Green Wood: Time to Cut Bait!

[Dr. Cheese]

Twice in two years, a lower priced, but high performing Indonesian imports have had wood settle and shift in ways that have severely reduced playability for me. Last year, it was a Squier Classic Vibe Fretless that ended up with a warping neck and uneven fingerboard. Now my SBMM Stingray 5 is having issues. The Squier is gone, but I will take the ‘Ray to a pro luthier since it is a birthday present from my wife. Fortunately, my Squier Contemporary Jazz V HH is stable. Possibly because it is $100-$150 more expensive, plus it was in the shop two years before I bought, so that wood is likely settled. I guess I will just be avoiding these “great deal” budget basses in the future.

 

[redstrand]

The Sire I got obviously suffered from that too. I’ve been lucky on everything else. That why I prefer maple these days, no surprises

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The Sire I got obviously suffered from that too. I’ve been lucky on everything else. That why I prefer maple these days, no surprises

I am taking it as a sign to keep my money in my pocket or bank.

 

[redstrand]

Other than the trade I just made I’m good for anymore basses. I already have too many

 

[stuntbass77]

Twice in two years, a lower priced, but high performing Indonesian imports have had wood settle and shift in ways that have severely reduced playability for me. Last year, it was a Squier Classic Vibe Fretless that ended up with a warping neck and uneven fingerboard. Now my SBMM Stingray 5 is having issues. The Squier is gone, but I will take the ‘Ray to a pro luthier since it is a birthday present from my wife. Fortunately, my Squier Contemporary Jazz V HH is stable. Possibly because it is $100-$150 more expensive, plus it was in the shop two years before I bought, so that wood is likely settled. I guess I will just be avoiding these “great deal” budget basses in the future.

Sorry to hear that ! You just never know after you bring home a bass if it will twist down the road. I do think that the higher end basses get the best lumber but it can happen to MIA basses as well. My houses humidity goes up and down and I have a humidifier and a dehumidifier and it’s hard to keep it constant. I believe this may be why my MIA jazz developed a ski jump ( 12 feet kink ). On the other hand my SBMM SB14 which is considered a somewhat lower end bass has been stable the whole time I have been here. My cheap acoustic guitar also swelled a little in the back but has been manageable with some truss rod tweaks. The change in my houses humidity is carefully watched and action is taken right away so not sure if it’s the “green woods” with my acoustic or not. I would expect my fender to deal better as it is better woods and has rods but still happened. I always say if you can save for the better bass do it and you will be happy. Not to say there are not any gems as my SBMM SB14 is a keeper. I found the musicman sound isn’t really my thing but this bass plays so good I love to play it ! Problem is wood even throughly dried out can still twist but my money says it would be more likely on a lower end bass made with inferior wood and not properly dried.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Sorry to hear that ! You just never know after you bring home a bass if it will twist down the road. I do think that the higher end basses get the best lumber but it can happen to MIA basses as well. My houses humidity goes up and down and I have a humidifier and a dehumidifier and it’s hard to keep it constant. I believe this may be why my MIA jazz developed a ski jump ( 12 feet kink ). On the other hand my SBMM SB14 which is considered a somewhat lower end bass has been stable the whole time I have been here. My cheap acoustic guitar also swelled a little in the back but has been manageable with some truss rod tweaks. The change in my houses humidity is carefully watched and action is taken right away so not sure if it’s the “green woods” with my acoustic or not. I would expect my fender to deal better as it is better woods and has rods but still happened. I always say if you can save for the better bass do it and you will be happy. Not to say there are not any gems as my SBMM SB14 is a keeper. I found the musicman sound isn’t really my thing but this bass plays so good I love to play it ! Problem is wood even throughly dried out can still twist but my money says it would be more likely on a lower end bass made with inferior wood and not properly dried.

There are certainly cheaper basses that are great performers. I own some right now like my Glarry Fretless. I have, however, had much consistency with basses north of $700, and certainly north of $1,000. This is not counted high quality basses with low resale value like old US Peaveys.

 

[ajkula66]

Sorry to hear that you've had this happen, Doc. Hopefully a nice heat treatment will take care of that warped neck on the gifted bass.

That's one of the reasons that I buy well-worn used stuff 99% of the time. It is either obvious that serious work is needed and the price gets negotiated accordingly, or that no work is likely to be needed for years to come. But that's me.

Good luck.

 

[Marko 1]

I guess I will just be avoiding these “great deal” budget basses in the future.

I have a MIM Fender Jazz that, over a period of years, the neck warped until it ran out of truss rod. I put the neck from an Affinity Jazz (cheapest one they make?) and it's as stable as can be (not to mention nicer fret board and nicer dots).

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Sorry to hear that you've had this happen, Doc. Hopefully a nice heat treatment will take care of that warped neck on the gifted bass.

That's one of the reasons that I buy well-worn used stuff 99% of the time. It is either obvious that serious work is needed and the price gets negotiated accordingly, or that no work is likely to be needed for years to come. But that's me.

Good luck.

That sort of what happened with that Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass V that I swapped for a used Spector fretless that just didn’t do it for me. I had played that bass off and on in that shop for two years. The odds are that Bass was settled even though it was “new.”

 

[Bassology]

I had a Roscoe LG3005, one day after changing the strings (same brand and same gauge), the neck just decided to completely cave in. I meant it was so extreme, with the trussrod maxed out, there was still a 3-4mm gap at 9th fret. Since the bass was already a few years old by then and I wasn't the original owner, I had it fixed on my own dime and it wasn't cheap. I guess the moral of the story is that even high end boutique basses can suffer the same fate.

On a side note, many manufactures and builders are now adopting the use of roasted maple. In my opinion, it can solve a lot of problems, especially comes to lower end offerings. The process draws out moisture in a controlled environment and can be scientifically monitored. I would imagine if a piece wood is going to shift, it will likely happen during the roasting process, thus creating a more stable piece of wood as an end product. I meant not everyone can afford 20+ years to air dry their timber like Ken Smith does.

 

[micguy]

At my work, we have 3 Mexican Fenders that, over the first couple of years, 2 have twisted pretty badly - they’re in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. I’ve had several Asian built budget basses that had zero issues. It’s not the price that makes the wood bad, it’s just improper wood seasoning. Some Asian factories do a very good job. Others... not so much.

I have a bunch of Warmoth’s roasted necks. Not a hint of a twist anywhere - roasted necks might be bendable by too much string tension, but should be pretty much immune to twisting - roasting is really just very good seasoning.

My suggestion, if you want a budget bass, is to buy one that’s 3 or more years old ( with a straight neck). If it doesn't twist in the first few years, it’s probably good for the duration.

 

[MynameisMe]

Here in Florida we don't have the bad dry winters and my basses are pretty stable. An occasional tweak during setup.
I look for older instruments anyway so they are mostly settled in after 10 - 25 years.

 

[tpaul]

The green wood doesn't burn well, either.

 

[buldog5151bass]

One more reason to buy the best bass you can. There are some decent cheaper basses, but you never know when/how they are trying to cut corners (including underpaying their workers.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

At my work, we have 3 Mexican Fenders that, over the first couple of years, 2 have twisted pretty badly - they’re in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. I’ve had several Asian built budget basses that had zero issues. It’s not the price that makes the wood bad, it’s just improper wood seasoning. Some Asian factories do a very good job. Others... not so much.

I have a bunch of Warmoth’s roasted necks. Not a hint of a twist anywhere - roasted necks might be bendable by too much string tension, but should be pretty much immune to twisting - roasting is really just very good seasoning.

My suggestion, if you want a budget bass, is to buy one that’s 3 or more years old ( with a straight neck). If it doesn't twist in the first few years, it’s probably good for the duration.

My guess is that the highest spec SBMM basses or Sires with roasted necks are some of the best imports available when it comes neck issues.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I think this whole issue about the necks is a sign that I have enough, and that I need to just enjoy what I already have.

 

[P. Aaron]

Even though I play out weekly...mostly, I keep all my basses in a case when not in use.

Any of your basses staying on stands, wall hanging for extended periods? Could be a simple-seasonal exposure issue.

In Texas right now, unusual lagging humidity and low clouds...Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama getting drenched in rain.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Even though I play out weekly...mostly, I keep all my basses in a case when not in use.

Any of your basses staying on stands, wall hanging for extended periods? Could be a simple-seasonal exposure issue.

In Texas right now, unusual lagging humidity and low clouds...Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama getting drenched in rain.

I have been keeping my basses on stands; guilty as charged. We are having the same weather as the South, just a bit cooler here.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

The unfortunate fact is that wood is an organic thing. There are processes that can be applied to stabilize and reduce instances of environmental and stress factors negative effects. But, how well the process is applied, the X Factor of a specific chunk and the effects of climate change are all at work.

The lower the budget the higher the risks, in general, because you will know where that extra money went when your $389 Bass starts to decompose and contorte on that fantasy island you live on.

 

[Hop Jam]

Other than the trade I just made I’m good for anymore basses. I already have too many