Status neck on musicman bass... why?

[Kiwi]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1320859213' post='1432429']
Fair enough point... but an odd truss rod tweak doesn't scare me - although I understand others are reluctant to touch it. The point I was trying to emphasise is that a graphite neck is not essential to get low action.
[/quote]

It's possible to take that one step further. A little flexibility or softness helps with getting that mid-peak growl but there's a compromise in terms of action. Normally a super thick and stiff fingerboard is the best solution but if it doesn't compliment the neck woods, the fingerboard can add a little brittleness.

The other thing I'll add is that I've found Steinberger necks to be the warmest sounding composite necks by far. If I could figure out a way to manipulate body wood sufficient to get that mid peak growl consistently I'd be away laughing. Would love to see if Moses would custom build a headed steinberger neck (which is built to be stiffer than their standard jazz necks) but make it in one of their their stingray neck moulds.

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1320829303' post='1431838']
.......

Have no idea about Status, a 1981 date would be a bit of a revelation. Mark King played them from 1983 onwards I believe.
[/quote]

From the Status website:

"The S2-Classic, as the name suggests, is truly the Classic Status Bass. Originally designed in 1981, the fundamental range has expanded to include through-neck, bolt-on and left handed models"

[Kiwi]

Cheers, do you know when they were first manufactured?

[mononick]

i think the graphite necks look really awesome! but i love the feel of the original musicman necks, so smooth and they never get sticky.

i did have a graphite neck on a jazz bass and it played really well and the bass had a hell of a lot of bite!

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1320938374' post='1433465']
Cheers, do you know when they were first manufactured?
[/quote]

It looks like bass serial number 05 was made in '82, whether the first four were '81 or '82 I don't know.

Rob Green started out as GMT and called the basses and guitars "Strata" but a large musical instrument manufacturer sent in the lawyers because the name sounded too much like some kind of guitar they came up with in the fifties. Some more info here: http://www.statii.com/status_cats/strata/index.html

Also an interview http://www.statii.com/status_cats/players/rob_green/1985/rob_green_music_uk_1985.jpg which gives a few details into the type of construction and what's probably the use of an autoclave.

[Wil]

Status necks are nice bits of kit. I've had an aftermarket one which was fitted to my current P mongrel, but didn't like the sound at all, if anything with this bass it sounded quite muddy. All those frequencies ringing through that the wood neck deadens, perhaps?

I now use a mighty mite maple neck and it's perfect. The S2 classic I owned was clear as a bell though, so I guess they suit some instruments better than others.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1320943685' post='1433569']
It looks like bass serial number 05 was made in '82, whether the first four were '81 or '82 I don't know.
[/quote]
thanks, was interested to know how long it was after they were designed that he started marketing them.