rebuilding a neck

[tobereeno]

my one truss-rod five string Cruise bass has a very weak neck. The tension I must put on the truss rod to get the action anywhere playable is scary (and I broke it once). It's a great playing bass otherwise, and I think it's time to go to the root of the problem and rebuild the neck.

I'm thinking, remove the fretboard, inlay two carbon fiber rods to stiffen the thing, then put in a two-way trussrod that will hopefully be stronger as well.

How hard/serious is it to pull the fretboard off? I'm assuming that refretting will be necessary? Also, there are LEDs inlaid on the board - is it possible/impossible to pull the board off while keeping the wiring intact?

I really want to get this back into playable form - it's too nice a bass soundwise to relegate it to a lifetime of hanging on the wall.

[Jem]

It's possible to take a fretboard off and replace it without refretting it BUT i've only ever done it with POS neck's and would be scared stiff to do it to something i actually liked ! Like most things, if it goes together it will come apart but with the LED's and the fact you like the bass i'd try to find a luthier who knows what he's doing (i'd have to nominate Mr Platzer here as he really does know what he's up to) rather than give it to a hack like me

Jem

[BCR Greg]

Not an easy task.

[cmatthes]

The LEDs are gonna be a tough one. Unless you either plan to live with a few (or all) of 'em dead or want to go the expense of doing the SIMS treatment, that will not be a DIY project.

[tobereeno]

SIMS treatment? I'm already beginning to realize that I'm gonna have to get a serious pro behind this one.

[kurtsstuff]

If you've never done it...I would'nt want to start my new career as a luthier by taking on that job...it involves alot of steam and heat and it might mess up your hair!!! lol!

[tobereeno]

SIMS LEDs, mmm, dang them are tasty. Only about $2k to retrofit my purple doubleneck with matching purple LEDs! That one would be hard to justify in the budget...

[tobereeno]

well, I'm taking a look at my bass now and I'm noticing something a bit weird, but possibly good. There has always been these finish cracks up at the 19-21 frets and the fingerboard is actually separated at that point. The neck is maple, the fretboard is ebony, but it looks like there's a thin mahogany shim in between the two(??). If this is the case, the LED's are likely sandwiched in and I'll be able to take off the fingerboard without damaging the little buggers. Also, the fact that the last inch and a half or so of the fingerboard being ever so slightly separated means I can get a steam needle in there and avoid the hardest part of getting a fingerboard off (getting it started).

In order to see what's really going on though, I'll have to take off some more finish, which means I'll have to refin the whole thing. It's currently mint green with orange triangles, I'm thinking going all black, and then reapplying the same orange triangle pattern. Obviously, I'd save the logo and serial.

I wonder, is there anyone at Hamer who'd remember how they put together their LED necks, and if they really sandwiched a shim underneath the fretboard?

btw, what's better, titebond or hide glue?

[kurtsstuff]

Have you ever done anything like this before?? I mean.....do you have all the tools neccessary to do the job??....good luck my brother!!

[Jem]

Titebond.

On the subject of the 'sandwich': this may be the case, i dunno, but Hamer do/did blacken down thier ebony boards and one of my Cali's looks like a sandwich where it's been masked over.

Jemmie

[tobereeno]

btw thanks for the link, a LOT of helpful info there...

[Jem]

That's alright dude.

Jem