So today I finally picked up that vintage Gibson G3 I had been eying; didnt have a LOT of time to go over the setup they put on it but it felt OK to noodle on for about 10m, if a bit higher action than I like, so I took it and ran. But tonight, at home, I went to do some tweaks and noticed what looks like a twist that I hadnt seen at the store. Are my eyes deceiving me? I know the nut is heavily slanted but it looks like the headstock and body arent on the same plane (accounting for the tiltback of course). What do you think?
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NBD but is my neck twisted?
- Thread starter DDXdesign
- Start date
Yep, it looks from here like it has a mild twist. So? Does it affect the playing? Twist by itself isn't really a problem as long as both sides of the fingerboard have some forward relief. One side will have more than the other. In this case, it's twisted in the "better" direction. The E string will always have more relief than the G string.
If you are going to try to dial it down to super low action with almost no relief, then you are going to have a limitation. If you tighten the truss rod enough to bring the relief on the G string down to almost nothing, there will still be some relief on the E side. That will be as low as you can go. Probably fine, unless you are intent on super low action.
If you are going to try to dial it down to super low action with almost no relief, then you are going to have a limitation. If you tighten the truss rod enough to bring the relief on the G string down to almost nothing, there will still be some relief on the E side. That will be as low as you can go. Probably fine, unless you are intent on super low action.
Yeah real low action is how I usually roll. Maaaannnnnnn... This thing sounds great, too. But for big-boy-bass money I'd rather it be trouble-free.
That’s way too twisty for my blood. I couldn’t that back to the store fast enough.
It may be there is a bad twist, in which case G-3/Grabber necks show up once in awhile at online auctions. Or it may be that the neck screws did not seat properly and that accounts for the (perceived) twist.
Let' s twist again?
I think you can find something better for your money!
Wise(b)ass
At first sight that does not look good at all. But the slanted nut might deceives us.
I would return that if I got it at a store. That twist looks pretty extreme to me. Almost looks like one of those torzal twist basses!
That sucks man! Looks like a great condition one as well, neck aside.
If you paid serious coin it might be worth backing out if you still can. They do appear your side of the pond a lot more often...
I got lucky years ago and found a neck blank from the Kalamazoo clearance as I suspected I’d break a neck at some stage...
If you paid serious coin it might be worth backing out if you still can. They do appear your side of the pond a lot more often...
I got lucky years ago and found a neck blank from the Kalamazoo clearance as I suspected I’d break a neck at some stage...
I wouldn't be living with that, particularly if I'd paid decent money for it.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,060
- 38,448
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
Yep it's twisted. If you paid big money for it I would return it pronto. It may play just fine, I was considering a Ibanez Musician a few years back, it played great, nice low action even with the twist but in my estimation the value of the bass decreases by half. You will have a difficult time getting your money out of that bass if you ever decide to sell . G3 necks are hard to come by, it's not like running out and replacing a Fender neck. As for fixing the twist it may or may not be successful and imho not worth it.
If you can get it set up to play to your satisfaction you might want to keep it in a collection but I would demand 50% off. If this is to be your main go to bass I would return it.
If you can get it set up to play to your satisfaction you might want to keep it in a collection but I would demand 50% off. If this is to be your main go to bass I would return it.
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The nut definitely makes it look worse than it is from the one end. Using a scientific method of sliding butter knives under the strings at the first and last frets (the only dead-flat metal things I have onhand) it looks like it could be something like 3 to 5 degrees twisted tho. I sent the store an email last night, we'll see.
The nut could give an illusion. Impossible to tell unless the neck is measured.
Jeez, you could get the cork out of a bottle of Merlot with that!
