Geddy Lee neck relief

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by dropbass

agreed i got a marcus miller jazz...and went cheap got ghs boomers same105 -45 gauge i always use tried forever to get it setup....hated it...went to my DR;s and its fine now cept for the dead fret but ah well its a mij soo

I have a few MIA jazzes and one MIA pbass, never have I ever had any problems with season changes, front or backbow, truss rod problems. I love all my basses whether their made MIA, MIJ/CIJ or MIM but you get what you pay for!

[Johnny Alien]

Originally Posted by pyrohr

Thank you! This is someone who totally understands the problem I'm having!!! This is why I kept posting I figured someone would get it!
Yes Johnny that is what's got me, the string tension in it self didn't pull the neck into more relief. In my 38 years of playing bass I have never completely relaxed a truss rod and had a neck do this! I have 9 other Fenders that I still own and none of them has ever had a truss rod turned one rotation in their lives! They always have been adjusted no more than 1/8 to 1/4 the most at any time in either direction, Then I will wait how ever long it takes to see how the adjustment takes. It seems like every once in a while I have only been backing off my Geddy until this happened. Like I posted before raising the saddles higher moves the string away from the pup, I don't want to lift pups to compensate.

I have heard of this happening with some people and TI Jazz Rounds which are very low tension but the weird thing is that you said you have been using the same strings forever. I have to admit this is slightly beyond me. What I would do if it was me would be to pick up a higher tension set of strings and see if it rectifies the problem. Perhaps having a higher tension set on for awhile will tweak the neck back to where it needs to be. If that didn't work or if you don;t want to try it I would take it to a local shop you trust and talk to the tech there to see what he thinks.

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by Johnny Alien

I have heard of this happening with some people and TI Jazz Rounds which are very low tension but the weird thing is that you said you have been using the same strings forever. I have to admit this is slightly beyond me. What I would do if it was me would be to pick up a higher tension set of strings and see if it rectifies the problem. Perhaps having a higher tension set on for awhile will tweak the neck back to where it needs to be. If that didn't work or if you don;t want to try it I would take it to a local shop you trust and talk to the tech there to see what he thinks.

I'm thinking of putting some 45-105's on it once these strings go dead. I looked up on the Fender site and I was wrong, OEM gauge is 45-105 and I think from using 40-100's that's the reason I have been slowly backing of the truss rod. The strings on the bass now are Fodera strings I believe, these are the first I've used these strings and while they are good strings they are probably adding to the slack of the neck. bass has been wearing DR's most of it's life.

[Frankjohnson]

Originally Posted by pyrohr

Thank you! This is someone who totally understands the problem I'm having!!! This is why I kept posting I figured someone would get it!
Yes Johnny that is what's got me, the string tension in it self didn't pull the neck into more relief. In my 38 years of playing bass I have never completely relaxed a truss rod and had a neck do this! I have 9 other Fenders that I still own and none of them has ever had a truss rod turned one rotation in their lives! They always have been adjusted no more than 1/8 to 1/4 the most at any time in either direction, Then I will wait how ever long it takes to see how the adjustment takes. It seems like every once in a while I have only been backing off my Geddy until this happened. Like I posted before raising the saddles higher moves the string away from the pup, I don't want to lift pups to compensate.

I had in particular.....an acoustic guitar, that had a very similar issue. I used a rubber mallet and lightly tapped the neck up and down to release any binding of the truss rod, and to release any part of the neck tat did not relax. I had to use strings with more tension (the next guage up) to apply enough force to restore pressure to the neck/truss rod assembly.

This is pretty much how I meant my original post. I thought it was implied better. I really understood your issue. (I believe)

>:^{I)>

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by Frankjohnson

I had in particular.....an acoustic guitar, that had a very similar issue. I used a rubber mallet and lightly tapped the neck up and down to release any binding of the truss rod, and to release any part of the neck tat did not relax. I had to use strings with more tension (the next guage up) to apply enough force to restore pressure to the neck/truss rod assembly.

This is pretty much how I meant my original post. I thought it was implied better. I really understood your issue. (I believe)

>:^{I)>

Thank you Frank, I did read your post but don't have a rubber mallet! I would have tried it believe me. As the day went on I did post that the neck seemed to be slowly relaxing! I want to thank all that replied.

[Just Thumpin']

Originally Posted by gregwatts2008

May I suggest that you take your bass to a good Luthier? That bass is a production line bass and probably has not been looked at by a qualified tech.

Folks, this is the best advice given in this thread! A really good luthier will have no problem taking care of this...there are MANY possible reasons why this is happening and many very simple fixes...spend the $90-$100 to take it to the best luthier in your area. As well intentioned as everyone on TB is, there is no substitute for experience and having the instrument in hand....

[dropbass]

Originally Posted by pyrohr

I have a few MIA jazzes and one MIA pbass, never have I ever had any problems with season changes, front or backbow, truss rod problems. I love all my basses whether their made MIA, MIJ/CIJ or MIM but you get what you pay for!

i was in Florida for most of my life and NEVER had to adjust...due to the consistent 99% humidity and heat...but up here its twice a year....just a tweak though never much...and the old P... hell i barley EVER have to even tune that thing... usually only the G after its been in a gig bag...

[Rocky McDougall]

With the truss rod nut loose, allow the neck several days to change. If you sight down the neck and it is straight with no visable bow, a neck- tilt shim is probably the best solultion. Maybe a nut shim may be needed.

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by dropbass

i was in Florida for most of my life and NEVER had to adjust...due to the consistent 99% humidity and heat...but up here its twice a year....just a tweak though never much...and the old P... hell i barley EVER have to even tune that thing... usually only the G after its been in a gig bag...

I agree with twice a year as I live in Brooklyn NY.

[kevinmoore73]

Originally Posted by Just Thumpin'

Folks, this is the best advice given in this thread!

I disagree. I can't imagine spending 10% of the price of the bass to have someone do something that can be done easily with simple hand tools.

If the bass is broken and it's under warranty, sure, take it in. Need to adjust neck relief? Grab the appropriate tool and adjust it in the comfort of your own home.

[Hullaballoo]

I think we all understood what you were talking about, the problem was, and the reason that most of us were puzzled, was that you said that you had the same gauge strings on, when in fact you'd reduced the gauge, and so the tension on the neck.

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by Hullaballoo

I think we all understood what you were talking about, the problem was, and the reason that most of us were puzzled, was that you said that you had the same gauge strings on, when in fact you'd reduced the gauge, and so the tension on the neck.

This bass has worn 40's-100's since I got it new in 2004. I have many jazz basses and I have different basses strung with different gauges depending on body makeup (alder/ash) neck makeup (maple/rosewood) and even country of origin, MIA standard and dlx basses come with 110 "E" strings while other basses will get finicky with that. I bought my Geddy because I wanted a maple necked/alder bodied jazz to add to my arsenal, it was a plus the bass came with blocks and original vintage pups for $600 the price I payed for it! I have a CAR 75RI jazz that also wears the same gauge string but it has a rosewood neck. I attribute the neck situation with my Geddy to the temp in my home which is cool since the seasons are changing. This bass also sits on a stand and not in a case in my living room. Btw I have a Victor Bailey and a MIA standard jazz on stands in my bedroom less than five feet from the window and neither one's neck has moved what so ever!!!

[Hullaballoo]

I'm sorry if I misunderstood - I thought earlier you said you had just changed to Fodera strings, and these may have contributed to the effect, and I thought you meant you'd just changed down, not years ago!
Have you tried leaving the truss rod nut slack for a day or so? If there's slack in the truss rod, and you've got tension in the strings, the neck SHOULD go over with time. If it doesn't, it's either amazingly stiff (in the straight shape) or it's gradually warping with time into a back bend, hence no relief, even with no truss rod pulling it back. I did have a bass that naturally went into a back bend shape once, and as I use TI flats, they didn't have enough tension to pull the neck over into relief. The guy who built the bass put in a two-way truss rod which cured the problem, but that was a warped neck, and hopefully your's isn't. I've read (I've no experience with Geddys) that they've got very flexible necks, so it does seem odd. Have you tried leaving it strung up to tension but with the truss rod not backed off into the "doing nothing" point?