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Graphite Necks Being Made For Popular Basses

Mr Joshua

Mr Joshua

May 27, 2023
444
1,002
Cleveland, Ohio
#1
Not sure where to post this.

I was made aware of a member of another bass forum making graphite necks for Fenders and Music Man basses. Just thought I would try to bring it to anyone's attention here that would be interested in such a thing. Hopefully this isn't a violation of any rules. I am not an associated with the maker or financially incentivized by any interest.

My only benefit is if anyone were to be interested in EBMM Necks as the necks they're currently making are a specification that I'm assuming is more common of the pre-EB Stingrays and for me to get a neck made to the 11" radius, 43mm nut specification I would need 4 other people to have to want the same thing and be willing to make a deposit.

if you're interested you can read through the threads over there and see what's going on. If anyone is interested in having a pre-special Stingray 4 neck made please reach out to the parties at BC so they know there would be interest in producing them.

Read more here: Graphite neck - ordering

 

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#2
cool to see.

if those headstock shapes are not approved (i'm going to guess they are not?) it wont be long before he hears from the lawyers.

A local guitar maker near me normally does his own headstock shapes. a notable player wanted his company name but a fender shape. He hesitantly agreed. I think the bass was used on either a big tv appearance or huge headlining tour or something - but he heard from the lawyers. he explained it was a one-of-one favor the the well known player.

as far as I recall, they left it "alright, as long as it's one-of-one, all good" - but nonetheless they're on top of this stuff is the moral of the story.

i personally would love to see more non-wood aftermarket necks that fit well and are high quality.
 
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#3
Hard to know the actual quality of the necks being produced. Looks like they are located in China per the original source link/thread. Regardless, if the headstock shapes are dead-on, it will likely get the attention of lawyers pretty quickly.... especially EBMM's.

I agree with others who would like to see more carbon fiber, etc replacement neck options available.... especially for EBMM basses. The properly licensed Status necks were beautiful, when they were make years ago. But I wouldn't support this particular operation, or trust it with my money.
 
#4
JazznFunk said:
But I wouldn't support this particular operation, or trust it with my money.
Click to expand...
I would, had differences of opinions with Steve in the past but nothing that made me question his honesty or integrity.

Not only a bass player for decades but he's been in China for years, speaks the language, knows how they do business. That's where most issues creep in, something lost in translation or fine point not set in stone. This is no half baked idea, he's put a lot of work into this venture.
 
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#5
I have always been curious what a graphite neck would sound like on a fretless? That second pic looks like fretless necks. I'd love to see a reasonably priced FSO with graphite neck/board in fretless.
 
#6
BassicJazzy said:
I have always been curious what a graphite neck would sound like on a fretless? That second pic looks like fretless necks. I'd love to see a reasonably priced FSO with graphite neck/board in fretless.
Click to expand...

Listen to Manrings playing on this video, his Zon is a composite neck fretless, sounds BEAUTIFUL & HAUNTING:

 
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#9
kodiakblair said:
I would, had differences of opinions with Steve in the past but nothing that made me question his honesty or integrity.

Not only a bass player for decades but he's been in China for years, speaks the language, knows how they do business. That's where most issues creep in, something lost in translation or fine point not set in stone. This is no half baked idea, he's put a lot of work into this venture.
Click to expand...
Spend your money the way you like, but for the cost - especially with the current 'situation' regarding imported goods here in the US - it might be a risky purchase on a few levels for US-based customers. The point of my reply was not to question HIS integrity in terms of facilitating the production of a neck that might be pretty darn good (without much else on the market to directly compete with it), but rather the overall integrity of producing necks with headstocks which, at least in the case of the FSO headstock, might attract attention in the wrong way. The StingRay 5 neck picture looks pretty 'spot on' as well. Hence the root of my hesitation.
 
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#11
As far as trustworthiness or whatever, I ran blindly toward this as a man desperate for a graphite stingray neck and gave a deposit before I even read through the threads properly. Once I determined that the MM necks were not the spec I currently play my money was refunded without questions.

Not trying to sell anyone on anything. Just giving my personal experience with this.
 
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#14
I looked more into it and seems the problem is that if you get a graphite neck that isn't a perfect fit (and what is?) you cannot easily rework it. I've watched enough builder videos to know that you need to be able to rework necks, almost all the time, to get a perfect neck/body fit. Otherwise you are in shim territory. That is not a place I want to live.

So I'll stick with my wood necks. Maybe someday my household #D printer will be able to barf out a perfect totally composite bass for me, if I live that long. Place your bets.....
 
#16
urkel3000 said:
If you want a low action on a bolt-up bass guitar, you use a shim IME. I've got one in my P, my ATK, and my aluminum-necked T-40
Click to expand...
I get the why someone wouldn’t want a shim. I have shims on my current basses and I was upset that they’re there. All this precision and quality just doesn’t mesh with a stick of something stuffed into the neck pocket. But I’ve accepted that it’s always been done and it’s effective and a necessary thing for some basses. I also forget it’s there and get over it at some point.
 
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#18
Mr Joshua said:
I get the why someone wouldn’t want a shim. I have shims on my current basses and I was upset that they’re there. All this precision and quality just doesn’t mesh with a stick of something stuffed into the neck pocket. But I’ve accepted that it’s always been done and it’s effective and a necessary thing for some basses. I also forget it’s there and get over it at some point.
Click to expand...
Oh I'm with you, it's bizarre that you have to mod a new bass to get low action, and I used to hate the idea of shims on a mechanical level. But I gave up over the years I guess lol
 
#20
Mr Joshua said:
Not sure where to post this.

I was made aware of a member of another bass forum making graphite necks for Fenders and Music Man basses. Just thought I would try to bring it to anyone's attention here that would be interested in such a thing. Hopefully this isn't a violation of any rules. I am not an associated with the maker or financially incentivized by any interest.

My only benefit is if anyone were to be interested in EBMM Necks as the necks they're currently making are a specification that I'm assuming is more common of the pre-EB Stingrays and for me to get a neck made to the 11" radius, 43mm nut specification I would need 4 other people to have to want the same thing and be willing to make a deposit.

if you're interested you can read through the threads over there and see what's going on. If anyone is interested in having a pre-special Stingray 4 neck made please reach out to the parties at BC so they know there would be interest in producing them.

Read more here: Graphite neck - ordering

Click to expand...
cool. i love carbon fibre (i cycle) but imho it would generate a terrible weight imbalance.

are they hollow or fully filled? mostly resin? would be curious. in thr cycling world carbon fibre is hollow for very light weight.
 

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