Graphite vs wooden necks

[rubis]

Im in the process of re-starting a 5 string build using a G&L body adapted for a Delano MM pickup and was considering what if any benefits there would be in using a graphite neck rather than making a maple one.
Anyone with first hand experience care to comment please?
Harry

[fretmeister]

I've had several Status basses and a Modulus.

I really like them. There seems to be a clarity to the note that wood doesn't have. Very piano tone-like.

The only reason I don't have a 5 string status us that their standard neck is too wide for me - but I may well get one of their musicman ray5 replacements at some point.

[ped]

There's a consistency and a sort of compressed clarity that I love about graphite necks. Personally I prefer them, especially their stability.

If you're making a bolt on it would be interesting to try both. I had both on a Stingray and the graphite one stayed on. My main bass has a graphite neck and no truss rod so it's lucky it suits me as it hasn't, and can't be adjusted!

[discreet]

There's a lot to be said for the stability of graphite necks, this being one of their main advantages. But as has been said, they are really nice to play and remind me somewhat of ebony for some reason... on the other hand I like the organic nature of wood but that's just my preference.

[matski]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436447374' post='2818219']
There's a lot to be said for the stability of graphite necks, this being one of their main advantages.
[/quote]

Yep. You hardly ever need to tune up!

[leschirons]

I've had a few Status basses both with full graphite, and wood with graphite inserts. Fabulous clarity with the full graphite but my preference given the choice is wood with graphite rods. Still great stability but just sound a little less hi-fi.

I'll always regret selling my Roscoe Beck V for that reason. Best bass I never kept

[White Cloud]

I played a graphite necked Vigier Arpege during the 80's and really liked the advantages of perpetual stability, tight sound and tuning consistency.

I do however prefer wood in general because I feel that it is infinitely more organic and tactile.

[Kiwi]

I've owned/own two Modulus Quantum 5SS basses, a Modulus Sonic Hammer, a custom Jazz with Moses neck, Steinberger XL25A, Alembic Series 1 graphite, Status Series One 5 string, two Modulus Cutlass 1 basses, a Modulus Cutlass II, Pangborn Warlord graphite and a home made Stingray with a Status MM neck. I've also had a go on Ped's vigier and various Status Stealth, Empathy and Series 2000 basses. I'm currently building a couple of 5 string basses with Moses Steinberger necks.

Graphite necks have a reputation for being consistent and humidity proof but their properties vary a lot bit depending on how they've been constructed.

Monocoque construction (Status/Modulus/Alembic) can be very rigid and brittle sounding, especially with a phenolic fingerboard but if the neck is designed to rely on the phenolic for stiffness and the recipe isn't mixed correctly, the necks can still turn into bananas. With stiff necks, the body wood needs to be softer also to absorb brittle frequencies and fingerboard wood can help with reducing clatter.

Moses and Steinberger make their necks using resin injection in a matrix of glass fibre and graphite fibres rather than lamination. The Steinberger design necks (by Steinberger and Moses) are heavy with a but stiff and sound very warm and smooth. The Moses jazz neck I had was porous (constructed like a stick of rock) and not stiff at all and tended to whip and fret out with any sudden turns.

Body wood tends to influence the sound more in bolt on necks than through necks. But a well made through neck that is just stiff enough (like Vigier or some basses by Status) have the velvet brick effect - big mids and lows, super clean highs that are slightly compressed rather than piercing. Soft dense woods like alder and mahogany can be quite good for this. Swamp ash, wenge and maple are way too bright unless the wood is super soft for some reason. I'd love to hear a graphite neck on bubinga body at some point - should be a nice combination on paper.

All of the above is context to the following point:

If you get a graphite necked bass that is well crafted rather than well engineered, you tend to get a faster attack (which is why they're popular for slapping - e.g. Mark King, ) and a lack of deadspots (which is why they're well suited for fretless - e.g. Brian Bromberg and Michael Manring). But no bittleness and plenty of warmth.

I like them because they feel satisfying to play and they're easier to hear in the mix - the thup frequencies made when your fingers release the string is very satisfying.

[Billy Apple]

I've heard graphite is much heavier than wood. True or false?

[Kiwi]

Depends on how its made and what wood its being compared to. If its hollow inside and formed in a mould using three laminations like Status and Modulus necks, it'll be a little lighter than maple. Won't be lighter than balsa though. Steinberger necks are heavier than maple because they're solid. Despite its tiny size, my Steinberger XL2A weighs 4.2 kg which is a pretty average weight for a bass.

[Cato]

My Washburn Status has a graphite layer wrapped around a wooden core (I used to think it was solid graphite but then a tiny piece chipped off at the top corner of the neck, revealing the wood bit).

Its the only graphite necked bass I've ever played & it has a lot more zing than my other basses - but then just to muddy the waters it it also has a zero fret & one of the heaviest bridge assemblies ever bolted onto a plank of wood, so I've never been totally sure whether the zing & the clear ringing tone is down to the graphite neck or other factors.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1436456931' post='2818321']
I've heard graphite is much heavier than wood. True or false?
[/quote]

The Zon Legacy fretless I used to own was easily the lightest bass I've ever come across - unbelievably light.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1436450177' post='2818252']
I do however prefer wood in general because I feel that it is infinitely more organic and tactile.
[/quote]

Unless you like your necks to be almost bare wood, once the finish has been applied there is zero difference in feel between a graphite neck and a wooden one.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1436510583' post='2818655']
Unless you like your necks to be almost bare wood, once the finish has been applied there is zero difference in feel between a graphite neck and a wooden one.
[/quote]

Surely the modulus of elasticity is different?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1436512663' post='2818672']
Surely the modulus of elasticity is different?
[/quote]

I have no idea what that means!!

TBH unless the finish or shape of the neck is very extreme - such as that horrible sticky bare wood that the more ugly Warwick seem to favour or the profile of the neck is very V-shaped, I'm pretty indifferent about it. I just get on play the thing.

The only graphite necks that I am familiar with are those of the Gus basses that I own and they are 2mm carbon fibre skin over a cedar core. With the finish applied they don't feel to me any different to all- wood necks of my Sei, Overwater or Warwick basses which also have a lacquer finish on them.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1436524507' post='2818829']
I have no idea what that means!!
[/quote]

'Feel' comes not just from the material the object is finished with, but from the weight and handling of the object. I've not played a graphite neck, but should imagine the material is brittle in a way that wood is not. This would effect micro-tactile elements of things like hardness and flexibility.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1436528791' post='2818881']
'Feel' comes not just from the material the object is finished with, but from the weight and handling of the object. I've not played a graphite neck, but should imagine the material is brittle in a way that wood is not. This would effect micro-tactile elements of things like hardness and flexibility.
[/quote]

Not my experience at all. But then as I said the only carbon fibre necks I've spent any great time playing are the ones on my Gus basses which are not "pure" graphite necks. The Gus basses are more comfortable to play than most, but that's down to the overall ergonomics of the design of the whole instrument rather than the neck itself.

Because of the finish on the Gus instruments there is no indication that they are made of anything unusual beyond the aluminium tubing around the body, so none of the people who have played mine ever think that there may be something different about the sound and feel of the instruments. I fact the most common comment from those who try them is how much they feel like the good (wooden) instruments that they are used to, despite the unconventional looks.

[KevB]

I think the neck on my US Precision deluxe was graphite reinforced (vaguely recall it from the official blurb) but it didn't seem to behave any different from a regular maple neck in my experience.

[rubis]

Does anyone know the nut width/depth of the Status MM 5 string neck and whether it would fit a G&L L2500 body.
The website is a bit vague

[ambient]

I love graphite necked basses. My Modulus is by a million miles or more, the bestest bass I've ever played.

I want a fretless to go along with it.

Edited July 10, 2015 by ambient

[ped]

Time for a 'Show us yer' graphite' thread?

Edit: Graphite basses, not any other graphite you might own, like pencils

[zero9]

There is no perceptible difference in 'feel' between a graphite or wooden neck, it's all down to finish.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='zero9' timestamp='1436547365' post='2819113']
There is no perceptible difference in 'feel' between a graphite or wooden neck, it's all down to finish.
[/quote]

Well, were going to have to agree to disagree on that one. That's like saying a concrete neck would feel the same as a wooden neck if it had the same finish on.

[discreet]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1436547692' post='2819119']
That's like saying a concrete neck would feel the same as a wooden neck if it had the same finish on.
[/quote]

It wood though, wooden it? Har, har.

[zero9]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1436547692' post='2819119']


Well, were going to have to agree to disagree on that one. That's like saying a concrete neck would feel the same as a wooden neck if it had the same finish on.
[/quote]

I have and use both, and to me there is no difference in 'feel'. Perhaps you should try a few graphite necks and see what you think