Warwick Streamer 5 - Extremely High Action!

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I'm having issues setting up my Warwick. I cannot get my action to sit low and even across the fretboard without having major buzzing issues and dead notes. It seems the only way I can get rid of weird buzzing from the neck and strings is if I set the action EXTREMELY high--almost 1.0 mm on the first fret and around a 1/4 inch on upper frets. I'd paid a luthier before this and he sent it back with the frets high as well, which is why I decided to try it myself. Has anyone else ran into this issue and fixed it? I appreciate any replies.

thank you.
 

Hector

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If a luthier gave it back to you with high action, this could indicate that you have

1. Some high frets that need leveling... (easy for any luthier to fix)

2. the trussrod(s) need adjusting (one would think the luthier would have tried this)

3. A fretboard that is uneven or is not curving correctly, or even a twisted neck.

Maybe look down the neck towards the body to check for high spots or if the neck is twisted.

High spots and lightly twisted necks are fixable... But it requires removing the frets and levelling the fretboard to remove a twist/high spots. This is not inexpensive to do.

Replacement Warwick necks are, if I am not mistaken, rather expensive.

Here is an example of a twisted neck on a guitar:

twisted-neck.jpg
 

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Yeah, get us those pics...and more info.

Let us know what you’ve done yourself. Fully adjusted the bridge? Saddles & plate? Adjusted the nut? What kind of Streamer 5... neck through, bolt-on? If it’s bolt-on, are the bolts tight? Truss rod seems to be working good?

Exactly how is the action being set so high? From the bridge/nut, or to much neck bow? Or both?

Those would be things I’d check 1st.
 
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Yeah, get us those pics...and more info.

Let us know what you’ve done yourself. Fully adjusted the bridge? Saddles & plate? Adjusted the nut? What kind of Streamer 5... neck through, bolt-on? If it’s bolt-on, are the bolts tight? Truss rod seems to be working good?

Exactly how is the action being set so high? From the bridge/nut, or to much neck bow? Or both?

Those would be things I’d check 1st.

It’s a bolt on and I did check the neck bolts. I adjusted the nut with a capo in the 3rd fret with a 0.3mm filler gauge under the first fret. I have a bit of relief in the truss Rod because of the buzz. I also flattened the saddles to the fretboard, tried to match the radius with a gauge and then raise the bridge, but I still get a weird buzzing until I raise the action to a crazy amount. I provided pictures above.
 

DiMarco

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The photos do not show wether or not the neck is warped, or if it simply needs its frets leveled.

The luthier that helped you is not a luthier if he hasn't seen or informed you what is wrong with it.

I cannot provide you with any useful help based on what you've shown and written here.
 

Hector

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Could you take a photo looking down the neck from the head, like the one I posted showing a twisted guitar neck ?
 
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The photos do not show wether or not the neck is warped, or if it simply needs its frets leveled.

The luthier that helped you is not a luthier if he hasn't seen or informed you what is wrong with it.

I cannot provide you with any useful help based on what you've shown and written here.
Hello people, I bought a 2nd hand Streamer LX 4 in honey violin great condition for an 2002 guitar that i got in 2016 or thereabouts. However after maybe 3 years I was doing a string change and sure they were the same gauge and make of strings (Elites Stadium 40-100) After re- tuning it just didn't play the same. I took it to a repair/Luthier who said the neck was twisted. The price for sending the bass for repair at Warwick as i expected was $ to buy a another 2nd hand bass. Ive come to the realisation i could remove fretboard. Or buy a neck from Warwick. I don't know if this made a difference but I removed all the strings to oil the fretboard, up until then i'd strip one string at a time. The photos show the neck profile with a lift on the E & A, strings mostly. I used a wet towel and a clothes iron to push some heat into the rear of the neck and then clamp it with a ultra straight edge, and support from the back. The photo's were taken just after taking the clamps off and it improved but its still not the bass i bought and fell in love with. I had been after a streamer since getting my corvette $$, and the combo of how it played and looked made it my no1 bass. Ive heard it suggested that Ovangkol is susceptible to warping/twisting??
Don't think i'm going to find a neck that fits without a body on any selling sites. Any suggestions??
THX Mark
P1000230.JPG
 

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steembass

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Are you sure the neck is twisted?
Before changing your 3 years old(!!) strings you didnt face any issues? The old strings must have been „stone dead“? The new strings might have some „buzz“?
I would have checked the bass by another luthier - maybe somebody who can level frets in a first step. Or could make you a replacement neck for a decent price?..
At Warwick you can not „buy“ a replacement neck (afaik)..they will change the neck - if needed - ..its for „serial no“ reasons..
 

steembass

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Did you contact Warwick already? ([email protected]).
If it is really a quality issue (I ve also heard about issues with Ovangcol necks early 2000) there might be sone chance of „goodwill“ regulation of your case😊
 
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Ovangkol necks usually don't warp; they are ultra stiff. With a correct set-up (see youtube link up here) the bass should not have any buzz. If still there is, fret levelling is an option. But I can't see much from your photos and an online analysis is difficult.
 

DiMarco

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The attachment 1000222.jpg does show some warp, but frankly it doesn't seem unmanageable. With strings on, the E string side will probably curve a little more than the G string side does.
When the twist and warp isn't too bad, you can probably have the frets leveled in a way that compensates the deviation.
To do this a luthier can coarse level them while the strings are on and crown them aftewards.
 

kimgee

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It’s a bolt on and I did check the neck bolts. I adjusted the nut with a capo in the 3rd fret with a 0.3mm filler gauge under the first fret. I have a bit of relief in the truss Rod because of the buzz. I also flattened the saddles to the fretboard, tried to match the radius with a gauge and then raise the bridge, but I still get a weird buzzing until I raise the action to a crazy amount. I provided pictures above.
Put a capo at the first fret, and then fret the E string at the 24th fret. Measure the string clearance at the 12th fret. It should be very close to the top of the fret.....like the thickness of a business card or matchbook cover. It varies from one playing style to the next. More clearance for more agressive playing style. If there is a lot of clearance, then there is too much relief in the neck. If the truss rod won't reduce the clearance adequately........then you have a real problem. Worry about bridge and nut adjustments once the relief in the neck is right. Good luck!
 

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Hello people, I bought a 2nd hand Streamer LX 4 in honey violin great condition for an 2002 guitar that i got in 2016 or thereabouts. However after maybe 3 years I was doing a string change and sure they were the same gauge and make of strings (Elites Stadium 40-100) After re- tuning it just didn't play the same. I took it to a repair/Luthier who said the neck was twisted. The price for sending the bass for repair at Warwick as i expected was $ to buy a another 2nd hand bass. Ive come to the realisation i could remove fretboard. Or buy a neck from Warwick. I don't know if this made a difference but I removed all the strings to oil the fretboard, up until then i'd strip one string at a time. The photos show the neck profile with a lift on the E & A, strings mostly. I used a wet towel and a clothes iron to push some heat into the rear of the neck and then clamp it with a ultra straight edge, and support from the back. The photo's were taken just after taking the clamps off and it improved but its still not the bass i bought and fell in love with. I had been after a streamer since getting my corvette $$, and the combo of how it played and looked made it my no1 bass. Ive heard it suggested that Ovangkol is susceptible to warping/twisting??
Don't think i'm going to find a neck that fits without a body on any selling sites. Any suggestions??
THX Mark
View attachment 23087
The problem with eyeballing the neck, is your vision is processed through your brain, and the results can be.....not good. The combination of vertical and horizontal lines can cause optical illusions. For photos to work, you need the camera angle to be very precise, and even then, the optics can introduce distortion. You need a precise, like luthier's use, straight edge that is long enough to cover most of the frets. They are available from a number of sources. And then use that straight edge against the frets up and down the neck, and in varying locations across the radius, to verify it's actual straightness and reveal any high/low frets. I have a Thumb, I would have sworn had a twisted neck, but instead, I had a twisted brain.
 
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Are you sure the neck is twisted?
Before changing your 3 years old(!!) strings you didnt face any issues? The old strings must have been „stone dead“? The new strings might have some „buzz“?
I would have checked the bass by another luthier - maybe somebody who can level frets in a first step. Or could make you a replacement neck for a decent price?..
At Warwick you can not „buy“ a replacement neck (afaik)..they will change the neck - if needed - ..its for „serial no“ reasons..
Firstly thanks to everyone who has got on my thread and i'm hoping there might be something ive overlooked. Secondly! By changing the strings I did intend to make sure people would not read into this and go off point. I had put a few sets on this bass before things went strange and mentioned how it happened around a string change to see if this may of been a trigger, in the release of tension maybe. If i had the money i'd change strings fortnightly (still awaiting that sponsor??) and certainly after every sweaty gig, though i got into a an OCD string thing, cleaning hands before every use and wipe the fret board down. Just normal rehearsal and practice will keep a set good for a month maybe two.
On to the main event, there's no doubt a twist exists from the 3rd fret to the nut most evident where the E and A string sit.
I'm going to take some new photo's not after i've just clamped it. Take it from the opposite perspective than my others which were from the body up to the nut which i removed to create a more obvious case. The repairer wasn't trying to work me for more repairs etc he said it was beyond his repotoire along with fitting a pick up selector, i need a solderer and do it myself. I'll take in whats been said and get some pics from the head down and vice versa but i dont think i'll get anything a visual as the classic guitar that looks like the necks been set at an angle.
I have a small set up kit with radius gauge's, string height ruler, straight edge steel ruler, and allen keys. Im just short of a decent 34inch scale straight edged notched level which will be invaluable to try fret leveling and the straightness of a neck. theres so much crap from the east that ill wait until i can find a UK retailer with decent stock. Thanks will upload new photo's and would appreciate your point of view.
Mark
 

steembass

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The problem with eyeballing the neck, is your vision is processed through your brain, and the results can be.....not good. The combination of vertical and horizontal lines can cause optical illusions. For photos to work, you need the camera angle to be very precise, and even then, the optics can introduce distortion. You need a precise, like luthier's use, straight edge that is long enough to cover most of the frets. They are available from a number of sources. And then use that straight edge against the frets up and down the neck, and in varying locations across the radius, to verify it's actual straightness and reveal any high/low frets. I have a Thumb, I would have sworn had a twisted neck, but instead, I had a twisted brain.
very well noted!😊👍
 
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