freddels is correct on all counts. Tuners not included.

 

[Lo end PUNCH]

View attachment 257893

Better pics

Clear pickguard? I wonder why Carvin doesn't offer those. I hink there's a place called Terapin Guitars that will make them for you,

 

[Dave Siff]

Mercifully, the The headstock comes pre-drilled regardless. I was referring to the holes where the neck attaches to the body.

Hahaha, umm, yeah, that's what I meant!
Not sure what made me think they'd send someone a neck with that boat-paddle heastock and say, "Good luck!"

 

[G On Bass]

Hahaha, umm, yeah, that's what I meant!
Not sure what made me think they'd send someone a neck with that boat-paddle heastock and say, "Good luck!"

They might. People use these necks on other basses, and the screwhole placement is dictated by the body, not the neck...

 

[JoeVictim]

That should be awesome.

I am hoping so. I also asked for light wood and went for the chambered body. This should be my last bass.

 

[Freddels]

Hahaha, umm, yeah, that's what I meant!
Not sure what made me think they'd send someone a neck with that boat-paddle heastock and say, "Good luck!"

That is actually an option.

 

[TonyP-]

I am hoping so. I also asked for light wood and went for the chambered body. This should be my last bass.

I have heard that before

 

[JoeVictim]

I have heard that before

Yeah, but this time it's real

Seriously though, I've been playing the same MIM jazz for the last 16 or so years. It's time to upgrade. And since I don't get money to spend on gear the way a lot of people here do, this will probably be the best bass I own and therefore my last bass.

This is a real reason for me to celebrate.

 

[Jarrett]

Anyone have a fretted SB4000 they want to sell? Getting the itch.