Are These Good Necks. If So I Found A Bargain

[thewongster]

Ive been tempted to Buy one of these necks. But is it too good to be true? I Think that this maple would look awsome on my telecaser project. If I buy this neck would it be possible to fit? On there ebay page they say they can keep the heel square and all so... And this neck isnt just a 6-inline tuners? so would that mean the string spacing would be off?

Nice Ebay Neck

Oh and they got lots of other necks for you guys too just explore the shop

[Mickguard]

This is a 24 fret neck, most tele's are cut for 21 or 22 frets. So if you're looking to make this neck work on an existing body with no modifications, then no, it's not going to work.

You'd be able to make it work by extending the pocket into the neck pickup position (and shifting that pickup backward too). Of course, access to the extra frets would be a little difficult.

You could also shift the bridge forward instead, to accommodate the extra length of the neck. That might be easiest, since the tele plate will cover the old cavity (you can always fill that if you want).

[biliousfrog]

well....I don't like the inlays or headstock but that's just my personal taste. It comes down to that old saying, "you get what you pay for". They're not the nicest looking necks that I've seen, I've found better grained maple at my local DIY store.

For $80 you're getting a neck that needs to be cut, shaped, inlayed, fretted, bound & laquered....somewhere corners are getting cut. The most obvious seems like cheap wood. I wonder whether the binding is hiding a veneered fingerboard which is pre inlayed rather than a slab board. Hmmm...maybe I'm being over cautious but I'd get something less "fancy" because I wonder what they're trying to distract you from seeing.

[marksound]

For $80 you're getting a neck that needs to be cut, shaped, inlayed, fretted, bound & laquered....somewhere corners are getting cut. The most obvious seems like cheap wood. I wonder whether the binding is hiding a veneered fingerboard which is pre inlayed rather than a slab board. Hmmm...maybe I'm being over cautious but I'd get something less "fancy" because I wonder what they're trying to distract you from seeing.

Looks like a finished neck to me.

Personally, I'd steer clear of it not because of the obvious fitment problems, but because it's butt ugly. But that's just me.

[biliousfrog]

For $80 you're getting a neck that needs to be cut, shaped, inlayed, fretted, bound & laquered....somewhere corners are getting cut. The most obvious seems like cheap wood. I wonder whether the binding is hiding a veneered fingerboard which is pre inlayed rather than a slab board. Hmmm...maybe I'm being over cautious but I'd get something less "fancy" because I wonder what they're trying to distract you from seeing.

Looks like a finished neck to me.

Personally, I'd steer clear of it not because of the obvious fitment problems, but because it's butt ugly. But that's just me.

yeah, that was my point. All that work has been done & they still only want $80 so somewhere a corner has been cut. I should have worded it better

[Doeringer]

I bought one of his necks several years ago. It was decent, made in Korea type, that I used in a parts build for a neighbor/friend who's kid was wanting to pick up the guitar.

I recall having to cut an AANJ type pocket to fit. ( Heel is 80mm x 56mm x 20mm )

[Mickguard]

yeah, that was my point. All that work has been done & they still only want $80 so somewhere a corner has been cut. I should have worded it better

I'm not so sure. It's within the standard price range --there's probably no difference in quality between this and a mighty mite neck. Except you pay the premium for the 'licensed by Fender' marketing blah.

Maple's not an expensive wood, after all. That's why Fender uses it.

And remember, you can buy an entire guitar nowadays for about the same price.

Cheap labor isn't necessarily bad labor --although I just bought one of those inlaid fretboards from that Taiwanese seller on ebay --the thing has tons of issues. And it was shipped from Vietnam! The seller was good about it though, he refunded the money, without making me ship the fretboard back. Still...

This seller appears to back up his product somewhat, claims that he inspect the necks before shipping them out.

[Drak]

That headstock is HIDEOUSLY ugly!

But to each their own, just not my bag.

[Mickguard]

I'm kind of interested in the 2-4 split idea...does putting the tuners for those strings there make a big difference (for a 25.5 scale neck that is)?

[thewongster]

Hey would this is probably really stupid but, is it possible if I just take a saw and saw off the last 2 frets?

[Guest AlexVDL]

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[aidlook]

I'm kind of interested in the 2-4 split idea...does putting the tuners for those strings there make a big difference (for a 25.5 scale neck that is)?

wouldn't at least one tuner be geared the wrong way though (either buying 6-in-line or 3x3).

[al heeley]

That is one of those necks from a 179 dollar guitar guitar they sell on ebay. I gues it is shite like any other chinese crap they sell lateley!

Blatant ignorance is uncalled for here. Sad to say but some of the quality coming out of China now is very good indeed and the prices are amazing. Once you get over your snobbery, that all chinese stuff is crap, and see the reality, it is embarassing to us in Europe and the West who still demand 5 to 10 times the price for something that is not really that much better. Get over the 'knee-jerk' reaction and post something a little less emotive and a little more objective

[Mickguard]

Hey would this is probably really stupid but, is it possible if I just take a saw and saw off the last 2 frets?

No, it's not stupid, you could do that. You'll need to know exactly where the truss rod ends.

I think you're better off looking for the neck that will fit your project (unless you really really like this one). There are tons of necks on ebay, most of them are fender strat/tele types, a lot are within this price range, and some are even cheaper --I picked up a brand new strat-type for $5 the other week (well, okay, the headstock has a split....but I just want the fretboard).

wouldn't at least one tuner be geared the wrong way though (either buying 6-in-line or 3x3).

Not if you take the tuners from 2 sets.

As for the Chinese quality thing--it took the Japanese 20 years to ramp up to a decent quality level. Took the Koreans 15 years. Took the Chinese less than 5 years.

The real people to blame for the appalling lack of quality in EVERYTHING we buy these days is ourselves--we want to live like spoiled rich pigs, yet we also want things we buy to be cheap. The manufacturers--held hostage to their investors' (some of us again!) demand for ever-increasing quick dividends-- respond by lowering the specifications.

[lovekraft]

That is one of those necks from a 179 dollar guitar guitar they sell on ebay. I gues it is shite like any other chinese crap they sell lateley!

Blatant ignorance is uncalled for here. Sad to say but some of the quality coming out of China now is very good indeed and the prices are amazing... Get over the 'knee-jerk' reaction and post something a little less emotive and a little more objective

I'm all for objectivity, but my experience doesn't parallel yours, apparently. Of the hundreds of Chinese and Indonesian imports I've played with over the last couple of years, only a very few were of any quality at all, and most were barely adequate - just goes to prove, even a blind hog will find an acorn every now and then. All emotional content aside, I think your effusive praise of the improvements in Chinese instruments is at best somewhat premature.

And just for the record, accusing another longtime board member of "blatant ignorance" is most undiplomatic, and should be avoided in the interest of peace and harmony.

[al heeley]

People are entitled to their own opinion regardless of their post count! quantity and quality are of no interest or relevance. I was in Shanghai and Guang zhou early last mointh and played some really nice acoustics, I mean really nice £600 - £800-feeling instruments not £2500-£3000 range, and they were under £200.

I think its too easy for people to jump on the "everything from China is crap" bandwagon and it simply is an inaccurate over-generalisation. I have no reason to support or condone China as they are rapidly wrecking my industry, I just wanted to point out that China have caught up with the western world, with Japan and Korea very rapidly, and not everything coming out of Gibson USA's factories are very close to being worth the hefty price tag attached.

[slips on asbestos suit and runs for the exit]

[Jon]

On a less serious note, THEY TUK ERR JURBS!

[thewongster]

About the "chinese quality suck" I think that might be the truth to a certain point. Probably for the average part, it is on the lower end of the scale. However, you cant beat the price. If american parts lets say were that price the quality might just be as bad. But if chinese prices were a lot higher, which probably would mean spending more time making the stuff, then it would probably just as good. Just my opinion

[Guest AlexVDL]

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[lovekraft]

People are entitled to their own opinion regardless of their post count!

Yes, but it would still behoove those entitled individuals to refrain from characterizing their compatriots as ignoramuses in support of their argument - just because someone disagrees with your (undoubtedly well-reasoned) opinion does not automatically qualify them as ignorant, blatantly or otherwise, and using the phrase is insulting and inflammatory (unless you are personally acquainted with your target, in which case, you are welcome to go to his house and berate him). Obviously you feel strongly about this, but making it personal does nothing for your credibility, nor does it endear you to certain moderators (I won't mention any names). Alex is a good sport, but we do have a few hotheads around here who would have risen to such a bait and, well, shall we say "...fomented sectarian violence.." over the implied insult, and I'd prefer to avoid that scenario altogether. Now play nice, and I won't have to chide you further.

[crafty]

People are entitled to their own opinion regardless of their post count! quantity and quality are of no interest or relevance. I was in Shanghai and Guang zhou early last mointh and played some really nice acoustics, I mean really nice £600 - £800-feeling instruments not £2500-£3000 range, and they were under £200.

I think its too easy for people to jump on the "everything from China is crap" bandwagon and it simply is an inaccurate over-generalisation. I have no reason to support or condone China as they are rapidly wrecking my industry, I just wanted to point out that China have caught up with the western world, with Japan and Korea very rapidly, and not everything coming out of Gibson USA's factories are very close to being worth the hefty price tag attached.

[slips on asbestos suit and runs for the exit]

What the Chinese and Koreans have managed to do is provide a veneer of "visual quality" to the rest of the world, rather than "true quality". That Chinese guitar made in the sweatshop may FEEL and LOOK like a much more expensive guitar, but to quote the people who were dumb enough to buy the Esteban guitar, that dog don't hunt.

Next time you're in country, take another look at those acoustics, but check out the quality of the glueing and braces inside the guitar. Check to see if the grain of the wood on the outside of the guitar matches that on the inside. Feel the quality of the tuners and the saddle and nut material. Chances are it will be nowhere near the level of a $400 to $800 guitar in the states.