Stripped Truss Rod

[reel big bassist]

Hello Everyone I really need your help,

Here's how the story goes.
I took the strings off my bass, put it
in it's case and left it their for more
than a month. When I re-strung it,
the action was so low, that anywhere I fretted it,
I got major clanging.

I would adjust it, but awhile back my truss
rod was stripped. So what should I do,
I really really really don't want to buy a
new neck.

I was talking to a guitar maker, and he said
re-string the bass but tune all the strings
a whole step up (F#,B,E,A) put it in it's case,
and leave it for 2-3 weeks, and that should straighten it out.
What do you all think?

Thanx in advance,
Greg P

[Edited by reel big bassist on 09-18-2000 at 02:31 PM]

[JMX]

Just try it - it should work. If it doesn't, try some minor(!) trussrod adjustments...

Like the guy said, the neck straightened out because it wasn't strung for so long...
The strings will pull the neck back to its original relief and the buzzing should stop.
Check the relief this way:
Press the E-string down on the first and last string at the same time.

Now check the string's action at the 9th fret - it should be around 1.5 to 2.5 mm.

[SMG]

Summer time, warm weather, metal (strings) expands and wood necks (especially Fender and Fender style maple necks) bow backwards when not played. In winter time, the reverse seems to happen and as the metal (strings) contracts, wood (especially maple) necks bow forward when not used. Not sure why, but my experience is that mahogany necks (Gibson and Guild) are less effected by this then maple and wenge necks (Warwick) even less then mahogany. All that said, the suggestion you were given may do the trick. Another possibility is to find a luthier with a neck iron who can heat and clamp the neck back to correct possition, or maybe (if the neck has a seperate fingerboard) even replace the truss rod...but then that may cost as much as buying an aftermarket neck (providing you are speaking of a Fender, or Fender style bass to begin with.)

Steve

[reel big bassist]

I re-strung my bass today.
I took it from my upstairs bedroom and
brought it downstairs, where the air
is much cooler. Their is really a big
difference, between the temperature in the upstairs
and downstairs of the house. By downstairs
I mean living room, not basement. Anyway
I started to put the strings on, they still clanged
a little, but by the time I finished they
hardly clanged at all, and now they don't.

So that's definatly good news, but I really think
in the long run I'm going to have to replace my neck.
That irrates me, but maybe it's a blessing in disguise.
Now I'm thinking of what neck I should get,
I heard warmoth's are really good, what's your opinion?

BTW I probably won't replace my neck until a couple
months down the line, cause I'm lookin to buy a 15. But,
I'm taking it down to a music shop to get it checked out,
you know like a diagnostic.

Thanx for all your replies and hoping for more,
Greg P

P.S. Also I was thinking about gettin' a neck with a different wood, I love the sound of walnut. Do you think
that would be wise? I'll ask my tech, but any of your experience would be greatly appreciated.

[Hambone]

You won't go wrong with a Warmoth. All of their necks have the front to back thickness of the pre-CBS Fender Jazz necks from 1962 - very slim and very playable. These necks are fairly expensive but worth it in the long run.

By the way, next time you have a question on setup pop it up in the "Setup" thread.