Truss Questions

[JEP4]

I'm pretty new to bass. I bought my first bass a little less than a year ago and have been using books, the internet, and a friend who plays to teach me. I bought a cheap Peavey Zodiac EX starter pack:
http://en.euroguitar.com/bass/peavey...ck/122882.html

I've already replaced the amp with a beautiful Ashdown MAG 300, the cord, the strap, and everything but the tuner, which isn't the greatest, but does it's job.

Since I'm still new to the bass I bought a cheaper instrument to learn on both musically and in terms of repair and set up. Well a little while ago I learned that I needed a truss adjustment, and to make a long story short, it's been stripped. My question is, since apparently truss adjustments are extremely expensive, would it be worth doing on this bass? Do I have to replace the whole rod or just the nut, and how would I go about doing this on my own if it's too expensive to have done professionally? I have a new bass in mind when I feel that I've learned enough (Spector Legend 6), but I don't think I'm quite ready yet, and the truss is becoming a problem. The bass is playable, but all the way up the fretboard it's sharp, and extremely frustrating due to my OCD tendencies, and I am not going to buy the Spector up around $600 when my experience is so low, I'm afraid I might mess it up.

Also, I have tried the method of turning the screw on the bridge to make the 12th fret match the open note, and it isn't working no matter how far back I go. Is this due to the truss?

[Scott in Dallas]

Hi. Let's get some more info and go from there one step at a time.

Originally Posted by JEP4

Well a little while ago I learned that I needed a truss adjustment,

How'd you learn this?

Originally Posted by JEP4

and to make a long story short, it's been stripped.

Make the short story a tad longer for me and explain what exactly has been done to it and what you think is stripped. There's a big difference between a nut being rounded off a bit and the threads being stripped off the end of the rod.

Originally Posted by JEP4

The bass is playable, but all the way up the fretboard it's sharp,

*snip*

Also, I have tried the method of turning the screw on the bridge to make the 12th fret match the open note, and it isn't working no matter how far back I go. Is this due to the truss?

If the strings aren't way above the frets, I don't think that has anything to do with the truss rod, which is why I asked you the questions above. I'd be happy to help you with this. Shoot me a PM if you'd like and I'll give you my phone number and we'll figure it out. Otherwise if you just give some more information there are plenty of people that would help you with it here.

[JEP4]

Originally Posted by Scott in Dallas

Hi. Let's get some more info and go from there one step at a time.



How'd you learn this?

I believe I was trying to help adjust the action, because one, it was much much higher near the body than it was near the headstock, and two, the problem with the sharp notes. So I looked at a couple sites on how to fix it. I didn't just work the truss, I worked the bridge as well, but I wanted to give it a little less bow to help it out, and because I'm still new to it, I guess I got a little impatient and turned it too much too often, and now I can't get a grip.

Originally Posted by Scott in Dallas

Make the short story a tad longer for me and explain what exactly has been done to it and what you think is stripped. There's a big difference between a nut being rounded off a bit and the threads being stripped off the end of the rod.

Um, alright, well, I suppose the above story helps to narrow it down, but I'll see what I can't add. My truss nut is on the bridge and to really get to it I had to loosen the strings and move them off the saddle a little bit. Now that I think about it, that probably wasn't the best idea.
And PM sent.

[Scott in Dallas]

Shouldn't the truss rod adjustment be up at the nut by the tuners? Both of my Peaveys have the adjustment up there and they require a special wrench. Is it possible all you need is that tool to be able to get to it?

[Redd]

Originally Posted by JEP4

I'm pretty new to bass. I bought my first bass a little less than a year ago and have been using books, the internet, and a friend who plays to teach me. I bought a cheap Peavey Zodiac EX starter pack:
http://en.euroguitar.com/bass/peavey...ck/122882.html

I've already replaced the amp with a beautiful Ashdown MAG 300, the cord, the strap, and everything but the tuner, which isn't the greatest, but does it's job.

Since I'm still new to the bass I bought a cheaper instrument to learn on both musically and in terms of repair and set up. Well a little while ago I learned that I needed a truss adjustment, and to make a long story short, it's been stripped. My question is, since apparently truss adjustments are extremely expensive, would it be worth doing on this bass? Do I have to replace the whole rod or just the nut, and how would I go about doing this on my own if it's too expensive to have done professionally? I have a new bass in mind when I feel that I've learned enough (Spector Legend 6), but I don't think I'm quite ready yet, and the truss is becoming a problem. The bass is playable, but all the way up the fretboard it's sharp, and extremely frustrating due to my OCD tendencies, and I am not going to buy the Spector up around $600 when my experience is so low, I'm afraid I might mess it up.

Also, I have tried the method of turning the screw on the bridge to make the 12th fret match the open note, and it isn't working no matter how far back I go. Is this due to the truss?

There are a few other techniques to fix your neck without needing a truss rod, you can look them up but it involves vices and weights.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by JEP4

I'm pretty new to bass. I bought my first bass a little less than a year ago and have been using books, the internet, and a friend who plays to teach me. I bought a cheap Peavey Zodiac EX starter pack:
http://en.euroguitar.com/bass/peavey...ck/122882.html

I've already replaced the amp with a beautiful Ashdown MAG 300, the cord, the strap, and everything but the tuner, which isn't the greatest, but does it's job.

Since I'm still new to the bass I bought a cheaper instrument to learn on both musically and in terms of repair and set up. Well a little while ago I learned that I needed a truss adjustment, and to make a long story short, it's been stripped. My question is, since apparently truss adjustments are extremely expensive, would it be worth doing on this bass? Do I have to replace the whole rod or just the nut, and how would I go about doing this on my own if it's too expensive to have done professionally? I have a new bass in mind when I feel that I've learned enough (Spector Legend 6), but I don't think I'm quite ready yet, and the truss is becoming a problem. The bass is playable, but all the way up the fretboard it's sharp, and extremely frustrating due to my OCD tendencies, and I am not going to buy the Spector up around $600 when my experience is so low, I'm afraid I might mess it up.

Also, I have tried the method of turning the screw on the bridge to make the 12th fret match the open note, and it isn't working no matter how far back I go. Is this due to the truss?

This post is a wealth of misinformation...

Where did you get the idea a trussrod adjustment is, "extremely expensive?".

As the other responder pointed out, are you sure the trussrod nut is stripped?

Did you think you needed a trussrod adjustment because your bass was playing sharp?

And, most important: have you ever had this bass properly set up, by someone who knows what they're doing?

[Dertygen]

I think (possibly?) he's talking about the trussrod nut being stripped (like a screw does when you slip too much) or the threading the nut screws on being stripped.

That'll cost money.

However he did say the trussrod nut being near the bridge... so... saddle screws?

[markdavid]

Originally Posted by JEP4

My truss nut is on the bridge and to really get to it I had to loosen the strings and move them off the saddle a little bit. Now that I think about it, that probably wasn't the best idea.
And PM sent.

Hi there , the truss rod should be at the top of the neck as on the attached picture (arrow in picture points to trussrod)

[JEP4]

Sorry if I said bridge, I don't know why I said that. Yes, it's up by the head, and I used the Allen wrench that came with the package.

I'm not positive if it's stripped, but I can't get a grib with the wrench.

And a truss repair is what I meant, I understand those are expensive.

I wanted to lower the action near the body because it was ridiculously higher than the rest.

And no, I haven't had it set up. The music store I used to go to closed down and there's only one left in town which is much more expensive than the other. Should I bring it there and see what they can do?

[TJBass]

I think you should. Or find a good tech further away. At this point I would recommend you not do anything else to the bass until ou can get a tech to look at it.

Let him tell you it is stripped before you tell someone at a music store that you need a new truss rod, because they may take advantage of you and say "yeah....you do need a new truss rod and I'm the one you want to pay to do it!"

Just tell the tech you go to that the action is too high, and if the nut is stripped, he'll let you know right away.

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by TJBass

I think you should. Or find a good tech further away. At this point I would recommend you not do anything else to the bass until ou can get a tech to look at it.

Let him tell you it is stripped before you tell someone at a music store that you need a new truss rod, because they may take advantage of you and say "yeah....you do need a new truss rod and I'm the one you want to pay to do it!"

Just tell the tech you go to that the action is too high, and if the nut is stripped, he'll let you know right away.

+1 YUP let a pro look at it and do not tell him your fears/opinions except that it plays like crap and the strings are too high.

[JEP4]

Alright, I've called the place in Tucson, which is the nearest shop (hour away) and I'll be taking it in next week.