So I came across a Fender Custom Shop Heavy Relic Jazz bass that I really liked. Looks, plays, and sounds fantastic. But the one thing I have a hard time looking past is the neck to neck pocket fit. This one has a gap on the E string side. At the price point I would think this would be an area where the fit and finish would excel. I know there are a ton of opinions out there whether this affects tone or doesn’t. I’m just more interested if this is normal and by design for the Fender Custom Shop. Is the Fender Custom Shop building these instruments to the specs of their vintage instruments where this is normal as Leo designed these instruments so the necks could come off and be replaced and adjusted. If it’s normal and intended in the build by the Fender Custom Shop then I will either have to accept it or move on to another instrument.
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Fender Custom Shop
- Thread starter MattF007
- Start date
I’ve never heard of an option for a specific neck gap, or any way to specify how large or small you want said gaps. So I doubt it was intentional. I have 3 custom shops and they all have what I’d consider tight neck pockets, for what it’s worth. I will say that if everything else about the bass is killer I personally could care less about a gap, unless it’s egregiously huge ha ha
If the price is right and it's a great player I'd go for it.
Usually the Fender Custom Shop builders are fastidiously anal about getting the neck pockets to fit the neck perfectly. My two Custom Shop basses are absolutely perfect in fit and finish. So much so, in fact, that I can pick up my bass by the headstock and even without screws installed, the neck pocket is tight enough for me to lift the body, as well.
Silly question and no offense meant, but are you certain the bass in question is a true Custom Shop instrument? Could the body be something else or the neck have false decals applied?
Silly question and no offense meant, but are you certain the bass in question is a true Custom Shop instrument? Could the body be something else or the neck have false decals applied?
Perhaps the neck just shifted, it happens sometimes during shipping with pretty much any 4-bolt neck. Just need to loosen the neck screws, realign, and tighten. If that's what it is, it's an easy fix. Got any photos?
I have a CS '59 Journeyman Precision and the neck pocket is so tight a sheet of paper will not fit in the join.
It has all the quirks one might expect from a Precision made in 1959, and that's what I like about it (though surprisingly, no noticeable dead spot on the C# on the D string). They've reproduced it perfectly.
Is the jazz a '60's or '70's relic? If it's a mid-late '70's and they've reproduced it with 100% accuracy a la my '59, then they would have also captured the neck gaps that were de rigueur during jazz basses of that era. My '78 had a good 2 mm (1/16") either side. The gap and the three-bolt neck ensured even the slightest bump would put the neck out of alignment.
It has all the quirks one might expect from a Precision made in 1959, and that's what I like about it (though surprisingly, no noticeable dead spot on the C# on the D string). They've reproduced it perfectly.
Is the jazz a '60's or '70's relic? If it's a mid-late '70's and they've reproduced it with 100% accuracy a la my '59, then they would have also captured the neck gaps that were de rigueur during jazz basses of that era. My '78 had a good 2 mm (1/16") either side. The gap and the three-bolt neck ensured even the slightest bump would put the neck out of alignment.
Thanks for all the replies. It is a genuine Custom Shop, I saw it come out of the box at the Authorized Dealer. I’m going back today to look at it again. Their guitar tech is also going to look at it to see if maybe the neck has shifted. I just wasn’t sure if they were built like this to be period accurate or maybe change in temperature and humidity when the instruments get to Canada has a factor in it. Just a little surprised to see it in an instrument of this value. I have owned other Fender Custom Shop basses and currently own two and enjoy everything about them.
Really .. what a question .. I’d say that if you don’t like the gap you can always buy another one with a tighter gap unless this particular bass has got a very peculiar finish such as sparkle burgundy mist for example
I don't understand why neck shift is being suggested as a solution to his issue... there would be no shift is there was no gap and if there is shift then re-aligning does nothing to reduce shift... right?
Cool thing about fender is you can buy em online! I vote look up the model you like on the internet, ask the seller about the neck pocket, buy it and enjoy! Chances are there are at least 10 people selling the same bass, relic and all
All my CS basses have a good neck to body fit. A minuscule gap won’t affect anything (at least in my experience). I have a ‘74 Jazz that had an atrocious gap (the original neck has since been replaced with a CS neck and is perfect) and the neck never moved. It was/is the most resonant, killer sounding bass I’ve ever played too.
It's not a solution, it's a pointed suggestion to potentially find the diagnosis.
Based on the description within your question it's apparent you may not be considering the fact that the body has asymmetrical horns from top to bottom. The difference between the low side of the neck and the high side within the confines of the neck pocket leaves some space and potential opportunity for a neck to be seated slightly out of ideal alignment or pivot slightly out of alignment in certain circumstances, including the neck mounting screws not quite snug enough to prevent the shift or pivot.
In the OP's case, without at least an image or a precise measure of the gap in question using feeler gauges, there's not much to draw upon.
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I have owned two Fender Custom shop basses. The neck warped on one of them and on the other there was an 1/8" gap between the body and the neck. Fortunately I was able to return the bass. This bass had some other issues as well but the gap in the neck pocket was the deal breaker for me.
I would have to believe that if the neck was shifted bad enough to cause a discernible gap to the neck pocket, the strings would also be pretty badly misaligned on the upper register of the neck and across the pickups. Seeing how the OP stated the bass plays fantastic, I can't imagine that a bass plays fantastic with misaligned strings. Unless the CS logo and price tag was diverting attention away from the actual condition of the bass...
I would not consider the gap acceptable. I do not believe it was put there as an homage to Fender history. It is just a bad fit and for CS money I find that unacceptable.
I would not consider the gap acceptable. I do not believe it was put there as an homage to Fender history. It is just a bad fit and for CS money I find that unacceptable.
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I find myself agreeing, inspite of having built parts basses on which the parts fit fit with surgical precision. Great players have something special, though the description 'great player' is subjective.
OP
If you value feel, sound and ergonomics over looks, and your bass has all but the looks, then maybe you can overlook a slight gap. This, if you buy off the rack.
However, in an FCS build, a small gap like that had better come with a large gap in price. FCS can build a bass that looks and works great. So let them Fn do it.
Each of my Warmoth builds was so precise that I was worried about chipping the finish during assembly.. and the finished instrument, OMG. FCS can not possibly be better.
Edit. Read the previous post.
I once had a beautiful EBMM Ball Family Reserve 5 Stingray Special that had a gap on both sides of the neck pocket that were wide enough to insert a credit card into. I didn’t notice it when I bought it. However, the neck was solid but I was concerned it would cause problems later on so I returned it.
I don’t know how that could that have happen with a BFR model but it left the factory that way.
I don’t know how that could that have happen with a BFR model but it left the factory that way.
