Stiff necked

[4 Strings]

Been reading about necks and materials etc.

Some people say that a stiff neck allows a deep bass sound, others say gives a brittle sound.

Is this dependant on how the writers are currently feeling about how a stiff neck will cause strings to react or the actual sound they make?

Having only ever played on basses with stiff necks I cannot make my own comment.

[Mr. Foxen]

One of many factors. Its pretty hard to tell if the neck is stiff though. Aluminium necks are assumed stiff and have a bright clangy sound often, but may well be to do with their own resonance. Graphite necks also stiff, and rich sounding, non resonant due to foam filling is probably a factor. Wood is too inconsistent to make generalisations.

[Dingus]

Depends what you call a stiff neck . You may think you have played a bass with a stiff neck , but do you mean stiff or [u]very [/u]stiff ? Lately I have been playing a few basses with quartersawn and in certain instances quartersawn [i]and [/i]graphite - reinforced necks and I have been shocked at what a huge difference that makes to the feel and sound of a bass . Compared to even a graphite - reinforced flat sawn rock maple neck which must be fairly stiff by most standards , a quartersawn neck feels like it is made out of stone when you have it in your hand , by comparison . It's not surprising it sounds different because you can feel that the whole neck vibrates different;ly when you pluck a note . There are , however , so many other factors to consider in what will determine the overall final sound of the bass that neck stiffness is just one , but when it comes to necks , generally speaking , the stiffer the better .

Edited June 1, 2013 by Dingus

[Fat Rich]

Early Status graphite necks were completely rigid and needed no truss rod, they popped out of the mould with exactly the right amount of relief and never moved no matter what gauge strings you put on it. I can take 4 of the 5 strings off my old Status and the remaining string will still be perfectly in tune. It has loads of sustain, astonishing harmonics, no dead spots but has a lot of clatter so it shows up any poor technique. It definitely sounds more brittle than a wooden neck but it can be dialed out with some careful EQing.

Later Status necks have a truss rod which allows a certain amount of movement, it definitely takes some of the brittleness and clatter away.

So my feeling is that a flexible one piece maple + fingerboard neck gives a more vintage sound, a multi laminate stiffer wooden neck will sound more modern. Although there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, and so many other variables in terms of electrics, hardware etc.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Fat Rich

[4 Strings]

This is more like it, actual experience, thanks.

Any recordings or tracks to show off a stiff neck against a less stiff neck?

Very interested in the difference in quarter-sawn necks

[Chris2112]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1370107225' post='2096557']
Early Status graphite necks were completely rigid and needed no truss rod, they popped out of the mould with exactly the right amount of relief and never moved no matter what gauge strings you put on it.
[/quote]

Surely, some of them must have moved over time (due to design flaws). I remember reading that some of the old Zon basses, made in a similar manner, were designed to be perfect out of the shop. And that was that, as there was no adjustment in the neck. Some gave years of good service before a 'shift' in the neck rendered them unplayable. I can't remember what the outcome was (knowing Joe Zon, probably some form of recompense), but there was evidence there of this occurring.

That said, I've owned an old 80's Status Series II. The best sounding Status basses ever made, I think.


Furthermore, what does 'stiffness' in the neck really mean other than tuning and setup stability? Take, say, a Jaydee Supernatural. Renowned for having thin, floppy necks that shift as the wind changes. Do they sound floppy? No!

Edited June 3, 2013 by Chris2112

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1370219909' post='2097809']
Surely, some of them must have moved over time (due to design flaws). I remember reading that some of the old Zon basses, made in a similar manner, were designed to be perfect out of the shop. And that was that, as there was no adjustment in the neck. Some gave years of good service before a 'shift' in the neck rendered them unplayable. I can't remember what the outcome was (knowing Joe Zon, probably some form of recompense), but there was evidence there of this occurring.

That said, I've owned an old 80's Status Series II. The best sounding Status basses ever made, I think.


Furthermore, what does 'stiffness' in the neck really mean other than tuning and setup stability? Take, say, a Jaydee Supernatural. Renowned for having thin, floppy necks that shift as the wind changes. Do they sound floppy? No!
[/quote]

Maybe some Status necks have moved but I've not heard any complaints on the Statii forum or here, and my two are exactly the same as they were 20+ years ago. I don't know about the Zon necks, I believe Moses graphite necks had a few problems for a while but I guess it was all a bit experimental back in the day.

[Prime_BASS]

I had birds eye maple necked '94 sterling and it was the softest I ever had played.

Along with the sound sounding wooly and not quiet the same bounce as a new neck, it would change ever so easy to tempreture and any knocks it was put under. It felt great though but the sound was just pants, there was a real difference between that bass and any other I had and have had since.

Also doing pitch bends by pulling on the neck was always risky haha.

I found it strange as maple necks and fingerboards are supposed to be quiet bright due to being 'stiff'.

[Dingus]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1370208635' post='2097713']
This is more like it, actual experience, thanks.

Any recordings or tracks to show off a stiff neck against a less stiff neck?

Very interested in the difference in quarter-sawn necks
[/quote]

The diffence isn't such that you would be abe to clearly identify it in itself on a track , but more in the overall integrity of the sound of the bass and the lack of deadspots and overall eveness of the tone . If you listen to something like the Yamaha 2024 / 25 basses they have quartersawn necks , which I'm sure contributes to the overall superb sound of those basses , as do all U.S.A -made Laklands , which also sound remarkably good :

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rscMwAdyhLE&list=PL20B2939BE19B3BB9[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw-MUm9-irA[/media]

Edited June 3, 2013 by Dingus

[4 Strings]

These are nice basses, the Yamaha has a composite neck which, as I understand it, helps to reduce the chances of a note resonating with the wood and producing a dead spot 'there's not a bad note on this bass'. However this would also reduce the effect of the maple parts being quartersawn (compared to a single piece neck).

The Laklands all look to have very low actions!