Truss rod access - why oh why do they do this?!

[Twocan]

I'm as much of a fan of vintage Fender reissues and MIJ Fenders as the next guy but why in the world do they continue to use a truss rod that cannot be accessed without removing the neck?!

example:


If I show up at a gig and need to make a minor tweak, there is no way this is happening. As a result, I have been deterred from buying a bass with such a setup.

Am I missing something here? Is there a legitimate reason to continue on with this design? It humors me because reissues continue to have this design but do not (in some cases) carry over other features such as finish (nitro) or stacked knobs (on 60's jazz basses).

[PortugalWillie]

I don't know if it's different on basses but on the guitars I've owned with that set-up, I took off the pickguard and used a screw driver. A little less work since you don't have to completely remove the strings.

[Twocan]

Even in that case, the lack of easy access seems absurd to me.

[boomtisk]

I get your point, but as far as I'm aware of, your example isn't the best as "tweaks" to the truss rod are supposed to take a while to settle in?

That's reissues for you -- after all they're supposed to be "period correct", even if it means an inconvenience or two. As far as I know, there's no other reason why they keep making them like that.

[jakelly]

I have read, here on Talkbass, that the truss rod adjustment at the heel makes for a more stable neck. I do not know the validity of this, but that's what was said. Sorry, I can't provide a link. That thread was a long time ago.

[JTE]

They don't do it on all instruments. AFAIK, Fender only does this on instruments that are replicas of vintage instruments. And if they didn't make them that way, they wouldn't be accurate replicas. Now there are some very sound reasons for the truss rod nut being at the heel, mostly having to do with how well it works and it affecting more of the neck. Plus, most of the instruments with a truss rod access at the heel that I've worked on (I managed a guitar store from 1977-1988 and touched a LOT of old Fenders), you don't have to do all that much to get to the truss rod nut.

I have three instruments now which have the old-style Fender truss-rod. My Vintage Series '62 P bass doesn't need anything special at all. The cut-out in the pickguard is scarred, but that's meaningless as I've played the bass since 1983 and she's got some other scars too. The Classic Series '60s Strat requires me to remove the pickguard assembly (and hence the strings because Start PUPs are mounted on the 'guard). That's a PIA but the guitar sounds and feels perfect so it's a small price. Plus I don't "tweak" stuff much at gigs- I do that before the gig, which I realize may not always be practical. The other instrument is a Sting P Bass. I have to take the pickguard off that bass, but it's not a big hassle. Just remove the screws, slide the guard out of the way, and the truss rod nut is easy to get to.

If you don't want that adjustment, then buy a Fender-style bass without it. I believe the new US production (again, except for replicas of vintage stuff) all has easy truss rod access. Or get a Lakland- they all have easy access at the heel.

John

[JTE]

Further... There are reasons for some of the other changes. Notably the lack of a real nitrocellulose finish. That has to do with safety and environmental factors. While spraying a nitro finish may not be a lot more expensive directly, the additional costs to comply with environmental regulations and for insurance to cover spraying a highly volatile and flammable substance would drive the cost of the instruments much higher. The stack-knobs were only on Fender Jazz basses for a limited time, and were generally gone by the middle of 1962. So, a Vintage Series '62 Jazz could be correct with either the stack-knobs or the more common V/V/T arrangement. But anything modeled after a Jazz bass post-1962 would have to have the V/V/T set up to be close to accurate.

John

[lowendblues]

Musicman has the ultimate solution with their design.