Neck reduction - pros/cons?

[Paul S]

I have a Shergold Marathon bass. Lovely old thing - very light, loads of character. Been fiddled with an awfully long time ago and has handwired pickups by a luthier of some renown, Jim Cairnes, and rather than one pickup it now has two which sound absolutely great.

The thing is I don't use it as much as I would like to because I find the neck a little too wide - 43mm. Ideally I like 38mm wide necks. The neck is maple with black bound edges. You can sort of see it in these pics.

[attachment=188688:marathon2.jpg] [attachment=188689:marathon7.jpg][attachment=188690:marathon3.jpg]

What I am mulling over is the idea of having the neck made narrower. I assume it would be a kind of taper so that it still fits in the the pocket ok. I am sure it is possible, but have no idea of the costs involved mainly because I have no idea of the amount of work involved. It would mean it is no longer a standard Marathon neck, but then it is no longer a standard Marathon anyway.

What would the good people of Basschat feel are the pros and cons? And does anyone have a rough idea how much something like this might cost?

[BigRedX]

How about having a new neck made that looks like the original Marathon neck, but to your specifications?

[Paul S]

Yup, I hadn't thought of that but, yes, a possibility. Thanks!

[Andyjr1515]

Hi, Paul

Out of my experience zone (and you know my philosophy...I always try to do something new on one of my own guitars, not on someone else's pride and joy) but, to do it properly, I think it's quite involved. Someone correct me but - with it being bound - the 'proper' way would be to take the frets out, sand, rebind and refret. If it didn't have binding, you'd probably get away with just sanding the sides and frets and all, re-curving the neck profile and then re-finishing the fret ends.

Probably wrong and probably doesn't help a jot

Andy

[3below]

From what you describe it seems eminently achievable by a good luthier. It will not be cheap. Earlier suggestion get a look a like neck made seems a better idea to me. Should Shergolds ever achieve vintage Fender prices this strategy will be well worthwhile.

Edited April 6, 2015 by 3below

[Paul S]

Any observations and input are most welcome, I assure you. Looks like a new neck is nudging ahead at the moment. There is a chap who appears from time to time on the Shergold forum who makes replica necks - I might see if I can get in touch with him.

I guess I just need to balance the cost of that against how much, realistically, I will use it. Might save me a lot of angst to just move it on rather than fiddle with it!

[PlungerModerno]

If it's already modded I'd feel free enough to do any slight mods - a couple of mm's of each side of the neck shouldn't ruin it, but it'll cost a bit.

As those basses were never produced in their millions (as far as I know) - I'd also look at a replica neck, just to preserve what's there - but I'd A/B the cost of that against modding options.

As long as the neck isn't thinned significantly front to back it shouldn't become unstable - but I'd look at the wood grain (direction and density), the current thickness (front to back) and the overall shape (U, V, or more C shaped) before making a call on how much it would be safe to remove. Refer to a competent wood worker for a second (or third) opinion. I know I'd feel sad if I ruined a cool neck.

[Matt P]

I think Andyjr1515 has said it best, as it's a bound maple neck the work involved to thin it down will be huge, if you can find someone to build a replica to your own spec then that is probably easiest, and as the badge looks like it can be unscrewed from the original neck and screwed into the new one no-one would be able to tell that it's not original. I wouldn't be surprised if the new neck was about the same price as slimming down the old one either.

Matt

[chris_b]

I'd buy a bass that was designed to be what you wanted in the first place.

[Paul S]

Thanks again, much appreciated. I've just discovered that nos necks are available - just checking to see how much! If I am going to get a neck carved about probably best to do it to a new unfinished one and leave the original be.

[Paul S]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1428401708' post='2740859']
I'd buy a bass that was designed to be what you wanted in the first place.
[/quote]

Yup, that would have been the sensible thing to do. GAS is a cruel mistress.

[Manton Customs]

As others have said it'd be a big job to narrow the neck. Andy is on the money with his approach, defret, rout the new taper and blend with headstock, re bind, re fret, refinish...oh and obviously make a new nut! So it's quite a serious amount of work!

A new neck would have more benefits; you could have it exactly as you want it, keep the original undamaged and would actually probably be cheaper....We make custom necks by the way .

[Paul S]

[quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1428403530' post='2740887']
We make custom necks by the way .
[/quote]

PM on its way, just for the sake of discussion....

[tauzero]

I have had a neck made shallower (2000 Thumb changed to the dimensions of a 1987 JD Thumb) but that kept the width the same. So that's no help, then. No loss of stability, incidentally.

[Paul S]

I think all things considered it isn't worth doing.

I just need to decide whether to live with it as is or move it on.

Thanks all

[fingerz]

Has anyone mentioned the bridge?! You will probably need to fit a narrower spaced bridge to stop your strings disappearing off the side of your fingerboard of your narrowed neck. You may wish to cut a new nut too to keep a familiar tapered feel, this might also be essential if you are shaving the neck all the way up to the headstock (assume you'd have to?).

[Manton Customs]

[quote name='fingerz' timestamp='1429435988' post='2751290']
Has anyone mentioned the bridge?! You will probably need to fit a narrower spaced bridge to stop your strings disappearing off the side of your fingerboard of your narrowed neck. You may wish to cut a new nut too to keep a familiar tapered feel, this might also be essential if you are shaving the neck all the way up to the headstock (assume you'd have to?).
[/quote]

No, a different bridge would not be necessary unless the nut width was remaining the same (or similar) and the heel narrowed. However what Paul wanted was the opposite; the nut narrowing and the heel remaining the same (to fit the body!). So a new nut would of course be an essential part of the job.....Kind of irrelevant now anyway as Paul has decided not to have anything done to the bass .

[fingerz]

Aha, I thought the idea might have been to taper the neck top to bottom where it meets the body to keep the pocket the same, I misunderstood and thought it seemed a bit of a challenge!