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Edmang

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How easy is it to swap necks between Bongo 4s to switch from fretted to fretless?

I am assuming the necks would be compatable.

Anything to watch out for or take into consideration?

Thanks
 

JayDawg

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As long as the necks are the same string width it should just be a matter of taking the neck screws out, swapping necks, putting the neck screws back in, restringing the basses and making any adjustments needed.
 

Golem

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As long as the necks are the same string width it should just be a
matter of taking the neck screws out, swapping necks, putting the
neck screws back in, restringing the basses and making any
adjustments needed.
[emphasis added]

Hopefully both basses are the same color, or at least both basses
look good in their new two-tone color scheme.

But, there is something more. It's implied in the quote above in
these words: "and making any adjustments needed".

Bolt-on basses usually have shims, of various thicknesses, in the
neck socket. Generally neck swaps involve re-shimming. Having
done a few swaps, I find that you can't assume that the original
shims belong to either the body or the neck. IOW the OEM shim
doesn't follow the neck to its new home, but leaving it with the
body doesn't assure a good action for the transplant neck. Every
new combination needs a new shim, of unpredictable thickness.
OK, "almost every" new combination ... sometimes you get lucky.

This is not spozed to be scary. If you presume to do neck swaps
it means you do your own set-ups, and part of setting up bolt-on
basses can sometimes be changing the shim thickness. It can be
a kinda tedious "try-try-again" routine but it's not rocket science.
 
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JayDawg

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I forgot in the Bongos they have painted necks. That is the only thing about them I dislike. All of the ones I still have either have roasted birdseye maple necks are all rosewood necks.
 

five7

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Necks come off of bongos easier than other models, the shims are the thing to watch for as golem said.
 

Edmang

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The basses would be the same color so not an issue that way. Would bring it to the local tech for the swap due to possible shim issues.

Thanks for the replies!
 

Edmang

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One other thing I thought about, and was wondering if anyone knew the answer. So if I had an issue with a swapped neck down the line, and needed to send it in for a new one, does the whole bass have to be sent to EBMM or just the neck? If just the neck, I assume would get a fretless neck back. But if have to send the whole bass, would getting a replacement fretless neck be possible since it was not the original neck that came with the bass?

Hopefully not something ever would have to worry about, but curious to know the answer.

Thanks
 

Golem

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It is quite unlikely that you would have a neck go bad.
But allowing that anything can happen, especially on
Mondays, feel free to discuss it with EBMM customer
service if it comes up. They are NOT like the IRS :)

I forget where the S/N lives on a Boingo. If it's on the
headstock, there's no issue to discuss. Since the color
is gonna be correct, there's no hint of the swap. OTOH
if the S/N is on the neck plate, just make sure that the
neck plates are swapped such that each S/N stays with
its associated neck. Don't waw-wree ! Be hawp-pee !

As to whether one sends a whole bass or just a part of
it, that seems to be a case-by-case thing. For basses
still under warrantee it's more likely to require sending
the whole thing but always call and discuss it first.

If you are paranoid about tipping your hand, which is
silly cuz The Boss reads this stuff ... but if you wanna
play "Mr. Cool", then save the factory shims cuz if you
have a non-factory shim in the neck pocket then it's
kinda obvious that you've been messing around. That
was really just "Comfort Advice" in case you're OCD.
There's no crime is setting up a bass to personal taste,
and a set up sometimes involves making a new shim.
 
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Edmang

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Ordered the unlined H Bongo and had the neck swapped with the Hp. Took a while for the new bass to come and then to get it to someone that could do the work. First person I brought it too said the necks were not compatible. Took it to a luthier that I knew could probably get it to work. Said they just had to do some sanding on the neck pocket to get things to fit.

Here is the H, Hp now fretless, and the HHp, all in sky blue.

IMG_0483.jpg

And the rest of my Bongo family. HSp in Radiance Red and Fretless HHp in Medallion Gold.

IMG_0485.jpg

Hopefully can someday find an HSp unlined fretless to add.
 
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