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THE WARWICK TRUSS ROD

T

TBASS

Sep 17, 2004
20
1
74
Tulsa, Ok.
#1
After reading several threads to try to get information about adjusting the truss rod on my new Warwick Corvette and reading the manual that came with my bass I attempted to add relief to my bass neck. The neck was almost straight with a miniscule amount of relief and I had string buzz on the G and D strings. After inserting the truss rod tool into the 5mm
nut the first thing I noticed was that the nut turned freely either way about a full turn or more. There was no tension at all on the truss rod and the neck was nearly straight. Needless to say I was confused. After re-reading the manual which states that the neck is a steel reinforced neck with a "2-way push-pull type truss rod" I reinserted the tool and turned in a counterclockwise direction untill the nut met resistence and then turned the 1/8 turn as stated in the manual and it just so happened that this gave me about .010 relief in the neck which is all the relief I needed. I think that between the push and the pull of the truss rod there is some free turning of the truss rod which is not explained in the manual.

TBASS
 
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#2
I have a Corvette 5 Std which I have just set up. Counterclockwise with the truss rod is the correct way to go to add relief. There is no centre position where the rod is loose between adding and removing relief. All I can think is that you didn't have the tool engaged in the rod properly. (I had a little burr on the supplied tool whuch needed removing to get mine to engage in the truss rod correctly). Don't forget that Warwick necks take time to settle, so it may need tweaking again in a few days.
 
#3
Cochise said:
I have a Corvette 5 Std which I have just set up. Counterclockwise with the truss rod is the correct way to go to add relief. There is no centre position where the rod is loose between adding and removing relief. All I can think is that you didn't have the tool engaged in the rod properly. (I had a little burr on the supplied tool whuch needed removing to get mine to engage in the truss rod correctly). Don't forget that Warwick necks take time to settle, so it may need tweaking again in a few days.
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Is uh, your username off the Audioslave song, or is that a coincidence?

Ray
 
#4
Cochise,
Actually the tool was inserted properly and I was watching the nut turn as I turned the wrench. The nut was loose and turned freely either way before snugging up to either push or pull on the rod. In my case I wanted to put relief into the neck because I had none so I turned the rod counterclockwise untill it snugged up the turned 1/8 turn against resistence and relief was added. I would like to see a drawing of this (push-pull) truss rod in the manual or on the Warwick website to better understand its design.
TBASS
 
#5
What year is your bass from? I've read that Warwick has used at least two but I think three different designs for their truss rods. Some older ones were reverse threaded two-way adjustable and I think they also had one that only added tension and could actually slide out if loosened.
 
#7
TBASS said:
JRUG,

The bass is new. I just bought it from G.C.. The manual states it has a 2-way rod but not removable.
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That's cool, I've never sat and thought to myself, "this bass is sweet I just wish I could take the truss rod out." If you were able to get it set up to your liking then I guess all is well. New basses can do funny things sometimes.
 
#9
xyllion said:
My guess (and this is only a guess) is that in the middle section there is a little room in how the rod is connected where it shifts from pushing on one side to pushing on the other side. Regardless, if it works, then all is well.
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I got an email response from Warwick on the truss rod. the truss rod does have a position where it is not pulling or pushing on the neck and that is where mine was new, tuned to pitch and almost perfectly straight. Thus the need for a 2 way design.
 
#10
Yes!! I'm pulling this up from the grave just to say thanks :) I thought mine was broken or something got loose because of the neutral threads, but there indeed is roughly two turns worth of neutral space in the early 90s 2-way Warwick rod. Your post is the only reference to it on the internet I could find, hopefully this helps someone else too!
 
#12
DanDishion said:
OK I am really pulling this from the grave now. I have a few newer warwicks so it never came up. But I just bought a used 2004 corvette $$, and there IS definitely a loose several turns between forward and backwards motion in the truss. I hope this may help someone in the year 2053.
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Can confirm. Once you back the truss rod enough you get a loose spot before you feel tension again if you keep going. I call it ground zero. I have an 05 streamer and 09 Corvette and they both have this.
 

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