Cheap replacement neck?

FraKo · May 27th, 2003, 05:03 AM

I've got a P-bass that needs a full refretting. I haven't been playin' it for years: now, while beginning to work on that neck, I noticed that the truss rod doesn't work any longer: the neck profile is too curved, and can't be fixed by tweaking the truss rod. It stays curved down at the first frets, despite my efforts. Moreover, the wood's cracked somewhere, and though all the care I put in the delicate de-fretting operation, some small fragment detached from the surface. So that, I've got several options:

1) Putty the fret slots to transform into a fretless bass: that could be the easy way to fix the problem. But - you know - a fretless ain't exactly easy to play...
2) shim the neck to try to fix that bloody relief (as it it now it's rather unplayable): at least, the action could be reduced to an acceptable rate, and I may use lower tension strings to let the neck stay a little sharper

or

3) try to find a cheap replacement neck. This bass isn't a Fender, but just a well sounding clone. I've got a couple of addresses for some cheap guitar replacement necks, but they do not have any bass ones. Suggestions?

About solution 1), I'm sorry to say that's a maple fingerboard, so that I don't think it's the best for a fretless (any advice?)

Thanks in advance for any feedbacks and suggestions

4mal · May 28th, 2003, 07:40 PM

I'd watch www.talkbass.com and www.thedudepit.com and basscentral. I scored a MIM fretless that needed a nut job (hey - we found each other!) for a hundred bucks a while back. Followed that up with a 97 MIA rosewood w/o tuners for 60. I see the occaisional clone neck pop up for cheap as well. I have a couple of Fernandes J clones that are impressive instruments for low-dough. If you see one of those, the necks are nice although the headstock shape isn't stock Fender.

Bob Rogers · May 28th, 2003, 07:59 PM

Buy a good neck. Yes they do lose money on resale, but not as much as a cheap neck with a bad truss rod.

I would not spend any time working with a warped neck with a bad truss rod unless it was on a very special guitar.

Good luck

May 27th, 2003, 05:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
FraKo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milan, Italy Posts: 1,286	Cheap replacement neck? I've got a P-bass that needs a full refretting. I haven't been playin' it for years: now, while beginning to work on that neck, I noticed that the truss rod doesn't work any longer: the neck profile is too curved, and can't be fixed by tweaking the truss rod. It stays curved down at the first frets, despite my efforts. Moreover, the wood's cracked somewhere, and though all the care I put in the delicate de-fretting operation, some small fragment detached from the surface. So that, I've got several options: 1) Putty the fret slots to transform into a fretless bass: that could be the easy way to fix the problem. But - you know - a fretless ain't exactly easy to play... 2) shim the neck to try to fix that bloody relief (as it it now it's rather unplayable): at least, the action could be reduced to an acceptable rate, and I may use lower tension strings to let the neck stay a little sharper or 3) try to find a cheap replacement neck. This bass isn't a Fender, but just a well sounding clone. I've got a couple of addresses for some cheap guitar replacement necks, but they do not have any bass ones. Suggestions? About solution 1), I'm sorry to say that's a maple fingerboard, so that I don't think it's the best for a fretless (any advice?) Thanks in advance for any feedbacks and suggestions __________________ FraKo-the-gnome 1/2 Member of the Double Bound Telecaster Owners Club

May 28th, 2003, 07:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bob Rogers Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 1,710	Buy once, cry once Buy a good neck. Yes they do lose money on resale, but not as much as a cheap neck with a bad truss rod. I would not spend any time working with a warped neck with a bad truss rod unless it was on a very special guitar. Good luck

May 28th, 2003, 07:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
4mal Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Gorge Posts: 2,153	I'd watch www.talkbass.com and www.thedudepit.com and basscentral. I scored a MIM fretless that needed a nut job (hey - we found each other!) for a hundred bucks a while back. Followed that up with a 97 MIA rosewood w/o tuners for 60. I see the occaisional clone neck pop up for cheap as well. I have a couple of Fernandes J clones that are impressive instruments for low-dough. If you see one of those, the necks are nice although the headstock shape isn't stock Fender.