Truss rod out of adjustment and does this Truss rod already have a washer in?

[Meatrus]

Hi all,

I have been having a lot of trouble with my Hohner headless Jack 5, the problem is the neck is quite bowed, and I'm out of adjustment. So my thought was to add a washer as I had seen suggested on here a while ago.

I tried this with a ground down hex nut as I didn't have any washers, it fit very well, but now the truss rod doesn't have enough room for the truss nut to bite the thread. My original guess was the hex nut was too thick, so I ground it down to half its diameter, so I guess it is now about the same as two washers thickness.

This is still seemed too thick, so I had a good look down there and I can see what looks like a washer already in place. I have attempted to take a picture but it probably isn't very good (the silver bit is the washer thing). So my question is really should there be any kind of washer around the rod? Or should it just be wood around the rod (as I thought I had read it should be)?

If it is a washer, and there is no room for another, how would I straighten the neck? I have seen clamping suggested but this bass is neck through.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[ByF]

Can't really tell from your pic--does your camera have a "macro" mode?

I don't think necks usually come with a washer installed from the factory--maybe someone else can weigh in on that. I have seen a tool somewhere (probably on StewMac) that will cut the threads on the truss rod deeper into the neck, so you don't need washers.

But the truss rod only affects the part of the neck that's not in the body--even with a bolt-on you're only adjusting the part that's beyond the body. So I would think you could do the clamping technique with a neck-through.

Ed

[Meatrus]

Originally Posted by ByF

Can't really tell from your pic--does your camera have a "macro" mode?

I don't think necks usually come with a washer installed from the factory--maybe someone else can weigh in on that. I have seen a tool somewhere (probably on StewMac) that will cut the threads on the truss rod deeper into the neck, so you don't need washers.

But the truss rod only affects the part of the neck that's not in the body--even with a bolt-on you're only adjusting the part that's beyond the body. So I would think you could do the clamping technique with a neck-through.

Ed

the camera was on macro!

Thanks, hoping someone else can confirm if there should be a washer down there, I don't think there should be, but I could be wrong.

To use the that tool I'm guessing I would need to remove the washer (if it shouldnt be there).

I get what you mean about the rod only affecting the neck, and knew that (sorry that sounds smug, I don't mean it like that ), but I was unsure how I would clamp a neck through bass.

Thanks again.

[Meatrus]

bump

[Meatrus]

Well I have managed to get it much better than it was, heres how in case anyone else is having similar trouble. It is basically the clamping method without the clamps!

I left the washer (if it was one) where it was and put the nut back on the rod (after some light greasing).

I did it up close to where it was going to stop, then got someone to bend the neck over their knee into a backbow. I then did up the nut a bit more which fixed it into a small backbow. Then tuned up, and the tension of the strings then removed the backbow when tuned up.

The result is now my neck is as straight as my other basses!. I know the neck may move a bit still, but I hope it wont be too much.

To help with any future problems and adjustments I will be downsizing my string gauge in the near future also, so there will be less pull, and I will have more room to adjust (if necessary).

Hope this may be of use to someone.

[ByF]

Sounds like a good fix to me.

ed