Do Graphite Necks Move?

[jnammy]

Is it true that graphite necks really don't move regardless of the temperature and humidity? If so, how would the neck accommodate for different tension strings and why would bassist always prefer a Modulus with a truss rod? Do they just move less than a wooden neck?

 

[LarryO]

Zon Guitars

 

[LarryO]

I have only owned one composite necked bass, a zon sonus 5. I never needed to make any adjustments on it and I owned it for 5 or 6 years.......but I never had to make any adjustments on MM sterling, Peavey Foundation 5 or Warwick thumb BO 5 necks either.

 

[fleabee]

I never adjusted a truss on any of my composite necks{six total}

 

[dustinfennessey]

Haven't had to adjust any of my Modulus for years and years...and i live in mn so theres lots of seasonal changes. they tack in a truss rod so you can get the exact action you are looking for. set it and forget it...zing!

 

[Roscoe East]

Several folks in this thread say it moves:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f30/about-find-out-how-good-modulus-customer-service-489105/

 

[Dave W]

I've never adjusted my modulus either.

I thought the ones without the truss rod were more sought after.

 

[duncmill]

I've had my Zon Sonus six fretless for fourteen years now and the neck hasn't moved. This one doesn't have a truss rod.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Some older Steinbergers did develop excessive bow over time.

Riis

 

[MNAirHead]

I own several - none of mine have moved after setup

 

[sprocket123]

Well graphite moves a little bit but not as much as woods .

 

[StephenR]

My neck-through Quantum 5 is twenty five years old now and I have never had a problem with the neck. No truss rod. I can see why they would add them in later years, though. People like different amounts of release in the neck, or no release, so providing options for individual set-up is a good thing.

 

[Pet Sounds]

My Modulus J never budged, whatever the weather.

 

[elgecko]

...and why would bassist always prefer a Modulus with a truss rod? Do they just move less than a wooden neck?

I don't, I prefer the older non-adjustable necks. I have three and they don't move in any perceptible way. They definitely aren't for action tweakers. Theres's not too much to tweak. There have been cases of necks bowing but not in any significant numbers.

 

[seansbrew]

Yes it is true.

My Zon never moved, regardless of the weather.

 

[DanielleMuscato]

After properly stretching the strings, I never even had to tune my old Modulus Quantum (seriously).

 

[kevteop]

Graphite doesn't change its water content depending on the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere, so it won't change shape in response to seasonal changes like wood does.

You might need to adjust a graphite neck if you switch to a different brand/gauge of strings, but that's about the only reason.

 

[Orph]

After properly stretching the strings, I never even had to tune my old Modulus Quantum (seriously).

I found the same to be true with a Q5 I used to own as well. Even the tuners were ridiculously good, I seldom had to tweak it even after carrying it around in a gig-bag.

Graphite doesn't change its water content depending on the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere, so it won't change shape in response to seasonal changes like wood does.

You might need to adjust a graphite neck if you switch to a different brand/gauge of strings, but that's about the only reason.

That the main difference, yeah. The material WILL expand and contract as a function of temperature alone, but for carbon composite materials, the heat contraction/expansion factor is VERY low.

 

[soulman969]

Several folks in this thread say it moves:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f30/about-find-out-how-good-modulus-customer-service-489105/

And they could be correct. I owned an early 90's Modulus M92 with a graphite neck and no truss rod. As many will remember in those days the graphite neck lacking a truss rod was promoted as a selling point of their basses. The neck that never needed adjustment because it never moved. Well that neck did bow and warp a bit even though Modulus claimed that would never happen.

I sent the bass back to them and the reason they gave as I recall was that a series of necks were built with graphite flakes which were larger than they were spec'd to be. Those necks didn't have the required rigidity to withstand the string tension or climate change so they bowed and warped moderately.

Even though the bass was long out of warranty and I wasn't the original purchaser to their credit the did replace the neck with one that did have a truss rod. Maybe they solved the manufacturing problem that caused the neck issue but as far as I know from that point forward their basses began to come standard with truss rods.

FWIW that was my experience with them.

 

[jnammy]

After properly stretching the strings, I never even had to tune my old Modulus Quantum (seriously).

Dave, so how do you properly stretch strings?