Feel the transitions between neck laminates?

[keavin]

i can feel the difference in the laminates on my bass although its an early 1972 alembic, i would think it has stabelized after all these years being i've changed climates from sunny/warm california to the frigid cold of chicago.........but i will admit ive only had to adjust my truss rod twice in 29 years of playing this baby!

[mike1762]

I just remembered, my '77 Series I had a refinish done on it a couple of years before I got it... thus no transition.  Keavin, that's probably the Gorilla Glue you feel(LOL)!!!

[keavin]

you're wright mike that gorilla glue is some good (strong)stuff,however i did sand it down to a smooth finish with some very light sand-paper though.

[chris_star]

Hi folks, I am now the prowd owner of a 97 Epic 4 with the Flamed walnut top. This is my first high end bass guitar and I am so excited. I too noticed the neck transtion between laminates. Had I not read about this in this forum I think I would of thought something majorly wrong with my used bass.Please curtail my worry that some thing is wrong with my bass. This seperation does not bother me. It is sublte. nothing is majorly wrong right? Why is it that this form of construction is better then one that wont seperate?

[mike1762]

It's easy to bend a length of 2x4 if you lay it on its wide side.  But try to bend a single 2x4 along its edge.  Now glue 3 pieces of 2x4 together and try to bend it edge wise.  I think that's a valid corollary for a multi-laminate neck (somebody chime in if it's not because I'm making this up as I go).  You will note that your neck is fairly rigid when compared to a bass with a 1 piece neck.  I think a more rigid neck translates to a more stable neck.

[David Houck]

Hi Chris; welcome to the club, and congrats on the Epic.  As Mike pointed out, a multi-laminate neck is inherently more stable.  A single piece neck is more likely to twist and warp and to have dead spots.  Without having actually seen your bass, I'm thinking your bass is fine and there's nothing wrong with it.

[white_cloud]

Nothing wrong with it at all Chris - Dave and Mike are totally correct...a multi laminated neck is infinitely stronger and stabler (usually) than a single piece neck!
 
Any laminated neck that is new will be finished perfectly smooth - this changes over time as the different species shrink (all wood shrinks and moves for many years no matter how well it has been dried - some species are stabler than others.) It doesnt effect the playability at all and could be resanded perfectly smooth if it bugged you a lot.
 
Congrats on your new bass.
 
John.