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Does the neck cause a truss rod to turn?

Coke Kane

Coke Kane

Supporting Member
May 16, 2010
177
292
La Puente, CA
www.facebook.com
#1
Ok, I am very specific about my neck relief as I like it close to flat as possible. It seems like I reach for the allen wrench at least once a week because the neck is in a concave or arching bow. It's very slight, but I can feel it immediately as it either causes the strings to buzz, or raises the action in the middle of the neck. So my question is, that when a neck moves, is it turning the truss rod? Cause if that's the case, why hasn't a manufacturer invented a "locking truss rod" yet?
 
#3
A truss rod can also loosen from the vibration of playing. If it really seems like it keeps loosening regularly, and if it's a single-acting style (Fender, Gibson) truss rod, you can unscrew the nut and put a drop of Blue (not Red) Loctite in the threads. Put it back on, adjust it to perfect, and it should stay there. It can still be readjusted later, if needed. The Blue Loctite isn't a permanent bond; it just adds resistance to turning.

But, like Charlie said, it may also be slowly warping and crushing in the ends around the truss rod. The truss rod may not be loosening.
 
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#5
Coke Kane said:
Ok, I am very specific about my neck relief as I like it close to flat as possible. It seems like I reach for the allen wrench at least once a week because the neck is in a concave or arching bow. It's very slight, but I can feel it immediately as it either causes the strings to buzz, or raises the action in the middle of the neck. So my question is, that when a neck moves, is it turning the truss rod? Cause if that's the case, why hasn't a manufacturer invented a "locking truss rod" yet?
Click to expand...

Either your neck is defective, you aren't storing it properly or you're way too picky about your setup.

If I have to adjust a neck more than twice a year I get rid of it for not being reliable enough. At least for in-town gigging instruments. If it was being used on tours where massive changes in temperature and humidity happen as you travel it would be a different story.
 
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#7
I'm fussy about how my bass is set up. I probably adjust the truss on all of my basses About twice a month.
SkyWinders said:
no truss rod should need more than seasonal adjustment at most
Click to expand...
Well, maybe not need adjustment more often, but one might want to do it more frequently. I adjust the truss rod on all my basses 2 or three times a month. I admit I am very fussy about my setups, so if the neck moves a couple of thousandths I feel it and adjust it.
To respond to the OP's questions, the neck does not cause the truss rod to move, the neck changes in response to changes in humidity. Are you always having to tighten the truss rod or do you sometimes have to loosen it to keep the board flat?
 
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#8
The Ric double"hairpin" truss rod had a reputation for being pretty "set and forget", but also a reputation for crushing the wood fibers at the nut. If you are pretty particular about neck relief, consider a CF/Graphite neck like a Status. My Steinberger neck just doesn't measurably move, at all, in response to temperature or humidity changes, it's basically Solid State.
 
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#9
Turnaround said:
To respond to the OP's questions, the neck does not cause the truss rod to move, the neck changes in response to changes in humidity. Are you always having to tighten the truss rod or do you sometimes have to loosen it to keep the board flat?
Click to expand...

I loosen and tighten. When I pick up a bass and check the tuning, if the tuning is sharp or flat, then I immediately know that the neck has moved. I don't necessary adjust the truss rod, unless I feel that the strings sound choked or the action is high enough that the sound is dull.

I understand that it's the humidity that is causing the neck to change. But i always thought that if the neck moved, then it's forcing the truss rod to tighten/unwind. That's why I thought someone can come with a truss rod "lock" system.
 
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#12
Coke Kane said:
I loosen and tighten. When I pick up a bass and check the tuning, if the tuning is sharp or flat, then I immediately know that the neck has moved. I don't necessary adjust the truss rod, unless I feel that the strings sound choked or the action is high enough that the sound is dull.

I understand that it's the humidity that is causing the neck to change. But i always thought that if the neck moved, then it's forcing the truss rod to tighten/unwind. That's why I thought someone can come with a truss rod "lock" system.
Click to expand...
No, the neck moving is not causing the truss rod to tighten or unwind. What's happening is that as the wood takes up moisture it expands, but the truss rod doesn't. So without any change to the truss rod, the expanded wood causes more tension on the rod causing the neck to back bend, and you have to release some of the tension to get the neck back where you want it. And conversely when the neck loses moisture.
 
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#14
Coke Kane said:
I loosen and tighten. When I pick up a bass and check the tuning, if the tuning is sharp or flat, then I immediately know that the neck has moved. I don't necessary adjust the truss rod, unless I feel that the strings sound choked or the action is high enough that the sound is dull.

I understand that it's the humidity that is causing the neck to change. But i always thought that if the neck moved, then it's forcing the truss rod to tighten/unwind. That's why I thought someone can come with a truss rod "lock" system.
Click to expand...
The rod doesn't turn by itself. It stretches or relaxes depending on which way the wood wants to go. It's all about tension and stretch.
 
#15
Turnaround said:
No, the neck moving is not causing the truss rod to tighten or unwind. What's happening is that as the wood takes up moisture it expands, but the truss rod doesn't. So without any change to the truss rod, the expanded wood causes more tension on the rod causing the neck to back bend, and you have to release some of the tension to get the neck back where you want it. And conversely when the neck loses moisture.
Click to expand...

In relatively constant humidity, should one need to adjust the tension less often than in varying humidity conditions, then?

It seems like that would make sense.
 
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#16
Coke Kane said:
When I pick up a bass and check the tuning, if the tuning is sharp or flat, then I immediately know that the neck has moved.
Click to expand...
as kriegs said that is what the turners are for.
don't forget temperature. if i pick a bass in the morning the strings are always a little sharp. the strings are cold. if i check at the end of the day when the house is warmer the strings are fine.
 
#18
[QUOTE="non, post: 23280633, member: 282157"]as kriegs said that is what the turners are for.
don't forget temperature. if i pick a bass in the morning the strings are always a little sharp. the strings are cold. if i check at the end of the day when the house is warmer the strings are fine.[/QUOTE]

My basses keep in tune very well. So when I pick up the bass in the morning, and say the tuning is very flat, then I know that the neck has bowed, and not that the tuners have slipped. This is confirmed once I tune up to pitch because I can feel that the action is a little high on the 5th - 9th fret.

This is why I avoid buying basses with the truss rod at the bottom of the neck instead of the headstock.
 

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