action keeps getting lower

[bigdaddybass12]

I recently bought a Fender jazz used from GC. Nice bass, 2018 model? The action keeps getting lower. 1/8th turn on the truss rod takes care of it. I have had to adjust it 2 times in the past 2 weeks. No weird grain or knots on the back of the neck. Just a little run-out. Neck is straight looking down from headstock. Is it just the change of environment ? Issue with the neck? take it back before 30 days are up? I live in south.
thanks in advance

 

[JKos]

So you have needed to loosen the truss rod each time, correct? That’s not such a bad problem to have. Yes, it could be due to an environmental change. Did you change string types?

 

[bigdaddybass12]

So you have needed to loosen the truss rod each time, correct? That’s not such a bad problem to have. Yes, it could be due an environmental change. Did you change string types?

Still has strings that came on it. Yes, loosen, counter-clockwise about 1/8th a turn

 

[JKos]

Sounds like a good “problem” to have.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Sounds like a good “problem” to have.

Do you think it will settle down? I have never had a bass that the action gets lower. It’s not ski jumping or bowing back. Just straight

 

[Matt Liebenau]

It came from a different state then where you are? Then it’s probably just adjusting to new temp and relative humidity conditions. It’s hard to give an exact time frame to “settle in.” Could be a couple of weeks.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

It came from a different state then where you are? Then it’s probably just adjusting to new temp and relative humidity conditions. It’s hard to give an exact time frame to “settle in.” Could be a couple of weeks.

Yes, from Arizona or north. I don't remember. , I live close to the beach in the south.

 

[JKos]

So it’s coming from a drier environment to a very moist environment. It may take a bit as it drinks in all the humidity.

 

[Arie X]

likely it's moving with environmental conditions. more moisture tends to make instruments swell and necks pull back. often indicated by a change in tuning pitch as they'll be a little high nearly every time you pick it up and the frets ends will appear to have "shrunk" (in reality the wood has swelled away from them) -until the woods reach equilibrium.

fwiw, the truss rod isn't the "action" rod, it sets and maintains neck relief. action is primarily set with the saddles.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

indicated by a change in tuning pitch as they'll be a little high nearly every time you pick it up,,,,until the woods reach equilibrium.

fwiw, the truss rod isn't the "action" rod, it sets and maintains neck relief. action is primarily set with the saddles.

Thanks, It is a little sharp. I tuned it for my gig, (at my gig!) and checked it a few days ago & it was sharp. Usually my other basses creep a little flat if they change at all.
After the neck neutralizes, will it be stable & frets be ok?
I like a low action but not quite this low!

 

[Arie X]

assuming that it doesn't have other issues, then yes, once it normalizes to it's new home, give it (or have it done), a solid set-up and you should be fine.

 

[JKos]

fwiw, the truss rod isn't the "action" rod, it sets and maintains neck relief. action is primarily set with the saddles.

But changes in relief directly impact action. A change in action with no change in saddle height is an indicator that the relief needs adjusted.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Are the saddles dropping or is the relief changing that radically?

Riis

 

[Matt Liebenau]

It sounds like the bass is getting used to its new home. Give it some time and it should reach an equilibrium and you can give it a thorough and proper set up.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Are the saddles dropping or is the relief changing that radically?

Riis

The action was set low like I Ike it. (Probably too low for some) It started having fret buzzing. 1/8th a turn cleared it up. Week later I noticed buzzing again.. 1/8th turn cleared it up again. You can see in the pics that the action is low & neck is straight

 

[Zooberwerx]

The action was set low like I Ike it. (Probably too low for some) It started having fret buzzing. 1/8th a turn cleared it up. Week later I noticed buzzing again.. 1/8th turn cleared it up again. You can see in the pics that the action is low & neck is straightView attachment 4655799 View attachment 4655800

Are you actually re-measuring relief each time and re-adjusting? Is there a chance the saddles are slipping downwards? FWIW: you really don't want a straight neck per se...a modicum of relief is usually desirable for buzz-free performance.

Riis

 

[One Way]

One of my basses repeatedly exhibited symptoms of lowered string height.
I measured both neck relief and string height and determined the bridge saddle screws were loosening during playing time. A tiny drop of blue loctite on the saddle height adjustment screws added just enough friction to maintain adjustment. This corrected the issue with this bass of mine. Perhaps a replacement bridge with better machining tolerances could have corrected the issue, too.

Yours may indeed have neck relief changing due to relative humidity change. I bring one cautionary note for your consideration, I had a bass and after 3 years the neck never really stabilized, always reacting to temperature and humidity change. That’s a real pain at gigs! If neck relief is the culprit of the lowered action and it doesn’t stabilize before the return period ends you might consider returning the bass.

I would keep a written log of neck relief and string heigh measurements by date to determine which is responsible for the action change. Just my thoughts.

 

[BarfanyShart]

It sounds like the bass is just adjusting to the climate in your home, and the change to spring in general. My basses straightened out a bit in the past couple of months, enough so that the bass I received in December needed the trus rod loosened around a 1/4 turn.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

One of my basses repeatedly exhibited symptoms of lowered string height.
I measured both neck relief and string height and determined the bridge saddle screws were loosening during playing time. A tiny drop of blue loctite on the saddle height adjustment screws added just enough friction to maintain adjustment. This corrected the issue with this bass of mine. Perhaps a replacement bridge with better machining tolerances could have corrected the issue, too.

Yours may indeed have neck relief changing due to relative humidity change. I bring one cautionary note for your consideration, I had a bass and after 3 years the neck never really stabilized, always reacting to temperature and humidity change. That’s a real pain at gigs! If neck relief is the culprit of the lowered action and it doesn’t stabilize before the return period ends you might consider returning the bass.

I would keep a written log of neck relief and string heigh measurements by date to determine which is responsible for the action change. Just my thoughts.

Thanks. I gave another 1/8th turn this am. It has the nice very slight curve (bow) up now. I can watch the curve