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Fixing a neck... is this a video good or not?

#4
Dan’s videos are always good information. He’s probably forgotten more about instrument repair then many of us will know. The StewMac videos are, however, typically oriented towards selling their tools so as long as you can sort through the marketing and determine what you actually need you’re good.

Dave’s videos are good and entertaining but not step by step and he doesn’t claim to be. Some of the procedures are more inferred. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve watched most or all of his stuff and learned a lot but I started with some knowledge of repair in the first place.
 
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#5
Matt Liebenau said:
Dan’s videos are always good information. He’s probably forgotten more about instrument repair then many of us will know. The StewMac videos are, however, typically oriented towards selling their tools so as long as you can sort through the marketing and determine what you actually need you’re good.

Dave’s videos are good and entertaining but not step by step and he doesn’t claim to be. Some of the procedures are more inferred. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve watched most or all of his stuff and learned a lot but I started with some knowledge of repair in the first place.
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I am new to seeing Dan on youtube …. I like what I have seen so far … Dave can be an ass sometimes ...
 
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#6
Ric5 said:
I am new to seeing Dan on youtube …. I like what I have seen so far … Dave can be an ass sometimes ...
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Dan Erlewine has been writing repair columns for magazines like Guitar Player and Vintage Guitar since the 80’s. I’m a grumpy old man so I get Dave’s schtick. Sometimes it’s more amusing then others. If you want to see some great repairs on acoustic instruments, mainly guitar and mandolin I’d suggest Rosa String Works on the YouTubes also.
 
#7
when i have new issues/adjustments to make i watch all the sources and compare, but i see dan's actual fixes as the bottom line...or the advice to compare all the others. there is often a 'majority' opinion, too, even if individual personalities and methods differ a tiny bit.

good luck with your neck fix! :thumbsup:
 
#8
JRA said:
when i have new issues/adjustments to make i watch all the sources and compare, but i see dan's actual fixes as the bottom line...or the advice to compare all the others. there is often a 'majority' opinion, too, even if individual personalities and methods differ a tiny bit.

good luck with your neck fix! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

The bass is playable, but I want to get the action lower … I plan on replacing truss rods and putting the "bend" on it and then see how it comes out. (except I can't find truss rod replacements so the old one stay in)

I can get it fixed professionally, but then I would spend more then I bought the bass for.

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#9
Both Dan E and this guy Dave have done 800 billion more basses in their sleep per week than I have in my whole life, so I can obviously say the vids are the right way to do it when you have a totally foobar'ed neck like that.

I do agree that the chances of long-term success are lower once a neck gets to that point. If you have enough truss rod action to null out the relief, typically the neck will stay straight for a lot longer than if you just keep it clamped with a back bow for a few days. Once the wood settles in like that, you're kind of screwed.

I've had necks at the limit of adjustment but not near as bad as the one Dave does in the 2nd video. I was able to get it straightened out by clamping to the side of a table and tightening the rod. IIRC, it did creep back into some relief again but it wasn't near as bad.

So it's worth a shot and you have a good chance that it'll help....

L
 
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#12
I'd say the takeaway is that the truss rod can only do so much. For a neck that's already close to being right, often the truss rod can bring it into spec. For others that are truly 'bent' as Dave would say, easing off the truss rod and clamping it straight to begin again is the best way, as you can easily run out of truss rod adjustment before you get it there, or worse, break the nut and/or the rod trying to get that big a correction out of it.

Generally (and each and every situation is different, although the approach to the fix is similar), you can take Dan or Dave's advice to the bank.

But . . . . as always . . . . IF it's beyond your skill level to reel a particular problem in, take it to a professional repairman. I've found out it cheaper for him to address the original problem than to fix where I fixed it !
 
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#15
My only thought would be that if your C-clamp is big enough or you can put a smaller caul under the middle of the neck that level will be a little stiffer if you turn it 90 degrees so the edge you check level with is against the board. Looking forward to hearing what happens.
 
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#17
OK I left it over night with the c clamp. This morning I took it off and tightened the rods and I made the neck flat - without strings - and that alone is progress. So the rods are tightened and the clamp is back on. My goal is that without strings I can make it go back bow so that with strings it will be flat … or close to flat.
 
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#18
OK I left it clamped a day and a half, It is now in a slight backbow without strings on it. I will let is sit overnight and maybe put strings on tomorrow.

so far this looks good.

The bass was playable before the treatment … I am hoping for an improvement
 
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