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Precision - which one?


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I struggle to agree that even wood makes a difference to an electric guitar. Pick ups and strings yes, but whenever people talk of the incredible sound of say maple over some other wood, I'm somewhat sceptical. It certainly helps with the look of a guitar but does it really help with the sound?

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[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1414573099' post='2590721']
I am not convinced that graphite necks have a "sound".

I have owned graphite-necked Statuses and now have a STatus neck on a traditional Jazz design. The Statuses sounded like Statuses (obviously !). The Jazz still sounds like a Jazz, just with a really rigid and resonant neck. There is no particular spike in any frequency range, or any other "graphite-ness" in the tone.
It is unfortunate that people associate graphite necks with the type of sound that Status and Zon basses make. It has little to do with the neck on these basses and more to do with the general design.
[/quote]
I'm interested in getting a Jazz neck from Status graphite. I have a MIM Jazz with a rosewood board - Nice bass but could really use a fix for the severe dead spot on the G string at fret 5 / C.
Any hint of a dead spot or spots on your graphite necks? I'll try hipshot ultralights first but I'd appreciate your feedback on the status necks.
Oh my:
[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1414576176' post='2590776']
I struggle to agree that even wood makes a difference to an electric guitar. Pick ups and strings yes, but whenever people talk of the incredible sound of say maple over some other wood, I'm somewhat sceptical. It certainly helps with the look of a guitar but does it really help with the sound?
[/quote]

Your not alone in that opinion: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247093-does-body-wood-make-a-difference-to-the-sound-of-a-bass-guitar/page__st__150"]http://basschat.co.u...r/page__st__150[/url]
There's many ways to look at it - but little compelling evidence to suggest any such thing as a "tonewood" - certainly when it comes to solid body electrics.
Wood can certainly help hinder the sound - e.g. dead spots due to the resonant frequencies of a finished neck + hardware: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/192342-dead-spots/"]http://basschat.co.u...342-dead-spots/[/url] - wood is harder to predict / assess - so harder to avoid dead spots.

Edited by PlungerModerno
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[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1414573099' post='2590721']
I am not convinced that graphite necks have a "sound".

I have owned graphite-necked Statuses and now have a STatus neck on a traditional Jazz design. The Statuses sounded like Statuses (obviously !). The Jazz still sounds like a Jazz, just with a really rigid and resonant neck. There is no particular spike in any frequency range, or any other "graphite-ness" in the tone.
It is unfortunate that people associate graphite necks with the type of sound that Status and Zon basses make. It has little to do with the neck on these basses and more to do with the general design.
[/quote]

Whilst I'm aware that it's a contentious issue, that's not what I've found. A carbon-fibre neck immediately sounds to me like a carbon fibre neck, with certain characteristics I don't like. I've found it lessens to some degree if played fingerstyle, but I play mainly with a pick (once through choice, now mainly through necessity). I've tried Fender type basses with replacement necks and have had the same issues. I love the feel of them, but not what they bring to the sound. I'm sure individual playing style (and ears!) will impact this to a greater or lesser extent but ultimately you have to go with what you experience, whether or not it's what other people experience.

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[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1414576176' post='2590776']
I struggle to agree that even wood makes a difference to an electric guitar. Pick ups and strings yes, but whenever people talk of the incredible sound of say maple over some other wood, I'm somewhat sceptical. It certainly helps with the look of a guitar but does it really help with the sound?
[/quote]

Without wishing to get too far off topic, different pieces of wood definitely make a difference IME. Whether a certain [i]type[/i] of wood does is a different issue. ;) Although I will say that of all the Rics I've had, I can always tell one with a shedua neck strip by the tone. Even swapping the pickups and hardware never gets rid of that, and they sound distinctive unplugged too, to me at least. They don't all sound the same, but they have a certain characteristic that is recogniseable to me. Whether that characteristic would transfer across to another type of instrument I have no idea.

Anyway, back to Precisions please.....

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1414588251' post='2590984'] I'm going to help loads now... Have you considered doing a build your own course? Or a yamaha? Or a G&L? :lol: [/quote]

Yep, all of the above! :D The Yam forearm contour looks rather like it's heading in a Jazz Bass direction and they cause me horrific pain. The only Fender I can play is a P. I struggle with MMan too. As for G&Ls, I've played a few but never one that's spoken to me in any way.

I'd love to do a build your own course but sadly at the moment there are practical reasons why that's not feasible..... :(

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You might only need one or two spacer washers on the truss rod to allow you to get a little more adjustment on the neck, meaning you can keep the current neck. If you don't want to mess with it yourself then a luthier would probably tell you very quickly if it's possible to do it this way. Here's a link to a story where a guy needed to do this to a Strat neck with the added complication of a wooden plug in front of the actual trust rod adjustment nut http://chrisporro.com/?p=936

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[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1414590418' post='2591028']
You might only need one or two spacer washers on the truss rod to allow you to get a little more adjustment on the neck, meaning you can keep the current neck. If you don't want to mess with it yourself then a luthier would probably tell you very quickly if it's possible to do it this way. Here's a link to a story where a guy needed to do this to a Strat neck with the added complication of a wooden plug in front of the actual trust rod adjustment nut [url="http://chrisporro.com/?p=936"]http://chrisporro.com/?p=936[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for that link... wish I'd read it a few weeks ago: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/246192-truss-rod-tribulations-ibanez-content/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/246192-truss-rod-tribulations-ibanez-content/page__fromsearch__1[/url]

It turned out OK. Turns out the 10-32 thread works for an ibanez neck from '99.

I'm guessing it'd work on 95% of 4mm truss rods.

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[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1414590418' post='2591028']
You might only need one or two spacer washers on the truss rod to allow you to get a little more adjustment on the neck, meaning you can keep the current neck. If you don't want to mess with it yourself then a luthier would probably tell you very quickly if it's possible to do it this way. Here's a link to a story where a guy needed to do this to a Strat neck with the added complication of a wooden plug in front of the actual trust rod adjustment nut [url="http://chrisporro.com/?p=936"]http://chrisporro.com/?p=936[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for the link, that's interesting. I reckon that'd be a job for Martin Petersen rather than me...

I do have to add that the neck is perfectly playable as is; it's pretty much straight (I always have my necks straight with low action). The lack of further adjustment would only be a potential problem if there were issues in the future or I wanted to change to heavier strings (unlikely). Still, I like to be prepared for these things.

Ho hum, no nearer a decision!

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[quote name='4000' timestamp='1414606470' post='2591285']
I do have to add that the neck is perfectly playable as is; it's pretty much straight (I always have my necks straight with low action). The lack of further adjustment would only be a potential problem if there were issues in the future or I wanted to change to heavier strings (unlikely). Still, I like to be prepared for these things.

Ho hum, no nearer a decision!
[/quote]

Ahhh, so we're really talking GAS here aren't we? ;)

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[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1414611172' post='2591378']
Talk to Mark at Limelight and spec it yourself. REALLY happy with mine and better than the '79 I had or the 2009 US or the MIM Blacktop or the.......you get the idea :)
[/quote]

Hmmm; very interesting......do you have any pics?

Edited by 4000
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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1414523947' post='2590267']
If you like the Korean Squier take it to a luthier to get the truss rod sorted. Those MIKs have great necks and once the electrics are sorted are basses that punch well above their price-tags. I had one, foolishly sold it, so tracked another one down. Great players imo.

That said, the Nate fits the bill re your neck-spec, and I`m yet to read anything bad about them, could be worth a try - and there`s one on Gumtree at present.
[/quote]

I've just spent some time playing my Squier and quite honestly it's one of my favourite basses that I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a lot of high end and boutique stuff. It's was funny the first time I put my strings on, set it up and plugged it in; I thought "blimey, that's the sound I've spent years trying to get out of really expensive basses!". Not bad for £120..... :lol:

Still think I'm going to buy something else as well though... :ph34r:

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