Help! question about MM JP neck

[nono filou]

Hello everybody

I need some advice about Music Man guitar.
I have a project to buy a new Music Man (JP BFR) but I'm worried about potential issue with the neck (curved). My bassist (live near Paris in tempered climate) who has a bass Sterling alerted me because the neck was curved for no apparent reason about a year ago. He owns the bass in the same room of his house for about 5 years and had never a problem before. Now the bass is unplayable, he can not put the right neck with the trussroad
I search on internet and found similar problems on other Music Man and now I am reserved on the purchase of this very expensive guitar....
Your advice are welcome...

Arno

 

[tbonesullivan]

I've owned 5 EBMM Basses and Guitars. I've never had any issues with a neck warping.

It should be noted that as they are oiled, they react more readily to changes in temperature and humidity.

Was the neck back bowed, or forward bowed? Did he have a professional examine it?

 

[DrKev]

Bonjour nono et bienvenue au forum !

Listen, every brand of instrument has a small percentage (~ 1%) that have some sort of problem. Wood is a natural material, it is to some extent a little unpredictable and one can never tell if a piece of wood that leaves the factory in one shape will remain in that shape forever. In your friend's case, his did not. He is one of the unlucky few. But this is why we have warranties. In the European Union our instruments are guaranteed for a minimum of two years. ( Et en France, même occassion ! Oui ! )

Music Man are reknowned for the quality of the necks. You should not have anything to worry about.

It should be noted that as they are oiled, they react more readily to changes in temperature and humidity.

In fact, no, I don't even think that is true!

 

[nono filou]

Hello and thank you for your interest in my request.

My bassist did not put his bass to a luthier.
When the neck is back bowed, his uses the trussroad to put the right neck but after a few days the neck become bowed in the other direction (forward) so his must use the trussroad int the other direction, and after fex day, again, the back neck bowed, etc. all the time in summer, winter,...

 

[fbecir]

Bonjour

J'ai quatre Musicman, aussi en région parisienne. La plus vieille date de 2001. Mes guitares voyagent, font des répétitions, des concerts ...
Les manches sont parfaitement stables, je ne dois quasiment jamais régler le trussrod (qui est super facile à régler avec le système en bout de manche) sauf bien sûr si je change de tirant de corde.
Je ne pense pas qu'il y ait de soucis particulier chez Musicman sur la qualité. Après, comme le dit Kevin, le 0 défaut cela n'existe pas.

Bienvenu sur le forum !

 

[spychocyco]

I've had my Axis for 10 years now. I do occasionally (not even once a year) have to make a truss rod adjustment to accommodate for changes in temp, humidity, etc., but I've had no issues at all.

I wonder if your friend might have been overadjusting the truss rod. Small turns can make big changes, and sometimes it takes a little while for the full change to show. If he was making more than a quarter turn of the truss rod at a time, then he could have definitely gone too far the other way.

 

[Warg Master]

I also have a 2001 JP6. The neck is sturdy, straight and feels as good as it ever has! Truss rod adjustments are minimal for me as well. Maybe twice a year. I have quite the range in humidity and temperature too.

 

[fbecir]

Hello and thank you for your interest in my request.

My bassist did not put his bass to a luthier.
When the neck is back bowed, his uses the trussroad to put the right neck but after a few days the neck become bowed in the other direction (forward) so his must use the trussroad int the other direction, and after fex day, again, the back neck bowed, etc. all the time in summer, winter,...

A mon avis, ton bassiste fait des ajustements trop violents à chaque fois. Quand on règle son trussrod, il faut attendre que le bois s'adapte. Donc il faut être itératif dans le réglage (on tourne un peu, on attend une heure, on retourne un peu ...)

 

[tbonesullivan]

In fact, no, I don't even think that is true!

Hmmm. I think I remember that being in the old version of the FAQ before they redid the website. A finish acts as a barrier to moisture movement, so it takes longer for humidity adjustments to cause the neck wood to swell or shrink.

either way, it sounds like the bass player friend didn't give nearly enough time for the adjustments to settle in, or just kept cranking away. Some necks can take longer than others to respond to changes in truss rod pressure, and many people lack patience, unfortunately.

 

[nono filou]

Hello guys !

I am reassured by what you say
I'll talk about my friend, maybe have saved his bass, especially that he loves it !!!
Now i have to choose the model ;-)
Axis superSport or JP6 BFR ...
I have 2 stratocaster custom shop and a Gibson Les Paul R8 that i keep but i want another sound....
I looking for a different sound and a possibility to replace the gibson and Fender during a concert (use only one guitar)
I'am a solist guitarist and play rock (muse, hendrix, RHCP, Rolling Stones, LedZed, Placebo).
In France it's difficult to try this guitar so i can only listen on Internet some demo :-(

Have you some advice about that difficult question ?

Thanks.

Nono

 

[7enderbender]

Hello guys !

I am reassured by what you say
I'll talk about my friend, maybe have saved his bass, especially that he loves it !!!
Now i have to choose the model ;-)
Axis superSport or JP6 BFR ...
I have 2 stratocaster custom shop and a Gibson Les Paul R8 that i keep but i want another sound....
I looking for a different sound and a possibility to replace the gibson and Fender during a concert (use only one guitar)
I'am a solist guitarist and play rock (muse, hendrix, RHCP, Rolling Stones, LedZed, Placebo).
In France it's difficult to try this guitar so i can only listen on Internet some demo :-(

Have you some advice about that difficult question ?

Thanks.

Nono

If I may chime in as a new owner of a JP15-7 with a similar taste in other brands (fat neck mid 90s LP std, mid 90s Custom Shop strat with a C profile and 9.5” radius, pre CBS 1958 original strat with a relatively round fat neck and the traditional 7.5” radius, but also various “superstrats”, some with wider flat necks, others more like a strat).

You can’t go wrong. The EBMM instruments are crafted nicely and the necks are the best part. I was skeptical at first when I received my JP15 (hadn’t had an opportunity to test and buy locally unfortunately). 17” radius is way flat and it’s thinner than I expected on a 7 string. But now 4 weeks in I can’t put that thing down and I’m actually enjoying working on technique. That thing is super fast and precise! Sound is modern and very good. Different from more distinct traditional guitars but that’s a good thing. The neck pickup rivals or even beats my Les Paul (equipped with Fralin pickups they made for me back in the days) in sweetness and clarity. All oops nicely in the mix when recording.

Now that said, the Axis necks are what got me into looking closer at EBMM in the first place. Wasn’t available as a seven string obviously so this time around not a consideration. But I may come back to that one day. Or I may actually get a six string JP15 to compliment my green 7 string here.
I don’t work them or anything. Just enjoy some good quality products.