picker Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 SO how do you work out a backbowed neck on a bass? With a 6 string guitar, you loosen up the truss rod completely, move up to a heavier gauge of strings for a while, and let the tension pull the neck into the right curvature. Do you do the same with a bass, or is there another way? Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Well, the way I do it is take it too a qualified set-up guy. If you don't know what you're doing, I'd strongly encourage you to go that route. Otherwise you run the risk of permanently screwing up your ax. "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 The qualified technician I took it to loosened the truss rod completely and put 105-45 gauge strings on it. The back bow is still there if the truss rod is tightened at all, and the neck is so straight that I have to have the strings higher than I like to avoid buzzes. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMan99 Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Could this be a bass that was accustomed to having high-tension strings (like flats) that you now have round-wounds on? This bass sounds like a good candidate for the La Bella "Deep Talkin' Jamerson Set"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David King Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 You can go to medium flats as Philman99 suggests or to 50-110 round wounds. Be patient, it could take a while. Are you keeping it in the case, flat of the floor? Try storing it in a quiet corner leaning up against the wall out of the case. Have you recently moved from a dry, high altitude town to a moist, sea-level city or vise-versa? Is it a maple neck with separate fingerboard or all maple? You may eventually need to take it in and have the neck heated up and clamped into a modest forward bow or in the worst cases pull the frets and sand the fingerboard flat before refretting. That's an expensive proposition and a replacement neck is often an easier way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 The neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard, and it has never had heavier strings on it than it does now. The bass itself is a Squire Standard model P Bass I bought new about a month ago. I am not very happy with it at this point befcause of the action. If I set the strings low as I like them, the tone gets clanky, or the strings just outright buzz and rattle against the frets. IT seems to me that finding a bass with a decent neck that doesn't cost the farm is not an easy thing. I know of a store here in KC, very reputable and with a lot of high end gear, that has 8 or 10 new basses with necks that aren't fit for firewood. I mean, they are low-end instruments, but SHEESH! If you're gonna lay out $250+ for something, it ought to work right, at least at first. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 In the BP mag, there is the ongoing "Work On Your Bass" article. He uses clamps to induce forward- and back-bow in the neck. Would that be something that might help you out? Joe -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 Maybe, yeah. WHat issue of BP was that? Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Sorry to inform you but $250 is in the budget range for basses. I have to make adjustments to nearly every bass that my students walk in with. A $250 computer probably won't work right either. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMan99 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Originally posted by Picker: The neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard, and it has never had heavier strings on it than it does now. The bass itself is a Squire Standard model P Bass I bought new about a month ago. I am not very happy with it at this point befcause of the action. If I set the strings low as I like them, the tone gets clanky, or the strings just outright buzz and rattle against the frets. IT seems to me that finding a bass with a decent neck that doesn't cost the farm is not an easy thing. I know of a store here in KC, very reputable and with a lot of high end gear, that has 8 or 10 new basses with necks that aren't fit for firewood. I mean, they are low-end instruments, but SHEESH! If you're gonna lay out $250+ for something, it ought to work right, at least at first. Those Squier Ps are, ahem, legendary. When I bought one a few years back, getting back into bass after many years, I had to go through 3 to find one that wasn't obviously defective. The Squier Ps can be nice (perhaps 1 out of 5), but you have to look through a bunch. Mine was actually extremely nice, but I sold it since I only play 6-string these days. Any chance yours is still under warrenty? If what you want is a straight exchange, they shouldn't think you're trying to "get away with anything". BTW - it is hard to find anything decent below about $500 (there are exceptions), and I think $800 is where the "pro" basses start... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Picker: I believe the most recent issue with Geddy Lee on the cover had him working on fret replacement so he removed the neck and clamped it into a back-bow. There are photos with the article as I recall. Good luck! Joe -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Picker: Here's a link to the very article I'm talking about. It's already on line. Here ya go...! http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=24&storycode=13213 Joe -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
way2fat Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 If you have some flats laying around you might put them on for a while to see if their higher tension will pull your neck in the right direction. www.ethertonswitch.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David King Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 If it's a month old I'd hope it was still under warrantee. Take it in to the store where you bought it and have them order a replacement neck from Fender or give you a whole new bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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