Double Bass Cracked Heel Opinions

[Hans Gruber]

My Shen SB-88 has a fairly snug case. I came home late Sunday night from a gig, never unpacked the bass until this morning and saw that G-string was hanging over the side of the fingerboard.

The nut and bridge slid over to the right, Don't know if the bag was pulling the strings the wrong way. I eventually reset it to satisfactory alignment, though it doesn't play or sound quite as well as it used to.

THEN I saw the cracked neck feel. I did a search and read all the posts, but I'd still anyone's opinions on the severity and recommendations on this.

Any idea what kind of work will be needed? Like will I have to have the neck removed? Just a simple glue and clamp with minimal costs? Just leave it alone?

I plan on taking it to Lisa Gass sometime if need be, but thought I'd ask around here.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I would take it in pronto. That crack is traveling up the neck, if it continues that could be trouble. Then again, the whole thing may be on the surface. I've been playing a bass with a heel crack for years, but it is more in the middle of the heel, away from the neck, and has been stable.

I'm sure your bass took a hit. A tight case wouldn't cause all that to happen.

 

[SAlcott]

Loosen the strings now. Leave just enough tension to keep the bridge up. Take it to luthier pronto.

 

[Hans Gruber]

I would take it in pronto. That crack is traveling up the neck, if it continues that could be trouble. Then again, the whole thing may be on the surface. I've been playing a bass with a heel crack for years, but it is more in the middle of the heel, away from the neck, and has been stable.

I'm sure your bass took a hit. A tight case wouldn't cause all that to happen.

Loosen the strings now. Leave just enough tension to keep the bridge up. Take it to luthier pronto.

VERY helpful, thanks. I'm booking an appointment ASAP. Called my wife to loosen the strings while I'm away.

Does anyone have an educated guess if it will require removing the neck or something drastic?

 

[Steven Ayres]

Does anyone have an educated guess if it will require removing the neck or something drastic?

I don't think it's a simple glue job. If it were me I'd pull the neck and reinforce it with a spline from the joint up, to restore the heel's integrity, and reset. Real luthiers, please chime in here.

 

[210superair]

I don't think it's a simple glue job. If it were me I'd pull the neck and reinforce it with a spline from the joint up, to restore the heel's integrity, and reset. Real luthiers, please chime in here.

My Kay had a spline put in in 1973 to repair an almost identical crack to this. It was stored at tension for who knows how long, and still good. I can't remember the Luther's name that did it, but it's on the tag inside the bass.

I of course splined my cello with all yall's help, which is still doing well, but I am not a luthier in any way shape or form... I do have an itching to spline a bass neck just for kicks if I find a donor. Here's a shot of my spline for the OP....

 

[Hans Gruber]

Still waiting to hear back from the shop, but my hunch is that the fingerboard will have to be removed since it's near the actual neck.

Ugh.

 

[210superair]

Still waiting to hear back from the shop, but my hunch is that the fingerboard will have to be removed since it's near the actual neck.

Ugh.

That's the right way to do it for sure. You'll see plenty of basses with a screw right through the fingerboard. Makes me cringe every time I see it.

 

[Steven Ayres]

Still waiting to hear back from the shop, but my hunch is that the fingerboard will have to be removed since it's near the actual neck.

Ugh.

Bear in mind that removing the fingerboard and pulling out the neck may look daunting, but are not complex or difficult jobs for the luthier.

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Because the crack goes up through the neck rather than behind it may be a plus because it should be stronger. If the fingerboard comes off cleanly, the crack may be glued and a dowel run through from the front and the fingerboard reglued. I would think that would be a strong and not too difficult repair.

 

[Hans Gruber]

That's the right way to do it for sure. You'll see plenty of basses with a screw right through the fingerboard. Makes me cringe every time I see it.

Bear in mind that removing the fingerboard and pulling out the neck may look daunting, but are not complex or difficult jobs for the luthier.

Because the crack goes up through the neck rather than behind it may be a plus because it should be stronger. If the fingerboard comes off cleanly, the crack may be glued and a dowel run through from the front and the fingerboard reglued. I would think that would be a strong and not too difficult repair.

Thanks for your input!

I took it into Lisa Gass's shop today. Turns out there were THREE cracks. One of the other side and one in the scroll headstock. They were able to pull it a bit and the crack opened enough to get some glue in there. Final verdict will come next week, but looks like removing the fingerboard, nor doweling will not be necessary.

Fortunately for me, it's a fairly blue collar utility bass, even if the resale goes a down a lot, it's more of a workhorse than any serious sentimental or museum piece obviously. I may offer up these opinions to the shop when they commence work and see what they say.

Thanks!

 

[Hans Gruber]

Some pics of the other cracks. I really do hope the hide glue is good enough to let my baby do her thing for a decent while.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Any idea how the damage occurred?

 

[Hans Gruber]

Any idea how the damage occurred?

Yeah, I think someone was helping me load some stuff near the exit. I don't remember if it was them or me that stood the bass up against the wall, but I think it must've fallen over when I went to retrieve my car. The door guy said he noticed the bass on the ground and picked it up and put it back on the wall. My memory is a bit fuzzy as it was really late and was super tired.

EDIT: I've also concluded I don't deserve nice things and I'm glad it wasn't a more expensive bass. The likelihood of something like this happening is fairly decent...I'll just stick to plywood. Actually I'm convinced it would've been even worse if this were a carved bass.

 

[unbrokenchain]

The likelihood of something like this happening is fairly decent...

Most def! Doesn't mean you shouldn't get a really nice carved bass, just means you should consider insurance if you get one Corners are good, flat walls no bueno. As if the instrument weren't hard enough just to play, we have to contend with moving these things around and hoping other folks don't trip over them. Anyway, I bet you'll forget about it and can focus on the music again soon

 

[Hans Gruber]

Most def! Doesn't mean you shouldn't get a really nice carved bass, just means you should consider insurance if you get one Corners are good, flat walls no bueno. As if the instrument weren't hard enough just to play, we have to contend with moving these things around and hoping other folks don't trip over them. Anyway, I bet you'll forget about it and can focus on the music again soon

I call it rock and roll, basically. I consider myself a punk rocker at heart.

If I do get a carved bass, I'll have to make sure I play it for audiences that are more discerning than background music for bar patrons. Though that night, some guy dropped a $100 bill in the tip jar!

 

[Hans Gruber]

They called me on Tuesday and we're going to glue the small cracks, potentially bolt it through, as well.

Except now the entire city (state?) is on mandatory lock down for a while. I won't be able to see the bass for weeks.

Not that there are any gigs left or anything, but I'd like to still be able to play it at home.

 

[210superair]

They called me on Tuesday and we're going to glue the small cracks, potentially bolt it through, as well.

Except now the entire city (state?) is on mandatory lock down for a while. I won't be able to see the bass for weeks.

Not that there are any gigs left or anything, but I'd like to still be able to play it at home.

Don't put a bolt thru it....

 

[Hans Gruber]

Don't put a bolt thru it....

I am going with Lisa's rec, and she isn't opposed to it. But we'll see when they're done with the initial glue.

 

[210superair]

I am going with Lisa's rec, and she isn't opposed to it. But we'll see when they're done with the initial glue.

When I saw the cracks and you said it was to be a glue only repair, and they separated it to put glue in, I had my doubts. If the cracks open enough to put glue in, I didn't see it being repaired that way.

Dropping a bolt thru it will kill the value of the instrument imho. Others on here are in a better position to comment on this, but to me dropping a bolt in it is a really bad idea. My cello was the same thing, luthiers didn't consider it worthy of a good repair, because they are used to very expensive instruments. (they also advised me to drop a bolt into it.). But I valued it more than that and wanted to repair it properly. I don't doubt Lisa thinks she's doing the right thing, but I'd personally disagree with her advice. I'll be interested to hear others weigh in on dropping a bolt thru the neck of a shen. I know it is what it is, but to me it's worth a properly done repair. Especially one that can be done very cheaply if you do it...