85 SR4 neck issues: what would you do?

[toomanyslurpees]

Ok, so I have a very well played 85 SR4 that I totally love, it's been my go to gigging bass since I bought it over two years ago (also the busiest two years of gigging I've ever had). I just noticed I have a lump and a crack in the fretboard between the nut and first fret. I took it to my repair guy who things a u shaped washer in the neck may have turned around at the top of the truss rod and I'm looking at having to sink a couple hundred bucks into it. this in addition to the neck having developed a pretty significant ski jump where it meets the body, and theres also an uneveness in the fretboard around the seventh fret and I have to keep the action higher than my 2001 SR4 to keep this part of the neck from buzzing. I don't know if it's a sign of the health of a neck, but if I loosen the truss rod all the way the action is extreemly high (as in 3/4" high) I love playing the bass even with having to set it up to compensate for the inperfections of the neck but now with this crack it's has me debating what to do being that it also has a mucher thinner profile than my 2001 and I like chunkier necks.

so would you:
a: put the money into getting the neck in the best shape I can, even if it my not be my favorite profile but perserve the originality of the bass being that it is the first year of the EBMM stingray. I just don't know how much I'm looking at, it could be almost as much as a replacement neck (I have been talking to customer service) and I'm not sure the neck won't give me more grief in the future.

b: get a replacement neck, it means not have the originality (having to give up the original neck is a big con to this option) but having a good solid neck in a chunkier profile that will have tons of life in it. it also means routing out the notch in the body for the truss wheel and modifying the neck for the 4 bolt neck plate.

I'm seriously torn, on one hand it's an original vintage stingray (minus pickguard and one tuner) so I think I should keep it original on the other hand it's a beat up player and replacing the neck would probably make it the best player it could be for a bass I doubt I would ever sell. hmmm.

 

[JayDawg]

Can you post pics of the area in question? I'm curious what it looks like. Also, from seeing the pics, others may be able to give you some good advice.

 

[toomanyslurpees]

I'll try to photograph the area soon, it's a hairline crack that goes along the grain from the nut to about 3/4 of the way to the first fret on top of a lump. I didn't notice it until I went to put some fretboard conditioner on it and felt the lump. it doesn't effect playability but I'm nervous about it being something that will develop into a worse problem or that it may be an idication of a problem with the truss rod even though it seems to be working fine now. (those wonder wipes are awesome by the way! they made a couple of my rosewood fretboards look so nice and dark!)

 

[Aussie Mark]

You've already got non-original parts on the bass, so putting on a new neck isn't going to hurt resale value any further. If you're not planning on selling it because it's a great player, then keeping it as a great player by putting a good neck on it is the best move.

 

[toomanyslurpees]

OzBassForum • View topic - Custom Stingray Neck

this thread on another forum shows a maple neck with the same crack.

 

[strummer]

c: Ask Customer Service if they have a solution.

 

[adouglas]

Good for you for contacting CS before posting.

If it were me I'd go for a new neck. It's not all original anyway and the old neck has real issues… from your description, multiple issues.

Is it really rare? No. Does it have some sort of provenance (i.e. played by a big artist)? No. Also, with the neck issues (fretboard unevenness and ski jump besides the crack) it's not flawless as a player, either.

So why would a customer value it highly? It's not all that collectible. There are better players.

At the end of the day it's about your priorities. Do you view basses mostly as works of art that can be played or instruments that are works of art? If the former, keep it "original." If the latter, make it the best player it can be and hang the originality.

 

[Caca de Kick]

If it were my bass, I'd wait and have the original neck fixed. I wouldn't swiss-cheese a bunch of holes in the original body to have a later neck installed.
Yes I understand this bass is a player worn instrument. But the only mods you have done so far are bolt-on, nothing permanent.

 

[Golem]

`

Since it's a slimmer neck than current SRs, but it's still
an EBMM neck, perhaps EBMM Customer Service would
consider a neck for an "SLO Special" as the appropriate
replacement. IIRC, the "SLO Special" is an SR but with
a Sterling profile to it neck.

If thaz the deal, it seems like a new neck would be the
way to go. You'd maintain a slimmer profile, and you'd
maintain the "All-EBMM" aspect of originality ... but not
collectors' view of originality. OTOH, a major repair will
a nix any collector originality anyway ....

Beautifully aged "vintage" MMs sell for $2000 or less but
equivalent F3nders are several thou $ on up [on up thru
5-figgers ... ] so with MM you're not talking about major
vintage collectible value anywho. How bout being "true"
to its originality of PURPOSE ? Which is to play music as
a maintainable and affordable great tool.

Another thought: Much of what IS prized about older SRs
is the tone of the older version of the 2-band EQ, which
will remain with your ax whatever you do about the neck.

`

 

[bovinehost]

I'm all about making it play the best it can. I'd replace it and never look back. (I'm not very sentimental about these things.)

 

[oli@bass]

I'd try to keep the original neck. A new neck, along with all the modifications, will most probably lead to your bass feeling and sounding very different - to the point that you could just get a different 'Ray altogether.

 

[Golem]

...... A new neck, along with all the modifications, will
most probably lead to your bass feeling and sounding
very different - to the point that you could just get
a different 'Ray altogether.

Mmmnn ... hhmm ... If you do that, there IS a market
for the ready-to-use body. I for one, have a neck thaz
looking for a home ... not the one you seek, or bleeb
me, I'd sell it to you taco pronto

`

 

[2ndBassGuitar]

Let me see if I have a neck of that vintage

 

[liverbird]

I would try to fix the neck. Getting a new neck might change the sound considerably plus you have to drill into the body for the truss wheel and additional neck screws. Those changes would be irreversible.

Or you could just leave the crack alone... If it's not structural, you'll get a lot more mileage out of an instrument you already love playing.

 

[toomanyslurpees]

I should clarify the neck is slimmer, fret board to the back of the neck, same nut width as the standard stingray neck. Gearhunter, if you have a neck with a RW board and a bullet truss rod I would be very interested. I'm not going to rush into anything, I have my 2001 SR4 so it's not like I have to resort to breaking out a Pbass yet...

 

[Caca de Kick]

Let me see if I have a neck of that vintage

Yup, that would be the best thing to do. But yeah, can be tough to find an era correct neck.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

IMO, repair the neck you have. A new neck could completely change the vibe.

 

[drTStingray]

I agree also - this is an early EBMM bass so not only may be a rarity but is essentially as per an 80 onwards 2 band pre EBMM Ray. A replacement fingerboard would cover any repair damage to the neck if it's needed.

As Rays are revered by many bass players, even if they don't own them, who knows how prices may fluctuate over the next few years/decades. All 'name' instruments that have a followingappear to raise in price as they get older.

BTW the ski jump at the neck body join could also be caused by the washer included as part of the tilt mechanism for the 3 bolt attachment - not deleted from the earlier 4 bolt versions? I played a 1976 3 bolt Ray in a shop with this problem a few years back.

 

[Caca de Kick]

BTW the ski jump at the neck body join could also be caused by the washer included as part of the tilt mechanism for the 3 bolt attachment - not deleted from the earlier 4 bolt versions?

The 4-bolt necks or bodies don't have any of the tilt components left in them. By '85, those features were several years long gone.

Ski ramps have always had me wondering what exactly causes them, because this dilemma goes way back to 60's instruments too.

 

[drTStingray]

The 4-bolt necks or bodies don't have any of the tilt components left in them. By '85, those features were several years long gone.

Point taken, and thanks for correcting me on that - however I did read that the early 4 bolt pre EBMMs did retain the washers etc but not the hole in the neck plate to actually adjust it. I remembered this because I had a very early pre EB 4 bolt from new, with a strings thru bridge - to be honest it never gave me a problem but having read it I was always a bit wary. I guess it's just another item which could cause differential settlement of the wood at the neck joint in the wrong conditions.