Author Topic: Care & Storing Your Neck Thru (Read 301 times)

thumbsup · « **on:** August 03, 2008, 12:16:15 PM »

I've never owned a neck thru. I now own an Alembic neck thru.If you have a neck thru should you detune 1/2 or 1 step or ease tension after use when you place in case? I use DR hi beams 45-125.And of course you should always keep your axe in climate control but what about playing outside gigs in various seasonal changes.Sometimes in transit to a gig you can't help the temp change ie...winter setting...or heat of summer...driving two hours while axe is in van or trailer or even worse axe is left in van/trailer overnight in extreme conditions!Can this cause any damage...warp...twist etc?....If so is all lost or can Alembic neck thru be repaired? What is suggested for short term storage? What is suggested for long term storage? Steve (thumbsup)

keith_h · « **Reply #1 on:** August 03, 2008, 12:48:18 PM »

I've never detuned any of my necks except when I have taken the bass on a plane. Then I turn it down a step. Likewise about the only time my basses are cased is when I am going to take them somewhere. Otherwise they are in their stand ready to picked up and be played at a moments notice.

I really don't treat my neck through's any differently than my setneck or bolt on basses.
After the change of seasons has passed I adjust the necks as needed. For some this might be a small amount (1/4 - 1/2 turn) for others it might be more (> 1/2 turn). For me the necks general settle down after a week or two. I have had to do some on the fly adjustments when my basses have been out of an air conditioned building/vehicle for a few hours on a really humid day. No big deal to me. Of course how much of this you would need to do all depends upon the bass and how low your actions is. Over time you will learn how your bass reacts and will be able to anticipate what to do.

I used to live in the Chicago area. With the long winters I could have a bass in a frigid van for hours. In this situation I just made sure I allowed time for the bass to slowly come up to room temperature in it's case. This usually only took an hour or two which was usually during the time we were setting up for the gig anyway. I don't find it to be an issue during the summer but again you could always let it acclimate before playing.

As far as overnight in a vehicle I never do this. My basses come inside with me each night or anytime I will not be in the car for more than an hour or so. I do this whether I am at home, work or traveling. In my opinion leaving your bass in a hot car for any extended period is asking for trouble.

Alembic can repair just about anything. The question becomes more of, Is it less expensive to repair it or just have a new one built?. The folks at Alembic are very good at letting you know which is the wiser choice.

I don't really ever put my basses into long term storage but I would most likely just put them in their cases after removing any batteries. Same for short term storage.

Keith

dannobasso · « **Reply #2 on:** August 03, 2008, 01:05:29 PM »

Every time I have received a bass from Alembic (11 actually) they have been in tune right out of the case. SoI don't think they detune and all of mine have been air shipped. When I went to Ireland for a semester, I oiled the necks and put them in their cases while I was at school in Galway. When I came back, I put hem back on the wall. Like Keith, I never leave them in the car and adjust them as needed. Some are more stable then others and require less attention.

thumbsup · « **Reply #3 on:** August 03, 2008, 07:02:20 PM »

thanks for the info.I do not leave my basses in car/trailer over night either (intentionally) but i did leave an ibenez over night once(it was like 5am,wornout and just plain forgot)and i did have to adjust after that. i can pretty much asure you that won't happen to my Alembic! By the way,what type oil do you use and do you oil the fret board also. how often?

keith_h · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2008, 04:39:02 AM »

Pure lemon oil. You can find it at most health food stores. You really should go through the FAQ as there is a wealth of information on the care and use of your Alembic. Look under the Information Related to All Instruments heading.

Keith

thumbsup · « **Reply #5 on:** August 04, 2008, 08:15:11 PM »

thanks Keith for the info i will read the FAQ......Steve

keurosix · « **Reply #6 on:** August 06, 2008, 09:59:23 PM »

Hey Steve,
In my experience, all my neck-thru Alembics were more stable than bolt-on basses. Most bolt-ons I owned were a solid piece of maple with one truss rod. Alembic laminates their necks from multiple layers of wood which makes a stronger more weather resistant neck, & 2 truss rods are better than 1! Any seasonal changes due to temperature or humidity seem rather minor and only require a tweak of the truss rods a few times a year. My luthiers say the guitars are happiest stored in their cases when not played. This is the best level of protection from the elements, and creates a buffer from any quick drastic changes. Sitting in a stand would be better than hanging on the wall due to the pull of gravity I would think. I would'nt want the whole weight of the guitar to be borne by the neck / peghead flare for a long time. Oiling the fretboard is the best way to keep it healthy, but don't overdo it. Once or twice a year, or when the wood really looks dry. Your luthier can give you the best advice on this one.
Happy, healthy playing!
Kris

(Message edited by keurosix on August 06, 2008)

s_wood · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2008, 07:32:04 AM »

I never detune my neck-throughs except when I am oiling the fingerboard! Alembic, like most other makers, ships them tuned to standard pitch, which ought to tell you something. Depending on how radical the humidity changes from season to season where you live, you may have to tweak the truss rods once or twice a year, which is no big deal. It's always best to store or travel with you bass - any bass - in a way that avoids rapid and extreme temperature swings, too. However, neither humidity nor temperature changes will damage your neck. They may well induce a slight bit of movement requiring adjustment by a truss rod tweak, which is easy to do. (By tweak I mean 1/4 to 1/2 turn!)

Oh yeah. Try to avoid guitar stands whenever you can, so that this won't happen: http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/28504.html

olieoliver · « **Reply #8 on:** August 07, 2008, 07:41:49 AM »

Extreme temp changes will damage the finish over time though.

OO

s_wood · « **Reply #9 on:** August 07, 2008, 11:25:28 AM »

Ollie is right! Here's another thought: any place that is subject to extreme temperature changes (like your car, a trailer, a gargage or a shed) is probably a much more likely venue for theft, too.

svlilioukalani · « **Reply #10 on:** September 02, 2008, 02:44:10 AM »

I live on a boat, and I am un-able to keep all of my basses on board. My non-alembic basses are in a storage unit. So, does one detune a bolt on neck bass of the Fender or Warwick variety? If the bass is just sitting for months at a time. I have been wondering about this for a while. Thanks...

Gary

willgunn · « **Reply #11 on:** September 02, 2008, 12:33:03 PM »

To de-tune an instrument - ANY instrument - without ALSO proportionately loosening the truss rod(s) would be to induce a back-bow onto the neck. Personally, I've never bothered with such things, and have instruments that have been fully tuned up to pitch for YEARS at a stretch with no ill effects...some for over FIFTY years, and their necks are dead-on.

svlilioukalani · « **Reply #12 on:** September 05, 2008, 01:39:48 AM »

Cool, thanks for the info...
Gary