Damaged truss rod on neckthrough bass - fix or run?

[alembic83]

Hello, this post isn't specifically aimed at an Alembic (although I do have a Spoiler  ), but I figured people on here might have some advice as it relates to neckthrough basses in general.  
 
OK, here is the situation: I'm looking at buying an older neckthrough Aria Pro SB series bass as sort of a project. The seller says the truss rod has been damaged somehow and now the bass only tunes to E flat because tuning it higher would cause things to pull apart according to the guy. At some point, someone sawed into the back of the neck, up near the headstock to try and access the truss. I'm no luthier, but that doesn't sound good! See photo for the cut in the neck...The cut doesn't go through the fingerboard, by the way.  
 
Since you can't really just replace the neck on neckthrough basses, my question is this: Is it worth any attempt at a fix for the truss on this bass, or should I run away and thank my lucky stars I didn't buy a lost cause??  
Also, any ball park estimates as to what I'd be looking at for repairs?
I have attached a picture of the back of the neck where someone cut it...
Thanks for any advice! -Jason

[bsee]

That looks awful!!!!  The fact that it's a straight cut means the surface area of the glue joint is relatively small.  I would be afraid that glue joint could come apart at any time, regardless of what you do about the truss rod.  As far as replacing the neck, I think it's possible to do, but you're practically building a new bass to do it.  I'm not sure why you'd want to chase this.
 
I'm no luthier, but I do know a little bit about wood in general.  If I wanted a fun project, I would build a bass from scratch or start with a purchased neck blank before I would try to repair this thing.

[lbanks]

I wouldn't mess with that....

[dannobasso]

Unless you want some wall art....just walk away....just walk away.

[trekster]

Jeez, that bass is on it's third or fourth run on EBay (BTW-- it'a a early 80's SB-900).  Not only is the neck a problem, but someone gutted the original electronics and stuffed it with EMG's that are way too small for the pickup routes.  Don't walk -- RUN.  Granted, SB series basses don't show on EBay that often, but it's worth the wait for a good one.
 
--T

[rklisme]

Run Forest. run!

[bigredbass]

Don't even think about this one.
 
I agree with trekster:  If you've just GOT to have an SB, repeat this eBay matnra:
 
There's always another
 there's always another
 there's always another...
 
We had spoken months ago about the SB Aria's geneaology (the designer has moved on to his own company, the amazing Japanese ATLANSIA), and although they are no longer built by the Matsumoku (burnt down!) company in Japan for Aria, they are once more in production in a revival of a few of the models from the SB's glory days in the 80s.  I hope the new ones are as good and Aria USA gets to importing them soon.
 
Aria has become (on a smaller scale) just like Yamaha and Ibanez:  Lots of production scattered across the Orient by price-point, with a few still-Japanese production models at the top of their ranges.  
 
You can virtually recite the geographic origin by price:  
REAL cheap/China,  
cheap/Korea,  
moderate price/Taiwan,  
big money/Japan.
 
J o e y

[mothman]

avoid this one- those Matsumoku basses are real nice, but that's a hack repair, and you would basically have to rebuild the upper part of the neck- easier to build a whole new neck ... you get the point- a gonner.  You can find these pawn shop gems around for under $250- but people are catching on fast (he he, i've always refered to them as a poor man's Alembic!)

[keavin]

Dude take a hike!!!

[alembic83]

Thanks for the input everyone - I'm sprinting away from this one!  As somebody said here, there's always another.... I'm already checking out some other ones online.