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Double Bass Not your typical neck crack in 1940 kay m1w

E

ecroft91

Guest
Aug 4, 2013
38
1
Bowling Green, OH
#1
I recently purchased an old kay off craigslist for 500 bucks from a 19 year old kid in a trailer park in great shape. The only work I had to have done was a reglue of the button and the soundpost being put back up. I've been touring with it for about a month, and it has held up great. Two nights ago, we were playing a show in Oswego, NY. I left the bass on stage after soundcheck and when I came back I noticed a strange crack had developed on the neck starting around where you'd play a C on the G string, G on D, and going up the neck and eventually diagonally going off to touch the fingerboard on the G side, getting progressively thinner as it goes along. Noone says they bumped the bass or kicked it etc, so I'm thinking the bass is just freaking out from all the weather changes of touring. Anyway, since it doesn't touch the heel or neck joint, and playability and intonation seem to be going on without a hitch, is this something I should sweat, or just get an epoxy job done when tour comes to an end. Any input welcome! Thanks- Ed
 
#2
I bet there isn't much your old kay would freak out about weather-wise at this point except maybe a flood or being hit by lightning! The fingerboard and glue joint alone are holding the neck together now and if either fails you probably can imagine what will happen. You probably don't want to deal with that in the middle of a performance!

Do a search for broken neck for advice on fixing it. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search.php?searchid=20337673
 
#3
Yeah I'm not sure what caused it I know I didn't bash it on anything. It seems to be stable, when I tap it it doesn't make the typical crack separation sound that a crack on the body would make, and it doesn't appear to be deep, or separated to the eye.
 
#4
ecroft91 said:
Yeah I'm not sure what caused it I know I didn't bash it on anything. It seems to be stable, when I tap it it doesn't make the typical crack separation sound that a crack on the body would make, and it doesn't appear to be deep, or separated to the eye.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you can play it - but keep an eye on it. Show it to your luthier when you get home or someone else sooner if its growing rapidly.

Good luck!
 
#6
Unfortunately I don't have access to the bass. Our two singers went to do an acoustic gig in the fingerlakes, and possess the trailer with all the equipment and I'm meeting up with them at our next full band gig in Ontario on Thurs (Don't worry they're storing the bass inside). The best way I can describe it is that It starts in the middle of the neck and spirals off gradally while continuing to get thinner and thinner to the point where it is bearly visible and stops right around your a on the g string right about where the neck joins the fingerboard. This could even be old and I just never noticed it. As I said it's holding tune and since I've noticed it the crack has yet to expand or loosen. Everything seems solid. I can presumably get it looked at a week from tomorrow, unless someone knows of a good repair guy in the fingerlakes who can look at it quick for me between now and thurs!
 

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