Truss rod as loose as it gets

Misanthropic · #1 06-14-2006, 05:34 AM

Hello,

I feel like a noob asking questions about the damn truss rod but I couldn't find any answer to this.

I recently re-strung my bass and concluded that the neck was a little too straight (a lot of fret buzz). No problem, I thought, just loosen the truss rod a bit.

But it turned out that the truss rod has become as loose as it gets, and the neck is still too straight. What should I do about this?

62bass · #2 06-14-2006, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misanthropic

Hello,

I feel like a noob asking questions about the damn truss rod but I couldn't find any answer to this.

I recently re-strung my bass and concluded that the neck was a little too straight (a lot of fret buzz). No problem, I thought, just loosen the truss rod a bit.

But it turned out that the truss rod has become as loose as it gets, and the neck is still too straight. What should I do about this?

Heavier guage strings may put a little bit of relief into the neck and raising the action a bit too will stop the fret buzzes.

Bending the neck using heat is an option but not something to try without experience.

Misanthropic · #3 06-14-2006, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62bass

Heavier guage strings may put a little bit of relief into the neck and raising the action a bit too will stop the fret buzzes.

Bending the neck using heat is an option but not something to try without experience.

The buzzing started when I switched from rotosound 0.40-1.00 to 0.45-1.05. I wouldn't wanna raise the action because it isn't terribly low as it is.

62bass · #4 06-14-2006, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misanthropic

The buzzing started when I switched from rotosound 0.40-1.00 to 0.45-1.05. I wouldn't wanna raise the action because it isn't terribly low as it is.

Very strange. Better take it to a good tech and get his opinion.

Misanthropic · #5 06-14-2006, 06:31 AM

Well I figured some good tech's would be on this forum to give their opinion. I can't be the first person this has happened to...

Dan1099 · #6 06-14-2006, 07:34 AM

Buzzing doesn't necessarily mean you need more relief. Often, it means you need less. It depends on the type of buzz. Do this the right way. Measure your relief by holding the string down at the first fret, and the fret where the body meets the neck. Check the distance between the string and the fret at middle point between the two points you are holding down. It should be about the thickness of a credit card. If it is bigger than that, you need to tighten the truss rod. If it is smaller, you need to loosen it.

62bass · #7 06-14-2006, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Buzzing doesn't necessarily mean you need more relief. Often, it means you need less. It depends on the type of buzz. Do this the right way. Measure your relief by holding the string down at the first fret, and the fret where the body meets the neck. Check the distance between the string and the fret at middle point between the two points you are holding down. It should be about the thickness of a credit card. If it is bigger than that, you need to tighten the truss rod. If it is smaller, you need to loosen it.

Exactly. I was assuming you had already determined that the neck had no relief.

Misanthropic · #8 06-14-2006, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Buzzing doesn't necessarily mean you need more relief. Often, it means you need less. It depends on the type of buzz. Do this the right way. Measure your relief by holding the string down at the first fret, and the fret where the body meets the neck. Check the distance between the string and the fret at middle point between the two points you are holding down. It should be about the thickness of a credit card. If it is bigger than that, you need to tighten the truss rod. If it is smaller, you need to loosen it.

Yes, yes, yes, I have already done that. I know about how and when you should adjust the truss rod and such.

When I perform the check you mention above, the distance between string and the fret is too small, it's almost nothing. Therefore I want to loosen the truss rod. Only thing is, it is already at its loosest point.

(sorry for possible bad english)

DemoEtc · #9 06-14-2006, 09:08 AM

What model bass is it?

Misanthropic · #10 06-14-2006, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DemoEtc

What model bass is it?

It's a Music Man SUB 4-string.

pkr2 · #11 06-14-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misanthropic

Hello,

I feel like a noob asking questions about the damn truss rod but I couldn't find any answer to this.

I recently re-strung my bass and concluded that the neck was a little too straight (a lot of fret buzz). No problem, I thought, just loosen the truss rod a bit.

But it turned out that the truss rod has become as loose as it gets, and the neck is still too straight. What should I do about this?

Assuming you have a regular fender type truss rod, the only effect it can have is to add compression to the wood.

It can take some time for the compression to relieve itself in the neck. You can hurry it along in two or three different ways, but the easiest usually works. Just hold the bass like you would to put the string on a bow(as in archery). Make sure the TR is completely loose. Support the neck right on the heel of the neck and right behind the nut. Don't be afraid to put about 1/2" or so bend in the neck and hold it for a few seconds. Repeat two or three times. Tune the strings about one fret high when you tune up. Let it set for a couple of hours and chances are that you'll have enough forward bow when it's tuned back to standard. Just tighten the TR nut snug so it wont rattle. You might have to tighten it a bit in a few days.

Caution: don't put strain on the neck joint when bending!

Groundloop · #12 06-14-2006, 10:22 AM

It's odd that you put on heavier, higher tension strings and the neck straightened. Is it possible you tightened the rod by accident? I've never owned a SUB, but most truss rods are "Righty Tighty-Lefty Loosey".

Misanthropic · #13 06-14-2006, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundloop

It's odd that you put on heavier, higher tension strings and the neck straightened. Is it possible you tightened the rod by accident? I've never owned a SUB, but most truss rods are "Righty Tighty-Lefty Loosey".

Yes, it's odd... maybe it's due to the fact that the strings are new and more "rattly". The old ones were damn old, 8 months or so, only taken off for a boiling. And no, I didn't tighten the truss rod by accident.

pkr2: I'll give it a try tomorrow.

Dan1099 · #14 06-14-2006, 01:42 PM

Sounds like the old strings were so dull that they didn't have that zing that accentuates rattle, to me. This will happen when switching from old to new, flat to round, even nickel to steel. It's not buzzing more, it just is more audible. That's my take on the situation, anyway

If that's clearly not the case, then I'd take it to a tech.

Misanthropic · #15 06-15-2006, 05:09 AM

I tried the neck bending prk2 suggested and it seemed to work... Nearly no buzz at all and it's closer to the "credit card gap" now, though it's tuned like a step up or something. We'll see when I tune it back to normal when I get home from work.

Thanks people.

Misanthropic · #16 06-04-2007, 10:11 PM

Hello TB,

I made this same thread a while ago, but I couldn't find it anymore, neither did any of the similar ones I found give me any answers.

The truss rod on my Music Man SUB is as loose as it gets, and the neck still doesn't have enough relief (i.e. buzz). Last time I got the suggestion to physically (by grabbing it) pull the neck forward, which seemed to help at the time. Now it's like this again, but this time it doesn't seem to work.

Apart from trying higher gauge strings, what could I do?

73jbass · #17 06-05-2007, 07:30 AM

What guage stings are you using and what is the bass usually tuned to? If you are tuned down,you are going to have to go to heavier guage strings. A little more info will be a big help.

pstyle · #18 06-05-2007, 07:42 AM

So when the trussrod is at its loosest point, is the neck still straight, or do you still get a lot of buzz? (or both?) try holding the bass like a rifle and look down the neck to see the profile.

Misanthropic · #19 06-05-2007, 10:26 AM

Joshua - thanks!

I tune standard EADG with light gauge rotosounds '45-'95 or something. But I'd think it should surely be possible to use as light strings as one likes.

When I hold the bass as a rifle it looks fairly straight, can't really see it bowing to either direction. The strings buzz below the fifth fret, and the action is set to higher than what EBMM suggests on their site (3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret).

Mon Rominee · #20 06-05-2007, 11:09 AM

So there's no back bend, no compression bump to speak of (I assume) and the strings, at standard pitch are still buzzing below the 5th fret? Do you possibly have a high fret somwhere along the neck? How are the nut slot bottoms relative to the frets? Could need a fret dress or new nut.

All this time and you haven't taken it to a tech to have a looksie???? It's been a year...and it seems like a climactic change issue considering when you are bringing it up (early summer)