I have a useless $2700 custom plus had to pay 78 dollars for FMIC to tell me.. w/pics

[AK47]

Regarding the timeline... after talking with a few people I was told to let the guitar sit to see if it can be readjusted later.

The consensus with everyone was that birdseye is tempermantle and can warp or twist in different enviroments or climates.

I was tired of dealing with it so it sat in its case for a while. Apparently the neck is not going to change much now after all this time.


I will update the situation as it progresses and Bionic is getting to the bottom of it so I hope everything will work out.

[AK47]

Am I right in assuming that their idea of a fix was to route the neck pocket deeper? If so, that's just fucking stupid. Do they have mental deficients working in the shop at Charvel?

Good question. I will find out if thats what they did. I dont know. The guitar to me seems exatley the same as I dropped it off.

The way Torres adjusted it was so that it was playable he had to set the action very high on the higher frets. If it was any lower the first two frets would be unplayable. They barely are playable with a whole lotta buzz.

[Robert Hendrix]

The consensus with everyone was that birdseye is tempermantle and can warp or twist in different enviroments or climates.

Yeah see, I don't agree with that. I have a birdseye neck on my SD III and it has never moved. In fact, it's probably the most solid neck I've ever had on my guitars.. This whole situation sucks for you man! I hope it turns out ok. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a looker like that, not to mention the cost, that I couldn't play.. That's just wrong.

[Flatpicker]

Can't they just make you a new neck using QS maple built to the same spec?
Can't see why they are making this so painful for you.

[Flatpicker]

Yeah see, I don't agree with that. I have a birdseye neck on my SD III and it has never moved. In fact, it's probably the most solid neck I've ever had on my guitars.. This whole situation sucks for you man! I hope it turns out ok. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a looker like that, not to mention the cost, that I couldn't play.. That's just wrong.

I dunno,
I've heard that about flame and birdseye necks before.
I have one flamey neck that is stable, but it's poly coated and probably can't feel the moisture changes.
One mildly birdseye that has a thinner coat of uralec that is tempermental.

[mattsmusiccenter]

Alot of companies only offer limited warranties on Birdseye because it's unstable. I know Suhr only does a 90 day warranty on it.

[eddie_van_earache]

Sorry for trouble.

Birdseye and flame maple necks are not a good idea. Its not just moisture that makes them move. They look the way they look because of grain patterns - patterns that are produced under stresses. When you tool the wood you release pressure in area's that were there when the tree grew - you got issues.


Hope a speedy resolution.

[AK47]

I told Bionic if they end up making me a new neck just to use regular maple. In fact if I knew birdseye was so unstable I would have ordered regular maple.

Tom Anderson told me he stopped using any figured maple necks back around 1990 but you can find some of his guitars with figured maple fretboards as well that made it out before 1990.

[Jack Napalm]

I hope it works out for you. When I ordered my customs I ordered plain maple because I was told that figured maple necks are unstable. I think it was Kevin Easton that told me that. He was knowledgeable. I'll give him that.

[j2379]

hope it works out, & you dont leave the heavy strings on to play. just leave them on long enough to pull the neck forward. it doesnt always work but it has for me.

[Robert Hendrix]

Alot of companies only offer limited warranties on Birdseye because it's unstable. I know Suhr only does a 90 day warranty on it.

Hmmmm, I guess I've been lucky then. I've never heard that before now..

[Endrik]

what about regular maple neck w/ birdseye board? are they stable?

[SEEGERMANY]

I owned a custom shop Fender Jimi Hendrix Monterey Strat that had one of the most gorgeous birdseye necks I've ever seen. Not only was it beautiful, it was rock solid in the stability depaartment. I think it all depends on how the necks are sealed.

[MEX3]

5 years ago, I was shocked to hear of such quality/warranty issues. Now it pretty much seems to be standard operating procedure for Jackson/Charvel.
Sad but true...

[Flatpicker]

what about regular maple neck w/ birdseye board? are they stable?

Should be.
The fretboard dosen't have that much of an effect vs the neck and the truss-rod if at all.

Or maybe a 3 piece birdseye maple neck, Hamer style with the middle piece being in the opposite direction of the outer 2.