Microscopic crack in ovangkol neck

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Hi, I bought this bass about a year ago, though I haven't played it a lot. I don't know exactly when this crack appeared. I will try to describe it as good as I can:

(sorry if my english is not Shakespeare's)

- It's located in the back of the neck, in the upper part, at about 1 or 2 cm from the uppermost. And goes aproximately from fret 8 to 4.
- It is almost invisible to the eye. I can see it only when lighted in a very special way, and get my eyes very close to it.
- I can feel it with my thumb, only if a pay a lot of attention, but hardly with the other fingers.
- It seems to go along with the natural porus of the wood.
- Between frets 6 and 7 it's a bit wider, and easier to feel.

This bass is from the custom shop and has 3 piece ovangkol neck. The supposed damage seems to be only in the upper piece. The ebony fretboard and other pieces of the neck look perfect.

As I said, I haven't used it very much. It hasn't suffered any knock that I know, besides there is no other visible damage in any other place (coming from a knock of whatever). The truss rod has never been adjusted, cause it has always worked great. And the neck is very stable (never changed noticeabily) always perfect for playing.

Should I worry? Can it be because a lack of humidity? - I've oiled it regularly, at least once 45 days (as far as I remember).

Thanks very much, guys, nice to have a place to discuss about these issues.
 
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Hi, I bought this bass about a year ago, though I haven't played it a lot. I don't know exactly when this crack appeared. I will try to describe it as good as I can:

(sorry if my english is not Shakespeare's)

- It's located in the back of the neck, in the upper part, at about 1 or 2 cm from the uppermost. And goes aproximately from fret 8 to 4.
- It is almost invisible to the eye. I can see it only when lighted in a very special way, and get my eyes very close to it.
- I can feel it with my thumb, only if a pay a lot of attention, but hardly with the other fingers.
- It seems to go along with the natural porus of the wood.
- Between frets 6 and 7 it's a bit wider, and easier to feel.

This bass is from the custom shop and has 3 piece ovangkol neck. The supposed damage seems to be only in the upper piece. The ebony fretboard and other pieces of the neck look perfect.

As I said, I haven't used it very much. It hasn't suffered any knock that I know, besides there is no other visible damage in any other place (coming from a knock of whatever). The truss rod has never been adjusted, cause it has always worked great. And the neck is very stable (never changed noticeabily) always perfect for playing.

Should I worry? Can it be because a lack of humidity? - I've oiled it regularly, at least once 45 days (as far as I remember).

Thanks very much, guys, nice to have a place to discuss about these issues.


are you sure its just not a part of the woods grain? if it is a crack you need to supply photos of the crack and if there that small that might be a hard thing.
 
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well obviously that shouldn't happen. I'd suggest sending it back to warwick and they'll replace the neck.
 
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Let's not go nuts here guys.

Is this "crack",along a join where the separate pices of wood meets?
If so,it's not a crack but a slight swelling of the wood that you can sand down or over timne,your playing will do the trick.
If you could post a close up pic it'd be alot easier to advise ya Miguele :)
 
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It might also be the neck laminates separating. I had a NT Thumb 6 that did that where the neck joins the body in the lower (treble side) cutaway. Though mine was the body wood separating from the neck wood, not neck wood separating from neck wood.
 
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Thanks a lot, I really appreciate your help.

It's not between the join of the separate pieces. It's more or less in the middle of the upper piece.

Could be the graining of the wood, but definately occured after the oiling, maybe something that the wood did naturally. I've seen some similar to this one in the body of a bass, but there's no risk there, no tension.

I'll do my best to try to send photos, but I think it's going to be difficult, I hardly can see it.

Thanks.
 

Florin

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Hey Michaelangie,

It could be a pore that has a transverse cut, not a crack You should check it how it acts in the future. If it is stable, it should be safe...
Where is your dealer located? You can notice him that you have a crack, with a picture, and tell him it is still under warranty, but tell him you will wait a little more to see how it goes...
If it is really a crack, contact your dealer, and he will replace the neck.
Florin
 
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I'm sure it's the grain. But as others said, pics would really help to know fo sho'
 
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Eh, if it were my bass, I'd take 800 grit sandpaper or 0000 steel wool and just buff it out. Then wax then neck 2-3 times when you're done. No biggie.

If it comes back, then I'd start to get concerned...
 
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So are warwick necks just wax finished? Because my corvette $$ is demonstrating the issue that Greg highlighted, the middle section of the 3 piece neck seems to have swelled up a bit and i can feel the edges protruding... do i just sand it down with some really fine sandpaper and then wax it?
 
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So are warwick necks just wax finished? Because my corvette $$ is demonstrating the issue that Greg highlighted, the middle section of the 3 piece neck seems to have swelled up a bit and i can feel the edges protruding... do i just sand it down with some really fine sandpaper and then wax it?

you got it!!;)

they are just waxed. oil and wax and tada!!!
 
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It's not a natural finish, it's a stain, and according to the manual in the user kit, stain basses don't need wax because the oil over the stain seals the wood.
 
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yeah they do not come with wax for the necks on the non-natural finished ones.

you can buy some Warwick wax or go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy Howard's Feed N Wax and will give the same results since this product has orange oil to clean and feed the wood and also has beeswax which is what Warwick Wax is made of.;)
 
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I've bought used Thumb BO, about 9 years old, and I can feel where the wood is separated, but I didn't think that it's a big problem and now I see that it's not!
 
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