Neck warp on 5-string basses - how frequent is it?

[Iron Miska]

Hi!

I recently acquired second-hand a custom 5 string bass. I took it to a locally well-known luthier for a setup and inspection. He said that it has "the usual neck warp common for basses with uneven number of strings". The amount of warping is not that drastic; it's sub-millimetre, but it's enough to affect action so that it can't be lowered under the standard 2 mm-ish range, which is a bit sad.

Anyway, I wanted to know if any of you heard about or experienced what this luthier had told me: that 5 string bass necks naturally tend to warp.

 

[GreyBeard]

I've been playing 5 since the mid 90's. I've never had one to warp on me. Could it just need the frets dressed?

 

[Geri O]

Hi!

I recently acquired second-hand a custom 5 string bass. I took it to a locally well-known luthier for a setup and inspection. He said that it has "the usual neck warp common for basses with uneven number of strings". The amount of warping is not that drastic; it's sub-millimetre, but it's enough to affect action so that it can't be lowered under the standard 2 mm-ish range, which is a bit sad.

Anyway, I wanted to know if any of you heard about or experienced what this luthier had told me: that 5 string bass necks naturally tend to warp.

I don’t care how well-known that luthier is, that’s a crock.

Find another luthier.

 

[Iron Miska]

I've been playing 5 since the mid 90's. I've never had one to warp on me. Could it just need the frets dressed?

Yeah, I've been told it can be corrected by fret dressing or sanding the fingerboard and re-fretting.

 

[Jogobass]

if it's sub millimeter a fret dressing should fix that. Never heard of it being a common thing on 5 strings. Those basses are designed to hold an extra string.

 

[pcake]

i've owned 2 used 5 strings, played more, owned 2 new ones, never seen a warped neck on any i played at home or in stores. i'm sure a few do have warped necks, but then so do a few 4 strings.

Yeah, I've been told it can be corrected by fret dressing or sanding the fingerboard and re-fretting.

sanding the fingerboard is mostly to even the fingerboard out, sometimes for rough spots. did the luthier actually say the neck was warped in this words?

it wouldn't matter to me how well-known a luthier is - just whether he knows his stuff, is honest and does a good job. if they don't know their stuff or if they exaggerate issues to make more money, they're no use to me.

 

[TheBassPreacher]

Find another "luthier" that guy doesn't know what he is talking about at all. Reminds me of the story that Phil McKnight shared a couple live streams ago about a "Master Luthier" that moved in a couple doors down from his old store and was basically committing fraud.

 

[el murdoque]

Why would a bass neck warp because it has an uneven number of strings?

Symmetry? A 5 string neck is just as symmetrical as a 4 or 6 string neck.

Uneven distribution of the tuners on the headstock? Oh boy, every owner of a Music Man bass will have to go home right now and check their bass!

I'd wager that whatever uneven distribution of force might occur through an uneven number of strings is more than offset by the additional material used to create a neck that holds the additional string.


I guess there might be warping issues when you add a fifth string and a tuner on the treble side on a regular four string Jazz bass.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I've a four string bass with a one piece neck.

With its 50-65-85-110 set it, the tension on the D+G side is 96 lbs, and that on the E+A side is 84 lbs.

I can't see how adding a 5th string in the middle would make any difference one way or the other to the likelihood of its warping one day.

 

[Snert]

He said that it has "the usual neck warp common for basses with uneven number of strings"

What a load of crap.
I currently have 7 5ers on hand of various vintages, brands and constructions (NT and BO) and none have neck warp. Nor did any of the other 3 dozen or so I've owned.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

the usual neck warp common for basses with uneven number of string

Wood can't count....
It will find its equilibrium, so it's possible for any neck to move over time.

More detail should have been provided, along with possible remedies and costs.

What kind of bass/ where is the builder located? Is reaching out to the builder a possibility for you?

 

[Zooberwerx]

Nope. FWIW, I have no faith in techs described as "trusted / respected / well-known".

Where's the warp?

Riis

 

[Barticus]

I just checked to make sure this wasn’t posted in the humor forum.

 

[BismarckHerring]

Why would a bass neck warp because it has an uneven number of strings?

Symmetry? A 5 string neck is just as symmetrical as a 4 or 6 string neck.

Uneven distribution of the tuners on the headstock? Oh boy, every owner of a Music Man bass will have to go home right now and check their bass!

I'd wager that whatever uneven distribution of force might occur through an uneven number of strings is more than offset by the additional material used to create a neck that holds the additional string.


I guess there might be warping issues when you add a fifth string and a tuner on the treble side on a regular four string Jazz bass.

The only explanation that I can think of that makes sense, at least in theory, is that it is related to the difference in tension between the two lowest strings and the two highest strings. This difference is typically greater on a 5 string than on a 4 string. The G and D strings have a higher combined tension than the A and E strings in most sets. On a 5 string the lowest strings are B and E (the A is the middle string so it doesn’t contribute to the asymmetry), and the tension is even lower. (I don’t know how this works out for basses with a high C).

Are those few kilograms of tension less enough to warp the neck? No idea, but this is the first time I’ve heard of it so it can’t be a huge problem. But if the neck is already prone to warping, I guess it wouldn’t help. I wouldn’t dismiss the tech’s opinion outright though, he probably speaks from experience.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I call BS. Of the 13 basses I have (all 5 strings), 8 of them are over 20 years old and none are warped.

 

[chris_b]

. . . . He said that it has "the usual neck warp common for basses with uneven number of strings".

Sorry . . . . but that's BS.

 

[Slevage]

Your luthier must have skipped physics in school.

Bass construction quality has everything to do with its performance.

 

[el murdoque]

The only explanation that I can think of that makes sense, at least in theory, is that it is related to the difference in tension between the two lowest strings and the two highest strings. This difference is typically greater on a 5 string than on a 4 string. The G and D strings have a higher combined tension than the A and E strings in most sets. On a 5 string the lowest strings are B and E (the A is the middle string so it doesn’t contribute to the asymmetry), and the tension is even lower. (I don’t know how this works out for basses with a high C).

Are those few kilograms of tension less enough to warp the neck? No idea, but this is the first time I’ve heard of it so it can’t be a huge problem. But if the neck is already prone to warping, I guess it wouldn’t help. I wouldn’t dismiss the tech’s opinion outright though, he probably speaks from experience.

The most tension on a bass will usually be held by the G and D strings. So following this logic, the uneven distribution should also be a thing on every four string bass.

 

[mrperkolator]

There’s a very good luthier near me that’s given me silly responses. Turns out he balances his workload that way lol . I do most my own stuff anyway.

 

[Five or Six]

Makes me wonder what he's well known for?