Grateful Dead Music Forum

Interesting.

Watch the whole 6 minutes as, late in the video, he posts graphs that show exactly the frequency response differences between the two necks.

I'm posting the URL itself as the usual technique for posting YouTube videos here didn't work for me with this one.

"tonefiend by joe gore

Hear what happens when I replace the Fender neck on a "parts" strat with an aluminum neck from Alef Guitars. (Spoiler: It's dramatic!) More info at https://bit.ly/3sfyIYZ."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfev-uH ... e=emb_logo

Cool video. Definitely makes a difference in the tone. I would be interested in playing one to see how it feels under fingers (resonance etc.)
Dan Jamison is a Jerry tone seeker who I follow on YouTube. He plays in Dead cover bands around PA. Anyway, here he is playing Russian Lullaby on his Kramer with Aluminum Neck. Sounds fantastic!

https://youtu.be/26DpR7DxNkM

BTW He’s a great player!

Cool video. I heard clearly: scooped mids and better note articulation and the data supported. Chalk one up for me. LOL!!!

One of the best comparison-type guitar videos I've ever seen. I LOVE that he keeps going back and forth between the two, riff for riff. Too many comparison videos stay on one for a few minutes, then switch to the other. It's much more effective when they keep quickly changing back and forth.

Many years ago I played with a guy that had a Travis. He always complained about the neck being cold (not to mention the weight).

Bill, tgo

Definitely cool video, and yeah, there is a difference.

Ya’ know, I was recently looking to buy one of these aluminum necks, and I swear they all jumped up in price rather steeply about 4-6 months ago. Many were offered in the under $500 range, and now all I find them for is around $750 to $900. Ugh!

Searing75 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:30 pm Ya’ know, I was recently looking to buy one of these aluminum necks, and I swear they all jumped up in price rather steeply about 4-6 months ago. Many were offered in the under $500 range, and now all I find them for is around $750 to $900. Ugh!

Check out the vintage Kramer guitars. Their pretty cool and rescheduled from $1500 -$3000 for the whole guitar. Here’s a couple:

https://reverb.com/item/37176766-kramer ... t=37176766

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1979-Kramer-DM ... 890.l49292

https://www.ebay.com/itm/KRAMER-DMZ-200 ... 890.l49292

Two questions:

Where are the best places to score new aluminum replacement necks from?

Is there anyone who sells TB-shaped replacement guitar bodies?

Obviously, my question is coming from a place of considering what it would take to assemble a new TB-like partscaster.

Thanks.

Jon, I don’t think you would have much luck trying to mate a neck like the one in the video to a TB body. The neck on TBs ran 3/4 of the way through the body to include the bridge mounted on the neck billet.

Bill, tgo

lbpesq wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:16 am Jon, I don’t think you would have much luck trying to mate a neck like the one in the video to a TB body. The neck on TBs ran 3/4 of the way through the body to include the bridge mounted on the neck billet.

Bill, tgo

Thanks for the clarification (the photo in this eBay listing illustrates it: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Travis-Bean-Gu ... 7675.l2557).

This being acknowledged, my gut, especially given the video I linked to in my OP, is that bolting an aluminum neck onto a wooden body could still get at least close to the TB tones.

So I'm still asking whether anyone has recommendations for suitable neck or body parts!

Jon S. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 3:09 pm

lbpesq wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:16 am Jon, I don’t think you would have much luck trying to mate a neck like the one in the video to a TB body. The neck on TBs ran 3/4 of the way through the body to include the bridge mounted on the neck billet.

Bill, tgo

Thanks for the clarification (the photo in this eBay listing illustrates it: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Travis-Bean-Gu ... 7675.l2557).

This being acknowledged, my gut, especially given the video I linked to in my OP, is that bolting an aluminum neck onto a wooden body could still get at least close to the TB tones.

So I'm still asking whether anyone has recommendations for suitable neck or body parts!


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Kramer and Travis Bean were partners up until 1975. Just get a vintage Kramer and you should get the Travis Bean tones.

Old aluminum Kramers are definitely a bargain compared with TBs. I've played both, and far prefer the Kramers. Kramer's design is a bit different, though. The Kramer employed a bolt-on neck that didn't run through 3/4 of the body, like on the Beans. Also, while Beans were built with both solid and hollow all aluminum necks, the Kramer necks are a "T" shape, with the fingerboard being the top of the "T" with the bottom of the aluminum "T" running down the middle of the back of the neck, like the skunk stripe on old Strats. The sides were filled in with wood inserts. The Kramer design feels more like a regular neck.

Another "different" neck to consider are the old Modulus Graphite necks, and the newer Moses necks. I have a Modulus on my #1 guitar and LOVE it.

Bill, tgo

OK, I'm convinced in theory. Now the practice - if anyone spots a suitable Kramer that is not a freaking boat anchor, please let me know.

Robot graves. Real nice aluminum necks.

Searing75 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 16, 2021 12:30 pm Robot graves. Real nice aluminum necks.