Bass probrem

the slightest pull on the neck while playing with my bass makes it pull up. Should i get a back plate and add moar screws like this one? My bass doesnt have a neckplate could this be the reason it does this

Whatever the problem is, it's not because you don't have a back plate. Looks like you've got ferrules between the screw heads and the bass body and those are good enough. Without seeing it in person, my bet is that whatever that plywood is made out of is too soft to use for a shim (not to mention enormous!), and that may be giving the neck a little room to move up or down in. Just a wild guess . . .

Yvarg wrote:

my bet is that whatever that plywood is made out of is too soft to use for a shim (not to mention enormous!), and that may be giving the neck a little room to move up or down in. Just a wild guess . . .

Exactly what I was thinking

I totally agree.

I'm trying to remember Bobo....are you shimming the neck due to having a top-mounted Kahler? If so, I strongly suggest looking into having the trem counter-sunk. Even though I've shimmed necks before, I'm not a huge fan of doing so, and your problem is but one of the reasons why. The best thing is for the neck to sit right at the body.

Now, if you are absolutely bent on shimming, I would suggest using a neck plate to do it. The addition of a second metal neck plate on the back of the heel probaly wouldn't hurt either, as I'm also not too keen on neck screws sitting just within bushings in the heel. Keep us posted, Bro!

That's actually a really good suggestion, Eric! Hadn't thought of using a metal back plate as a giant neck shim before. If you needed MORE height still, you could even try stacking two neck plates.

i got shims in my washburn b-2. this thing is like 25 years old at least and has been abused in many too many ways (wet and left in a hot car too many times comes to mind). the neck is warped and i got the frets as even as possible and i still needed to shim it to get the playing plane angle right. i hate using shims ... period, but it ws necessary to get this thing to play right short of getting a new neck.

anyway ... i used matchbook cover cardboard. 2 layers in front of and behind the front 2 screws for a shim thickness of .004" got me what i needed. i'm sure with the screws tightened down its compressed and even thinner to the point where there is minimal if any wiggle room ... or so you would think.

working on this bass with the neck saddled and resting on the neck on the benchtop has the tuning drop ... it is actually only perfectly in tune when it is held upright and no force on the neck.

now ... you stuck 3/8" of cheap plywood in the neck pocket. i suprised you even got the screw threads to grab into the neck or didnt strip the screw holes in the neck. you put a neck plate on the back, thats even further away the screws will have to grab in the neck. i wonder if the screws not properly seated in the neck is where your problem is.

eric's idea of a neckplate on the inside seems like a good idea ... but to cover the 3/8"? you'de need like 3 or 4 of them in there if that is in fact how much shim you need.

i offered my help before.

i would totally let you countersink it, but this is my only bass. i wouldnt be able to play for 2 - 3 weeks. if i had an extra bass i would send you my bass for you to fix.

Yvarg wrote:

That's actually a really good suggestion, Eric! Hadn't thought of using a metal back plate as a giant neck shim before.

Thanks, Yvarg! I had an old metal neck plate lying about that had come from some cheap P/J copy I had messed with years ago. It just made more sense to use metal instead of wood. I also used some industrial-strength wood bond on the plate and screws to lock the neck down. It was so tight that I couldn't get the neck off even without the screws on! BTW, this was done on my old Yamaha RBX, and it never gave me any problems.

And MadMike, you bring up an excellent point about the length of the screws, since any shim is going to lessen the amount the screws will brag onto the wood of the neck. I had also thought of this myself, and I ended up using some slightly longer screws to make up for the difference.

Bobo, I hear you about not having your axe for a couple of weeks, but would that be so awful? Are you gigging regularly in a band? I mean, it just seems to me that you would gain so much more in having the trem countersunk, even with two weeks of down time. Just my two-cents.

well, i'de be able to turn it around in 2 to 3 days. the time problem comes down to shipping.

for you bobo ... the offer stands.

pm me your address so i can get a price on shipping. is it alright if i just send you the body? also if you can get the broken whammy bar piece out i'll pay

gotchya.

Good call!

i still think its a sketchy ideaa to send my only bass to somebody i dont know in another state with no idea if imma get it back or not. i would do it, but i dont have a for sure of getting it back. i would let barklessdog do it for me because i could meet him if i needed to.

i understand. someone is trying to do something for you but it requires you to have a tremendous amount of trust. i know there are good people in the world (cause i try to be one of them) but i dont trust most people either. jeeze ... i wouldnt trust most people to take my pants to the drycleaner.

but furreal bro ... i dont want your bass. i'de never play a 5+ string. i'de never want a bass with brass hardware. i have 4 basses and i only want one more (and i cant find / afford it). i have 2 black basses already.

you dig your bass and i just want you to be happy with it ... think its the best bass for you. just tryin to help you get there.

i believe i would trust in the craftmanship of barklessdog. if you feel more trustworthy going and meeting him, i think he'll hook you up.