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Roasted Neck Truss Adjustment

JDTDCO

JDTDCO

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
53
Location
Denver, CO
Hey all, just wanted to see if anyone has had issues with their roasted neck continually warping? Of all my Stingrays here, the Roasted Neck is the only one that appears to be having this issue. It's now being adjusted again for the third time in about a year, so was just curious if anyone else has experienced this? I know Denver's climate can be hard on guitars, and necks especially. I do take all the precautions with humidity storage etc, but just was curious if it's just this specific bass, or if anyone else has seen this before?

Cheers!
 
I live not to far from you, in Sterling. I have a BFR Roasted Neck Bongo 4 H. With it, I have had to make adjustments to that neck as well because it was having extreme changes even though I kept it in a climate controlled room but when summer or winter would arrive, the neck for some reason kept adjusting one way or the other. Now with my other roasted neck, my PDN Honeyburst Bongo 4 HH, it hasn't had a single issue so it may have just been that one neck acting weird for a while because we just hit extreme winter and I was naturally expecting to have to adjust the neck once again but so far it has remained stable. With mine, in the winter, the action would raise very high off of the fret board so I would have to adjust it back but then when summer would hit, everything would go back and the strings would almost be touching the frets so I would have to adjust it again. Then when winter hit, it was more high action and vice versa in summer again. But like I said, this year everything has been good on that bass so maybe the neck just needed a few years to settle but that is only a guess on my part. In any event, it has always been an easy fix that only took seconds to take care of and EBMM customer service has been awesome because I always called them afterwards and they would help me out.
Jay
 
I forgot to add, I wonder if our higher altitude combined with the weather change has anything to do with it? I don't know byt maybe something to consider.
 
JayDawg said:
I have a BFR Roasted Neck Bongo 4 H. With it, I have had to make adjustments to that neck as well because it was having extreme changes even though I kept it in a climate controlled room...
Jay
Click to expand...

I'm in Longmont with a similar bass, and similar experience. The truss rod has needed some attention throughout the seasons, but I haven't seen any cross-string warping. I don't know why the roasted neck would behave any different than a non-roasted, but my stingray is very stable in comparison.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the feedback. I figured it would be something with the climate here most likely. Not sure why the roasted seems to be more prone to it. Might just be a luck of the draw scenario. It's rather easy to adjust, and similar to Jaydawg, my bass seems to follow those same patterns. Appreciate the feedback!
 
I really do wonder if our higher altitude has anything to do with it? I may have to call EBMM customer service and ask.
 
Mark, correct, I should have clarified that indeed. My apologies. Definitely not sideways warp.
 
I have three stingrays, and one has a neck that tends to change much more often than the others. I don't know why, but that's just how it is, and I've learned to live with it. The same goes for other guitars I have. I have some that don't seem to EVER need a truss rod adjustment. Others need them twice a year, and some just seem to need them if I look at them the wrong way. Wood is, unfortunately, unpredictable. but that's also what makes some instruments good, while others are great.
 
My BFR Roasted Neck is my #1 and favorite Bongo. I absolutely love that thing. The couple of neck adjustments that I have had to do are not a big deal and like I said before, it has always only taken just a few seconds to fix. What is nice though is the first time it did it, I had to call EBMM customer service. AJ was kind enough to walk me through how to adjust it minimally to get it where I needed it. Ever since then, I have learned a little more about working on my own stuff. Prior to that, I has never had to do a truss rod adjustment before.
 
I have a BFR Roasted reflex that is rock solid. I do not play it as often as I should but when I take it out of its case it is always spot on.

Maybe you should try different strings with slightly higher tension. I had a Sterling 5 that would need adjustment 2 or 3 times a year. It was no big deal but I did notice when I switched to different strings that had slightly more tension the neck became much more stable. Maybe the slightly higher tension makes the truss rod bear a little more of the load and the temperature/humidity differences have less of an effect.
 
great idea Matt, but they only make coated slinkys in one guage. What strings are you using on the sterling
 
Hello,

I live in New England so our temperatures vary greatly from summer to winter. I like my action very low, so seasonal changes in temp and humidity result in a slight change in action. At most, one quarter turn of the wheel.

Humidity is another concern. The dry heat from one's home heating system can sometimes result in fret sprout; when the fret ends poke out from the wood slightly and feel picky as you are playing. In the winter, I run a humidifier once per month for the better part of the day to prevent the fret sprout. I don't need to run it in the summer.

As for coated strings, I don't like what they do to my tone so they are not an option for me. I like to pinch harmonics and 80's stuff your mother warned you about. I do like how they feel, though.

Good luck on your quest...

Bryan
 
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