Someone sell me on graphite necks

[thepurpleblob]

I have a 70s Precision Fretless that I don't play and (for various strange reasons) cannot get rid of or trade. In the interests of getting some use out of it I was going to swap the fretless neck for a fretted one. I have been eyeing up the Status graphite replacement necks but have never actually played one. Not a trivial investment cash wise, however.

Any experiences, thoughts or alternative suggestions much appreciated.

[xilddx]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='540385' date='Jul 14 2009, 03:17 PM']I have a 70s Precision Fretless that I don't play and (for various strange reasons) cannot get rid of or trade. In the interests of getting some use out of it I was going to swap the fretless neck for a fretted one. I have been eyeing up the Status graphite replacement necks but have never actually played one. Not a trivial investment cash wise, however.

Any experiences, thoughts or alternative suggestions much appreciated.[/quote]

Why can't you get rid or trade it?

If I were you I'd look at Warmoth.

EDIT, oh Warmoth don't do graphite.

I had a Mighty Mite P Bass ebonol board / maple neck, not graphite but very hard and good looking. Cheap as chips too.

Edited July 14, 2009 by silddx

[Urban Bassman]

I had a Status Series 2 for a while (wish I still had it in fact ).....But I can safely say it was the nicest neck I ever put my mits on...
Rob does some great things with graphite, so I'd go for it.


[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='540385' date='Jul 14 2009, 03:17 PM']I have a 70s Precision Fretless that I don't play and (for various strange reasons) cannot get rid of or trade. In the interests of getting some use out of it I was going to swap the fretless neck for a fretted one. I have been eyeing up the Status graphite replacement necks but have never actually played one. Not a trivial investment cash wise, however.

Any experiences, thoughts or alternative suggestions much appreciated.[/quote]

[martthebass]

Lovely but expensive. Did it myself once but the other way around, put a Status fretless neck on a MIM Jazz. I was lucky and got it cheap (£165 inc. Hipshot h'ware). If I had been looking at full price I might have stalled.

I still love graphite necks (obviousy got one on the Streamline), the feel is excellent and on the through neck there's no dead spots to talk about. However if I was just trying to make a 'standard' fretless bass fretted I think I'd probably go down the Warmouth route, you'd save a few hundred quid and not much loss in terms of sound.

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='silddx' post='540423' date='Jul 14 2009, 04:06 PM']Why can't you get rid or trade it?

If I were you I'd look at Warmoth.[/quote]

It was a gift from a friend. I almost had deal done on it recently and my friend went into a sulk about it. Not worth falling out over. The worst thing is that it's easily the best sounding bass I own and one of the best I have heard. I don't realistically have the time to get up to speed on fretless though.

I thought that the graphite neck route might be a bit different I guess

[Wil]

I've owned a few. I had an S2 classic new from Status and a graphite replacement neck for a p bass. They feel great, they're built great, and IMHO, after much deliberation, I think they sound pants compared to a wood neck. YMMV. Not a very musical bottom end, too woofy, and the top end sounds plastic-y for want of a better word. I think a wooden fingerboard paired to a graphite neck might improve matters but it certainly wasn't the tone for me.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Wil

[thepurpleblob]

Erm.... can you actually buy Warmoth necks in the UK? So farm Google suggests "No"!

[Wil]

You have to buy direct from Warmoth - it's quite pain free, but beware you may get stung for import tax/VAT whatever when the package arrives on UK soil. DHL phoned me in advance to clear it when I ordered from Warmoth. Brilliant stuff, by the way!

[Jobiebass]

possibly the best necks you can buy, you can get the action super low and you know it'l never warp. they are so smooth too. id go for graphite necks over wood any day of the week for playability. looks wise maple with maple fretboard will always have a special place in my heart.

Id suggest playing one and figuring it out yourself, im sure there will be a basschatter around your area who would be willing to let you go on theirs. If your round the Doncaster area at any point you can pop in and have a bash on my Modulus if ya like.

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='540658' date='Jul 14 2009, 08:10 PM']possibly the best necks you can buy, you can get the action super low and you know it'l never warp. they are so smooth too. id go for graphite necks over wood any day of the week for playability. looks wise maple with maple fretboard will always have a special place in my heart.

Id suggest playing one and figuring it out yourself, im sure there will be a basschatter around your area who would be willing to let you go on theirs. If your round the Doncaster area at any point you can pop in and have a bash on my Modulus if ya like.[/quote]

Thanks, but things will be bad if I *really* like the Modulus

On the Warmoth route - unless I'm being stupid, by the time you add it all up the Warmoth necks are going to be even more expensive than the Status ones

[Jobiebass]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='540666' date='Jul 14 2009, 08:20 PM']Thanks, but things will be bad if I *really* like the Modulus

On the Warmoth route - unless I'm being stupid, by the time you add it all up the Warmoth necks are going to be even more expensive than the Status ones [/quote]

Well my Modulus is for sale

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='540682' date='Jul 14 2009, 08:44 PM']Well my Modulus is for sale [/quote]

Yessss..... I know

[jmanfunk]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='540685' date='Jul 14 2009, 08:46 PM']Yessss..... I know [/quote]

You could always bring it to a reputable luthier and have frets installed. That should run in the region of a £130. It would be a damn site cheaper than getting a graphite replacement. Having said that though, graphite necks are brilliant; had a Status Energy for a while and loved it!

[Chris2112]

Having had a Status Stealth (all graphite) and a Matrix Series I (graphite semi-thru neck), I can safely say that graphite sounds amazing and plays brialliantly. I've taken a break from it for a while, but I will definitely go back to it at some point.

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='jmanfunk' post='540696' date='Jul 14 2009, 08:53 PM']You could always bring it to a reputable luthier and have frets installed. That should run in the region of a £130. It would be a damn site cheaper than getting a graphite replacement. Having said that though, graphite necks are brilliant; had a Status Energy for a while and loved it![/quote]

I did think about that but the situation needs to be reversible. Even though 70s Fenders are not the greatest a 78/79 USA is still reasonably desirable I think.

[Kiwi]

They sell themselves, but not all necks are created equal.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Wil' post='540643' date='Jul 14 2009, 07:57 PM']I've owned a few. I had an S2 classic new from Status and a graphite replacement neck for a p bass. They feel great, they're built great, and IMHO, after much deliberation, I think they sound pants compared to a wood neck. YMMV. Not a very musical bottom end, too woofy, and the top end sounds plastic-y for want of a better word. I think a wooden fingerboard paired to a graphite neck might improve matters but it certainly wasn't the tone for me.[/quote]
+1

Too bright, too artificial, to '80s sounding - which is OK if that's your thing....

[Musky]

[quote name='Wil' post='540643' date='Jul 14 2009, 07:57 PM']I've owned a few. I had an S2 classic new from Status and a graphite replacement neck for a p bass. They feel great, they're built great, and IMHO, after much deliberation, I think they sound pants compared to a wood neck. YMMV. Not a very musical bottom end, too woofy, and the top end sounds plastic-y for want of a better word. I think a wooden fingerboard paired to a graphite neck might improve matters but it certainly wasn't the tone for me.[/quote]

I kind of agree with that as well. I've got a status matrix 1 and though I haven't found it sounds woofy (?) in the bottom end, it does sound sort of inorganic or artificial. The upside to that is an amazing clarity that cuts through, and that's from someone who definitely doesn't go for hi-fi or Mark King type sounds. Although I'd have liked a more natural, woody tone to the top end I'm not sure you could have that and keep the biting hard edge which I loved.

Fantastic feel to things though.

[4000]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='540855' date='Jul 14 2009, 11:42 PM']+1

Too bright, too artificial, to '80s sounding - which is OK if that's your thing....[/quote]

+2. I'd love to get on with them but so far just haven't. I love the idea of graphite though and hope to one day stumble across something that works for me.

[Kiwi]

The problem I see is that there's noone out there who has refined the technology of graphite necks. Like Wil says, noone's really experimented with wooden fingerboards much, and I think there's a lot of potential there. I've tried some fantastic sounding graphite necked instruments but the necks been wonky, and the instruments that have straight necks are too brittle.

Ped's Vigier, Nick's Pangborn and my Alembic are the only instruments I've tried where everything's perfect.

So, it CAN be done.

[obbm]

It is almost 5-years since I had a Status neck put on my Stingray 5. Other basses have come and gone but nothing touches it. It's still my bass of choice. Sounds great and supremely comfortable to play. I've never had to touch the truss rod and it stays in tune regardless of the temperature.

[Merton]

A sort of plus 1 for OBBM's post - my Status Retroactive has never had a trussrod tweak and I only ever tune during gigs to be safe rather than rely on the fact I *know* it hasn't moved. Fantastic necks, and IME I don't find the same tone problems which Wil was referring to.

[RhysP]

I love carbon fibre necks - my Zon has an evenness of response and tone that I love. I don't really agree with the "artificial sounding" comments as I've heard plenty of wood necked basses that sound far more clinical than my Zon. I think they can feel a bit too rigid for some people, which is fair enough. All this stuff is subjective, so it really is a case of trying to see if you get on with one.

(The other thing I love about them is not having to mess about with a bloody truss rod anymore - want to change your string gauge? NO PROBLEM!!).

[NickH]

I went to visit the Status workshop a couple of years ago when I was thinking of ordering a bass.
I playtested a few models and they all played superbly - the necks are gorgeous. It's like a whole different feel, very hard to describe the change it made to my playing right there on the spot.
Definitely recommend that you at least track down a graphite-necked bass to have a noodle on and experience it for yourself.

(I didn't order a bass at the time as the band I was in broke up the week after my factory visit - but now I'm in another, the Status is on order and mid-construction right now... my fingers are already twitching...)

[rslaing]

I have a Status Graphite Headless S2 and several other basses that are not graphite.

If I was to add my two pence worth, I would say that the Graphite is unique because of the deep piano like tones it can produce, with amazing overtones and sustain. Mine is very light, has no dead spots, and never goes out of tune (it's headless and therefore no slippage on tuners) and needs no regular setup (after my initial preference for action etc was applied to the bass).
It really is a lovely instrument and unlike other basses, you have wide tonal variation so you can produce any sound you want.

If it was a 35" scale, I would use it a lot more.

The non graphite basses I own all have their unique benefits, but I can't make them sound like a Status!! Whereas I can create the sound of my non graphite basses on my Status.

So as usual, it's down to personal preferences. But I would suggest if you were to have only one bass - go for graphite.