How to get a neck that won't easily bow ?

[SoundOfOneHandSlapping]

I heard the Ricks have two truss rods ?

They do. I’m in Ottawa, and my go to bass is a Ric. It requires more trussrod adjustments in a year than any of my other basses.

Over the last few decades of playing in our climate, somehow, it’s the cheaper basses I’ve owned ( Charvel, Harley Benton, Intex) that require next to no adjustments. Though, it may just be a matter of luck, or coincidence.

 

[rwkeating]

My recommendation is to get what ever bass you like regardless of the neck material. Just make sure the truss rod is easy to adjust (that you don't have to remove the neck to do it,) and adjust the truss rod as needed. Once you get used to adjusting the truss rod, the process becomes fast and easy. Then you will be able to keep the neck exactly the way you want it. Win win!

 

[Robert Darby]

You just blown the tone wood thing right out of the water!

The Obstructures bass that I have has a thru body clear anodized neck that’s partially hollowed out. The fretboard is aluminum as well but I went with a black anodized finish for aesthetics. The hex bolts holding the two separate pieces together are also the fret markers.
View attachment 3368245
View attachment 3368246

 

[bdplaid]

Posiflex rods flex, hence the name. They are graphite-wrapped wood, not pure carbon. Seem rather worthless to me. I had an AmPro with those and for me it was pretty much no different than any other Fender neck.

Warmoth necks have either steel or carbon fiber rods, and are good and stable. But the steel rods make them heavy.

USACG necks have carbon fiber rods and are stable while being very lightweight, a good deal lighter than Warmoth.

You can also consider quartersawn lumber for the neck shaft. It's quite stiff, resistant to bowing and weather changes.

Roasted maple is also supposed to be more stable, and I love it, but I really don't know if it's more stable or not. It just looks so great and smells great, like maple syrup (really, because the roasting cooks the sugars in the wood).

Having said all this, the only necks I have had that never had any response to weather were the Kramer aluminum neck, and the Modulus all-carbon fiber neck. The Kramer neck was very heavy, and any carbon fiber neck is expensive.

If I was ordering a new neck specifically for stability, it would be from USACG, made from quartersawn roasted maple.

Wood is a natural, organic thing that just naturally changes with the seasons. IME, no matter the rods, etc, wood will move to some degree or another. Just the way it is, and no biggie to me. Also IME the most stable neck is the one that is thick. They don't feel the best, but they are the ones with the least movement. For obvious reasons.

 

[wraub]

I moved a bass from the Sonoran desert to NYC, bought a duplicate there and brought them back to the desert. Lived in NYC almost a decade, played both basses a lot.
Nothing but the usual adjustments, and hardly ever those.

3 piece maple w/ ebony ftw.

 

[Altitude]

Well I created this thread because my luthier told me to "stay away from anything Made in Indonesia because of the wood they use. Nothing but hardwood from North America. G&L ok but not the Tribute, MIA or even MIM but not otherwise, etc."...I thought some nuance needed to be made....

What’s different about the trees in Indonesia that makes those necks inferior?

 

[Bassist30]

The best is to adjust the neck accordingly after each set of new strings. If there are season temp changes adjust it as well. Nothing wrong with having it professionally done during summer and winter time. I have noticed that necks seem to become more stable as you care for it during these times on its own as it ages.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

I have no idea what makes for a good neck.

Besides the occasional gigs, my ‘75 precision hangs on the wall in my basement all year around. I pick it up winter, spring summer and fall and there’s no change. Usually it’s still in tune, even if it sat for weeks. My ‘07 custom classic jazz v bowed itself to the point of being unuseable just sitting in its case.

The difference is probably because the wood of the P-neck has reached a moisture content equilibrium before it was carved and the J-neck hasn't. The P-neck grain pattern is probably superior to the J-neck (tighter and straighter) and this may be due to how they were milled.

If I were you, I'd get a nice replacement neck for the J, so it could come out of the case.

Just for giggles I have looked at a quartersawn (graphite reinforced) J-neck (slim taper) with quartersawn finger board (fretless) on the Warmoth site and nearly $600US would buy a neck. Needless to say I forgot to giggle. A helluva motivation to DIY, if one has some time and tools (knowledge). Of course, there are cheaper alternatives, I'd check the classifieds, also.

 

[Slax]

The difference is probably because the wood of the P-neck has reached a moisture content equilibrium before it was carved and the J-neck hasn't. The P-neck grain pattern is probably superior to the J-neck (tighter and straighter) and this may be due to how they were milled.

I have '74 Jazz bass and a '09 Highway One Jazz bass. I've noticed the same as Callused Finger with my basses and you're probably right.
My '09 needs adjustments every year for the past 10 years. I thought the neck would finally settle but I guess that'll never happen. Still my go to bass though. The '74 I don't think I've touched the truss rod adjustment since I've owned it (about 8 years) and it's still perfect.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I vote for number 3. Like the posiflex rods Fender puts into the American Pro series. I live in New England and never have to adjust the truss rod.

+1 IME .. more expensive but generally paying back well ..

 

[cnltb]

I'd always go with a one piece neck , cut from a good piece of wood.
In my 6 and a half years of owning and playing my main 4 every day, I have had to make very slight adjustments 3 times.
Lucky piece of maple-magic.


I also don't like multi-lam necks, or reinforcement rods.

 

[Kmonk]

I live in Massachusetts which also has drastic changes in humidity and temperature and have never had a problem with the necks on any of my instruments. I occasionally have to make a minor adjustment but never had a serious problem. What basses do you own or have owned that have had issues with the neck?

 

[saltydude]

See if Moses graphite makes any necks for your bases.

 

[Bodeeni]

I had a Travis bean with an Aluminum neck. Weighed a ton, but the neck was stable. In winter it could get so cold your hand could stick to it, but it played well. As I said before I have had two Graphite necks warp. I know their were not suppose to but they did and in both cases it was sudden and pretty extreme. Like zero relief to 3/16. Repairable. I need a stable neck. Which, to me, means it has a uniform relief that is easily adjustable. My many problems came from necks wrapping weird. When I meet Mike Lull, he said that's the reason he does bolt on necks. There are no guaranties. Right now I have a basic Fender P neck that got weird and a tech heat treated it and then pleked it. I am not sure what he did but it has been very stable ever since and gets the least adjustment of any of my 4 stringers. Lucky I guess

 

[mmbass21]

@skullbass I have 2 Kiesels and have not touched either truss rod in 2 years owning 1 and 1 year owning the other. Extremely stable even if you get a 1 piece neck from them. They even just started roasting their maple necks if you want which also helps the stability with less moisture in the wood. They'll only roast a 1 piece maple neck, nothing else yet.

 

[skullbass]

What’s different about the trees in Indonesia that makes those necks inferior?

Even if it's imported Canadian maple, he says that the wood is often not dryed enough, that they are kept in diverse conditions that make them bow rapidly. At some point in time Ibanez outsourced to a Quebec plant (now Godin) their neck production because they keep the wood inside at a 45% controlled humidity. Apparently China Japan North America and Mexico have better practices.

 

[skullbass]

The best is to adjust the neck accordingly after each set of new strings. If there are season temp changes adjust it as well. Nothing wrong with having it professionally done during summer and winter time. I have noticed that necks seem to become more stable as you care for it during these times on its own as it ages.

Yes I think I'll settle for this option. And buy a bass that is easy to adjust...And never put nylon coated strings as they need more tension. And stay away from Ibanez fast but thin necks

 

[Funkmabassup]

Ordner a neck in roasted maple, also carbon rods doesnt hurt

 

[mc900ftj]

As others have said....aluminum-necked Kramers won't easily bow. I have a '78 (pictured here). Downside is it's rather heavy by modern standards. Heck, by any standards!

 

[ctmullins]

And never put nylon coated strings as they need more tension.

You do realize that tapewound strings come in lots of different gauges, allowing you to select the ones with your preferred level of tension?

And stay away from Ibanez fast but thin necks

Another gross over-generalization. Ibanez is one of the largest and most successful manufacturers out there. They know how to build instruments, and they’ve made a fair few spectacular ones.