Broken truss rod.. Is my bass doomed?

[bassist11]

So I have an 8 year old Washburn RB-2502. Lately it seemed to always have a little too much bow in the neck so I kept adjusting it. I thought it was just the changing seasons and such that was throwin it out of wack.

Well.. Today I tried to adjust it and it was a little harder to tighten than normal. The neck still needed to straighten out some so of course I did the worst thing I could have done probably and gave it a little more gusto.

I hear a nice crack and the truss rod adjustment nut now spins as much as I want in either direction. Probably just sheared it right off the rod.

I've already e-mailed Washburn and they basically said I'm out of luck. It's too old to get a replacement neck and probably more to repair than it's worth.

So just thought I'd see if anyone on here has any experience with this sort of problem? Maybe I could find a neck elsewhere? Maybe it's not too bad a repair after all? Maybe it's best just to scrap the neck and sell the body as is for parts?

 

[SolidFooting]

It can certainly be fixed. The question is whether or not it's worth it. If you want to perform major surgery on that neck, you could always try and remove the fretboard with an iron and a wet towel.

 

[Down & Outman]

Are the threads stripped? or is the rod broken? Maybe a warmoth neck might be in order to get it up and running again.

 

[Down & Outman]

I always loosen the strings before adjusting the truss rod. You can always help the truss rod do it's thing by pushing the neck as you adjust it. I've also used an old level and clamps to straighten the neck, then adjusted the truss rod.

 

[strke-fender]

I always loosen the strings before adjusting the truss rod. You can always help the truss rod do it's thing by pushing the neck as you adjust it. I've also used an old level and clamps to straighten the neck, then adjusted the truss rod.

+1 truss rods were never meant to actually "adjust" only to hold adjustments. When I tighten my truss rods, I usually put the body of the guitar on a soft chair or foot rest, then I put the headstock on my shoulder and gently pull down. Once It's in position I slowly tighten the rod. Works like a charm. I just flip the bass over to loosen.

The key is to be gentle, don't pull to much on the neck, and don't over tighten.

OP- I know you probably don't need a step by step lesson, this was for somebody who might be reading that didn't know. I've never attempted to repair a truss, if the neck is what you love about the bass it might be worth the investment. But, if it happened to one of my basses i'd be visiting the warmoth neck builder! Good luck.

 

[MR PC]

Other than an e-bay replacement part, you may need to have the fingerboard removed and a new rod installed. You could take advantage of this, and think of it as an upgrade. A qualified luthier should take advantage of the situation and make the neck better than new. Maybe do a partial removal of the board to repair the broken rod or stripped threads, or even replace the whole rod, without a complete fingerboard removal.

Using an iron to remove the fingerboard yourself is going to be the first step in completely destroying the neck, imo.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Washburn=only a handful of neck replacements will work, and still do require a lot of work.

Since it's as new as it is, there's a good chance that it's a double acting TR and once it's broken, it's a goner.

Since the TR is most likely toast, assuming that You've made absolutely sure that the nut isn't just stripped (if normal TR) which is an easy fix, why not repair it yourself? Or let someone more DIY oriented friend of Yours to have a go at it if you're not a DIY sort of a person.

Google removing the fretboard or look it up from the luthier's corner, there's been a few threads about it just recently, purchase a double acting TR from any number of the companies that sell bass and guitar parts, and make it better.

It's not like You can make it any worse, now can you?

BUT, do make sure that the TR in deed needs replacing before You start the surgery.

Regards
Sam

 

[bassist11]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. One things for sure, I will take a little more time and care in adjusting my other basses from now on. I've learned my lesson

I'm positive that the nut is broken, not stripped . I can rotate the nut, it's just completely sheared off the rod as far as I can tell. I have no idea really how far down it sheared or how bad it is though. It is a double acting truss rod as well (has a steel nut).

I've done a number of DIY on basses before (electronics, fret removal, etc) but nothin too drastic. Maybe I'll take a look at the fretboard removal process. Space and tools might be an issue there though. I'm just a college kid in a small apartment.

I wouldn't be too worried about damaging the fretboard getting it off. It's pretty soft rosewood and has already seen a number of days. I wouldn't mind gluing an ebony fretless board back on or somethin along that nature.

 

[1958Bassman]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. One things for sure, I will take a little more time and care in adjusting my other basses from now on. I've learned my lesson

I'm positive that the nut is broken, not stripped . I can rotate the nut, it's just completely sheared off the rod as far as I can tell. I have no idea really how far down it sheared or how bad it is though. It is a double acting truss rod as well (has a steel nut).

I've done a number of DIY on basses before (electronics, fret removal, etc) but nothin too drastic. Maybe I'll take a look at the fretboard removal process. Space and tools might be an issue there though. I'm just a college kid in a small apartment.

I wouldn't be too worried about damaging the fretboard getting it off. It's pretty soft rosewood and has already seen a number of days. I wouldn't mind gluing an ebony fretless board back on or somethin along that nature.

A nut won't usually break- its thread will strip and it won't be the way you described it. If it happens, it will do it quietly, over time. WHen a truss rod breaks, it will definitely make some noise. Think about how a breaking string sounds and consider what would happen with a much thicker string core.

 

[202dy]

If the end of the truss rod has sheared off the nut should fall out of the recess. Or it should be easily removed with a pair of needle nose pliers. Otherwise it is more likely that the nut is stripped.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. One things for sure, I will take a little more time and care in adjusting my other basses from now on. I've learned my lesson

I'm positive that the nut is broken, not stripped . I can rotate the nut, it's just completely sheared off the rod as far as I can tell. I have no idea really how far down it sheared or how bad it is though. It is a double acting truss rod as well (has a steel nut).

I've done a number of DIY on basses before (electronics, fret removal, etc) but nothin too drastic. Maybe I'll take a look at the fretboard removal process. Space and tools might be an issue there though. I'm just a college kid in a small apartment.

I wouldn't be too worried about damaging the fretboard getting it off. It's pretty soft rosewood and has already seen a number of days. I wouldn't mind gluing an ebony fretless board back on or somethin along that nature.

You'll only need as much space as the neck takes, I'd say go for it.

A nut won't usually break- its thread will strip and it won't be the way you described it. If it happens, it will do it quietly, over time. WHen a truss rod breaks, it will definitely make some noise. Think about how a breaking string sounds and consider what would happen with a much thicker string core.

If the end of the truss rod has sheared off the nut should fall out of the recess. Or it should be easily removed with a pair of needle nose pliers. Otherwise it is more likely that the nut is stripped.

Thank god there's been quite a few improvements to the obsolete Fender style TR, perhaps some day You guys will come across one .

Regards
Sam

 

[202dy]

Thank god there's been quite a few improvements to the obsolete Fender style TR, perhaps some day You guys will come across one .

Regards
Sam

Please elaborate.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Please elaborate.

If the OP's bass sports the TR I believe it does, about the only thing common with the compressing Fender style TR is that both are made out of steel.

While Your comments may hold true in most of the SA TR's, and even on some DA TR's, neither one of 'em is possible here.

If the nut/TR breaks, nothing drops out. Hell, even the visible "nut" isn't actually the nut, but the end of the barrell the nut is anchored in.



But then again I may be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, and definitely not the last.
But, I do have a "B-Stock" T-24, approximately the same vintage as the OP, that had a frozen TR that I messed up since I treated it as a regular TR.

The FB pops off easily enough in these babies, I just haven't got enough juice in me to make a new FB for that bass, since it's way too tiny for me. Someday it'll most likely be a 35/34 FF though.

Regards
Sam

 

[202dy]

Hi.



If the OP's bass sports the TR I believe it does, about the only thing common with the compressing Fender style TR is that both are made out of steel.

While Your comments may hold true in most of the SA TR's, and even on some DA TR's, neither one of 'em is possible here.

If the nut/TR breaks, nothing drops out. Hell, even the visible "nut" isn't actually the nut, but the end of the barrell the nut is anchored in.



But then again I may be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, and definitely not the last.
But, I do have a "B-Stock" T-24, approximately the same vintage as the OP, that had a frozen TR that I messed up since I treated it as a regular TR.

The FB pops off easily enough in these babies, I just haven't got enough juice in me to make a new FB for that bass, since it's way too tiny for me. Someday it'll most likely be a 35/34 FF though.

Regards
Sam

Still makes no sense.

Is the end of the rod peened over the nut?
Is the nut captured by some of the lumber in the headstock? Does the magnetic pull of the earth have some kind of weird hold on these materials?

If the rod is in two pieces something will rattle. What is impeding the broken rod and nut from being extracted from the neck?

Please describe this condition in detail.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

My "slightly" abused one.

Bored out, Tig welded, twisted, pounded...

The Kodak ad department said it best...

Unfortunately no before pics, not that they'd looked any more infomative since the TR nut-end was deep in the neck.



It's just a normal non-compressing TR that has a welded barrell/sleeve over the nut. The lip on the barrell prevents the nut from backing off, making the TR double acting.

These things have been around for ages, I just didn't realize I'd found one on a T-24. No biggie though, save the charring from the welding on the TR nut pocket, no real harm done.

Regards
Sam

 

[202dy]

Very informative. It seems that removing the nut would be difficult.

This is the "improvement" in truss rod technology of which you speak? This is the torsion system similar to what Rickenbacker used as early as the fifties. At least the Rickenbacker system had removable rods.

Hardly a leap in technology.

 

[bassist11]

Once again to clarify... Nut is most definitely NOT stripped. It did make a loud noise when it broke and turns freely now. Pulllin on it with a needle nose does nothing either.

I don't know exactly how far down it sheared off but I'm pretty certain that's what happened.

I think I will attempt to get the fretboard off. I don't know anyone or trust anyone around these parts to do it so I might as well try. Then if I screw it up I only have myself to blame. If I do get the fretboard off, I'll take some pictures.

 

[T-Bird]

Very informative. It seems that removing the nut would be difficult.

Removing the nut is impossible without damaging the TR beyond feasible repair.

This is the "improvement" in truss rod technology of which you speak? This is the torsion system similar to what Rickenbacker used as early as the fifties. At least the Rickenbacker system had removable rods.

Hardly a leap in technology.

Any improvement over the El Cheapo Fender style is a huge improvement. To me anyway, but then again to a BEng Mech, life's just not as simple as for some others .

A "locked nut" TR is also an improvement over the L&R -hand threaded DA TR's for very obvious reason. But more difficult=expensive to manufacture.

Regards
Sam