Graphite necks

[Brian18242]

Now that Status is sadly downsizing their production, are there any other companies that specialise in replacement graphite necks? Years ago I had a moses jazz neck but couldn't live with the 7.5 radius. Can't help thinking there is now a big gap in the market for replacement graphite necks. Sourcing a used status jazz neck has proved impossible so far. 

[lemmywinks]

Recent post on the Iceni/Zoot FB page about possibly starting up carbon neck production again, give @Cosmicrain a shout.

https://www.facebook.com/zootbass/posts/pfbid0V6qxhFJhgYDFH79ujcFmFpjzQNrbQmJCLbtRVeKRmfZetSzW3XBraHnQJ1LvYmmKl?__cft__[0]=AZU2-cYMNj_WvIWRU2WwPQLzMWcGQHw89caQa-Xd8yW5s9jWffLnje-ZgViCcxQ-AJD9cfyabLIFV2Ea3SdONhDLy2BJ4Rz_gC-lOPlJXOgP_PqkMkNGo5d_JuU52oO_cd0LMxrgrU744oFAWkudCNVNU443e3WPJlfkqFmPe70xST9YVy4cZlelYRcQBExAyuU&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[Brian18242]

Cheers, but looking for a replacement jazz neck to fit and existing jazz body, think zoot is more about selling a complete bass. 

[Lfalex v1.1]

Doesn't look promising. 

 

The usual suspects (Modulus, Bogart, Basslab and Zon) all seem to produce necks specifically for their own basses. 

 

All I could find was a S/H Moses neck on Reverb. 

 

There's definitely a niche in the marketplace for someone to manufacture P, J and Stingray replacement necks. 

[Lozz196]

Definitely, given the love for the Status graphite necks surely some musical company out there will spot this newly established gap and opportunity.

[dub_junkie]

I'd love an MM one but options appear very limited at the moment 

[itu]

MG has not provided necks in years to public. One of the earlier workers of MG (I tend to forget his name) has done a few but I think the price from the States could be sky high.

[Brian18242]

I did contact status to see if they had any old necks sitting about the workshop but sadly not. I regret not purchasing one a few years back😒😒😒

[Russ]

Moses are no longer in the graphite neck business. They make carbon fibre speaker enclosures and violin fingerboards now. 

 

Shame. They had a graphite neck for practically everything. 

 

 

[Old Horse Murphy]

It makes me realise just how lucky I was to get hold of a Status neck just after their announcement. I'd definitely source another one if I could. 

[Brian18242]

Would be interesting to know the demand for status necks over the years. I always assumed they were very popular based on the options they offered. Typical, just as I decide to get one, the business partially closes it's doors 😭🤣😭. Wonder if that's part of the reason, Mark King went back to Jaydee?

[EBS_freak]

I wonder if Geoff Gould would entertain the idea. I know Modulus used to have that dancing ladies finish that I craved. I seem to recall they didn't do a 5 string Jazz though.

[Russ]

Just now, EBS_freak said:

I wonder if Geoff Gould would entertain the idea. I know Modulus used to have that dancing ladies finish that I craved. I seem to recall they didn't do a 5 string Jazz though.

He's still making basses with graphite necks, but in small numbers. Not sure he's geared up for doing aftermarket stuff. He must also be around retirement age too (although that generally means nothing if you're in the US and self-employed). 

[fleabag]

I must have been waiting for Status to update for months and months about their necks, and they never do.  I've been after a jazz CF neck for a long time

 

I gave up.  I suppose SG might be concentrating on full basses, where the money is, thats if they get going again.

 

I can see them going t*ts up if they dont sort themselves out

[JPJ]

I can imagine that the production costs are relatively high and demand low and sporadic. From my limited knowledge of the carbon graphite world prepreg material has more than quadrupled in price recently, not helped by the situation in Ukraine, and the tooling costs, autoclave etc make setup costs very high. 

[BassBus]

3 hours ago, fleabag said:

I must have been waiting for Status to update for months and months about their necks, and they never do.  I've been after a jazz CF neck for a long time

 

I gave up.  I suppose SG might be concentrating on full basses, where the money is, thats if they get going again.

 

I can see them going t*ts up if they dont sort themselves out

Have you read the message from Mr. Green on the website? 

http://status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html

[fleabag]

Good grief - all becomes clear. I stopped reading / waiting for any front page messages, as before , it just said they're not taking new orders, he will update at sometime, so  not really an indepth explanation, and basically i havent bothered reading the front page for a while.  I guess that message is not that old.

 

Well, it's a relief that Rob is ok.  I wish him well.  2nd hand Status basses are set to rise, i reckon

[Chris2112]

On 07/08/2022 at 13:42, Lfalex v1.1 said:

Doesn't look promising. 

 

The usual suspects (Modulus, Bogart, Basslab and Zon) all seem to produce necks specifically for their own basses. 

 

All I could find was a S/H Moses neck on Reverb. 

 

There's definitely a niche in the marketplace for someone to manufacture P, J and Stingray replacement necks. 

 

You could add Vigier and Zoot to the list of companies than made in-house graphite products. Vigier for certain never made them for anyone else (indeed Patrice moved away from all graphite construction in his necks). Furthermore, Vigier are effectively winding down. I understand that their order book is closed and that remaining orders are being finished off, once they're done, Vigier are done. 

 

Interestingly, Mike Walsh of Zoot has talked about getting his graphite production going again. That is pretty exciting as I used to own a Zoot with a graphite neck which was really nicely made. 

 

For the rest of your list, well...

 

Zon seem to be in tumult (still). I hear that Joe Son's comms have improved recently but there are still people waiting for builds long since paid for that aren't yet being delivered. Zon continue to take orders for and deliver basses ordered long after these poor customers were hooked. The saga documented time and time again on PH is chronic. I love Zon basses but I'd be extremely wary of ordering a new one if it wasn't money I could afford to lose. They can't service their own needs never mind make aftermarket products.

 

Modulus are back up and running but they're not the same company. Production has slowed and prices have ballooned (seems they're taking a leaf out of the Wal book). 

 

Geoff Gould continues to make his own amazing basses. As the understand it, his order book is full enough that he doesn't need to offer aftermarket necks for the P and J basses of the world. 

 

Bogart - Stefan He's continued to manufacture his own necks. I'm not sure that Schack offer carbon fibre necks anymore. Clover don't (does the brand even operate anymore? I don't think you can actually buy a new Clover bass). Stefan still maintains his business and makes a good amount of basses, though I was disappointed to read of a Basschatter ordering one and getting a less than perfect bass. Mr Heß has been making basses long enough that they should be going out perfect. I still regularly play my 1994 Classic and love it. That bass is nearly 30 and is great fun, must be one of the good ones. 

 

Basslab are an interesting one. They're not graphite but they're in that same sort of sphere, made using a 'tuned composite' that seems to have even more remarkable physical properties than traditional graphite cloth. The builder, Heiko Hoepfinger, is again only concerned with building his own instruments rather than making aftermarket parts. His basses are so light that I can imagine it would be surreal to bolt one of his necks to a body that would usually have a wooden neck. However, I've never even seen one of his basses in person. I should change that. 

 

[EBS_freak]

I guess Gus should be thrown into the mix too.

[Kiwi]

Jon Shuker has the ability to make a wrapped neck.  It offers the best of both worlds if it comes with a phenolic, richlite or ebony fingerboard.  But I couldn't comment on the potential cost, it would be hand made in every sense of the word.

[Lfalex v1.1]

IIRC, the necks on the US-made NS Designs EUBs have a laminated CF neck- a layer of CF, layer of wood veneer alternating.

The outer is veneer, giving the desired look, but there's no reason not to finish on a CF laminate.

I don't know what the core is. Wooden would be easier to implement on a small production scale.

Might have to be careful with the fibre orientation if a truss-rod is used,  but otherwise it seems a valid alternative. 

[ped]

Enfield used to offer a carbon wrapped neck didn't they? Not sure if the benefit was mostly aesthetic or whether they sounded and acted like you’d expect. 

[EBS_freak]

13 minutes ago, ped said:

Enfield used to offer a carbon wrapped neck didn't they? Not sure if the benefit was mostly aesthetic or whether they sounded and acted like you’d expect. 

I think they were done by Gus for Enfield. Could be wrong…

[Chris2112]

10 hours ago, Kiwi said:

Jon Shuker has the ability to make a wrapped neck.  It offers the best of both worlds if it comes with a phenolic, richlite or ebony fingerboard.  But I couldn't comment on the potential cost, it would be hand made in every sense of the word.

 

If it's just the wrap over wood like Enfield used then yeah, it looks really cool but doesn't have the typical graphite stiffness or sound. Whether or not that matters to you is another matter entirely. I do recall a white headless Shuker with a proper graphite neck but I can't recall where the neck was made. 

[Kiwi]

2 minutes ago, Chris2112 said:

I do recall a white headless Shuker with a proper graphite neck but I can't recall where the neck was made. 

That was a Moses neck from my stash.

 

Carbon wrapped necks don't sound as bright as fully CF necks but they do have the same evenness and consistency.  LIke I said, I think it's a nice compromise especially when the core wood is quite light.