Fender Truss Rod Tutorial...is this a joke?

[buldog5151bass]

I don't get it?

What was so heinous about that?

How else would you suggest doing it?

Perfectly normal adjustment from the company that actually makes the bass.

Dirk

Pushing down on the neck. Some beginner is going to take the headstock off his neck doing that.

 

[James Collins]

I didn't even think it sounded that bad.

 

[MVE]

Pushing down on the neck. Some beginner is going to take the headstock off his neck doing that.

Or worse, loosening the screws a little too much with strings under tension and ending up with the equivalent of a human sized mouse trap.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Or worse, loosening the screws a little too much with strings under tension and ending up with the equivalent of a human sized mouse trap.

and helping strip/widen the holes in the necks from grinding against the threads.

 

[James Collins]

Or worse, loosening the screws a little too much with strings under tension and ending up with the equivalent of a human sized mouse trap.

I think if your neck or head stock snaps from pushing on it like in the video, the company owes you a refund.

 

[drumvsbass]

I’ve seen mechanics slide under cars sitting on bottle-jacks, but that doesn’t mean its not a dumb thing to do.

Agreed and those mechanics usually don't show that trick to an amateur, so whether this technique is 'right' or not I wouldn't recommend a beginner to go anywhere near their bass with the thought of adjusting their truss rod in this fashion.

 

[Double E]

and helping strip/widen the holes in the necks from grinding against the threads.

Presumably there is no grinding of the threads in the neck... the screws should still be partially screwed in and stationary in the neck. Rather the screws are slipping through the holes in the body... where they never really should be engaging the wood anyway. Thus allowing the neck to move upward and the travel is controlled by the still-engaged neck screws.

This method, if done carefully on the right instrument, should be fine. If the screws are removed too much, this will not cause the "mouse trap" effect. The strings are not springs. They are only tight until they are not. I suspect that it would be kind of anti climactic for the neck to completely release under tension.

Where this can go awry is on some cheap basses where the screws actually do engage the body wood. The neck then would not slip up as in the video and the person attempting this may tend to overdo it and actually break something.

 

[chadhargis]

What if you don't know how to adjust the truss rod and take it to a "trusted professional" who is really a teenager making $8/hr who watched this video?

This is why I do all my own setups.

 

[Fender_Bender]

Do I understand correctly, that the four neck screws are just wood screws directly into the material of the neck? I never assume any wood screw can be loosened and tightened more than a few times. As far as I am concerned, when you're dealing with wood screws holding together a stressed joint, you need to put them in there, torque them down, and leave them the heck alone as long as you possibly can. If I had a (normal, not an exotic collector's item) bass like that, I'd be making a recess for access. I think a rigiht angle slotted screwdriver would do fine. Taking the neck loose every time the truss rod needs adjustment seems like a recipe for early stripping out of the screw holes. Putting metal bushings in will be way more trouble than loosening the strings and using a small access recess.

Yep, In general it’s best not to have wood screws going in and out of a piece of wood because the wood will eventually get stripped. I have two basses with that type of access. Not willing to do something permanent like routing out an access trench, I’ve figured out two sets of string gauges for winter and summer for my climate.
The rod is supposed to be able to do its job a little more effectively when it’s installed that way. Also doesn’t weaken the headstock as much as having access at that end.
There’s also a commonly available paint can opener with a flat end bent over @ 90 degrees that many use . The guard probably has to come off, or slid out of the way, to use the tool.

 

[MVE]

Presumably there is no grinding of the threads in the neck... the screws should still be partially screwed in and stationary in the neck. Rather the screws are slipping through the holes in the body... where they never really should be engaging the wood anyway. Thus allowing the neck to move upward and the travel is controlled by the still-engaged neck screws.

This method, if done carefully on the right instrument, should be fine. If the screws are removed too much, this will not cause the "mouse trap" effect. The strings are not springs. They are only tight until they are not. I suspect that it would be kind of anti climactic for the neck to completely release under tension.

Where this can go awry is on some cheap basses where the screws actually do engage the body wood. The neck then would not slip up as in the video and the person attempting this may tend to overdo it and actually break something.

Well, Im not going to be the one to find out. Lol

 

[tubatodd]

LMAO! I have nothing constructive to say. Thank you for sharing this. I will tell my kids this is Leo Fender. LOL....just kidding.

Here we have Bo Jackson demonstrating the proper way to remove the neck from the body.

I love how he called in a "vintage" instrument then proceeded to act like it owed him money.

LOL! So awesome.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

This video is insane... so when he adjusts the bass, he leaves the strings @ full tension & then removes the screws from the neck pocket & sort of bends/ folds/ cocks the neck to get access to the truss rod @ the heel? Wow... I can't believe the neck doesn't shear off from the body.

& to think there's a video where Dan Erlewine is adjusting the trussrod @ the heel of a bass neck where he completely removes the neck from the body & actually clamps the neck in a back bow, as to help the truss rod, before tightening the nut.

 

[Kukulkan61]

And yet another reason I do my own setups...

 

[AboutSweetSue]

If there is a video that is making the comment that your Fender neck isn’t fragile...this is it.

 

[Chrisk-K]

there's a video where Dan Erlewine is adjusting the trussrod @ the heel of a bass neck where he completely removes the neck from the body & actually clamps the neck in a back bow, as to help the truss rod, before tightening the nut.

Erlewine is like a Nobel laureate in medicine whereas this Fender luthier is like a quack.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Since I've bought a Vintera Mustang, I've been looking for the proper, reccomended way to go about doing a truss rod adjustment. Take strings off completely? Leave them on and loosen them? Completely take off the neck? You get the idea.

I felt compelled to watch the Fender Official video since...well, it's Fender's own video with their personal guidelines. Now I won't spoil the video, but just go to 4:00, and wait for it...

Hopefully, you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm NOT in a million years doing it in that way. I find it funny that it's a video aimed at beginners, where he uses a method with which I suspect you could damage your bass. I cringed. So did the whole comment section apparently.

I've done the same thing on my Fender 60s reissue Jazz bass. No big deal, really. I since have had the access hole routed a bit and everything is peachy. Also, I ordered a Telecaster trussrod tool from Stew Mac; great little tool.

 

[Allotabass1]

I've been doing this the exact same way for decades.
When I had my own business repairing and setting up guitars, I would preform this move every time.....because it works. I would have loosened the neck screws more but the concept is the same.

Don't worry, your guitar can handle it.

 

[panzerfaust]

am i the only one who is screaming and swearing right when i hear the sound that come from that bass ?
he said "bring to your local repair guy"

and i won't bring my bass to my "local repair guy" if the repair guy was him...

 

[DJ Bebop]

Since I've bought a Vintera Mustang, I've been looking for the proper, reccomended way to go about doing a truss rod adjustment. Take strings off completely? Leave them on and loosen them? Completely take off the neck? You get the idea.

I felt compelled to watch the Fender Official video since...well, it's Fender's own video with their personal guidelines. Now I won't spoil the video, but just go to 4:00, and wait for it...

Hopefully, you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm NOT in a million years doing it in that way. I find it funny that it's a video aimed at beginners, where he uses a method with which I suspect you could damage your bass. I cringed. So did the whole comment section apparently.

Truss rod adjustment at the heal?
Yep, that's how I do mine. I don't see anything wrong with what was shown.
It's either that or taking a screwdriver to it and screwing up the pickguard and possible stripping the head of the truss rod by not loosening up the neck.

 

[RileyGoodenough]

I've also heard a good way to do it is to tighten the strings until they feel like they are gonna pop, place the guitar face down elevated from the ground on both ends with cinder blocks or something and jump on it.