Neck is going crazy - Seasonal issue?

[Spudmurphy]

Yes Dr Kev, the placement of the trust rod is wonderful...on our EBMM Guitars............It was a pain, back in the day when I owned a different brand......and had to remove a piece of plastic with screws just to get to it...........

... .... and on some guitars you had to unbolt the neck - talk about trial and error!!

 

[acwild]

... .... and on some guitars you had to unbolt the neck - talk about trial and error!!

That's how it is with my Jazz bass. It's such a pain that if the neck moves, I just play it as is. Otherwise, it's too much of an ordeal. What a ridiculous design.

 

[Spudmurphy]

regarding birdseye being weaker. I believe the point was its slightly weaker but not weak by any means.

.... yup I take on board this viewpoint, but when it's said that 'eye is "notorious" - I take umbrage.

 

[PY38]

Ive had my JPXI 7 for a month now and I have noticed this as well. Im in GA and we have had some 50 degree days and right back to 70.....Tweaked the truss once 2 weeks ago and done. Been playing it every night for hours and the truss has not moved. I was an ibanez man for 20 years and played the original wizard necks and owned some of thier best 7's and I did notice that when the seasons changed the truss had to be moved a bit as well.

Here is something else to chew on......I have never been able to get any Ibanez, ESP, etc...to drop action anywhere as low as my music man and still have no fret outs on some large bends and sound CLEAR. When you do get your JP down to some low action you will notice that it rings like it will on other guitars at a higher action. Conversly when you do have action this low I notice the smallest change in truss.....So what am I saying?

I look at my JP not only as a guitar but a precision instrument. They are like race/luxery cars. They may need a tune up or more care more often than the standard run o the mill guitar. That is NOT a bash as they are VERY easy to tune up every once and while once you learn how to setup........and the reward is that they play like nothing else out there......

BTW AJ in CS asked me to measure the truss with a business card.....I thought that I too would like to drink at work.....But then I got home and tossed my feeler gauges and other tools aside and used one of my own business cards....Holy Sh#T, it not only worked but the setup on my JPXI 7 is unbelievable! Especially since the truss is the foundation of a setup....everything else after just got better. Thanks AJ! I would still like to drink at work.....

 

[DrKev]

.... yup I take on board this viewpoint, but when it's said that 'eye is "notorious" - I take umbrage.

Yup. The Internet is pain - myths and misunderstandings take hold so easily and are all but impossible to stop.

 

[Etudica]

Here is something else to chew on......I have never been able to get any Ibanez, ESP, etc...to drop action anywhere as low as my music man and still have no fret outs on some large bends and sound CLEAR. When you do get your JP down to some low action you will notice that it rings like it will on other guitars at a higher action.

Actually, my other main guitar is a JEM7VWH (2001 w/Ebony fingerboard) and the action on that is phenomenal, even better than I can get my JPXI 7 currently. It has 9s on it whereas the JPXI has 10s still, but I do plan on switching to 9s soon in hopes of getting it to feel closer to my JEM. No complaints though, the JPXI is still a dream to play and super addicting as it is my first 7.

The reason I started this post is that the JPXI neck has been moving back and forth a lot lately but the JEM has been 100% stable needing no adjustments yet this fall. Same room, environment, even identical stands. And I do play both daily. And the JPXI isn't just moving a little, it's requiring 1/4 turn or sometime more suddenly. The sudden change in action is immediately noticeable upon picking it up.

It hasn't freaked out again since starting this post. Fingers crossed.

 

[PY38]

Actually, my other main guitar is a JEM7VWH (2001 w/Ebony fingerboard) and the action on that is phenomenal, even better than I can get my JPXI 7 currently. It has 9s on it whereas the JPXI has 10s still, but I do plan on switching to 9s soon in hopes of getting it to feel closer to my JEM. No complaints though, the JPXI is still a dream to play and super addicting as it is my first 7.

The reason I started this post is that the JPXI neck has been moving back and forth a lot lately but the JEM has been 100% stable needing no adjustments yet this fall. Same room, environment, even identical stands. And I do play both daily. And the JPXI isn't just moving a little, it's requiring 1/4 turn or sometime more suddenly. The sudden change in action is immediately noticeable upon picking it up.

It hasn't freaked out again since starting this post. Fingers crossed.

So I dont believe the Jem necks are as thin and they are not mahagony. As all guitars are different (even within the same model), some neck builds will lend to a neck that wont move as much. I dont want to use the term stable as my JPXI is VERY stable. I freak when any one of my pieces of gear shows me something that I am not used to.....this is why I have become very aware of guitar builds in general.

Here is a list of the major guitars Ive owened over the last few years.....

• 90 Ibanez RG750
• 93 Ibanez S540
• 99 Ibanez RG3120 Prestige
• 99 Ibanez RG7620
• 2000 Ibanez RG7620
• 2011 Ibanez RGD 2127
• 2008 Ibanez RG 1527
• 2009 Ibanez RG 1420
• 2009 Ibanez RG 1421
• 2010 Ibanez RG1550
• 2010 ESP M2 Maple Neck
• 2004 EBMM JP6
• 2002 Gibson Explorer
• 2002 Les Paul Studio
• 2003 Fender American Strat Deluxe
• And many more........

The fenders necks never moved....the gibson Explorer moved all the time but the paul didnt (both mahagony)The older Ibanez (wizard necks) moved even more and the new wizard necks (thicker) moved much less.

I think the combination between a thin mahagaony neck may mean it will MOVE more than the Jems neck but it is a very STABLE neck. It may never move as much or less than the Jem but it will be its own thing....Not sure if that makes sense but too make a long post longer.....It can be normal for these to move more frequently, especially since the seasons are changing....But even as I worry about some of my gear, I have no worries about the neck on the JPXI7......

 

[Dr.Strangenote]

I live near NE Philly, the climate does make a difference. Both of my JP BFR's neck moved quite a bit with the weather, especially on damp days, as opposed to more dry days. Same for the different seasons. Now on the other hand, my loaded JP6 very rarely moves. The Axis that I have is birds eye, doesn't budge often, but there have been some days when it does.. Like you've said, it's all fine tuning.

 

[PY38]

BFR JP's have Mahogany necks where as the standards have maple.....this could very well be the reason...however.......I would take the tone (and for sure I hear the difference) of a mahagonay neck over the maple. Nothing wrong with maple but for me mahogany is where its at.

The issue is if you put a maple neck on a JPXI 7 with the alder body/ maple cap it may be way to bright and tight. The ebony with the mahogany mated with the alder and maple cap is perfect for what John has been playing currently. A lot of straight up metal. The mahogany tone block doesnt give it flub but warmth. The Mahogany neck may be that specific frequency he was looking at as part of a whole. Kinda like cooking, adding specific amounts of specific ingredients and you get a great dish......

So in any event.......It may move a bit, but it sure as hell sounds good

 

[uOpt]

If you noticed the Fantastic Fall Colours were having this year is because it's been colder earlier than usual in the North Eastern Region. The Air is very dry. This time of year I keep my guitar in the case and bring it out when I play. For me it seems that the Maple necks and Maple Finger Boards don't like the dry cold weather, Hence fret sprouting. I've never had a problem with Maple Necks with Rosewood finger boards though. My L111 all Rosewood neck is doing great as well. Good Luck!

FWIW, Leo Fender started making necks with rosewood board specifically because of this problem (or more generally RMA rate).

 

[Spudmurphy]

FWIW, Leo Fender started making necks with rosewood board specifically because of this problem (or more generally RMA rate).

Well ... ... according to his book he introduced rosewood necks because maple necks were looking dirty on TV and on photo shoots.

 

[uOpt]

Well ... ... according to his book he introduced rosewood necks because maple necks were looking dirty on TV and on photo shoots.

As always there are plenty of stories floating around.

Personally I doubt the TV theory since at the same time everybody went "TV yellow" and "TV white" and even if somebody had dug through the finish on the fretboard by that time it probably wouldn't have shown up at the resolution in use.

 

[Spudmurphy]

ahh now that's the problem with US Television NTSC isn't it?
Have a brother who is a very sucessful TV/Theatre/Film designer (Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House,Welsh Opera,Spaghetti Western too many BBC progs to quote - damn, why can't I have his money & I Wish he played guitar so I could have his cast offs!!!) and his quip was when he worked with US TV he had to be carefull with his design because it was Never The Same Colour lol (Tumbleweeds ... I'll take my coat)
Yeah, stories are what they are, and I can only base my fact on his autobiography. Where did your observation originated from?

 

[DrKev]

Personally I doubt the TV theory since at the same time everybody went "TV yellow" and "TV white" and even if somebody had dug through the finish on the fretboard by that time it probably wouldn't have shown up at the resolution in use.

No, it was plenty visible. There is a Youtube clip out there of Buck Owens on the Jimmy Dean show in 1966, very grainy old black and white images, and the dirt on the fingerboard of a maple necked Tele is very obvious.

Of course there are so many versions of guitar history, especially where Leo Fender is concerned, who knows where the truth lies?

 

[elfredoo]

he should have cleaned that guitar from time to time

 

[DrKev]

Yeah but those old TV cameras may have had a tendency to overdo the contrast too. In which case, the LF story may have some truth to it. Of course, maple guitar necks and fingerboards were very unusual back then. It's seems reasonable to assume that including the RW fretboard option was simply not to lose the traditional players who didn't like the maple fretboard. Of course, it was such a radical instrument when it came out, some traditionalists were lost from the get-go anyway.

 

[straycat113]

Well before becoming an EBMM addict the only guitars I played were Fenders and know a lot about that companies history. The truth is that Rosewood fretboards were introduced because Leo did not like the discoloration on the maple boards. I also like as heavily a figured neck as possible and own quite a few insane ones. As far as any movement or fret sprout it will likely happen happeb from time to time with any necks that are not finished with a sealant during extreme climate changes. I live in NY so I am 3 hours from the OP and can honestly say I have only had fret sprout issues on two guitars that were not even EBMM after purchasing them off Ebay years ago. One came from Nevada and one Arizona but I was advised to just let them sit and see if they adjust in the new climate and the sprout disappeared on both and never returned. I do put all my Balls but an Axis that is always out back in there case after playing and have never had any major issues just an occasional truss rod tweak that is as normal as any guitar. You cant believe everything you read on the internet as everyone has illusions they are experts on a lot of things and it may very well be a 15 year old kid on the other end of that keyboard lol. But it is scary when you see guys telling people to re-fret or re-finish their guitar instead of taking it to a pro when that person admits he still cant do a set up lol.

 

[DrKev]

You cant believe everything you read on the internet as everyone has illusions they are experts on a lot of things...

Ain't that the truth! The internet a great repository of knowledge but it's also life support system for myths and misunderstandings that should have died off years ago.

 

[Economista]

I live in the Caribbean, where we have lots of temperature changes and the humidity factor. Because of this, I always leave my guitars in their cases and have them store un a controlled temperature room.