P bass truss rod adjusting...

mello_bedwetter · #1 03-05-2009, 05:45 PM

I have a 2008 Precision and the action is too high. The saddle of the E string is bottomed out so I want to tweak the truss rod a little. The neck has a slight concave bow so I want to straighten it a little to try to lower the strings. The bass came with a tool for adjusting, a long, straight allen wrench with a red handle...have one? The tip is an allen but it's like a ball. The truss adjustment is at the upper end of the neck, there's a hole cut out of the pick guard for the tool to fit. Do I need to loosen the PG to get the allen on the head of the truss adjustment? If not, does the tool fit flat or level when it's in the head of the truss or will the ball head of the tool fit the adjustment screw at an angle(thus being the shape of a ball)? I would think the notch in the PG would be to prevent having to loosen the PG. I'm just asking 1st before I screw something up. Thanks.

PocketGroove82 · #2 03-05-2009, 06:40 PM

If you've bottomed out your saddle (in less than a year) trying to do your own setups, there is a high probability that you lack the experience necessary to get it right. Granted bro, you probably can't hurt your P just tinkering around with the truss rod and saddles, hell that's how I learned to do setups (at first). But, I think you would be happier and have a better playing bass if you took it to someone qualified, (high school dropouts at your local music store do not count!) then take accurate measurements so you know what to shoot for once you learn how to setup up your basses properly.

Just a suggestion.

mello_bedwetter · #3 03-05-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PocketGroove82

If you've bottomed out your saddle (in less than a year) trying to do your own setups, there is a high probability that you lack the experience necessary to get it right. Granted bro, you probably can't hurt your P just tinkering around with the truss rod and saddles, hell that's how I learned to do setups (at first). But, I think you would be happier and have a better playing bass if you took it to someone qualified, (high school dropouts at your local music store do not count!) then take accurate measurements so you know what to shoot for once you learn how to setup up your basses properly.

Just a suggestion.

That's my plan. I just have to find a Luthier around here. It's actually a 2008/2009, new. I've only had it for 3 weeks. The P came with the tapered wound rounds on it and I put some EB flats on it and that raised it quite a bit, having the bigger strings going over the saddle instead of just the core of the tapereds.
I found a guy that does set-ups and he's supposed to be good at it but the "guitar business" isn't quite a full time business here I guess, he just does it 1 day a week so hard telling how long it'll take. Once it's set up though I'm sure the time will be worth it. The bass sounds good and plays nice...just needs a proper set up. I'm convinced I'm not messing with it. I have a 2000 P and the set up is nice.
I think the guitar business is probably ok around here it's just that a lot of people just buy one and play it as it is. It's my 1st new MIA so I would like it done right. Thanks.

wingnut · #4 03-07-2009, 12:41 PM

To answer your question, yes the tool fits perfectly and there is no need to remove the pick gaurd. If you do a search, there are very easy to follow instructions on how to adjust the neck on your P-Bass. It's not rocket science and once you do it once, you'll have the general idea. You can't always rely on a luthier and it's good to know how ot do your own set up and minor repairs. Have fun with your new P-Bass, I hope you like yours as much as I like mine.

mello_bedwetter · #5 03-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Yeah, the only ones I've worked on had the adjustment on the headstock where the allen fit flat, where as with the adjustment on the upper by the P/G I wasn't for sure how the tool would fit. I went to GC today to get strings and a guy that works there and set up my Geddy tweaked it and the action is nice now. The tool is made to go in at an angle to prevent removing the P/G...what I thought but I didn't want to screw it up just in case. Now I know. Anyway the action is how I like it now. I'd rather watch someone do some work on my bass 1st then I can do it next time. Thanks for the help...appreciated.

ia02 · #6 03-07-2009, 02:01 PM

the ball end allows the tool to be inserted at an angle and still work properly (as opposed to non-ball end allen wrenches which must be inserted into the fastener/truss rod head straight). just insert and turn. and buy dan erlewines book, read it then adjust it yourself. see: http://www.danerlewine.com/

mello_bedwetter · #7 03-07-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ia02

the ball end allows the tool to be inserted at an angle and still work properly (as opposed to non-ball end allen wrenches which must be inserted into the fastener/truss rod head straight). just insert and turn. and buy dan erlewines book, read it then adjust it yourself. see: http://www.danerlewine.com/

Thanks for the tips...I'll get the book too.