Irrational fear of the skunk stripe?

[Horrorhiker]

Just lately I bought a MIM precision, that was amazing in every way, except for when I got it home and found that the skunk stripe had either raised, or sunk very sligthly on one edge causing a hairline bump or something along a big part of it. It was VERY subtle, but once felt, couldn't be unfelt. 

I went to look at another MIM P the other day, and this bass had exactly the same problem. 

I'm after a new bass soon and have always wanted a 'real' Fender P. Those skunk stripe issues have given me some sort of phobia about them all together, which  seems to be limiting my choice with mid priced Fenders somewhat. I must confess that when I check out a Fender bass at the moment, if it has a skunk stripe, I instantly dismiss it. Is that crazy? I realise that Mexican finishing won't be to the same standard as American, but does this happen on US basses too? 

Do you think this worrying about skunk stripes irrational? How widespread is the issue? Did a search about it and it seems quite common. 

Cheers.

[seashell]

Interesting. I’ve had a MIM Fender precision for nearly seven years now. I wasn’t aware of the term ‘skunk stripe’ and barely registered that my bass has this stripe down the back of the neck. I’ve played it nearly every day for seven years and not even noticed it! So obviously it’s not an issue for me.  Maybe it’s the luck of the drawer. Mine certainly isn’t raised or sunk. 

It’s not irrational if it’s an issue for you though. I guess you’d be better off buying a bass that you can try out first. 

[stingrayPete1977]

You might want to avoid Roscoe basses! 

[Horrorhiker]

30 minutes ago, seashell said:

Interesting. I’ve had a MIM Fender precision for nearly seven years now. I wasn’t aware of the term ‘skunk stripe’ and barely registered that my bass has this stripe down the back of the neck. I’ve played it nearly every day for seven years and not even noticed it! So obviously it’s not an issue for me.  Maybe it’s the luck of the drawer. Mine certainly isn’t raised or sunk. 

It’s not irrational if it’s an issue for you though. I guess you’d be better off buying a bass that you can try out first. 

Yeah I can't imagine buying a bass without playing it first. I did play the first one, but didn't notice the problem until I'd played it for about an hour at home. In the shop, it didn't register. Its a shame its put me off, as the MIMs seem superb usually. 

[Dad3353]

Wouldn't a bit of sandpaper fix any perceived issue..? 

[stingrayPete1977]

2 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Wouldn't a bit of sandpaper fix any perceived issue..? 

I've seen them quite badly protruding/recessed and not in a consistent fashion along its length. You'd certainly need a fresh lacquer coat applying and an expert to remove the excess timber first either from the stripe or the neck. 

[Horrorhiker]

1 minute ago, Dad3353 said:

Wouldn't a bit of sandpaper fix any perceived issue..? 

The tech in the shop tried to do a fix. Filled where it was uneven with glue, then sanded it. It made it slightly better but couldn't get rid of it totally. Apparently it's the two woods expanding and contracting at different rates, so presumably there will always be a gap if one develops.

In the end, it was a psychological thing more than anything else. There's no getting away from it as it's exactly where your thumb travels up and down. 

[Dad3353]

1 minute ago, Horrorhiker said:

...In the end, it was a psychological thing more than anything else. There's no getting away from it as it's exactly where your thumb travels up and down. 

In that case, if it's unavoidable, best embrace it as a 'feature', and take reassurance every time one's thumb feels it, by thinking 'Ah, yes, it's still there..! Good..!'. Make a 'positive' of it. 

[Horrorhiker]

1 minute ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I've seen them quite badly protruding/recessed and not in a consistent fashion along its length. You'd certainly need a fresh lacquer coat applying and an expert to remove the excess timber first either from the stripe or the neck. 

Yes, by the time you've paid for that work, you may as well have bought a US bass I'd have thought. 

[Horrorhiker]

Just now, Dad3353 said:

In that case, if it's unavoidable, best embrace it as a 'feature', and take reassurance every time one's thumb feels it, by thinking 'Ah, yes, it's still there..! Good..!'. Make a 'positive' of it. 

I couldn't deal with it myself and took the bass back. Shop were fine with the return, even though I felt like I was making a fuss over nothing. I'm fine with dings and marks anywhere except the neck it seems ha ha. At least I know what to look for I guess. 

[Horrorhiker]

6 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

In that case, if it's unavoidable, best embrace it as a 'feature', and take reassurance every time one's thumb feels it, by thinking 'Ah, yes, it's still there..! Good..!'. Make a 'positive' of it. 

Also, It's far easier to change the bass than make me a glass half full person I'm afraid. Just ask my wife. 

[Dad3353]

[Doctor J]

Depending on how severe, you can smooth it out without going through to bare wood using fine steel wool. This is provided it is just expansion and contraction and the next itself is well made. If it’s sloppy construction there is no alternative to either replacing it or sanding through the finish to the wood itself which obviously isn’t satisfactory on a new instrument.

[Lozz196]

I`ve had a good few MIM Precisions and have only experienced this - albeit very slightly - on one of them, one of the earlier models if I recall correctly. Currently got two, offloading one soon, and it`s not on either of those. Both are post 2012 which, in my opinion, they really upped their game on.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Lozz196

[Horrorhiker]

1 minute ago, Lozz196 said:

I`ve had a good few MIM Precisions and have only experienced this - albeit very slightly - on one of them, one of the earlier models if I recall correctly. Currently got two, offloading one soon, and it`s not on either of those. Both are post 2012 which, in my opinion, they really upped their game on.

Ah that's interesting. I'm wondering if its to do with a thinner coat of laquer or something. I was really impressed with how they both played otherwise. 

I had a modern player MIC Dimension once which I really loved, though they seem to be universally slated most places, and that had no stripe. Also the newest American models have no stripe. Makes me wonder why the more mid priced models have it. 

[Dad3353]

The 'skunk stripe' is a sliver of wood covering the slot routed out of the neck to allow for insertion of the truss rod. Not all Fender guitars and basses have their truss rod inserted in that fashion; they would have the slot routed out under the fingerboard, before it's glued up. It's not an aesthetic stripe; it's part of the way the instrument was manufactured.

Just sayin'.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Dad3353

[el borracho]

I've got a 79-81 Tokai Hardpuncher neck on a Fender body complete with Tokai logo  ( a real Fender masquerading as a copy!! That's for another thread though).

The lacquer is cracked for much of the skunk stripe's length and it even stands proud in places. I've had it about 8 years now and it doesn't bother me and hasn't seemed to make any difference to it. The neck is stable and I don't notice it when I'm playing.

 

[Horrorhiker]

32 minutes ago, el borracho said:

I've got a 79-81 Tokai Hardpuncher neck on a Fender body complete with Tokai logo  ( a real Fender masquerading as a copy!! That's for another thread though).

The lacquer is cracked for much of the skunk stripe's length and it even stands proud in places. I've had it about 8 years now and it doesn't bother me and hasn't seemed to make any difference to it. The neck is stable and I don't notice it when I'm playing.

 

Ah interesting. I'm quite a fan of Tokai guitars, but never tried a bass. Really great necks on the guitars ive played.  I dont really get the mentality of scooping out the neck. The less 'moving' parts the better I'd have thought. 

[Dan Dare]

I wonder if the fact that it seems to apply to MIM basses may be due to the fact that they are made in a country with a hot dry climate. Bringing them to Blighty, with our colder conditions and higher humidity, may cause an issue due to the different rates of expansion in the woods of the skunk stripe and neck.

[fleabag]

It would seem to me that if the design needed a skunk stripe to fill the gap for the truss rod rout, then fitting the same wood as the neck would solve the problem of two differently expanding woods. If the builder wants the stripe to stand out, the just stain it darker.

[Horrorhiker]

1 hour ago, Dan Dare said:

I wonder if the fact that it seems to apply to MIM basses may be due to the fact that they are made in a country with a hot dry climate. Bringing them to Blighty, with our colder conditions and higher humidity, may cause an issue due to the different rates of expansion in the woods of the skunk stripe and neck.

I did wonder that myself. My house is an old beamed place with no central heating so is not a place for climate sensitive wood, or people for that matter. 

[Horrorhiker]

50 minutes ago, fleabag said:

It would seem to me that if the design needed a skunk stripe to fill the gap for the truss rod rout, then fitting the same wood as the neck would solve the problem of two differently expanding woods. If the builder wants the stripe to stand out, the just stain it darker.

Yes same here. There has to be a reason but I can't think what. 

[drTStingray]

These appear on Fender basses from the 70s and Musicman (pre EB) - the current MM Old Smoothie Stingray has it. As has been described it relates to a rear loaded (during manufacture) truss rod, usually with a bullet truss rod adjuster at the head stock (the Old Smoothie has the usual MM wheel truss rod at the neck heel and six bolt neck attachment because MM think it's more robust and easily adjustable, I think I saw quoted).

The inserted piece of wood was, in the 70s, a piece of dark contrasting wood. I have heard of truss rods appearing through these before now but never on Musicman or Fender basses from that era - more regularly occassional problems relate to some vagaries with the tilt system on those 3 bolt neck joints - though it had to be said I never had problems with mine and many other people find them fine. I would think it likely that any differential effect with the skunk stripe finish is likely related to operation/movement of the truss rod - and maybe unusual environmental conditions. 

[White Cloud]

I'm the opposite...I won't buy a Fender unless it has the skunk stripe! I thinks it adds an inteesting aesthetic.

Its very common on instruments that feature laminations of different species of hardwoods, especially in the make of the neck to end up with this phenomenon. 

If it's not your thing then it' not your thing.

[Horrorhiker]

42 minutes ago, White Cloud said:

I'm the opposite...I won't buy a Fender unless it has the skunk stripe! I thinks it adds an inteesting aesthetic.

Its very common on instruments that feature laminations of different species of hardwoods, especially in the make of the neck to end up with this phenomenon. 

If it's not your thing then it' not your thing.

I get what you mean. I did think they looked great. I have to have a silky neck. 

..and same goes for my basses.