Neck Issue/Question

[Johnny Morales]

When I pull back the neck slightly with my fretting hand on my Bongo 5 - the neck flattens out and the strings start to buzz.

Is it normal for the neck to move this much when applying slight pressure on it or could there be something wrong with the neck?

 

[HMZ]

Don't do that then... Only kidding Yes if you pull on the neck it will move the neck and cause the strings to buzz.

 

[Johnny Morales]

So this is normal? On all basses?

 

[Phalex]

On pretty much anything with strings stretched across a wooden neck. String tension pulls the neck forward giving you relief. If you're pulling back on the neck harder than the strings are pulling forward, no relief.

Either stop doing that, or look into a Kramer with an aluminum neck. I imagine those won't do this as easily.

 

[BassicJohn]

Or a neck made of graphite or ipe. Graphite bends very little and ipe doesn't bend at all.

 

[Stox]

So this is normal? On all basses?

Yes

 

[Fran Diaz]

you say you pull back the neck slightly. I'd try to do the same with other basses and see what happens...if slightly means really slightly, maybe you have a bad neck.

 

[Johnny Morales]

I only have the one bass as a reference point. When I received it from the online vendor (used), the strings were loosened - when I tuned them up the action was high so I tightened the truss, strings buzzed pretty bad so I loosened the truss. Action is pretty low below the 12th and high above the 12th - I still get slight buzzing on the lower frets but when I pull back on the neck (not a lot of pressure but a decent amount) the strings buzz pretty badly.

 

[lefty007]

It is normal and it happens to all basses, but on bodies made out of soft wood, for example, basswood, the effect is more noticeable.

I used to have an MTD Kingston 5 that felt it was made out of balsa wood. . . the longish neck and small basswood body results in a very easily bendable bass.

 

[Johnny Morales]

So its not a flaw or a reason to return the bass?

 

[Phalex]

So its not a flaw or a reason to return the bass?

That question is impossible to answer remotely. Have someone look at it.