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Neck curvature issues - Clamping at different areas?

Discussion in 'Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]' started by wild4oldcars, Jun 30, 2020.

  1. Jun 30, 2020 #1
    wild4oldcars

    wild4oldcars

    Jan 22, 2012
    Garner, NC
    So I have a bolt on neck that has a strange bit of curvature. Between frets 1 and 5, the neck is serviceably straight, but from there to the body joint there is significant relief. There’s also a touch of ski jump at the body, but could definitely be leveled out. The issue is that when I go to apply backbow via the truss (single action, Gibson nut), the 1-5 area curves into an unplayable backbow before the rest of the neck reaches any acceptable straightness. I assume clamping the neck into a backbow would help, but I’m wondering if I should do so for the whole length of the fingerboard, or if I should block off the offending area from the 4th or 5th fret through the heel? Physically that would make more sense to me, but I wouldn’t want to wreck the rod or invite more/weirder curvature.

    Help and opinions appreciated!
     
  2. Jul 1, 2020 #2
    Lownote38

    Lownote38

    Aug 8, 2013
    Nashville, TN
    The only way to fix that and make it stay that way is to use heat and clamping. For that, it's best to leave to someone who has worked with wood for a very long time. I would say that person is Erik at warpedneck.com. $75 plus shipping, and he will straighten that neck out.
     
  3. Jul 1, 2020 #3
    wild4oldcars

    wild4oldcars

    Jan 22, 2012
    Garner, NC
    Thanks for the suggestion, though it doesn’t really answer my question.
     
  4. Jul 2, 2020 #4
    Lownote38

    Lownote38

    Aug 8, 2013
    Nashville, TN
    What you're suggesting won't wreck the truss rod as long as you leave it loose. I don't think it will fix your problem, though. I doubt it will make it worse either. Without heat, it's unlikely that any clamping will keep the wood where you want it to be.
     
  5. Jul 2, 2020 #5
    Turnaround

    Turnaround Commercial User

    May 6, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Independent Instrument Technician - Retired
    It seems to me that the problem you are seeing is an S curve - to even out the upbow mid-neck you end up with backbow towards the headstock. It’s a complex distortion that will require heat treatment for correction. But then you need to determine what caused that scenario on the first place so you can avoid a recurrence. Of it got that way on its own, chances are it will do it again - what’s to stop it?
     
  6. Jul 5, 2020 #6
    walterw

    walterw Supportive Fender Commercial User

    Feb 20, 2009
    alpha-music.com
    not up there it won't

    the problem is that the neck has gone bad in an area the truss rod doesn't really help with, up by the body. you saw what happens when you tighten, it just straightens out and goes into backbow down at the headstock end, while the kinked or S-curved part at the body stays the same.

    the fix is indeed gonna be clamping and heating that area to attempt to retrain the wood, ideally followed by a refret to plane the wood perfectly straight before putting new frets in.
     
  7. Jul 6, 2020 #7
    bobdabilder

    bobdabilder

    Feb 5, 2013
    mississippi, usa
    Warpedneck.com
     
    Lownote38 likes this.
  8. Jul 7, 2020 #8
    Lownote38

    Lownote38

    Aug 8, 2013
    Nashville, TN
    ^^^ This!! Erik hasn't failed me yet. Two Jazz Bass necks with ski jump, and he fixed them both.
     
    bobdabilder likes this.