Dubs Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 (edited) I’ve been after a nice Jazz for a while but I’m on a budget and don’t want to spend a lot, so I’ve been thinking about putting one together myself. Basically I’m after a bit of advice. What is the best Jazz neck to go for? From AllParts I’ve got the impression that there are bloody loads of possibilities - [url="http://www.allparts.com/store/necks-bass-necks,Category.asp"]http://www.allparts.com/store/necks-bass-necks,Category.asp[/url] Preferably I’m after a maple Jazz neck (birdseye if I can afford to stretch to it), and for it to be as narrow and thin as possible. Suggestions? (remember the part about being on a budget...) As an aside, feel free to discuss Jazz necks in general, as I’d also be very interested to hear people’s opinions on what were/are the best Jazz necks on Fenders past and present. Edited October 12, 2008 by benwhiteuk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 The Geddy Lee is without a doubt the most comfortable 4 string neck I've ever played! If I was buying another Jazz, I'd have it replicated by a luthier, it's that good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted October 12, 2008 Author Share Posted October 12, 2008 [quote name='acidbass' post='304811' date='Oct 12 2008, 01:30 PM']The Geddy Lee is without a doubt the most comfortable 4 string neck I've ever played! If I was buying another Jazz, I'd have it replicated by a luthier, it's that good![/quote] Yeah I’ve heard a lot of people rave about the Geddy Lee neck. Do you know if you can buy one (or a replica) from somewhere like AllParts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 I'm not quite sure, I think the Geddy neck is based on one of Fender's other profiles but it's certainly slimmer than any other Fender neck I've ever played. I think you can get the specs (such as radius, nut width and thickness at nut and heel) on the Fender site, so it might be possible to match as best you can to the Allparts ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 [quote name='benwhiteuk' post='304817' date='Oct 12 2008, 02:39 PM']Yeah I’ve heard a lot of people rave about the Geddy Lee neck. Do you know if you can buy one (or a replica) from somewhere like AllParts?[/quote] I've heard (ie read) a lot of people rave about it too - but not in a good way. Too thin, prone to banana impressions etc. I read all of this on the interweb so it must be true, but smoke & fire relationship etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 I ve had a few jazz basses and my personal favorite neck was a Warmoth one, they have a deeper c-shaped profile due to the reinforcement bars which i found filled the hand nicely and led to reduced fatigue on longer sessions I believe they based their profile on a vintage jazz, also they are great quality better than a lot of fender necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 The Geddy Lee neck is fab and I used one exclusively for a few years, but after playing a 'Ray for a while I found it just a shade too small for my hams to readjust to, hence its recent sale. I was tweaking mine whenever necessary and never had a problem with any banana japes. It took a year or two to settle down though. The only thing I will say against it is that it wasn't too keen on a set of D'Addario 50-110's I once put on it - I just couldn't get it straight enough. In my experience the early 70's [block inlay] necks are the slimmest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markytbass Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 I bought a Mighty Mite jazz neck new off ebay and it's the best jazz neck I've played, I'd even go as far to say better than the USA S1 jazz I played in the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I've had good luck (?) with a couple of Brandoni jazz necks, both plain and varnished. The seem to be identical to 80s Jap Squier/Tokai? You may have to do a slight fret level/polish, and as always neck pocket fit is never completley predictable....you have to take a chance. If you buy an unfinished neck its pretty easy to sand a thinner profile, but you've got to remember there is a truss rod trapped inside, just waiting to pop out! BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Cheers for advice guys, I'm looking at a few options as we speak...may not commit to buying until I am slightly more financially secure though :wacko:...but what might happen is that I'll get pissed one night and come in and buy a f***ing Sei or Sadowsky Jazz on the credit card (cue instant decapitation from the girlfriend…) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 [quote name='benwhiteuk' post='305311' date='Oct 13 2008, 11:08 AM']Cheers for advice guys, I'm looking at a few options as we speak...may not commit to buying until I am slightly more financially secure though :wacko:...but what might happen is that I'll get pissed one night and come in and buy a f***ing Sei or Sadowsky Jazz on the credit card (cue instant decapitation from the girlfriend…)[/quote] Move back down Pompey, get a GB from Bad Bernie 60 miles up the road, lie. Plausible deniability mate. I'll look after it for ye n'all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBadBassman Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I've bought a couple recently from Allparts - a lined fretless with ebony fingerboard, and Touchstone - fretted with r/wood f/b. Both very nicely finished in a high gloss which I prefer to a satin finish. One thing to be aware of is at the same time I ordered the fretless neck I also bought a swamp ash jazz body - also from Allparts. Both were stamped as being licensed by Fender but they didn't fit together as the neck was made in Japan - so metric and the body was from the USA - so imperial. As a consequence the neck pocket on the body was a couple of mm too small -very annoying when you've just spent £500! I've since enlarged the neck pocket and everything now fits together but it wasn't an easy job. Something you should be aware of - I'm buying from Warmouth next time! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 (edited) [quote name='johnnylager' post='305457' date='Oct 13 2008, 01:23 PM']Move back down Pompey, get a GB from Bad Bernie 60 miles up the road, lie. Plausible deniability mate. I'll look after it for ye n'all.[/quote] tempting... I know if I step inside that place and play a few things then I'll be leaving with something. Plausible deniability or not, I'd get a girlfriend shaped foot in my arse when I tell her that I can’t pay this months rent EDIT: I wouldn’t mind bankrupting myself for this though - Edited October 16, 2008 by benwhiteuk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.