HADGE Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Hi all you fellow bass men i wondered if any of you can help me .I just bought a musicman of Milky616 who is by the way a top man and he told me when he takes the bass to a outside gig the kneck moves that much it is unplayable i was wondering if any of you lads as ever encountered this as i know you are a lot more knowgable than me thanks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Yeah some necks are balls - the woods are susceptible to temperature or humidity change... best case it just needs set up - worst case it needs set up and you can't leave the house with it (or get a new neck). Why did you buy the bass if he told you it was unplayable under such conditions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HADGE Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Good point 07 the reason i bought it was it was really cheap so i expected to spend a bit on it and it was left handed and left handed guitars are hard to come by thanks for your info cheers mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Mine are normally a shade sharp when I take them out their cases, after a few minutes they revert back to being in tune and are rock solid. I have never seen one that bad, what does it Rich, porous grain or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 My '79 is a stable as anything, never any issues even in our cold church and freezing fingers, well apart from the freezing fingers making any bass virtually unplayable! My Jaydee has always been great except for one week recording in a basement and it became unplayable after 3 days (didn't seem to be that cold) so I can vouch for necks moving. Released tension a touch and it was fine. A week after being home had to nip the tension back up. Try it outside for yourself to see how badly it moves, if at all, perhaps the truss rod is rather loose and a little nip up will bring the neck 'under control'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1322587657' post='1453209'] ... what does it Rich, porous grain or something? [/quote] Yeah that's my guess. Just wood that's a little less dense than normal reacting to jumps in temperature and expanding in directions that for us ain't too handy. I've heard of maple boarded necks with the finish chipped or missing can also suffering from this - I guess the natural oils in rosewood and ebony etc. help protect against moisture ingress in those that would normally be susceptible to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Would treating it to a fresh coat of gunstock oil help do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I've just noticed that this thread is about a MM. I'd noticed that the OP was looking for an Ibby Musician the other day and my dyslexia read it as the same word. Re : my earlier post I'm not suggesting that all MM necks are balls... although mine is my only bass that needs a seasonal tweak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1322602787' post='1453505'] Would treating it to a fresh coat of gunstock oil help do you think? [/quote] It couldn't harm eh. Just make sure that moisture isn't being trapped in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 That would be my first plan then, neck off, airing cupboard, 1200 grit wet and dry all the playing area of the neck, back in the airing cupboard then liberal coat of gunstock oil. Check the wheel of fortune works in [i]both[/i] directions using a long straight edge then refit and see how it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Mine was rock-solid which what was so great about it. I generally have to tweak my current basses twice a year so when the weather turns colder ( around about now ) and some time in the spring Just one turn of the rod just about does it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HADGE Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Got to say you lads are really helpfull and knowlegable thanks to you all for your help . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Just a note about my Jaydee, the neck is mahogany coated in lacquer and the fingerboard ebony - which sinks in water. There are no scratches or breaks in the lacquer but the neck still moved. Clearly the wood still changed with temperature and moisture regardless of a finish, in my case anyway, which surprised me. Its normally kept in the music room which is only heated when I'm in it and can be freezing at other times, but no issues (with any basses). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1322604602' post='1453549'] That would be my first plan then, neck off, airing cupboard, 1200 grit wet and dry all the playing area of the neck, back in the airing cupboard then liberal coat of gunstock oil. Check the wheel of fortune works in [i]both[/i] directions using a long straight edge then refit and see how it goes [/quote] A sound plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1322610037' post='1453635'] Just a note about my Jaydee, the neck is mahogany coated in lacquer and the fingerboard ebony - which sinks in water. There are no scratches or breaks in the lacquer but the neck still moved. Clearly the wood still changed with temperature and moisture regardless of a finish, in my case anyway, which surprised me. Its normally kept in the music room which is only heated when I'm in it and can be freezing at other times, but no issues (with any basses). [/quote] Yep there are many factors which can cause it and we've only touched upon 2 of them and not all basses are susceptable... although your fluctuating temps in your music room would be a good starter. If you could maintain a steady temp in there you might see big improvements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I'm guessing the Jaydee could of had a neck made of wood not fully seasoned and dry, once it's lacquered and water tight it would be stuck in there? Basically like the vacuum trick with a pop bottle how they swell or crumple up in various atmospheres. (see EBMM roasted necks!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeCee Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1322639035' post='1453718'] I'm guessing the Jaydee could of had a neck made of wood not fully seasoned and dry, once it's lacquered and water tight it would be stuck in there? Basically like the vacuum trick with a pop bottle how they swell or crumple up in various atmospheres. (see EBMM roasted necks!) [/quote] My guess would be the ebony fretboard; ebony seems to suck up and release moisture so depending on the humidity in the basement (damp and high or heated and low) the bass may just have been re-equilibrating and requiring a new set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I will stick to my maples then in typical Squier fashion that's my only rosewood boarded electric bass and it's always perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I was re-equilibrating at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeCee Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1322690834' post='1454676'] I was re-equilibrating at the time. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanbrook Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 A quick twist of he trust rod about 4 times a year on my stingray 5, my 25 th Ann was much worse but my 93 maple neck never need adjusting ! The trust rod whel adjuster is a life saver, but I don't find my fenders move as Much and the Dingwall has not been with me to long enough to tell yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 The necks shouldn't move on any bass, the incident with the Jaydee in the basement studio is isolated in my experience (which made it all the more surprising) and apart from a tweak whenever I get a guitar I have rarely had to revisit any truss rod. This doesn't excuse the poor design of some Fenders requiring the neck to be removed to make the adjustment, what a pain, especially for incremental adjustment! There's no excuse for this apart - from a slight increase in return to their shareholders. However, its worth noting that miniscule movements will alter the action on your bass and, regardless of wood movement, the truss rod is steel (or ally in some Rickies) and so will expand and contract with temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I bought a brand new 3EQ Stingray back in 1998 and the neck would never settle. It would constantly be going out of tune and was just unplayable. I contacted Musicman who asked me to take it to Strings and Things. They looked at it and said the maple was too soft and just replaced the neck there and then. Never had a problem since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 [quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1323776090' post='1466795'] I bought a brand new 3EQ Stingray back in 1998 and the neck would never settle. It would constantly be going out of tune and was just unplayable. I contacted Musicman who asked me to take it to Strings and Things. They looked at it and said the maple was too soft and just replaced the neck there and then. Never had a problem since. [/quote] Out of interest was it an unfinished (ie. no varnish on the rear) neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1323776825' post='1466805'] Out of interest was it an unfinished (ie. no varnish on the rear) neck? [/quote] Yes, unfinished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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