truss rod doesnt straighten neck

[mudunda]

hi guys iv,e got a stuart spector 5 string neck through body. i tighten the truss rod all the way and the neck still has a big downward bow.is there any way of staightening the neck....any help appreciated thanks

[mongo2]

Did you loosen the trussrod adjusting nut to free it up before trying to tighten it?

If the adjusting nut is, in fact, at it's limit (run out of thread) it then it may require one or more shim washers under the adjusting nut.

[bass4worship]

Loosen the trussrod all the way and let it sit for 24 hrs then try it again.

[mudunda]

thanks for the advice guys i'll give it a go

[Zooberwerx]

If its a huge bow, you may want to consider adding shim washers and clamping the neck. If you've never done this, I'd strongly suggest you visit your local tech.

Riis

[bobTHEbasser]

Originally Posted by bass4worship

Loosen the trussrod all the way and let it sit for 24 hrs then try it again.

also,remember to do this in small stages over a few days. a quarter turn each time. once its set in a postion your happy with give the truss another slight turn, very slight, and leave it to rest for for another few days. this extra turn should combat pull from string tension. there is no quick solution to this one. take as much time as you can. I usually destring all my bass guitars for a week or two twice a year to let the neck re-settle into its normal shape.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by bobTHEbasser

I usually destring all my bass guitars for a week or two twice a year to let the neck re-settle into its normal shape.

Interesting. That's a new one on me.

Riis

[bobTHEbasser]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Interesting. That's a new one on me.

Riis

a tip i got a few years back when i took my old vox to a tech for re wireing. was sceptical at first but it worked. i've a few basses so there is always one on the go.

[mudunda]

Originally Posted by bobTHEbasser

also,remember to do this in small stages over a few days. a quarter turn each time. once its set in a postion your happy with give the truss another slight turn, very slight, and leave it to rest for for another few days. this extra turn should combat pull from string tension. there is no quick solution to this one. take as much time as you can. I usually destring all my bass guitars for a week or two twice a year to let the neck re-settle into its normal shape.

so should i clamp the neck so it's straight an d with the truss rod loosend??when and how much sholud i tighten the truss rod?

[bobTHEbasser]

dont try and clamp a thru-neck yourself, its very tricky. if the bow is that extreme take it to a tech. how tight you need the rod will become evident once the neck settles, thats why you need to take it slowly. i think that model has graphite rods in the neck too so be careful not to pop the fingerboard. again, if it seems like too big a job go to a tech. a full service usually costs me 40 euro. sorry bout the late reply btw.

[Boot Soul]

I have always done my own setups, including truss rod adjustments, and I believe that the previous advice offered, to try some shim washers, is a very logical first step. But what I want to mention here is what I believe to be the main cause of basses ending up like yours, or even worse, ending up with a broken rod.

When a truss rod nut has "run out of threads" so that it, cannot be tightened any more, what has happened, obviously, is that the wood where the nut is tightend against (and/or the other end of the rod where its non-adjustable end is seated), has become compressed. The reason for this compression is improper technique when tightening the rod. If one attempts to tighten the rod without first taking the tension off of the rod, the nut acts as a lever arm and the majority of the tension is there where the nut seats in the wood (and where the threads contact). The act of tightening the nut while under the normal tension acts greatly to compress the wood, as well as wear the treads between the rod and nut down, and greatly increases the chance that the truss rod will break at the threads.

When tightening a truss rod it is very important to loosen all strings and then to place a slight counter-force to the neck (forcing it in the direction of a back-bow). Then with the tension off of the rod, it is easy, and easy on the treads and the wood, to tighten it up as needed. This counterforce can be applied by just bracing the bass with its body on the floor and neck up between you legs when seated and gently flexing it back before tightening or loosening the rod. If you think through the basic mechanical forces at play, the reason for doing this is obvious.

So for the majority that know this, I don't mean to condescend. And for those who don't I also don't mean to condescend, but just want to inform, and possibly save you from some trouble. By first de-stressing the rod before adjusting, there should be no reason for the non-tech not to adjust their bass truss rods, whenever needed.

This common problem actually once served me well, when I bought an '82 G&L L2000e that was described to have a truss rod that couldn't be tightened, and a neck that was still too bowed. I bought the bass cheap because of this, took it home, went to my local hardware store, got some small brass washers, modified them a little bit with a Dremel tool (they were very slightly too large at their outer diameter). It took three of those washers, which combined were only about 2 millimeters thick, to create enough space to allow the rod to be tightened enough without running to the end of its threads. Over the course of the next week I tightened a half-turn at a time every couple of days, first de-stressing the rod using the 'between the knees' technique I attempted to describe above. Soon I had the neck relief just right, and it has been very stable ever since, which is about ten years now. It is one of my nicest playing instruments now.

Only make adjustment to truss rods, whether tightening or loosening, when they are not under tension. Always.

Hope this info is of use to somebody.

[mudunda]

thanks for the response guys..how do i take the nut off so i can put some washers??

[Zooberwerx]

If you've never tackled a project like this before, I implore you...please take it to a tech the first go-round. Nothing wrong with a second hands-on opinion. You'll probably learn something in the process, as well.

Riis

[PJSShearer]

+1