SD Curlee Hondo II

[bloke_zero]

On 06/11/2025 at 13:17, Bassassin said:

I think what we can't be clear about with this bass, is whether this is a problem that's developed over the years, or whether it's always been like this. This is a Korean-made bass from the late 70s, a time when factories like Samick (who made this) & Cort were upping their games but still not achieving the QC of the more established manufacturers. I've had a few Korean-made through-neck basses from this era which had unadjustably high actions simply because they came out of the factory that way, rather than deterioration. Here's a Samick-made Satellite I had, which some previous owner's corrected by routing the bridge about 5mm into the body:

 

 

I think before suggesting any remedial action with the SD Curlee, I'd need to know whether we're correcting an age-related problem, or a manufacturing flaw. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the former.

 

 

I'm watching an auction where someone has done this on a SD curlee but in such as a way as 'dogs breakfast' makes it sound better than it is:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/86586914-sd-curlee-design-series-bass-mid-70-s-standard

[Bassassin]

1 hour ago, bloke_zero said:

I'm watching an auction where someone has done this on a SD curlee but in such as a way as 'dogs breakfast' makes it sound better than it is:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/86586914-sd-curlee-design-series-bass-mid-70-s-standard

 

The seller doesn't point out that this absolutely catastrophic bodgefest is a Hondo with the logo removed, not an original US-made Curlee. They maybe don't know - but now you do. 👍

 

18 hours ago, prowla said:

I thought it had already been figured out that shimming wasn’t going to do anything, because the neck and bridge both sit on the same plank of wood; it’s a bit like a dog chasing its tail.

 

I know - just me being a dork! 

[Andyjr1515]

As there has been so much confusion, I've done four drawings of the options discussed so far...but just found out about Imgur stopping working in the UK.  My whole Basschat portfolio of photos were on Imgur!   

 

No matter about that - anyone know/remember how to post an image (small jpeg) nowadays?

 

[Andyjr1515]

7 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

As there has been so much confusion, I've done four drawings of the options discussed so far...but just found out about Imgur stopping working in the UK.  My whole Basschat portfolio of photos were on Imgur!   

 

No matter about that - anyone know/remember how to post an image (small jpeg) nowadays?

 

I think I found it.  I was over my image allocation on the forum here.  I've cleared some so can now attach the new ones

[Andyjr1515]

So, the various options we have discussed.

 

Option 1 

 

This is where a single, long, wedge-shaped shim - or a series of progressively thicker shims - lift the whole neck to the bridge position.  In order for the bridge to drop and result in the lower action, the protruding wedge of neck needs to be flattened back down to the level of the body top

 

 

Option 2

 

This is where the extended neck is cut into two, cutting through just after the fretboard ends.  Then, with the addition of a couple more neck fixing screws (that can be hidden under the existing back plate), the shim or shims only need to be under the heel of the neck and the pickup chambers and bridge are unaffected

 

 

Option 3

 

Similar to option 2, with the neck being cut to avoid having to disturb the bridge, but this time the cut is made at the pickup chambers.  There may need to be some more wood removed in front of the pickups, but probably not

 

 

Option 4

 

This is where there are no shims involved, but the bridge area is routed so the bridge can be sunk into the top, lowering the action.  The disadvantage with this one is that the strings may then start fouling either the bass top near the bridge or, more likely, the pickups.

 

Hope this helps clarify.

[W1_Pro]

So I've just got back after a rather splendid weekend in Alsace. The cheese and wine were, as ever, fantastic. Anyhow, thanks Andy, for all of the extra curricular activity. Excellent work. I have made the cut -I thought on balance that in the pickup rout might be best- some pics below..

[W1_Pro]

As you can see, in theory, once its all back together, the cut should be pretty much invisible.  I've done a test stringing (without drilling secondary fixings for the neck or doing any sanding as yet) and the action is much more sensible, however, there does seem to be a bow of about 1.2mm (at the 7th fret- the worst spot) in the neck.  The 1.2mm is with the rod slack. Cranking the truss rod does not seem to make a difference. I seem to recall bow can be corrected using  clamps and a rigid thing to clamp the neck too. Any ideas on the process folks?

Edited Monday at 22:35 by W1_Pro

[W1_Pro]

3 hours ago, bloke_zero said:

I'm watching an auction where someone has done this on a SD curlee but in such as a way as 'dogs breakfast' makes it sound better than it is:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/86586914-sd-curlee-design-series-bass-mid-70-s-standard

Bloody hell. What a mess. They want the thick end of three hundred notes for that? It would be a cold day in hell before I parted with that much cheddar for a horlicks like this. Interestingly though, and speaking to Bassassins point about whether the high action (on mine) was  a production defect or a subsequent development, this seems to have got it too, and it looks like they've attempted at least, to remediate the issue by lowereing the bridge. Maybe it was a dodgy batch?

[W1_Pro]

Having scoured YouTube last night, I think I know what to do.. I'm going to attempt to correct the bow today using heat and clamps. More news and pics anon.

[W1_Pro]

So, I had the neck clamped up all night and the bow seems better, if not entirely cured. This morning I decided to tackle the concealed fixings for the neck. I drilled a hole in the body using a 4mm bit and then the last cm into the heel of the neck, a 3mm. I then used a spare screw to thread the holes (in

the neck) and make it easier to get the proper fixing in. Here's a pic

 

Edited yesterday at 10:59 by W1_Pro

[W1_Pro]

The screws were from a kit I got off ebay. There were long neck fixing screws and shorter neck fixing screws, these are the shorter option. So when it was all back together the  end of the neck sits a little bit proud of the body:

 

 

 

[W1_Pro]

The action is now a respectable 3mm at the 12th. However the strings are bottoming out between the 22nd and 24th frets because of the shimming (which is still quite extreme). So I'm going to remove one of the shims and see where we land, but I think I might need to take a little bit of material off the heel of the neck.

[Andyjr1515]

Are those frets hard down or just buzzing?  If it's the latter, then it would be as effective - and it would mean retaining the full (and impressive!) improvement in action - to file the buzzing frets a touch.  I use nail file emery boards from a supermarket and can run through with you how to do it without wrecking anything.  If they are absolutely hard down, you could still do that but probably safer to adjust the shim a touch as you describe.

[W1_Pro]

They are hard down Andy...chocking off accross the strings when I go above the 14th fret...

 

Edited 5 hours ago by W1_Pro

[W1_Pro]

I attempted to reduce the shimmage (is that a word?) today and met with no success. I think its going to ned to have some material removed from the heel. This I plan to do by doing a little bit of gentle planning. I need to get a plane first though...the only one I have atm is a black and decker electic one and that will be much too brutal. Gentle touch needed, I fancy...

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, W1_Pro said:

I attempted to reduce the shimmage (is that a word?) today and met with no success. I think its going to ned to have some material removed from the heel. This I plan to do by doing a little bit of gentle planning. I need to get a plane first though...the only one I have atm is a black and decker electic one and that will be much too brutal. Gentle touch needed, I fancy...

Hold fire before taking material off the heel - unless I've misunderstood what you mean by the heel!  Something doesn't sound right.  If you take the neck off and remove the shim that you've added and then bolt the neck back on, does it return to the excessive action height as before?

[Andyjr1515]

Have just pm'd you  

[W1_Pro]

52 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Hold fire before taking material off the heel - unless I've misunderstood what you mean by the heel!  Something doesn't sound right.  If you take the neck off and remove the shim that you've added and then bolt the neck back on, does it return to the excessive action height as before?

So originally, I had two shims in (Business cards, folded in three and held together with double sided). So quite a lot of shim. That angled the neck and got the action to an acceptable level, but it meant that at the end of the fretboard (the end at the body that is), the strings were completely bottomed out when I played anything above the 14th fret iirc.  So I took one of the two shims out. That made the action higher and the issue with the strings bottoming out is still there, although maybe not quite as bad, but the bass is still effectively unplayable...