Truss rod adjustment - the hierarchy of horror

[tauzero]

I've got a couple of truss rods to adjust and as I'm waiting for strings before I do one and I want to get some momentum before tackling the other, here are my truss rod adjustments from easiest to hardest.

 

• Headless bass with truss rod adjustment at the unheadstock end, generally a 4mm hex key - easy, but you need to know which way to turn it
• Truss rod wheel (why did Cort use that on the headless Space 4 and 5 when they could have put a 4mm adjuster at the other end of the neck?)
• Headed bass with uncovered adjuster at headstock end
• Hex key adjuster at body end (why did Ibanez use that on the headless EHBs?)
• Headed bass with covered adjuster at headstock end, with extra points if the adjuster requires a special tool (Pedulla, and their truss rod turns in the unconventional direction too) and the following sub-categories:

1. Pivoting cover section (Ibanez SRF705, don't know about others)
2. Tool-free removable cover section (Warwick) - just be careful not to lose that bit
3. Truss rod cover held on with screws - bonus points for using multiple screws, the worst so far has been Esh with four (guess which bass I need to get a bit of momentum up for?)

• And finally, and I'm so glad I don't have any of these any more, the awful ones that you have to take the neck off to adjust

 

It also helps to know which way to turn the truss rod. My Warwicks and Seis and the Pedulla all need the adjuster turning anticlockwise to tighten the truss rod (decrease relief), everything else is the other way.

 

Any other truss rod adjustment types? I haven't included double truss rods as they're just two of the same, nor have I mentioned having to bend Rickenbacker necks in order to tighten the truss rod as I've never owned one so never had to perform that operation.

[itu]

You didn't mention how useful a torque wrench can be, especially with two rods. 

[police squad]

are all Warwicks the wrong way then? I'm sure both my adam clayton basses are normal

[goingdownslow]

45 minutes ago, police squad said:

are all Warwicks the wrong way then?

My '90 & '91 Thumb basses are anti clockwise to tighten the (removable) rod, but I have reversed the rod in one so as to force forward relief when tightened.

[warwickhunt]

1 hour ago, police squad said:

are all Warwicks the wrong way then? I'm sure both my adam clayton basses are normal

 

No.  The 'reverse' TRs are nearly always on basses 91 or earlier (not encountered a 92 that is reverse) and it is defo NOT all Warwicks of this early period... just some!  

[police squad]

1 hour ago, warwickhunt said:

 

No.  The 'reverse' TRs are nearly always on basses 91 or earlier (not encountered a 92 that is reverse) and it is defo NOT all Warwicks of this early period... just some!  

ah ok,  never knew that

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, warwickhunt said:

 

No.  The 'reverse' TRs are nearly always on basses 91 or earlier (not encountered a 92 that is reverse) and it is defo NOT all Warwicks of this early period... just some!  

 

Which is why I said you need to know which way to turn the truss rod - I do have a 2000 Thumb but I don't think I've had to adjust the trussrod on it.