Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Dear Guitarists and bassists.. Trus rod etiquette.


Nibody

Recommended Posts

Please for gods sake loosen the strings when you tighten the truss rod. Particularly on Warwick Rockbass models. Currently own two that had been tightened under tension, causing the brass insert at the top of the truss rod to compress the wood in the neck it sits against and the nut to end up ratted, resulting in inoperable truss rods...  GHAHHH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, warwickhunt said:

If you are adjusting a TR, you're generally talking about 1/8th of a turn max at any time... I've never had a disaster as you've described but I'm not talking about W Rockbass models!  

On the two I have recently bought (Streamer standard and Streamer LX), one being the catastrophic neck failure, both came with ratted truss rod nuts. In the case of the broken neck one (Streamer LX) popped off the frettboard to make neck repair easier. The brass saddle that the truss rod pulls against had compressed the wood behind it to such a degree it had started to rotate at an angle (forcing the truss downwards against a weak part of the neck hence the break) and obviously meant the truss was left with no free threads to work with. I suspect the Streamer Standard has the beginnings of the same problem.

Not a fault of Warwicks (these are 12 year old instruments) more likely some previous owner going at the truss rod like a bull at a gate under full string tension (both are 5 strings).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, warwickhunt said:

If you are adjusting a TR, you're generally talking about 1/8th of a turn max at any time... I've never had a disaster as you've described but I'm not talking about W Rockbass models!  

Got to agree with this - why should you have to?

Or we could ask manufacturers to keep the rod adjuster at the heel so we have to take the neck off every time, strings are pretty loose then

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, gary mac said:

I recently had to replace the truss rod on a Warwick, a so called guitar tech had completely messed it up, sheared the nut and compressed some wood:dash1:

It was a challenging job and not one I want to be doing again anytime soon.

have a couple of ideas and limited skills so sending the neck to andy to play with. Picked up a dubious looking Korean Spector factory second neck which actually turned out to be marked, quite dirty but suprisingly decent andI have saved with a little scraping/carving (neck was wider than fretboard) so now my Streamer standard is a Warwick/Spector hybrid.

 

Edited by Nibody
fat fingers
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the cautionary tale. I was thinking of messing with one of the the truss rods on my 6er to relieve some mild buzzing at the 12th on the B and E strings, but I think I'll just pluck a bit lighter now I've read this ... :-) I haven't touched the truss rod on another one of my basses for 40 years, why start now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, edwn said:

Thanks for the cautionary tale. I was thinking of messing with one of the the truss rods on my 6er to relieve some mild buzzing at the 12th on the B and E strings, but I think I'll just pluck a bit lighter now I've read this ... 🙂 I haven't touched the truss rod on another one of my basses for 40 years, why start now?

 

It's never to late to learn. Seriously, I do not get the Fear Of The Truss Rod... ;)

Don't apply brute force when things don't turn and you'll be ok. There's a few videos online that will show you the right way to adjust a neck. Lose the fear, and enjoy your bass even more :)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The simple laws of physics suggest that trying to adjust the neck under tension is just wrong. The increased friction on the threads of the truss rod/nut under load  for one thing, especially as they don't (usually!) get adjusted that often and are therefore probably a bit sticky. The less load on the threads, the more likely they will move easily (or at all) and so the less likely you are to round out the truss rod nut. The less load on the threads, the more easily they move, and easier it is to tweak the adjustment a fraction at a time. If you don't have the patience to slacken the strings and then re-tune after adjustment and then check the neck relief, fret buzz, action etc.and repeat as necessary you should probably just give the job to someone else.  

One thing worth a mention: Don't use cheap tools. Cheap Allen keys (or "wrenches")  round off very easily: good quality ones ("Unbrako"  or similar) are not that expensive and are a world apart form the cheapo variety. They fit the nut better, and don't twist so easily or lose their edges.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Slappindabass said:

I did a one day set up course. However the neck were adjusted under tension

Did the course organiser also repair broken truss rods?

If you adjust a truss rod under tension you have to by default move the nut under strain, that will cause some wear and tear on both the nut and the rod. If the nut is brass the wear will be more and we all know how easy it is to wreck a thread. OK if all goes well the wear will be slight but every time you adjust it will happen and eventually will become  a problem, look at how many classic instruments have truss rod issues. Remember you will need to apply more strain to the rod and it's anchors including crushed wood fires) to move the neck under tension that it needs just to hold it there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive never had issues with truss rod adjustment, and i do it under tension if im loosening it, or i loosen the strings if tightening it (sometimes).

Strangely my new bass has no nut resistance at all to get it to the relief i want. i think i might have issues later on. it does grip if i tighten it so its not stripped.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 14/07/2019 at 09:41, warwickhunt said:

If you are adjusting a TR, you're generally talking about 1/8th of a turn max at any time

Absolutely agree - the loads going into compressible woods by a very slight turn are enormous. Had a Yamaha a while back and the manual spoke of 'just half a turn'... good grief!!
So, tension off, sharp tweak to release the embedded lock-up that often occurs (especially on new basses) and then very small adjustments, max 1/8th at a time. IMHO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 14/07/2019 at 14:46, edwn said:

Thanks for the cautionary tale. I was thinking of messing with one of the the truss rods on my 6er to relieve some mild buzzing at the 12th on the B and E strings, but I think I'll just pluck a bit lighter now I've read this ... :-) I haven't touched the truss rod on another one of my basses for 40 years, why start now?

Neither did I. Then when I did eventually pluck the courage up to adjust it, it had locked solid. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was going to give the neck on my Limelight a tweak as the action has increased quite a bit up the neck. But because its based on a 1963 Precision the neck has to be removed before it can be adjusted.

I think I,ll leave it in case I muck it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tweak small amounts under tension, no problem. I'd detune a bit before bigger adjustments though.

When my old Yam that had been untouched for 10+ years needed bringing back to life I removed all string tension first as it needed a right cranking, it was more like a longbow than a bass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Hobbayne said:

I was going to give the neck on my Limelight a tweak as the action has increased quite a bit up the neck. But because its based on a 1963 Precision the neck has to be removed before it can be adjusted.

I think I,ll leave it in case I muck it up.

You should find you don't have to take the screws fully out  to get at the truss rod, just loosen  the lower 2 first, then do the top two and the neck should tilt enough for access.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Safest way is to gently push the neck backward to 'flatten' it out thereby taking the tension off the rod and adjust the nut. Never had a problem in all my playing life.

note - always loosen the nut first to check movement to unstick the nut and then start tightening in small turns. If in any doubt go to a reliable tech.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After nearly 30 years of a big variety of bass ownership, I've recently bought two SR5s and tackled the truss rod for the first time.  The little wheel makes it super easy and both moved no problem and did what they should.  The wheel is very easy to use so maybe I got lucky.  It did feel cool seeing the relief change 😎

Edit: and I did it under tension.

Edited by kusee pee
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...