Pro advice - EB/MM support needed ...

[deanmm]

Hi there,

I have an Axis SS with birdseye neck and rosewood fingerboard suffering from a severe case of backbow.
Trussrod completly loosened, strung with 10's the backbow is unfortunatelly obvious and there to stay.
I bought the guitar new from a local authorised dealer and never had any work done on it (apart from installing a push/pull pot by myself). At first I thought that the backbow slowly developed through the 4 years that I've been owning it (despite all the love and care I have put in this guitar ), but a visit to a local luthier/repairer left me a bit confused.
He had shown me the way that the frets are leveled (gradually getting lower from 5th and than back up till 19th) and suggested that the guitar have already been treated for a mild backbow, probably in the factory. Along the years the backbow got more severe and the fret compensation is no longer enough.
Now, apart from wondering is this method of treating the guitars that come out of the production line in not so perfect condition "normal", especially for a Music Man and their so famous and trully wonderfull necks, I really need a pro advice, preferably from EB/MM people.

How to fix it ???

The guy I was at suggests that the fingerboard should be leveled to compensate the backbow. Altough he has really good reputation both as a luthier and repairer, is this the way to go ?
I live in Croatia/Europe, which is a small country with a limited options for a pro guitar repair and California is much too far away to be considered.

Thanks a lot !!!

 

[NorM]

At least consider California. If EBMM will do it then I would ship my guitar (insured of course) from Saturn. It will cost a bunch but the job done well will be remembered long after the cost is forgotten.

 

[bluebullet]

before i did all that i would put on the heaviest strings i could get and tune it to pitch and leave them on for a week and see if you can pull out the back bow.

 

[tommyindelaware]

upside - leveling the fretboard would not be a big deal to a compedant repairman experienced in refretting. sounds like the guitar is nearly due for a refret anyway......and leveling the fingerboard should be included w/ a refret fee.
downside - the neck is gonna feel different due to the loss of wood in the middle. depends on how much has to come off the fingerboard to make it level. if it's extremely backbowed.....it may require too much off the fingerboard to end up w/ a stable neck.

 

[jongitarz]

upside - leveling the fretboard would not be a big deal to a compedant repairman experienced in refretting. sounds like the guitar is nearly due for a refret anyway......and leveling the fingerboard should be included w/ a refret fee.
downside - the neck is gonna feel different due to the loss of wood in the middle. depends on how much has to come off the fingerboard to make it level. if it's extremely backbowed.....it may require too much off the fingerboard to end up w/ a stable neck.

+1

 

[deanmm]

Thanks for advice !
I have heard of a different technique where the neck could be put through some procedure like heating or something like that and then bent to desired state. But if the leveling should work than I will do it.
Thanks again !

Dean

 

[beej]

Wow, that's a tough problem- really a toss-up.

A neck I built as a high-school project served me well for years until I had the same problem with back-bow/warping. (It was unfinished wood and the Canadian winters wreacked havoc with it over the years - wish I'd know about gunstock wax back then.)

I had it bent back by a local shop (heat/steam/tension over time) and it actually came back really well and held up for years. Problem though- as much as I liked the results, I realized it was long due for a re-fret and really should have spent the money having the fretboard leveled/re-fretted. Years later, still unsatisfied, I just bought a new neck from Warmoth and never looked back.

Guess if I were in your shoes I'd have to evaluate the price difference in just getting a new neck from EBMM. If it's not out of your price range you might be happier with a new one.

 

[deanmm]

I'd buy new EBMM neck in a minute if it would benpossible !!! Is it ?
It was my understanding that EBMM doesn't sell parts ?
Since I'm too far from California sending the guitar for repair is not a reasonable option.
Can EBMM send the neck to the local authorised dealer, and what would be the cost of a replacement neck ?

Cheers !

 

[beej]

I believe EBMM would replace the neck if you sent the guitar back to them (right Jon?). But they don't allow surplus parts to leave the factory, so I don't think there's any way they would ship a neck to a shop.

 

[jongitarz]

I would suggest talking with our international rep. [email protected]

 

[deanmm]

Thanks for the tip !

 

[deanmm]

Thanks everybody ...

the epilogue

Last week I took my guitar to the luthier I mentioned. Changed frets, levelled fingerboard, changed nut (bone) and payed 100 $. I'm in love again !

It didn't took that much levelling, it can be seen if you look carefully from the side of the fingerboard, but doesn't feel different. While there i had a few hours talk with the guy and he showed me so many guitars with all kinds of problems, after what I've seen on many "respected" brands, and how easy it was to fix my "defect" I feel a bit like a spoiled brat.
The guitar now has the spank, and definition back and is absolute joy to play.
Thank you all for your advices !

Dean

 

[tommyindelaware]

CONGRADS !!!!!!!
i love it when a plan actually comes together . you did great !!!!!!! $100.00 ?????? that would have been 150.00- 250.00 around these parts !!!! what kinda fretwire did ya pick ????

 

[deanmm]

Tommy,
Thanks for the kind words.
Consider that I'm in Croatia/Europe and the prices can be "funny" (for the lack of a better word) here.
The cost of work is considerably lower and in line with the local economy. This guy builds and repairs guitars and has his stock of usual parts, even wood blanks of many kinds. I'm not sure of the prices of fretwire but I can't see it playing a considerable role in overall price of work. And when you consider this guy probably buys a half a mile of wire every now and then I guess he gets a bit of discount on it too. The nut is cheap any way you look at it and when made of bone and the butcher is on the corner....
So it's simple as this, he charges what the market is willing to pay. I can see this work go to 200 Euro in a few years time when Croatia joins European Union.

On the other hand if I wanna personally order something from the States (let's say a Graph Tech Ghost system) I have to pay for air transport to the other side of the globe, local customs fee and local tax and this can sometimes result in 30-50 % increase on the final price.

Anyway - you got me on the brand of fretwire, I have no idea. The gauge, look and feel haven't changed, and from what I've seen this guy deals with high quality stuff only, he leaves a very professional and a very honest impression.
He did a marvellous job, smooth edges, frets perfectly set ... I am very pleased.
(and as you surely agree it takes a high quality work to please someone spoiled with a MusicMan neck feel).
cheers !

 

[AxSport4me]

Good for you deanmm!!!!! Enjoy it!