Do necks to move over time?

[cameltoe]

Just tweaked it now, feels better already.

Had to remove all bolts, got girlfriend to hold strings to fretboard and pull back on headstock slightly, whilst I supported heel of neck and tightened truss rod 1/4 turn.

Just tweaked the action as well, only on E and G strings as the saddles always seemed a bit high to my eyes.

Much, much easier to play already. Will give it a good 24 hours now and see what it's like then.

Is a 1/4 turn usually enough to compensate for seasonal and inital playing-in changes to the relief?

[The Burpster]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1076701' date='Jan 3 2011, 07:53 PM'][url="http://www.garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/setupmanual.html"]Here's[/url] another good guide too.[/quote]


Nice one, not seen that before, (hmmmm thinks 'should I have a sticky for set-up help sites....?)


[quote name='cameltoe' post='1076917' date='Jan 3 2011, 11:02 PM']Just tweaked it now, feels better already.

Had to remove all bolts, got girlfriend to hold strings to fretboard and pull back on headstock slightly, whilst I supported heel of neck and tightened truss rod 1/4 turn.

Just tweaked the action as well, only on E and G strings as the saddles always seemed a bit high to my eyes.

Much, much easier to play already. Will give it a good 24 hours now and see what it's like then.

Is a 1/4 turn usually enough to compensate for seasonal and inital playing-in changes to the relief?[/quote]

Well done fella, and welcome to the dark side.....

1/4 turn for single action (like yours) and 1/8 turn for double action is normally enough to sort out issues, however, whatever the issue I only ever adjust by that amount in one go and then leave it to settle. It might not be enough and youmay need to tweak it a bit more or less but remember you are effectivley persuading a piece of wood to bend, so baby steps is best....

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='cameltoe' post='1076917' date='Jan 3 2011, 11:02 PM']Just tweaked it now, feels better already.

Had to remove all bolts, got girlfriend to hold strings to fretboard and pull back on headstock slightly, whilst I supported heel of neck and tightened truss rod 1/4 turn (the Status necks never move!)

Just tweaked the action as well, only on E and G strings as the saddles always seemed a bit high to my eyes.

Much, much easier to play already. Will give it a good 24 hours now and see what it's like then.

Is a 1/4 turn usually enough to compensate for seasonal and inital playing-in changes to the relief?[/quote]

I usually give my Fenders a quarter turn but this year they've needed a bit more because the central heating has been going full pelt for the last month and dried all the moisture out of the air.

It's actually possible to get to the truss rod adjuster without taking the neck fully off:

Slacken the strings off completely
Slacken the 2 neck bolts at the top so they're approx 10mm clear of the neck plate
Undo the other 2 bolts at the bottom enough to clear the neck completely (approx 15 to 20mm).
You should then be able to tilt the neck out of it's pocket just enough to get the allen key in and make the adjustment.

If you make small adjustments you're unlikely to damage the neck, you have to really crank the trussrod hard to strip the thread or break something. Most important thing is not to damage the threads for the neck bolts by over tightening each time you have the neck off although this can be fixed with inserts by a repairman if necessary.

If the E and G are a little high then that'll need to be adjusted on the bridge.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Fat Rich

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1077088' date='Jan 4 2011, 10:19 AM']Check out 2:10 onward Fender don't believe in baby steps

[/quote]

Woah! After watching that, I want to buy hand-made.

[bigjohn]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1077088' date='Jan 4 2011, 10:19 AM']Check out 2:10 onward Fender don't believe in baby steps

[/quote]

The presenter of that is a knob.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='1077089' date='Jan 4 2011, 10:21 AM']I usually give my Fenders a quarter turn but this year they've needed a bit more because the central heating has been going full pelt for the last month and dried all the moisture out of the air.

It's actually possible to get to the truss rod adjuster without taking the neck fully off:

Slacken the strings off completely
Slacken the 2 neck bolts at the top so they're approx 10mm clear of the neck plate
Undo the other 2 bolts at the bottom enough to clear the neck completely (approx 15 to 20mm).
You should then be able to tilt the neck out of it's pocket just enough to get the allen key in and make the adjustment.

If you make small adjustments you're unlikely to damage the neck, you have to really crank the trussrod hard to strip the thread or break something. Most important thing is not to damage the threads for the neck bolts by over tightening each time you have the neck off although this can be fixed with inserts by a repairman if necessary.

If the E and G are a little high then that'll need to be adjusted on the bridge.[/quote]


OK So I just had a play on it, some 14 hours on, and the action is just about as low as can be. It seems to be right on the tipping point of playing perfectly, yet possibly needing a touch more relief to stay consistently good, as it needs to be fully in tune to play perfectly. However it is a complete joy to play again.

Very similar to how it was when I bought it, in fact, as I remember in the shop it played like a complete dog on one occasion, until i realised every string was slightly out of tune. A quick tune-up and it was absolute magic.

I think I would have preferred a touch more relief- although this is how I love the guitar to play, and the reason I fell in love with it, knowing the neck will shift slightly over time makes me think I should have a bit more room for error.

I'm in two minds whether to give the truss rod a very slight tweak to allow a bit more relief, and more room for error, or leave it as it is.

It would be such a small adjustment though that I may just leave as-is. I'd probably end up moving it too far the other way, then have to readjust a few times to try and get it to play nice again.

Plus I do have fairly light gauge (40-100) low-tension DR sunbeams on there at the moment.

It seems to have it's magic back in any case!

[The Burpster]

My job here is done...!

[colleya]

Just to add my thanks for the advice on this thread.

Just as I was starting to notice the extra effort needed when playing my jazz, it's emboldened me to give it quick quarter turn. I wouldn't have dared before, but after a quick read and 10 mins finding the right allen key, she feels lovely and low again.

Cheers gents!

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='cameltoe' post='1077274' date='Jan 4 2011, 01:29 PM']OK So I just had a play on it, some 14 hours on, and the action is just about as low as can be. It seems to be right on the tipping point of playing perfectly, yet possibly needing a touch more relief to stay consistently good, as it needs to be fully in tune to play perfectly. However it is a complete joy to play again.

Very similar to how it was when I bought it, in fact, as I remember in the shop it played like a complete dog on one occasion, until i realised every string was slightly out of tune. A quick tune-up and it was absolute magic.

I think I would have preferred a touch more relief- although this is how I love the guitar to play, and the reason I fell in love with it, knowing the neck will shift slightly over time makes me think I should have a bit more room for error.

I'm in two minds whether to give the truss rod a very slight tweak to allow a bit more relief, and more room for error, or leave it as it is.

It would be such a small adjustment though that I may just leave as-is. I'd probably end up moving it too far the other way, then have to readjust a few times to try and get it to play nice again.

Plus I do have fairly light gauge (40-100) low-tension DR sunbeams on there at the moment.

It seems to have it's magic back in any case![/quote]

That's more or less where I was at when that 1/8th turn did the final trick

[cameltoe]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='1077694' date='Jan 4 2011, 07:11 PM']My job here is done...!

[/quote]

Yep! Thanks for the help sir!

[stingrayPete1977]

I too have just had a spin on the wheel of fortune to correct an overstraight neck on the 5'er, Reset the action to about 1.3mm at the 12th fret under all 5 strings (shade more on the B ) it just needs a fine tune on the peterson tuner at EBS_freaks house to get the intonation spot on. The 6th fret is a shade high if you are trying to set it lower and flatter than me, That said its very flat and like I say 1.3mm at the 12th fret anyway. I always thought I had a fairly high action but from reading other threads Im a low to medium at best now! I might add a little more relief in when I put the 40 gauge strings on when I have had my moneys worth from the stock ones as the whole thing will want doing again then anyway, Fun though fiddling aint it?

Edited January 4, 2011 by stingrayPete1977

[The Burpster]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1077903' date='Jan 4 2011, 09:15 PM']Fun though fiddling aint it? [/quote]

It is but its also essential maintainence and it gets you on a whole new level of intimacy with your instrument.

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='1076579' date='Jan 3 2011, 06:10 PM']OK so now I'm intregued, I've set up American, German and Jap basses, electrics and accoustics single and double action trussrods..... can you let me know which truss rods are not a std righthand thread....?[/quote]

I can't remember offhand but I'm sure when I was researching (to make sure I did it properly on my Warwick) it was mentioned that some turned the other way. I've never personally encountered any though.

[OutToPlayJazz]

In my experience, wooden necks (depending on the profile and rigidity) do need at least seasonal changes. Thinner necks seem to be more prone to movement, though. My Geddy Lee Jazz would infuriatingly change shape dramatically within a sudden change of dry-wet weather, but then again I do use very thin strings usually.

The best wooden necks I've had for stability were the Yamaha TRB-6 (the ironing board) and my MusicMan Stingray Piezo. Perhaps these had the highest levels of rigidity? Who knows?

But only graphite necks seem to never move at all. Set them and that's where they stay, unless you're playing in a blast furnace or at the North Pole

Rich.

[The Burpster]

Rich, you saying the Statii really don't move... at all?

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='1079132' date='Jan 5 2011, 08:38 PM']Rich, you saying the Statii really don't move... at all?[/quote]

Can't speak for OTPJ, but none of mine have ever moved at all.

Rob Green describes them as "Set and forget", the only time I've adjusted one is when I bought a used S2 Classic with what felt like guitar strings on and the truss rod was fully slackened off. Put some 40-130s and tightened it up and haven't had to touch it since.