Roasted Maple Necks!

[five7]

For all you bongoloids over here. I had browdog on the skinny string side of the forum put together a Bongo mock-up of this wonderful package. Looks friggin wonderful!

Did you have to do that?

 

[sitonmybass]

I received a black bass last year as a Christmas present from my parents and my wife. And I bought a black bass just two months ago from my friend Beaver Felton at Bass Central. I love black basses.

Roasted necks and the all rosewood necks are awesome.

 

[rhythmCity944]

if it comes in fretless i'm sold...looks killer

 

[Greg75]

Damn it; this really can't be happening...again. One Big Al please.

 

[MrChedda]

Whoa, Big Al with a roasted maple neck, ebony fretboard and that finish is off the chain good.... thanks for offering this.

 

[Oldtoe]

I just sent an email order for a Roasted Big Al 4 SSS. Nom nom nom!

 

[bovinehost]

I just sent an email order for a Roasted Big Al 4 SSS. Nom nom nom!

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

 

[Big Poppa]

you will love it ben!

 

[JayDawg]

Dargin said in the first post that it will be available to order during the month of August. Does that mean it is a limited run and after August that is it? I love that neck and head stock and almost have my Dargie's Delight II off of layaway at Bass Central but if this bass is only available to order in August, I may just have to order one of those instead and take my chances on getting a Dargie's Delight later on.

 

[muggsy]

Dargin said in the first post that it will be available to order during the month of August. Does that mean it is a limited run and after August that is it? I love that neck and head stock and almost have my Dargie's Delight II off of layaway at Bass Central but if this bass is only available to order in August, I may just have to order one of those instead and take my chances on getting a Dargie's Delight later on.

That's the way it appears. It's like the all-rosewood necks that were offered for a month last year. And given the limited production on the rosewood necked models, I wouldn't count on picking up one of these used if you miss the order window. I know I won't make the same mistake twice.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Could this be what gets me to get a Big AL??

I think so.

 

[cassius987]

Looks neat. I just have some questions about the claims made in the ad, I'm a little confused by some of them.

Adds dimensional stability

I don't understand that terminology. Are you saying the neck won't need adjusted as often?

Reduces density while maintaining stiffness

I assume this means you have presumed that by heating the maple you have caused several condensation reactions to take place where the formation of water allows sugars and cellulose in the wood to form cross-linkages and branching polymers. This seems intuitive to me but the ad-speak is vague so I wanted to make sure.

More resonance/less damping

I get "more resonance" from a stiffer neck based on the previous point I cited, however, what on earth is "less damping"?

Hazardous chemical treatments

I did not know people treated their bass necks with hazardous chemicals for any reason, unless this is a highly spun way of saying "We aren't using VOCs to finish the neck."

Vibrational testing

What kind of vibrational testing? Wouldn't it be more scientific or downright direct to assemble some basses and compare an FT spectra of, say, 10 roasted neck basses versus 10 "normal" neck basses?


Lastly, I have a related question. I know companies like Rickenbacker and Sadowsky have said a long time ago that they were drying their necks down to a very low humidity, and Fender apparently did this at one point too. So I can only assume that even the "non-roasted" maple necks used for EBMM guitars and basses are getting heat treatment too, is this not correct?

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

cassius, even the regular necks are slowly dried out in a kiln, that was a pretty cool part of the 2005 Open House tour!

 

[cassius987]

Thanks Pete. I know kiln drying is very common but since the distinction was being made here I got the impression maybe the "normal" necks didn't receive the same kind of treatment before installation? It didn't seem likely but I had to ask.

 

[rhythmCity944]

Thanks Pete. I know kiln drying is very common but since the distinction was being made here I got the impression maybe the "normal" necks didn't receive the same kind of treatment before installation? It didn't seem likely but I had to ask.

I'm kind of interested in the production, science and technology of these necks as well.

 

[cassius987]

I'm kind of interested in the production, science and technology of these necks as well.

I read on the Rickenbacker forum some time ago that they dry the maple to around the same humidity today that was established in the 50s/60s by companies like Fender, Rickenbacker, and Gibson. Typically, 5-7%. I can only imagine most builders are doing this.

 

[Oldtoe]

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

And you are so not idolizing the right person. I mean, er..."THANKS!"

xoxoxoxoxoxo

 

[Oldtoe]

you will love it ben!

I haven't ever not loved nothing you never didn't build, my friend.

 

[naruki]

Hey I have a question. I have ordered a Bongo 5 that's due to arrive sometime during the first 2 weeks of August. If I contact my MM dealer now and change my order to the roasted maple neck, is my order going to be delayed?

 

[bassmonkeee]

Hey I have a question. I have ordered a Bongo 5 that's due to arrive sometime during the first 2 weeks of August. If I contact my MM dealer now and change my order to the roasted maple neck, is my order going to be delayed?

Considering the roasted neck only comes with the black sugar finish, the answer is certainly "yes." And, unless your dealer is willing to take your current custom ordered bass as store stock, you're probably out of luck on changing it out to the new BFR roasted neck model (with the accompanying 4-7 month wait).