Help: more truss rod stuff.

[pie_man_25]

How do you know when a truss rod is broken? and how would one go about replacing one?

It's not particularly urgent - given that it's not my main bass - but my P style bass has been having some neck alignment issues, so I removed the neck and then put some toothpicks into the neck holes, and then re-attached it. The alignment problem is more or less fixed, but now there is NO relief on the neck, and no matter how much I adjust the truss rod there seems to be no change. I would like to know what the signs for a broken truss-rod would be, and how I would go about fixing or replacing one if my truss rood really is broken.

edit: I'd like to be able to have this neck fixed by next friday at best, but I'll admit it's quite unrealistic. I'm thinking of just putting some heavy guage strings on it and hoping that bends the neck enough.

[Pilgrim]

If you have no relief, you need to loosen the truss rod, not tighten it. Doesn't sound like it's broken - maybe the truss rod nut is stripped and if you're attempting to loosen it, you're just not backing it off. If heavier gauge strings - or higher tension strings - create enough relief, then you're OK.

[loinmute]

Maybe your turning it and not waiting long enough, and turn it again? It could take up to 12 hours sometimes to notice a truss rod adjustment.