Neck Warp

[semioldfart]

Took home a buddy's MIM JB to set up. I was worried this had an S warp because its fretting out (completely choked off) above the 7th.

Sighting the neck it looks like it has a bit of bow and the saddles are on the body. It doesn't appear to have an s curve but it is concerning that the curve seems severe in the last few frets.

This is a no money setup. I haven't touched the truss rod yet but i think if i can straighten it and raise the action, perhaps shim the neck. Anyone ever see a bow that lives below the 5th fret?

 

[ficelles]

I had a fretless MIJ P-bass that developed a hump down near the nut and a ski jump at the heel, great thing about fretless boards is that can be easily planed out. I'd see what the truss rod does.

 

[4strings]

Took home a buddy's MIM JB to set up. I was worried this had an S warp because its fretting out (completely choked off) above the 7th.

Sighting the neck it looks like it has a bit of bow and the saddles are on the body. It doesn't appear to have an s curve but it is concerning that the curve seems severe in the last few frets.

This is a no money setup. I haven't touched the truss rod yet but i think if i can straighten it and raise the action, perhaps shim the neck. Anyone ever see a bow that lives below the 5th fret?

If the fretboard has a hump, ski jump, s curve, or anything like that a setup might be able to make it reasonably playable, although often with compromise (like high action in one or more areas, some fret buzz, etc.). To really make it better you either need to level the frets or plane the fretboard and re-fret.

 

[semioldfart]

This is a bass played by teenagers in youth group. The hard "nogo" zone might be considered a feature.

 

[Jim C]

Bad ski jump with a twist?
wharpednecks.com fixed me up.
73' J. So good so far!

 

[semioldfart]

Wow - I expected this to cost more than a Warmoth neck but that's quite reasonable. If I can't fix it up with normal setup tools I'll recommend that.

 

[semioldfart]

Man that looked like a wicked curve but I got it reasonably straight and playing nice with just the truss rod and saddles. I'm going to check the nut but probably not do anything agressive. I don't think you could get this one to dead flat super low action, but it's a bass played by beginners. It just needs to not fret out and not work em so hard that it creates technique issues.

 

[armyadarkness]

My guitar player bought me a fairly-new BC Rich Warlock. No adjusting worked, and since (IMO) BC Rich has a reputation for quality issues, I deemed it not worth fixing. It's screwed to the ceiling in my welding shop.

 

[semioldfart]

Nut was actually down around 0.33 ish so I left it alone. There's one high fret up around 19 or 20, but I'm going to let that be. I didn't measure but its way better now and I'm calling it done.

I actually dialed about 1/16th turn of relief back in as it would need fret work to go lower and thats a little more invasive on an instrument I volunteered to set up. (I'd totally chase that on mine, or if he asked, but didn't want to go beyond turning screws based on "Would you like me to fix that for you") I just had to do this though.... kids playing on a decent bass that literally choked out above the 7th fret.

 

[Jim C]

kids playing on a decent bass that literally choked out above the 7th fret.

So he's playing bass and not baritone. I approve