Skunk Stripes???

[supadave]

Hey, How many people have the skunk stripe on their neck?
Mine does but I'm noticing it doesn't seem to be a feature on a lot of the newer basses. Is that due to a change in the way they're manufactured or is it just not neccessary anymore? I know a lot of people look for the skunk stripe when picking up a new gat but, as far as I'm aware, its really only cosmetic. Any thoughts?

 

[melvin7822]

I doubt you'd barely see any. Skunk stripes were the result of the old school way of routing for the truss rod in the neck. A channel would be routed from the back of the neck, truss rod inserted, and then covered with another type of wood to seal the channel. In no way should a skunk stripe be confused with a laminate (which is purely used in cosmetic function).

 

[supadave]

Yeah I knew they were due to the old school truss rods. Just wondered how many people had them on their basses. They seem to be a sought after feature now if some of stuff I've read is correct. Any idea when EB stopped using that method?

 

[melvin7822]

If I had to guess, I'd say 1984 after Ernie Ball bought the company. It seems to be more of a pre-EB feature.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

The skunk stripe is associated with the earlier EB Basses that had a 4 bolt neck and a bullet truss nut located at the headstock. The truss rod is inserted from the back of the neck and the routing was plugged with walnut (or something similar). The 6 bolt neck (on SR4 from c.1990) has the truss nut wheel located at the heel of the neck. The truss rod is inserted from the top of the neck and the fret board placed on the top. The SR5 has always had the 6 bolt truss wheel setup since it was introduced in 1987.

 

[J Romano]

I have a SR 4H Fretless from 1988 and it has the stripe.

 

[supadave]

Yeah mines an 88 too...with stripe

 

[J Romano]

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=14841&d=1302586404&thumb=1&stc=1

Here is my '88 SR 4 neck......

 

[TNT]

ah oh!! Now someone's gonna go "paint" a stripe on their neck!!!

 

[Bart B]

ah oh!! Now someone's gonna go "paint" a stripe on their neck!!!

Haha, true (unfortunately)

It's a pity it would become 'a sought after feature', since the EB truss rod-wheel system is way better imo

 

[Yango]

ah oh!! Now someone's gonna go "paint" a stripe on their neck!!!

I don't doubt it.

We can probably look forward to a bunch of people asking BP why this wasn't featured on the Classics...

 

[supadave]

Haha, true (unfortunately)

It's a pity it would become 'a sought after feature', since the EB truss rod-wheel system is way better imo

Is it really better? In my original post I said that the skunk was really largely cosmetic now because I couldn't find any evidence that either method was better than the other. Do you really feel the newer system of adjustment is better/easier? I don't have any experience of it.

 

[bovinehost]

Not an issue of the truss rod itself being better or worse in either case. I think what he meant was the wheel at the body end of the neck is an improvement over the bullet adjuster at the headstock end. It certainly is much easier to adjust.

 

[Chuck B]

I have a SR 4H Fretless from 1988 and it has the stripe.

The same on the '90 I recently had to sell

 

[supadave]

Not an issue of the truss rod itself being better or worse in either case. I think what he meant was the wheel at the body end of the neck is an improvement over the bullet adjuster at the headstock end. It certainly is much easier to adjust.

Aaaaah.

 

[J Romano]

Not an issue of the truss rod itself being better or worse in either case. I think what he meant was the wheel at the body end of the neck is an improvement over the bullet adjuster at the headstock end. It certainly is much easier to adjust.

Having both, I like the wheel better. Much easier to use.

 

[Elad_E]

I have a SR 4H Fretless from 1988 and it has the stripe.

that's strange, there is no need for a skunk stripe when the neck is made from two pieces.
you sure it didn't start life as a fretted maple neck?

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Fretless from that time period also had the skunk stripe

 

[danny-79]

We can probably look forward to a bunch of people asking BP why this wasn't featured on the Classics...

I did think that when i first saw the Classics, why no stripe ?
The only conclusion i could come to was that the Classic was the Classic an not a replica of pre-EBMM, so it combined old features with modern technology, (like the truss rod wheel, six bolt neck etc), so with the way that the necks are put together today any form of stripe would of just been for cosmetic reasons. So putting something on it that wasn't necessary for its manufacture would of been tacky.
Just my thoughts on the matter !

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

....The only conclusion i could come to was that the Classic was the Classic an not a replica of pre-EBMM...

+1