Bridgehouse Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Changed the strings on the Uberhorn Fretless. Put Chromes on. It had TI Flats so the truss rod needed a tweak. Less than a 1/4 turn to add a bit more tension. Tuned up. 15 mins later there is an almighty crack. And this: I've emailed Jon. I'm sure there's a repair that can be done. Maybe. I don't know if the truss rod has failed, or if it's something else, but either way, I've lost confidence in this bass. The electronics have been completely replaced after multiple failures, and now this has happened. It took every sinew of self control I have not to just bin it. Even if I get it repaired, I'm just going to be wondering what is going to go wrong with it next. It plays sublimely, it sounds incredible, but I could never play it live as I just don't trust it anymore. I will never get the money back I've sunk into it now either - regardless of what is done to it, it will have had a neck repair. My bank balance is going to take a real hammering now, as I'm going to have to replace it. Gutted. 1 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I get the impression Jon is a decent guy - here's hoping he will see you right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I presume this is a neck through.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 What a depressing sight that pic is. Feel for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 (edited) Gutted for you, totally understand your frustration. Repairs often toughen a guitar more than before, hopefully Jon will sort you out, you’ll get confident with it again, and then have a gigging Bass that’s not so precious. Think of all those Gibsons, especially pre 1964, with headstock repairs, they’ll certainly outlive us! I know it’s a different type of repair, but same principle if it can be fixed. Good luck. 👍 Edited October 30, 2018 by Chiliwailer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 (edited) What a real shame Mark!! I can remember a lot of us thinking (me included) what an absolutely gorgeous bass you had when you first posted it: Don't give up though buddy. I know a couple of examples where basses have been repaired to very good effect (sometimes better in strength than the original). In particular, I remember Mick @TheGreek had a Spector up for sale with a repaired neck a couple of years back and @Kev had a lovely white Warwick SS1 similarly in the FS a while back. I am sure there are a bunch of other examples. I suspect Mick will be able to point you to the chap who did the excellent repair job on his. Edited October 30, 2018 by Al Krow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfan Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Awww man.... that’s awful. Like the guys have said, I’m sure Jon (or someone) can and will repair it and you’ll love playing it again. 🤞🏻👍🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 😨 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Yeah Jons a pretty cool guy so I’m sure he will get this fettled! It’s a thing of beauty mate and should be enjoyed /played so hope he turns it round for you 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Awwwwwww!!!!!!!! Heart breaking sight I feel for you! I can only echo but also at the same time confidently report that this certainly is repairable. I have a friend in the city here who has repaired completely decapitated Gibson guitars (as mentioned above) with completely invisible joins of original headstocks. So although a painful sight, whatever has happened can be reversed. Jon I am sure will be able to respond. I know that doesn't help the initial frustration and how you are feeling but hang in there; I have a bass in my collection that I love even more after a repair!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Gorgeous bass. Hope it gets fixed to your satisfaction. Bit worrying that a 1/4 turn did this to an expensive bass like this. Something wasn't quite right with it to start with i would think. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Oh noo! 😴 Everyone's worst nightmare when it comes to truss rod adjustment. All is not lost, necks can be repaired and be stronger than ever, but yeah its the money thing that's the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 Jon has responded. I’m away for a week but when I’m back it’s going over to him. Looks like a truss rod failure. Should be fixable pretty easily he thinks. It was actually much less than a 1/4 turn - I’d say perhaps 20 degrees max as there isn’t room in the truss rod channel to do a full quarter turn. I shall report back in a few weeks when Jon has had a chance to look at it. I’m obviously gutted, but I’m just not sure how I feel about it at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I can completely understand the feeling of wanting to give up with it - but often I find it's modifying/adjusting/fixing a bass which makes you feel closer to it in the end, and once sorted it will all be a distant memory. Try and forget about it for a week and come back to it fresh when you see Jon. At least he's agreed to have a look, it would be much worse if it was a custom from abroad and you face the endless 'dunno if I can sort that' sort of comment from so called repairers you might get in contact with (most of whom are qualified for no more than a re-string) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Is this the world famous Uberhorn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 5 minutes ago, Drax said: Is this the world famous Uberhorn? It is, sadly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Aaargh...that's nasty...enough to make a grown man cry.... However, as @Al Krow says, it's repairable - the Spector he cites was repaired and you would never have known it had ever been in an accident. In fact the glued bit is stronger than before the damaged. We all know that Jon values his reputation - fairly sure that once he's repaired it you'll be able to put the whole episode behind you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 😱 Fingers crossed for a solid repair and a renewed love for this bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 28 minutes ago, ped said: I can completely understand the feeling of wanting to give up with it - but often I find it's modifying/adjusting/fixing a bass which makes you feel closer to it in the end, and once sorted it will all be a distant memory. Try and forget about it for a week and come back to it fresh when you see Jon. At least he's agreed to have a look, it would be much worse if it was a custom from abroad and you face the endless 'dunno if I can sort that' sort of comment from so called repairers you might get in contact with (most of whom are qualified for no more than a re-string) Yeah - I have total confidence in Jon - he’s seen all my pictures of it and thinks it’s fine to repair. It’s more the emotional thing now. I fettle basses a lot, I’ve built lots of partscaster’s so I’m hardly a bumbling fool about it all - for me, tho, I’m comparing it to my ACG Finn which is my regular gig bass and that one is utterly reliable and faultless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Actually you can be more confident in a bass after a neck repair. If done properly (and I've no doubt it will be) the neck will be stronger than it was before the break. Take a bit of time out, decompress, then get it sorted. A bass that's had as much attention as this will be, in the end, fantastic and what's more, a very personal instrument. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 Thanks for all the comments folks - really appreciated. I may possibly have had a speck of sentiment in my eye last night. Mrs B is gutted for me too and has said “we need to get you a new one, don’t we” Naturally I said, “yeah we do - a fretted 5 string so I can forget all about it” 2 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianP Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Don't give up on it. When you posted the original pictures up, just after you got it, I thought that it was the most beautiful musical instrument I had ever seen in my life. Nothing that has happened since has changed my opinion. With the work you have put in already, and how Jon will now take care of it, it can only come back stronger. Have faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 Just now, AdrianP said: Don't give up on it. When you posted the original pictures up, just after you got it, I thought that it was the most beautiful musical instrument I had ever seen in my life. Nothing that has happened since has changed my opinion. With the work you have put in already, and how Jon will now take care of it, it can only come back stronger. Have faith. Thanks for the thoughts. I’m sure Jon will do a great job. I think the problem is right now I’m struggling with it. Probably natural I expect. I’m sure a week away will help me to get my thinking straight. I’ve been contemplating a 5 for a while - I now need to decide whether to go fretted or fretless with it. Not sure if I will get to a point where I’ll feel happy gigging the Shuker but we shall see. Part of me wants to keep it for recording as it sounds so glorious - but I know my reaction at the moment is heat of the moment. Thinking about a five is helping me to not think about it sitting there I must admit. I’m just not sure whether to go fretted and replace the Finn 4 with something more flexible or go fretless and have that as my gigging fretless bass. Sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I owned a bass for about 5 years that had suffered a head break. It was only by chance that I found out. I was doing a gig somewhere and someone came up and starting talking to me. He commented on the instrument and said he had owned one exactly the same. It was his, the repair was invisible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said: I’m struggling with it. Probably natural I expect. I’m sure a week away will help me to get my thinking straight. I’ve been contemplating a 5 for a while - I now need to decide whether to go fretted or fretless with it. Thinking about a five is helping me to not think about it sitting there I must admit. I’m just not sure whether to go fretted and replace the Finn 4 with something more flexible or go fretless and have that as my gigging fretless bass. Just get rid of everything except for the 4-string P bass, and play that. You're wasting time. Edit: JOKE. Sorry. Edited October 30, 2018 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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