Heel adjust truss

[DaRK_CaRNiVaL]

I have a heel adjust truss rod that seems to be stuck on me, I only wanted to eek out about half a turn out of it. It appear to be able to go back the other way but I didnt try too hard. I don't believe it is maxed out, I have seen a couple of pics of basses with the heel adjust rod which were maxed out.. these were a few good mm deep into the hole as the nut goes deeper the more it is tightened. This one is maybe 1mm deep from the end of the neck so hardly any turns have been done, and it is a very stable neck too. Any suggestions or experience with the much loved heel adjust rods?

[R. Laevinus]

...this probably doesn't help much, but I did not love the heel-adjust rod on my MIA P.

I did not love it so much that it ended up getting replaced with a MIM.

I found, compared to the headstock-adjust rods, it was awfully resistant to turning, in either direction. I vote just keep at it, being patient and careful, of course. You may wish to try some graphite as lube, but don't use any kind of oil or grease. If all else fails, take it to a tech. It may in fact be maxed out, despite the depth - not all necks are created equal.

[ByF]

Can you loosen it? Try removing the nut, cleaning any gunk off the threads, and adding a little graphite when you reassemble it. When you're adjusting the rod loosen the strings completely, and and "help" the neck to bend in the direction you want by bending it over your knee.

Ed

[DaRK_CaRNiVaL]

Originally Posted by R. Laevinus

...this probably doesn't help much, but I did not love the heel-adjust rod on my MIA P.

I did not love it so much that it ended up getting replaced with a MIM.

I found, compared to the headstock-adjust rods, it was awfully resistant to turning, in either direction. I vote just keep at it, being patient and careful, of course. You may wish to try some graphite as lube, but don't use any kind of oil or grease. If all else fails, take it to a tech. It may in fact be maxed out, despite the depth - not all necks are created equal.

I don't like the heel adjust, I much prefer the MIM system where you just grab the whole thing, leverage the neck with the body as extra weight and do the adjustment.. simple. But tone overrules practicality, and this bass rocks in every other way

Originally Posted by ByF

Can you loosen it? Try removing the nut, cleaning any gunk off the threads, and adding a little graphite when you reassemble it. When you're adjusting the rod loosen the strings completely, and and "help" the neck to bend in the direction you want by bending it over your knee.
Ed

Hi Ed, I can certainly try this, as long as it won't be too difficult to get it back to the point it was and I dont actually give it MORE relief. It isnt as easy to get leverage on just a neck,that is I have to take it off to adjust. I have never used graphite before, It is the powder lubricant right? I had a lquick look online.

[walterw]

just unscrew the thing, clean it off, rub a little wax onto the threads and crank it back on. easy.

[Ragist]

Totally hate it... Mine is over at the heel and it has the "plus sign" nut (not sure what its called) and is really a pain to adjust. But there's a problem with it - the neck is still concave, but the truss rod is maxed out. I might be bringing it to a luthier soon, but just for an idea, does removing the truss rod cause any damages to the neck?

[DaRK_CaRNiVaL]

Originally Posted by walterw

just unscrew the thing, clean it off, rub a little wax onto the threads and crank it back on. easy.

I have some vaseline around somewhere, might just use a dab of that

[DaRK_CaRNiVaL]

Looks like I will do the washer method at some point in the future, cleaned out the nut and it is smooth untill it gets to that point where it gets tight so most likely the end. At the moment the action is decent enough to leave as it is.