Fretboard needed for a 4003 !!

kidvett · Post by **kidvett** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:00 pm

Hello all,

I have a 1992 4003 with a warped neck. Took it to the luthier and after examination (and evaluation of the work he has to perform), he says a new fretboard (with inlays but no frets) will be needed !! He will take off the original one, check for jammed rods, etc

Where to get this ?? RIC doesnt sells them as a component...Any ideas/suggestions ??

Thanks for the help
Marc

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:24 pm

get a second opinion ...

aragorn35016 · Post by **aragorn35016** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:33 pm

+1 on the second opinion.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:11 pm

+2 on the second opinion! Sounds like overkill.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:12 pm

Take pix, post them here for Paul and Dale to see.

Then you'll know for sure, maybe..... {:^)

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:44 pm

3rd opinion: don't get a new fretboard...Necks can be straightened with heat and possible planing the fingerboard then refret. I never heard of a jammed truss rod...

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:50 pm

Wow! Take it someplace else!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:18 pm

A luthier who can't make a fretboard? But he'd be glad to take off the old one and glue on a new one, huh?

I agree with Dale. Check for jammed rods? Hmmm...

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:01 pm

Pulling the fretboard on a 1992 Rick Bass will not expose the T-rods. If you want to inspect them, do as we do...pull them out from the end of the neck/fretboard. At this time I/we do not need extra work, so I'm not going to steer you wrong...please get several opinions before you let someone pull the FB off your Bass. Do a search on google: Luthiers....it will bring up most all who are registered with the Guild. Then you can narrow it down to your state and location.

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:14 am

I agree, get at least one or more other opinions, even if the neck is currently slightly warped tearing the fretboard off won't solve the issue.

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:38 am

Marc

Heed the advice of Dale & Paul please!

Bob

kidvett · Post by **kidvett** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:45 am

I will definitively get other opinions on this one...I'll try to describe the situation (see pics). It's related to the wood grain towards the headstock.There is a wood pattern not running parallel to the neck and it creates a high spot on the G string. The second fret is most affected and no note is possible there, just a flat buzz...I've tried as much ajustments as I could without success. Also the action has to be set very high otherwise it's buzzing all the way. Action is so high that it's very difficult to play...

The luthier I say early this week was scratching his head...offered different possibilities but nothing was officially agreed on. He mentionned that, no problem he could fix it, but it could run very expensive...His suggestion of getting another fretboard was to make it less expensive than if he has to do one...We tried to ajust the E/A side truss rod and it has some problems on the body end as it's not responding...It's also tightened a lot (pic) in an ``abnormal`` manner...

I appreciate the good advices mentionned and will think things over before doing anything to it. I have other 4001's I can use...

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:56 am

Marc,
Could you take another pic looking from the tail out to the headstock.

It looks like the rods have been over tightened, how does the neck sit with strings on and tuned ?

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:55 am

I would pull the rods, make sure they're straight, and re-install them. You'd be surprised what this operation will solve.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:18 am

Look at the grain on the back of the neck in the shot above. The way it changes direction right under the nut-to-third fret, makes me think that that neck is a candidate for twisting over time.

In the photo, it sure looks not straight...