• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Replacing the neck vs. selling the bass?

steamthief

steamthief

Jan 25, 2006
5,509
2,630
Mentone Beach
#1
My main bass since I bought it in 1999 is my Fender California Precision Special. I love the sound, I love the look. However, I've come to the conclusion that the Jazz neck dimensions aren't working for me, as my SR4 and beater P are both much more comfortable to play.

The obvious thing to do is to get a P neck, right? I've never bought a replacement neck before, and I have a lot of trepidation in doing so. I can't "try before I buy." I could get a great neck, but I also could get one with bowing, twist or dead spots. It seems like a crapshoot.

On the other hand, I could sell my P/J, and get another one with a P neck. But this is my favorite bass. I've swapped out the bridge pickup with a Fralin dual coil and it sounds wonderful. My friend also dropped it a few weeks ago, giving it its first major battle scar, reducing the resale value.

What to do? Those of you who have faced this dilemma, please share your thoughts!
 
#5
If you do a little shopping around, you should be able to figure out what used necks sell for, and find one for a decent price. Buy it. Try it. If you don't like it, sell it for roughly what you paid for it. If you do a good job shopping and are patient on selling (if you decide to sell it), you could even make a little bit of money.

I love my US P with a Warmoth Jazz neck! Replacement necks are nothing to be worried about.
 
#6
Save the old neck. It will always be worth more to someone else with the original neck.

Also, remember that it is a bolt-on instrument. If you do, in fact, "love the sound" you should at least be prepared that the bass may behave and sound differently with a different neck. A bit of difference in weight, different density of wood, grain alignment, etc.

It could be better, mostly the same, or it could lose its mojo altogether.
 
#8
No - don't replace the neck. Why for? Two main reasons leap to mind:

1: The neck is the *core* of the instrument, but it needs to be completely integrated with the body to make the bass; You buy a replacement neck and it's a crap-shoot if it will be a good fit *for you*, even if it's from a very good company like Warmoth.

2: Fender's have utterly irrational resale value, so any tampering will lower the value. If this bass isn't doing the trick for you, given how utterly irrational folks are about fenders, you could probably sell it as "Vintage" since it's more than 10 years old, likely selling it for more than you paid new.
 
#11
USA Custom Guitars makes a much better neck than Warmoth IMHO. Warmoth makes a great, stable necks but they are also tone robbing boat anchors. The steel stability rods and they have killed the tone on a few basses I swapped out necks on in the past. USACG uses graphite rods I believe and will do a custom neck thickness and fretboard radius in both P and J styles. They also have a better vintage vibe where the Warmoth's feel very modern (thought they may have made a few changes in the last few years). I would go with USACG hands down.

Just my opinion as I know there are plenty Warmoth fans around here and I do agree they make a quality product just not my thing in the necks department.
 
#12
Thanks for all of the feedback. If I do end up buying a neck, more than likely it will be a used Fender, either a MIM road worn or Classic 50's. My current neck is one-piece maple, as these are, just with a 1.75" nut that feels better. I can't really afford a new custom job at this time.

I've hung on to the original single coil bridge pickup I swapped out, and would also keep the original neck if I bought a replacement. If the new neck didn't do the trick, I could then sell the bass as it was when I bought it new.
 
#13
I have a MM Sterling that the neck got damaged on, so I opted to replace the neck because I really loved the instrument, it had been my #1 for a decade. Music Man did an incredible job (that cost a small fortune) on the replacement and super quality setup, and the bass now plays and even sounds better than it ever did before.

The funny thing is though, I never play the bass any more, at least in my case it no longer feels like the same "old friend" or whatever, just a really nice but very different bass. It's got a bit of a taxidermy-repulsion thing to it..."This is not my beautiful wife!".. A bit odd, but that's my experience.
 
#18
The neck is key in my experience, it is the soul of a bass. It won't be the same after, so look elsewhere for your 'one'.

That was a funny story about the MM Sterling neck replacement. I'm a Sterling guy and I one time put a tortoise PG on my favorite one. This is a pickguard for cripes sake! But it just zapped all the mojo, it felt all wrong. Within 10 minutes, the original was back on and I swore to Eleven that I would never do such a thing again!
 
#19
The new American Deluxe Precision Basses are pretty much like a P-bass special but with precision neck a an extra fret (21 frets). I know there's a big budget difference so you can wait and buy it used or buy a Fender precision and get your Fralin dual coil pickup installed in it, you can also look on ebay for a 1999 Fender California Precision Bass and again, get your fave pickup installed in it.

Sorry if my english sucks, is it intalled IN it or installed ON it? Hellow to everyone by the way :D!!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back