matt_citizenbass Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 hey, i really want an aluminium bass neck like this: can you buy them new these days or are they just available secondhand? thanks, matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 second-hand from what i know mate, lewis from solus locus has a guitar one. kramer-tastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 If you specifically want a Kramer one like the pictures you've posted, you'll needed to buy second hand. The prices in the UK are curently stupidly high unless you're very lucky. Anything under £400 on eBay is a bargain, there are a couple for sale at various Denmark Street shops at around £900 mark! US prices are better, but by the time you've factored in shipping (they're not light basses) and customs you'll be around UK prices. Also be aware that Kramer made two different scale lengths. The necks are the same length but the have different numbers of frets on them. 20 frets like the bass in the post are 34" scale. 24 frets are 30.5" scale. Alternatives do exist. It depends what ratio of metal to wood you want. For re-enforcing and a funky headstock you could buy [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hartke-Vaccaro-Aluminum-Core-Bass-Neck-Extrusion_W0QQitemZ320216094930QQihZ011QQcategoryZ41423QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]one of these[/url] and get someone to build you neck around it. I'll post some links of luthiers building aluminium-necked basses this evening when I have access to my guitars bookmarks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_citizenbass Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 hey bigredX, i'm not that bothered about the neck, although i am rather fond of the tuning fork headstock thing. do you think those luthiers would build an aluminium neck to fit a jazz? i want a normal sized neck so it could be like a normal neck of a fender. matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerboy Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Hooray! My specialist subject! I've got 4 alu-necked basses at the moment. If you're after a Kramer, I have a lovely 450b I could be persuaded to sell. It's made of walnut and looks like this: [url="http://www.valvette.us/rique/21486.html"]http://www.valvette.us/rique/21486.html[/url] I used to use one of those Hartke necks on a P-bass, and because the aluminium isn't bolted to the body, but all the string tension runs through it, it started pulling itself out of the neck by wrenching the fingerboard off. Not pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_citizenbass Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 dangerboy, thanks for the offer, but unfortunatly im only after the neck. i plan on getting another body built for it. but after your post i just realised, aren't all the aluminium necks thru necks? so it wouldn't work would it? matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 [quote name='BigRedX' post='136515' date='Feb 8 2008, 01:26 PM']If you specifically want a Kramer one like the pictures you've posted, you'll needed to buy second hand. The prices in the UK are curently stupidly high unless you're very lucky. Anything under £400 on eBay is a bargain, there are a couple for sale at various Denmark Street shops at around £900 mark! US prices are better, but by the time you've factored in shipping (they're not light basses) and customs you'll be around UK prices.[/quote] I have one of these sitting unused. Its in good condition other than one of the neck bolts needs re tapping as its threaded. It also had an EMG humbucker fitted along side the precision pickup (probably a bad idea) I will try and take some photos if you are interested ? Its the exact same model as the one used by john deacon, single precision pickup, ash body. Not sure I really want to part with it as it is one of my first real basses.....but who knows. PM me if you are interested Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I also built this years ago....its crap...it clearly aint for sale, but has LED's in the side [url="http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto&id=1606913&pid=3529779&myphotos=1"]http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto&id=...&myphotos=1[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 My Tutor has one. It's absolutely horrible to play, weighs about 500 kilos, neck dives worse than a thunderbird and sounds very average indeed (IMHO).. Sorry if you like them I'm sure he'd sell it for £900 if you asked him nicely ... He actually plays an SX Jazz and the Kramer hangs on the wall in his studio ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerboy Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 (edited) [quote name='matt_citizenbass' post='136532' date='Feb 8 2008, 01:42 PM']dangerboy, thanks for the offer, but unfortunatly im only after the neck. i plan on getting another body built for it. but after your post i just realised, aren't all the aluminium necks thru necks? so it wouldn't work would it? matt[/quote] Hi Matt, The Travis Beans are through-necks. Kramers had bolt-on necks on wooden bodies (and aren't as sought after for that as well as other reasons). The rout for a Kramer neck is very different from a Fender - so you'll need to either buy a used Kramer neck (I got one off eBay and used it to make this: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84144792@N00/sets/72157603263405555/"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/84144792@N00/...57603263405555/[/url] ) and get a body made for it, or get an alu neck made to fit a Fender. Of the alu luthiers I've come across: I'm pretty sure Electrical (http://www.electricalguitarcompany.com/) will do you a neck. Last time I asked Greg Bailey (http://www.baileycustomguitar.com/) he didn't have a long enough lathe to do basses. Pete Longfellow (http://www.longfellowguitars.com/) in London might be worth a shout as he casts his necks rather than machining them. Go read www.metalnecks.com to discover everything. Edited February 8, 2008 by dangerboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Matt - If it's the headstock shape you're after for J-style bass, then you'll be wanting a Kramer neck with 20 frets. However as you can see from the photo you posted the neck attachement is quite a bit different to Fender's. I would imagine that the neck pocket will need some attention and you might be better off having a J-style body made to fit the neck. Also be aware that Kramer necks are pretty chunky compared to the average J neck and it's not as though you can get your friendly neighbourhood luthier to just shave a bit off! If you want a custom aluminium neck I'll there are a couple of people making them although AFAIK they're all in the US. I'll post links this evening. dangerboy - I see from your sig you have a TB-2000 (nice!) and obviously a 450B. What are the other two? I have a 450B and an XKB-10 as well as "The Duke" copy with aluminium necks (There's pics of the two short scales in the Short Scale thread here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerboy Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 BRX, Currently 2 Beans (don't ask why...), the 450b and the Kramer/Longfellow bydrid up above. Love them. Love them all. OG, Yep, the Kramers dive. The Beans don't. The aluminium tone is definitely different to a classic wooden one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 [quote name='dangerboy' post='136550' date='Feb 8 2008, 01:57 PM']Yep, the Kramers dive. The Beans don't. The aluminium tone is definitely different to a classic wooden one.[/quote] Sorry I'm sure they are all lovely really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Many years ago, I was in a band of which the singer had a Kramer Al-necked bass. I tried it and I thought it was a dreadful thing to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 [quote name='david_l_perry' post='136537' date='Feb 8 2008, 01:46 PM']I also built this years ago....its crap...it clearly aint for sale, but has LED's in the side [url="http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto&id=1606913&pid=3529779&myphotos=1"]http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto&id=...&myphotos=1[/url][/quote] Well at least it looks great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_citizenbass Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 [quote]Matt - If it's the headstock shape you're after for J-style bass, then you'll be wanting a Kramer neck with 20 frets. However as you can see from the photo you posted the neck attachement is quite a bit different to Fender's. I would imagine that the neck pocket will need some attention and you might be better off having a J-style body made to fit the neck.[/quote] i was actually planning getting a body made for it anyway so thats not an issue. however i am not a fan of chunky necks (small hands) which is a bit of a kaffufle so i may turned away from this, but i'll still try and contact some luthiers about it. thanks, matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 [quote name='dangerboy' post='136527' date='Feb 8 2008, 01:38 PM']I used to use one of those Hartke necks on a P-bass, and because the aluminium isn't bolted to the body, but all the string tension runs through it, it started pulling itself out of the neck by wrenching the fingerboard off. Not pretty.[/quote] I bought one off Ebay for a project about 4 years ago - it was brand new - when it turned up it was like this: [attachment=5483:fboardpeel.jpg][attachment=5484:volutegap.jpg][attachment=5482:fboardcrack.jpg] The centre section was blatantly ripping the fretboard off - even without string tension. There was no nut fitted, don't know if there had been originally - but fitting one would have been challenging, with the metal section standing about 1.5mm proud of the wood. Got a refund, fortunately. I later read that the headstocks of these have a tendency to detach - they're welded on, rather than part of the same casting - and presumably not particularly well welded. Piece of crap, basically. Don't touch! Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arwid Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I've been obsessed with aluminium necks since I saw a Kramer "fork" for the first time. As they were out of bussines and it was 1990something, so no ebay then, I decided to make one aluminium necked bass myself.. as I had a copy of "build your own guitar", a drill and a file , I just knew I could build one Look: Everything went "well" until I decided to use screws as fretboard markers (as dots) ..to add more stiffness to the already stiff neck.. and of course the neck cracked, too big holes into thin aluminium.. oh boy. But I bit my teeth together and played one gig with it! Sounded very good, so it was a lot of mixed feelings that night, as I knew that it was the first and last gig with that bass Just had to share this story with you all *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I seem to remember a local bassist using either a TB or K bass and he had issues with tuning, I'd imagine because of the changes in temp affecting the neck... is that the case with all of these type of basses or was his a one off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I've never had any problem with my Kramers or the Fake Duke, but they don't really get subjected to extremes of temperature. It was however a major reason why Mick Karn switched from using his TB-2000 to a Wal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arwid Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I have a 2 hours (of playing) experience with my "super" aluminium special, and I have to say that I regret a bit that I took it to pieces after that gig. Wonderful sound, no problems whatsoever with that cracked necked bass, and absolutely none with tuning I find it a bit difficult to believe that aluminium necks would be more unstable than wooded necks. Yeah!! I'm still an alunimium freak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Actually, this thread has just reminded me of a regular column that appeared in a weekly instrument mag in the early eighties. A guy was trying to design a guitar from aluminium (body as well as neck), and he described problems with tuning instability. The problem lay not in the change of scale length, but the effect it had on the strings. He overcame the problem with quite a simple bridge design to compensate. I think he called it the Exe, and actually did produce a few. Anyone got any knowledge of these things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 [quote name='dangerboy' post='136544' date='Feb 8 2008, 01:52 PM']Hi Matt, The Travis Beans are through-necks. Kramers had bolt-on necks on wooden bodies (and aren't as sought after for that as well as other reasons). The rout for a Kramer neck is very different from a Fender - so you'll need to either buy a used Kramer neck (I got one off eBay and used it to make this: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84144792@N00/sets/72157603263405555/"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/84144792@N00/...57603263405555/[/url] ) and get a body made for it, or get an alu neck made to fit a Fender. Of the alu luthiers I've come across: I'm pretty sure Electrical (http://www.electricalguitarcompany.com/) will do you a neck. Last time I asked Greg Bailey (http://www.baileycustomguitar.com/) he didn't have a long enough lathe to do basses. Pete Longfellow (http://www.longfellowguitars.com/) in London might be worth a shout as he casts his necks rather than machining them. Go read www.metalnecks.com to discover everything.[/quote] I owned a TB2000 about twenty years ago. #222. Part exchanged it for a f2cking Ibanez Roadster. I think about it every day. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arwid Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 [quote name='NancyJohnson' post='137009' date='Feb 9 2008, 12:24 PM']I owned a TB2000 about twenty years ago. #222. Part exchanged it for a f2cking Ibanez Roadster. I think about it every day. P[/quote] Oh that must hurt! I can feel your pain, because I sold an MM Sabre s/n C0010011 (one of the first sabres) for absolutely no reason whatsoever and sold it for lowlow money, maybe I could buy a Roadster from ebay now with that money I think about it every day too.. *crying desperately* Nothing to do with aluminium necks, sorry, but just had to share this story, maybe it eases my pain a bit and it's a good warning too: if you have a good bass, don't you ever sell it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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