Quick Fodera Truss Rod Question...

[LikeButtah]

Adjusting my VW Monarch for the first time... is it clockwise to tighten or loosen?

[LikeButtah]

Got it NM... loosened it about 3/4 turn to get rid of the buzz in the middle of the fretboard... strange I thought I'd be tightening it.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by LikeButtah

Adjusting my VW Monarch for the first time... is it clockwise to tighten or loosen?

Thing of a truss rod like the lid of a jar.... clockwise tighten... i.e., brings the neck 'up', couterclockwise loosens, or relaxes the rod to result in more of a bow in the neck.

Clockwise and counterclockwise is defined when looking at the adjustment nut (regardless of whether the access is at the headstock or the body).

[KJung]

Originally Posted by LikeButtah

Got it NM... loosened it about 3/4 turn to get rid of the buzz in the middle of the fretboard... strange I thought I'd be tightening it.

This is a HUGE amount of adjustment. It's always better to move a rod in about 1/8's turns and let it sit for a bit. A neck will continue to bow or flatten for a while after the turn is made. My guess is, you will have to retighten a 1/2 turn. It is VERY rare to move a rod more than a 1/4 turn in any situation. You won't do any harm, but my guess is the bow in the neck will be VERY extreme in your bass by tomorrow. Just tighten it up a bit again and you should be fine.

[LikeButtah]

I dunno I can either pick buzzing at 5th fret, or buzzing at 12th fret... no adjustment seems to give me the buzz free perfection it was in when I got it... :\

Edit: Well I raised the E string a tiny bit and that took care of most of my issues. I'm just a little leery about bridge adjustments, as it was fine when it came to me a month ago, same strings and bridge setup... so that only leaves the neck... but where it's at is "ok" for now... i'll take your advice and check it in a few days to see if it needs further adjustment.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by LikeButtah

I dunno I can either pick buzzing at 5th fret, or buzzing at 12th fret... no adjustment seems to give me the buzz free perfection it was in when I got it... :\

Edit: Well I raised the E string a tiny bit and that took care of most of my issues. I'm just a little leery about bridge adjustments, as it was fine when it came to me a month ago, same strings and bridge setup... so that only leaves the neck... but where it's at is "ok" for now... i'll take your advice and check it in a few days to see if it needs further adjustment.

Often a bass is adjusted with the bridge saddles too low and the neck having too much bow to 'make up for that'. As a result, you get a bass that feels like the strings are too high in the middle of the neck, but the strings are buzzing from the 12th fret on up.

If you kind of know what you are doing, raise the saddles so the bass does not buzz at all when playing at the 15th fret or so. Then, flatten the neck out by tightening the board, and reintonate. You will be amazed at how even the neck feels when set up that way.

[Just Thumpin']

Everyone, please remember that Fodera Truss Rods can be flipped over. So, if the truss rod is sitting in the bottom of the channel, it works the way a typical truss rod does = turn to the right to REMOVE relief from the neck.

If, however, the Truss Rod is sitting in the top of the channel (i.e. closer to the brass nut than the wood in the bottom of the channel), then it works in the opposite direction -- turn to the right to ADD relief to the the neck...

[LikeButtah]

Thanks Just Thumpin'... this was the Monarch BTW, not the Emperor I spoke to you about the other day. For that I added a tiny bit more bow and have brought the humidity in my studio room up to about 40%. Hopefully this will help it settle in this week.

ETA: The hygrometer I was using before was off about 15-20%... I bought a digital now and it was likely around 25% humidity, not 5-10% as I earlier stated. But the humidifier is helping.

[Just Thumpin']

Despite it being located in a strange place on our website (under Pricing and Policies), the last link on the following page provides a pretty detailed look at the Fodera Dual Action Truss Rod and how to properly adjust it...

http://www.fodera.com/pricing.html

Originally Posted by LikeButtah

I dunno I can either pick buzzing at 5th fret, or buzzing at 12th fret... no adjustment seems to give me the buzz free perfection it was in when I got it... :\

Edit: Well I raised the E string a tiny bit and that took care of most of my issues. I'm just a little leery about bridge adjustments, as it was fine when it came to me a month ago, same strings and bridge setup... so that only leaves the neck... but where it's at is "ok" for now... i'll take your advice and check it in a few days to see if it needs further adjustment.