DaytonaRik

This problem is the other way around - even with NO tension on the truss rod (ie completely wound off) there is insufficient tension in the strings to put a positive curve into the neck unless it's over-pitched

I've no idea how long it was stored - I'm guessing years rather than months. The previous owner had stripped the electronics out and started to sand the body back then abandoned it. I've had it strung for a good 12 months at least...maybe longer.

I bought an old Cort headless flying vee bass as a restoration project but it seems that the previous owner had stored it unstrung but with compression still on the truss rod - the net effect is that the neck has no curve, in fact, it's probably bowed the wrong way! The truss rod is currently completely wound off and I have to pitch it to an F or Gb for it to be remotely playable. It's a through neck so swapping a neck isn't an option.

Has anyone come across this issue and if so is it salvagable? I was wondering about shaving/sanding the neck to reduce the bulk or whether a luthier has access to arcane knowledge/black arts to restore the curve.

Comments/advice appreciated.

Hi all,

Just joined and thought I'd best follow protocol and say "hi"

A bit about me - long time guitarist, short time bassist! I've played guitar in rock bands for 20 odd years but found myself as a pure vocalist in a band a few years ago. That was until the bass player quit so I decided to step into the breach and took on four-string duties

I admit to having an absolute ball and thought it might be a lot of fun to contine as a bass player and three years later I find myself playing in a Thin Lizzy/Gary Moore cover (not tribute) band. I guess that suits my pick style of playing quite nicely but I'm slowly teaching myself to move over to finger-style for the odd track and for self-improvement.

I guess as a guitarist I've no real bass-playing heroes but Neil Murray has always stood out as a cracking player, along with Steve Harris, Billy Sheehan. The rock crowd I guess! Also rate Chris Childs (Thunder and The Union) as a very good player.

Gear-wise I picked up an 80's Bass Collection EB310 to start with and recently a Schecter Omen Extreme and run through an Ashdown ABM500 1x15 combo with an ABM 2x10 extension cab. I've always had a thing for Thunderbirds (I used to use a Firebird) so no doubt one of those will wing it's way into the collection in due course.

Anyway - enough waffle from me - I look forward to browsing through the forums and exchanging views/comments with you all in due course.

Rik