Why Plek a brand new bass?

[Clark W]

I can understand maybe getting a 500 bass Plekd. But then you could take that extra money for the Plek job, put it with the 500, and buy a $750 bass. So it makes no sense to me to Plek a brand new $500 bass.

So what about an $1800 bass? For $1800 bucks, the bass better not need a Plek job, IMO.

So what are your thoughts? Opinions?

 

[AK Bass Guy]

I can understand maybe getting a 500 bass Plekd. But then you could take that extra money for the Plek job, put it with the 500, and buy a $750 bass. So it makes no sense to me to Plek a brand new $500 bass.

So what about an $1800 bass? For $1800 bucks, the bass better not need a Plek job, IMO.

So what are your thoughts? Opinions?

You would hope that spending $1800 would mean a plek job won’t be required but that isn’t always the case.
Plenty of posts on Talkbass about QC of fretwork on new “professional” bass guitars in that price range.

 

[Clark W]

Plenty of posts on Talkbass about QC of fretwork on new “professional” bass guitars in that price range.

I know. Thing is, I'm not keeping a new $1800 bass if it needs fret work.

QC isn't up to snuff sometimes.

 

[Roland GR 88]

There’s a bit more than the sale price in regards to frets. No two necks are exactly alike. The age of the tree, the time spent and conditions during seasoning, the machine or builder installing them, the alloy used and on and on including good or bad luck during shipping and storage at the distributor and the store.
Yes, an expensive guitar should have good fret work but IME to get a guitar to intonate perfectly all the way the top with no buzz or funny business it usually and unfortunately costs a lot more than $1800.00.

 

[JRA]

So what are your thoughts? Opinions?

thoughts: win some, lose some.

opinions: it's not about 'price point'.

while i've never experienced a plek job: i'd do/spend whatever i think is necessary to get what i think i need from an ax --- if i have confidence that i'll get it. in any case = it's always a gamble, eh!?

IME/IMO, the more you know about what you need, the better chances you have of getting it.

 

[lowplaces]

Only benefit I see to a pleked neck is if I wanted the lowest possible action. I've never owned a bass that I couldn't get the action where I like it.

But I suspect the average player could play my bass and they'd call it medium action.

 

[ardgedee]

I can understand maybe getting a 500 bass Plekd. But then you could take that extra money for the Plek job, put it with the 500, and buy a $750 bass. So it makes no sense to me to Plek a brand new $500 bass.

But what if that $750 bass needs a plek job? Now you're out $1k

 

[pbass2]

It's all relative. Everything costs more now. Plenty of basses in that price range don't even come with any shielding to speak of.

 

[billiard]

Because it will be mathematically perfect and incredibly comfortable to play

 

[monsterthompson]

Wood and fret wire is still a bit of an art, and hand tools are only so accurate. You’d hope a higher priced instrument was set up right from the shop, but once it’s been shipped through a few climate changes and warehouses, things can shift.

As mentioned, the plek will help get the lowest possible action across the fretboard. Get one done in your environment once the instrument has settled if that’s what you’re after. If you think an $1,800 instrument should include a $500 plek then most builders are going to give you a $1,300 instrument with a $500 plek, not an $1,800 instrument with a $500 plek. The numbers shift a little, but anyone with the machinery knows there’s a cost to account for.

 

[lordradish]

That was an option when I got my EBMM Stingray Special 5hh from Sweetwater. In this case, most certainly unnecessary, given it's a 3k bass. If it did need it at that price point, I'd be both surprised and pissed.

 

[DanAdams]

Wood can be unpredictable, and it is susceptible to climate variance and age.
A plek is done under tension, and most luthiers don't own a plek machine.

The cost of a bass, and the value of a plek are two different conversations.

However one views the value of a plek, I believe that getting one done on a brand new bass that has just arrived from a random place on the globe is not a good idea.
Wait a year with the bass in your climate if you are persnickety enough to get a plek.

 

[birminghambass]

I've owned over 50 Fenders. The best neck by a mile was PLEKed. It definitely CAN make a difference. None of my current 12 basses (all different brands) need one.

 

[Pings Bass]

Some people buy the undercoating. If it makes them feel good, who am I to judge?

 

[David56]

I have 2 Fender American Pro jazz necks. One of these needed a plek. The other one was perfect. I have a Player Jazz neck which needed a plek. I have an American Standard jazz neck which needed a plek. The Pro jazz neck that needed a Plek is on a roasted pine jazz bass which I recently picked up in a trade. All my other Fender jazz necks are on Fender P bodies. I have a Peavey Foundation that has perfect frets from the factory. Fender bass guitars under 2000 dollars many times needing a plek has been my experience. I wish Fender would Plek necks at the factory but that is not happening...

 

[prndltech]

If you’ve played a bass with a plek job done right, then it’s pretty much worth it on anything you plan to play for a while. Just so happens my $1800 bass came plek’d from the maker - that’s how it should be!

 

[MochaFiend]

Not a bass, but hear me out.

This is James Gay, master builder at G&L. In this video, he's going from a plank to a custom built guitar for Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains, solo).

At 18:30, he takes the guitar that he JUST got done setting up and puts it in the plek machine. My feeling is that if the guy who spent days building the guitar as perfectly as possible uses the Plek to make it absolutely perfect, then probably the off-the-shelf instrument from Sweetwater could use it as well.

 

[MCF]

FWIW, Gibson still pleks all their basses.

 

[Adjectives]

I like a PLEK on my main instruments. My Lull came PLEK'd, but had my '75 P and Maruszczyk PLEK'd after purchase. Both came back to me VERY noticeably better playing. Neither were night and day but I feel both were well worth the $400 at the Lull shop in Bellevue.

My mentioned instruments(not the Lull) cost me around $2200 each to give come context.

 

[Turnaround]

A plek is done under tension, and most luthiers don't own a plek machine.

A decent luthier doesn't need one. I have done my fret levelling under string tension for years but i don't own a plek.