The Burpster Posted November 27, 2010 Posted November 27, 2010 ....HG Thor has just let me know my number is up for my neck de-fret job.... For those that dont know 2 years ago I bought an EB IV specifically to have teh neck de-fretted by the American master. 2 years I have been on his waiting list. Now is my time. I have the shipping tubes coming in the post and it will be off next week. I have other jobs to do to this project before the neck is returned, so I must get my finger out! Will keep you all posted!" Quote
Dread Bass Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 Never heard of this chap, so what is so special about his work? Hell i guess a two year waiting list speaks for itself. Quote
Dread Bass Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 Ok i have had a look on his site the epoxied necks do look amazing. I would be interested to hear about the results. Quote
The Burpster Posted November 29, 2010 Author Posted November 29, 2010 DB, point taken... For those that have no idea what I'm on about..... [url="http://www.woodwiz.com/epoxy/"]http://www.woodwiz.com/epoxy/[/url] Bob. Quote
jjojjas Posted December 1, 2010 Posted December 1, 2010 WOW!!!! They are amazing! I'll be watching this. Jas Quote
Gust0o Posted December 1, 2010 Posted December 1, 2010 I like this, as a masterful take on my more amateurish enjoyment of my old Ebanol fretboard. His work looks very good indeed - though I couldn't help noticing the fretboard glory shot containing a child's trainset in the background! Maybe some added extras? Quote
The Burpster Posted December 6, 2010 Author Posted December 6, 2010 All packaged up and ready to go today! Quote
The Burpster Posted December 12, 2010 Author Posted December 12, 2010 The neck's in the USA and about to be looked at..... Yippeeeeeee! Quote
wateroftyne Posted December 12, 2010 Posted December 12, 2010 Nice one! My number came up about 18 months ago to have the neck on my fretless P done... but when I looked into how to send it there and back without paying import duty, it was such a vague hack-on I gave up and bought an ebony replacement instead. Would still have loved to have had it Thor'd though... Quote
warwickhunt Posted December 12, 2010 Posted December 12, 2010 I think/hope I know Bob well enough to ask this question without it derailing this thread. Something has always puzzled me about these 'glass-like' finishes and BO necks. The neck is coated in a uniform thin veneer of very hard lacquer, it is then put onto a bass and with strings, brought up to tension which applies a bow to the neck (I'm assuming the neck does retain full truss rod adjustment); why doesn't the lacquer crack or craze as the neck starts to flex/bow? I can accept that a normal fretless/fretted neck has some give for the wood fibres to move (the fretted would have more latitude with the fret slots) but something which I visualize as a sheet of ice (the epoxy coating) surely can't have that much give... can it? I know that this is one of those things you just accept because there are loads of basses out there with this type of finish but is there a risk that the 'glass' will shatter? Quote
henry norton Posted December 12, 2010 Posted December 12, 2010 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='1055700' date='Dec 12 2010, 10:14 AM']I think/hope I know Bob well enough to ask this question without it derailing this thread. Something has always puzzled me about these 'glass-like' finishes and BO necks. The neck is coated in a uniform thin veneer of very hard lacquer, it is then put onto a bass and with strings, brought up to tension which applies a bow to the neck (I'm assuming the neck does retain full truss rod adjustment); why doesn't the lacquer crack or craze as the neck starts to flex/bow? I can accept that a normal fretless/fretted neck has some give for the wood fibres to move (the fretted would have more latitude with the fret slots) but something which I visualize as a sheet of ice (the epoxy coating) surely can't have that much give... can it? I know that this is one of those things you just accept because there are loads of basses out there with this type of finish but is there a risk that the 'glass' will shatter?[/quote] Most coatings like cellulose, polyester and epoxy are actually very flexible. Epoxy is very bendy when it's cast in a thin sheet. Even glass has a degree of flexibility if it's thin enough which has led to a few people [i]fitting[/i] glass fingerboards to their fretless basses/guitars. It's a bit misleading when some coated fretless boards are claimed to be 'ultra hard' or '80% hard as glass' - the terms 'hard, tough & strong' are often confused or mixed up for artistic license. Quote
The Burpster Posted December 14, 2010 Author Posted December 14, 2010 John, To expand upon HNs reply above. Sadly in a former life and career (prior to my current vocation) I had to do material technology as part of my Btec. Epoxy resin is a generic name given to several kinds of thermo setting polymers. Whilst there an actual epoxy there are a few different types. Most if not all are not entirely rigid, and have an amount of flexibilty when set. In order to make a resin 'machine hard' then other ingredients need to be added eg glass cloth and normally inconjuction with high perssure as well. then you can end up with the kind of structures we associate with carbon fiber. Even that has to have several layers of perpendicular weft and weave layers to provide rigidity. So is a layer of epoxy going to break when I set the relief on the neck.... No as that amount of flex is well within its tolerances. Think about it for a second, if you applied your argument to a carbon status stealth it would have to be cured and set with relief and no trust rod as it would be so hard it it would break if you tried to adjust it........ So a layer on a fretboard in fact an entire carbon fretboard would still easily bow enough to require a trussrod to counteract the tension of the strings. Betcha cant wait to see it now.... UPDATE - Harris has agreed my plans and is to start on it next week...... WoT - I sent my neck in a doubled up 6" cardboard tube suorrunded by foam and then bubble wrap - I stood on the tube to test it before I put the neck in - Harris was mighty impressed when it turned up - first time he's had a neck sent in a tube .......! Quote
wateroftyne Posted December 14, 2010 Posted December 14, 2010 Nice one, Burp! My problem was it was at a time when I was strongly consideriring having my factory fretless '71 P neck done. The import duty on it's return could have been eye-watering. Thankfully, I saw sense and decided to leave the neck unmolested. Had it been a newer bass, the outcome would have been different... Quote
The Burpster Posted December 15, 2010 Author Posted December 15, 2010 WoT, Import duty twice....? Sorry but that cannot do that - You only pay VAT and import duty on an item ONCE - You may have to pay for the service rendered, but repairs and returned goods are not subject of further levies (providing that you canof course prove that you have paid it the first time which of course I can!) Quote
warwickhunt Posted December 15, 2010 Posted December 15, 2010 [quote name='The Burpster' post='1059279' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:26 AM']WoT, Import duty twice....? Sorry but that cannot do that - You only pay VAT and import duty on an item ONCE - You may have to pay for the service rendered, but repairs and returned goods are not subject of further levies (providing that you canof course prove that you have paid it the first time which of course I can!)[/quote] Obviously you'll be able to prove that you sent the neck out Bob... or at least that you sent out a tube which you say contained a neck! I'm just pointing out here that HMCE may well view the delivery of your neck back into the UK as a purchase and charge you the various duty fees, when you point out that you have a receipt of you posting out your neck to the USA for repair they may not immediately take your word for it because as we all know there are some who will pull such tricks to get stuff through without paying appropriate duties. I'd be prepared for the worst and expect them to try and get you to pay VAT and Import. Quote
The Burpster Posted January 27, 2011 Author Posted January 27, 2011 Just got this pic from Harris.... OMG this is my neck..... Quote
The Burpster Posted January 28, 2011 Author Posted January 28, 2011 Its not finished yet - it is to have a satin finish, and needs a couple of 'low spots' filling and recuring. Should be finished in around 2 weeks..... WOW..! Quote
EBS_freak Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1106573' date='Jan 28 2011, 06:47 PM']Gorgeous...[/quote] Indeed! Quote
Kiwi Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 its great how they can use this process to compensate for defects in the fingerboard Quote
wateroftyne Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) [quote name='The Burpster' post='1059279' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:26 AM']You only pay VAT and import duty on an item ONCE - You may have to pay for the service rendered, but repairs and returned goods are not subject of further levies (providing that you canof course prove that you have paid it the first time which of course I can!)[/quote] Just spotted this. I looked into what I needed to to to avoid paying VAT twice, and it was a nightmare. Plus, no-one seemed to know [b]exactly[/b] what I needed to do. One thing was sure through - to avoid paying VAT on its return, I had to fill a form out Form XYZ563735525787 revision IV (or something like that) and register something-or-other before it went, and Thor would have to attach a sticker with a reference number on it to the packaging on its return.. blah blah blah. Bearing in mind it was a '71 neck, I couldn't afford to take the risk. I just bought an ebony neck instead. Which was a shame, 'cos I waited AGES for my turn. But then, it means my '71 neck remains unmolested. With the benefit of hindsight, that must be a good thing. Although it would have looked REALLY hot. Edited January 30, 2011 by wateroftyne Quote
henry norton Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1107841' date='Jan 30 2011, 09:02 AM']Bearing in mind it was a '71 neck, I couldn't afford to take the risk. I just bought an ebony neck instead. Which was a shame, 'cos I waited AGES for my turn. But then, it means my '71 neck remains unmolested. With the benefit of hindsight, that must be a good thing. Although it would have looked REALLY hot.[/quote] I do epoxied defrets and I won't do necks that are too old or too valuable any more. I've never had any problems, (other than one, thankfully not very valuable neck getting 'lost in the post'), but I've had people with really nice, vintage Fenders asking for this treatment. I'll normally suggest they try an after market neck rather than perform what is some pretty major surgery on their beloved instrument and whilst it's not irreversible, it'll take allot of work to get it back to something approaching 'standard'. You made the right choice there. Quote
wateroftyne Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 [quote name='henry norton' post='1108440' date='Jan 30 2011, 06:34 PM']You made the right choice there.[/quote] Don't I know it! Quote
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