ZeroFivefour
Well-known member
Just wondering what year roasted necks became an option on EBMM guitars and on which guitar(s) it was offered first etc...
Cheers,
Tom
Cheers,
Tom
- Thread starter ZeroFivefour
- Start date
JayDawg
Well-known member
The first roasted necks were offered in 2010 as a limited run and came with the guitars and basses painted in black sugar. Just about everything was available for order except the Reflex I think and a handful of other orders. Then Guitar Center had some GC only roasted necks built in various colors specific only for them to sell. Then in 2012, the PDN honey roasted neck order came out. Pretty much anything but the Classic basses and Game Changers could be ordered I believe. The difference between the two roasted necks is on the 2010 order, the neck had a high gloss finish and on the 2012 order it was a matte finish.
ZeroFivefour
Well-known member
JayDawg,
Wow, that was a seriously thorough answer! Thanks for the detailed info. I appreciate it.
Cheers,
Tom
Wow, that was a seriously thorough answer! Thanks for the detailed info. I appreciate it.
Cheers,
Tom
JayDawg
Well-known member
Your welcome! I have both roasted necks that are Bongo's and love them. If they ever become a permanent option, I will order them every time.
Tollywood
Well-known member
Hi Tom,
I also have both roasted necks. I love them both, even though they feel quite different. I will go for roasted necks every time. I just ordered a Luke III with a roasted neck. I'm looking forward to that one.
I also have both roasted necks. I love them both, even though they feel quite different. I will go for roasted necks every time. I just ordered a Luke III with a roasted neck. I'm looking forward to that one.
ZeroFivefour
Well-known member
Thanks for the info guys, it is much appreciated. What is it about the necks that is desireable to you guys? Feel, texture, stability?
The reason I initiated this thread is because I have a 2004 Axis with a really superb birdseye neck which appears to be darker in color and sheen from my 2 Luke 1 reissue necks. It is a stark difference in wood color. I thought there may have been an outside chance that it was a roasted neck. It certainly looks different and feels a bit smoother and less unfinished than my lukes. Granted I have applied the Birchwood casey oil about 1 year ago and that may have darkened it a bit. The neck is just outstanding. My luke's necks are both fabulous players and feel ultra smooth, but in a more raw-unfinished sort of way. Any way that's my story.
Cheers,
Tom
JayDawg
Well-known member
I know they say the necks are more stable but to be honest with you, I am yet to have a MM bass or guitar have an unstable neck. Really, I simply love the looks of them. With the BFR roasted neck Bongo that has a high gloss finish, it feels the same as my Stingray Classic that also has a high gloss finish. It too is also a birdseye maple neck like the BFR roasted neck. But the roasting of the neck really brings out the birdseye and wood grain and makes the neck look a lot more killer. With my PDN Honey roasted neck, it is also a birdseye maple and just pops but with the matte finish, the neck literally feels as smooth as silk. Very similar to the matte finish on my other Bongo basses that have finished necks. When I had my regular Stingray and my Sterling, that both had the natural necks, I just sanded smooth or whatever MM does to them from the factory, the matte finish feels a lot smoother than them.
Tollywood
Well-known member
The feel is very smooth and fast; very comfortable and broken-in feel.
The stability is said to be better, but I haven't had an issue with roasted or unroasted.
Regarding the appearance of the wood on a roasted neck: the grain is more pronounced (birdseye or flamed). Much like a heavily played unfinished ebmm neck. I had an old ebmm evh that had a very dark neck from years of hand oils and re-oiling with Birchwood Casey oil. That evh neck felt and looked very, very similar to the roasted necks.
My old evh's neck:
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ZeroFivefour
Well-known member
The feel is very smooth and fast; very comfortable and broken-in feel.
The stability is said to be better, but I haven't had an issue with roasted or unroasted.
Regarding the appearance of the wood on a roasted neck: the grain is more pronounced (birdseye or flamed). Much like a heavily played unfinished ebmm neck. I had an old ebmm evh that had a very dark neck from years of hand oils and re-oiling with Birchwood Casey oil. That evh neck felt and looked very, very similar to the roasted necks.
My old evh's neck:
JayDawg and Tollie
Both of your descriptions of the necks is what prompted the thread. I kept seeing pictures of roasted necks and noticed a strong similarity to my 2004 Axis neck, but not to my newer, 2012 and 2013, Luke necks.
Tollie's descriptions of the EVH neck is what I am experiencing with my 2004 Axis neck. I'll try to take and post a picture of mine as well for reference. I too find that the roasted necks look killer!
Thanks again for the detailed info guys!
Cheers,
Tom
Tollywood
Well-known member
You're welcome, Tom.
Luc
Well-known member
I notice the quite large difference in colour between the two necks on my Lukes too.The 2003 is much darker. Given the fact its got more birdseye than the other one, i don't complain haha. Crappy pic with bad lighting, but hope you can see a bit of a difference. In bright sunshine the difference is much much more noticable.
ZeroFivefour
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing your pics Luc.
I notice a similar trend from darker to lighter on my guitars also.
Here are the pictures of my necks showing the contrast in finishes.
The darkest one is my 2004 axis, the other 2 are recent Luke 1 Reissue necks. The Luke with more birdseye is my Sledge L1R from 2012 and the other is the Candy Red L1R from 2013.
Cheers,
2004 Axis, 2012, sledge L1R, 2013 Candy Red L1R
2004 Axis
2012 Sledge L1R
2013 Candy Red L1R
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Luc
Well-known member
That axis neck looks gorgeous!
ZeroFivefour
Well-known member
ozzyrules
Well-known member
Insane neckage!!!
setenza
Well-known member
In regards to self-enhancing our existing newer non-roasted necks ala a neck that has been played for years..wondering something.
My uncle is a high-end custom rifle maker, and his gunstocks are AMAZING pieces on hand-finished walnut. I visited him, and he showed me exactly how he creates these finishes. Basically, he takes unfinished walnut and proceeds with many many coats of linseed oil, each one meticulously hand-rubbed until it was absorbed (I was 15 at the time and of course internally that triggered a Beavis laugh!). As self-pleasing at it sounds, after MANY of these carpal tunnel inducing coats, each hand-rubbed until the linseed oil would heat from friction and gloss over..it ends up with a rich and durable semi-gloss finish which makes the natural grain look amazing.
So, has anyone tried a similar approach to a neck? I would not think of doing the finish to the point of making a semi-gloss level, but perhaps simply to enhance the grain like a well-used neck. Thoughts?
My uncle is a high-end custom rifle maker, and his gunstocks are AMAZING pieces on hand-finished walnut. I visited him, and he showed me exactly how he creates these finishes. Basically, he takes unfinished walnut and proceeds with many many coats of linseed oil, each one meticulously hand-rubbed until it was absorbed (I was 15 at the time and of course internally that triggered a Beavis laugh!). As self-pleasing at it sounds, after MANY of these carpal tunnel inducing coats, each hand-rubbed until the linseed oil would heat from friction and gloss over..it ends up with a rich and durable semi-gloss finish which makes the natural grain look amazing.
So, has anyone tried a similar approach to a neck? I would not think of doing the finish to the point of making a semi-gloss level, but perhaps simply to enhance the grain like a well-used neck. Thoughts?
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straycat113
Well-known member
Also the first run from 2010 all had Ebony fretboards.
That is a wickedly, highly figured, neck on that Axis! As you stated the years of waxing arkens the wood and brings out the figuring in the wood more. Though nice necks the figuring pattern on the Lukes is not as heavy, so if you maintain the necks correctly over the next decade lol the wood will darken but they are not going to look like your Axis. The Roasted necks have a feel to them that is kind of weird to describe as they are very light and I believe the process reduces the weight of the wood by 30%. It definitely has an effect on the tone of the guitar.
That is a wickedly, highly figured, neck on that Axis! As you stated the years of waxing arkens the wood and brings out the figuring in the wood more. Though nice necks the figuring pattern on the Lukes is not as heavy, so if you maintain the necks correctly over the next decade lol the wood will darken but they are not going to look like your Axis. The Roasted necks have a feel to them that is kind of weird to describe as they are very light and I believe the process reduces the weight of the wood by 30%. It definitely has an effect on the tone of the guitar.
