A large retailer said this re: maxed truss rods...your thoughts?

kmon

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May 11, 2009
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I dropped well north of a grand on a used bass from a large, well known retailer. It arrived with a drop more relief than I wanted, but pretty well set up. I dallied a bit on doing any set up and discovered a maxed truss rod about 12 days outside of my extremely short return window.

So bad on me. However, they gave 2 reasons for refusing my return. First was the return window. Right, my bad. Second was this:

While I understand that a maxed truss rod is not ideal, we would not necessarily consider that to be a defect.

What do you think? I expect that a truss rod will get me to dead straight minimally, and a rod that maxes out prior to that point has a definite issue. I suppose that a maxed rod is relative to the player and their setup preferences. If I liked a lot of relief I never would have turned the rod far enough to see an issue, but is there a more objective determination of what constitutes a working truss rod?
 
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What do you think? I expect that a truss rod will get me to dead straight minimally, and a rod that maxes out prior to that point has a definite issue. I suppose that a maxed rod is relative to the player and their setup preferences. If I liked a lot of relief I probably wouldn't have discovered it, but is there a more objective determination of what constitutes a working truss rod?


I'd be really disappointed if it were a brand new instrument, and I'd most likely want to swap it for one that adjusted within spec.


But if it were a used instrument, it probably wouldn't ever occur to me that I ought to be annoyed; it's just a problem that I would find the appropriate solution for - like using lower tension strings, or adding a washer behind the truss rod nut.
 
I dropped well north of a grand on a used bass from a large, well known retailer. It arrived with a drop more relief than I wanted, but pretty well set up. I dallied a bit on doing any set up and discovered a maxed truss rod about 12 days outside of my extremely short return window.

So bad on me. However, they gave 2 reasons for refusing my return. First was the return window. Right, my bad. Second was this:



What do you think? I expect that a truss rod will get me to dead straight minimally, and a rod that maxes out prior to that point has a definite issue. I suppose that a maxed rod is relative to the player and their setup preferences. If I liked a lot of relief I never would have turned the rod far enough to see an issue, but is there a more objective determination of what constitutes a working truss rod?

It is considered enough of a defect by manufacturers that they will make you a new neck under warranty for it (at least G&L did on my Kiloton 5 Fretless).
 
I'd make sure that their policy - which I personally find to be beyond unreasonable - is made known to everyone who could possibly order a stringed instrument from them.

Sure, the return window miss is on you. They didn't have to say anything else. But they did, and they should - IMO - be publicly outed for such an approach.

My $0.02 only...

Good luck.
 
It's something that can and often does happen on basses as they age. So in my mind, buying used, it's something that always might be there and due diligence is in order to make sure you don't get bit by it.

I hate to say it, but I feel it was mostly on you to catch it...a used bass is what it is, and they can't be perfect. And a seller can't be on the hook forever for an approval period. 14 days, 30 days, there has to be an end. And it has happened to me, not catching something on a used bass, within my time to speak up.

Again, as others said, hope this is one that is easily fixed by a washer in the right spot.
 
So I pushed back hard on the idea that the maxed truss rod was not a defect, but merely “less than ideal”.

They came back with an offer for store credit despite being outside the return window. That’s fine.

But there’s been another development. I’ve been messing with the truss rod. It was initially impossible to tighten and difficult to loosen. Working with it a bit it’s been loosening up. It doesn’t turn easily but has turned enough to get it to perfect.

Any thoughts on getting the rod turning easier? Is lubricating a truss rod a thing?
 
If I sell a bass with very light gauge and tension strings of my choice on it(no maxed trussrod and perfectly moving to both sides) with a very straight and no buzzing neck, and the buyer changes them to medium ir high tension strings and, by doing that and then the set up to compensate the new tension, the trussrod becomes maxed out, or even not enough space to have the neck straight, would that be also my problem as a seller??
 
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Whenever I buy a guitar or bass, especially used, I always check truss rod function in the first 24 hours.

Never had a problem, but stories like this is why I’m paranoid.

Hopefully it’s one that the washer treatment will help you with.
I check the truss rod function on used AND new basses on the very first day it gets home.

That said though, the time window for their warranty looks a bit short. Is it me or customer service and satisfaction seems of no interest nowadays ?

Personally, I would challenge them on this one.
 
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So I pushed back hard on the idea that the maxed truss rod was not a defect, but merely “less than ideal”.

They came back with an offer for store credit despite being outside the return window. That’s fine.

But there’s been another development. I’ve been messing with the truss rod. It was initially impossible to tighten and difficult to loosen. Working with it a bit it’s been loosening up. It doesn’t turn easily but has turned enough to get it to perfect.

Any thoughts on getting the rod turning easier? Is lubricating a truss rod a thing?
That's good news! If you have a vintage style/one way truss rod, and there is space so that the nut could be removed, then yes, there is a way to lube it. I just remove the nut, put a tiny, tiny dab of lithium grease or petroleum jelly on the top of the threads at the end of the rod. Thread the nut back on and go! Before threading, this is also a good time to add a small washer or two so the adjustment range is increased.
 
Whenever I buy a guitar or bass, especially used, I always check truss rod function in the first 24 hours.

Never had a problem, but stories like this is why I’m paranoid.

Hopefully it’s one that the washer treatment will help you with.
I do the same. I have taken the proper wrench to potential instrument buy/meet ups. No turning, no sale.
 
If I sell a bass with very light gauge and tension strings of my choice on it(no maxed trussrod and perfectly moving to both sides) with a very straight and no buzzing neck, and the buyer changes them to medium ir high tension strings and, by doing that and then the set up to compensate the new tension, the trussrod becomes maxed out, or even not enough space to have the neck straight, would that be also my problem as a seller??
Not the seller's problem if it’s clearly mentioned "as is, no warranty" IMO.
 
Not the seller's problem if it’s clearly mentioned "as is, no warranty" IMO.
But, if I give warranty that everything works fine, but my strings of choice are always light and light tension of the neck always, should I held accountabble if the buyer has problems with the trussrod maxed out by him putting medium ir high tension strings? Used instruments have those kind of risks when one as a buyer modified something and make the instrument to my own liking and very different, in this case putting high tension strings... not that the OP has this problem, but opinions would condemn me as a seller for the first, which I dont think is ok.
 
....It arrived with a drop more relief than I wanted......

It was initially impossible to tighten and difficult to loosen. Working with it a bit it’s been loosening up. It doesn’t turn easily but has turned enough to get it to perfect.


Loosening the truss rod will increase relief that you wished to decrease. You got it to turn in both directions?

If they offered your purchase price as a store credit? I'd probably RUN to the store and get that credit. Use it to buy a bass without the very serious flaw of a truss rod that is not working.
 

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