Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
It's really a lot of trial and error. I used to be afraid to adjust the truss rod on my guitars and basses until I picked up a handful of really cheap instruments and used them to practice on. The only advice I can give you is not to force it. If it becomes really difficult to tighten up the truss rod, you've probably reached the limit. Best of luck.
It depends on the neck. Best practice, especially if you’re unsure, is to loosen the strings (not much, 1/2-1 step) and figure a way to pull back on the headstock, in other words manually move the neck the direction you want it to go, then tighten the nut. If I’m setting up an instrument I don’t usually wait after adjusting the truss rod. I adjust until the relief is where I want it then finish the setup and check again in a few hours or the next day.
All that is predicated on the neck doing what I expect. If the truss rod nut gets hard to turn or something doesn’t feel right I’ll investigate.
All that is predicated on the neck doing what I expect. If the truss rod nut gets hard to turn or something doesn’t feel right I’ll investigate.
Depends.
For example, I have a fat 1-pc quarter sawn maple P bass neck here in South CA that was made by Musikraft in New Jersey around the beginning of this year. (for climatic context) By the time the hottest, driest stretch of the year was over here a few weeks ago I found it was due for a big adjustment to reduce the amount of relief.
It was so much it took three adjustment, the largest coarse adjustment first to get close then a second finer adjustment to get it more exact a few days later. I took several quarter and eighth turns, mostly tightening. Then days after that we started getting fall rain showers here, enough to increase humidity, so I had to loosen it back an 1/8th of a turn.
For example, I have a fat 1-pc quarter sawn maple P bass neck here in South CA that was made by Musikraft in New Jersey around the beginning of this year. (for climatic context) By the time the hottest, driest stretch of the year was over here a few weeks ago I found it was due for a big adjustment to reduce the amount of relief.
It was so much it took three adjustment, the largest coarse adjustment first to get close then a second finer adjustment to get it more exact a few days later. I took several quarter and eighth turns, mostly tightening. Then days after that we started getting fall rain showers here, enough to increase humidity, so I had to loosen it back an 1/8th of a turn.
scottfeldstein
Roots and fifths and a little extra.
My question is why are you adjusting the truss rod? Are you trying to solve some problem? If so, what is it? Also, have you measured the neck relief at all? It's good to know what it is before cranking away at it.
scottfeldstein
Roots and fifths and a little extra.
What bugs me is that he doesn't actually measure the neck relief or tell us how much relief there should or shouldn't be. I much prefer a capo on the first fret, hold down the fret where neck meets body, and use a feeler gauge. Invalid Link Removed on actual measurements.
That is because relief is a preference, not a set measurement.
scottfeldstein
Roots and fifths and a little extra.
This is exactly why so many players do not know how to do their own setup. "By feel, man" isn't a recipe for success. You need to know–with real measurements–what is reasonable and what is not.
To the OP's question:
There is no need to wait for anything.
On a single action* truss rod, there are two limiting factors to the amount the nut can travel or the amount of adjustment. The first is loosening the nut until it comes off. The second is turning it until it is tight. If you hear a squeak, STOP! Therefore, when adjusting the truss rod turn the truss rod nut until the desired relief is achieved. Some folks like to "help" the truss rod by flexing the neck.
On a double action** truss rod, the nut cannot be removed. Therefore the limits are set at either end of the adjustment range. At the end of the nut travel it will stop. If you force it you will strip threads.
*Single action truss rods only remove (straighten) the neck by inducing a back bow. Most often this is done by compressing the neck.
** Double action truss rods will adjust in both directions. It can induce a back bow or relief. This device is usually a two rod system. One rod acts upon the other. That adds or removes relief "independently" to the neck.
There is no need to wait for anything.
On a single action* truss rod, there are two limiting factors to the amount the nut can travel or the amount of adjustment. The first is loosening the nut until it comes off. The second is turning it until it is tight. If you hear a squeak, STOP! Therefore, when adjusting the truss rod turn the truss rod nut until the desired relief is achieved. Some folks like to "help" the truss rod by flexing the neck.
On a double action** truss rod, the nut cannot be removed. Therefore the limits are set at either end of the adjustment range. At the end of the nut travel it will stop. If you force it you will strip threads.
*Single action truss rods only remove (straighten) the neck by inducing a back bow. Most often this is done by compressing the neck.
** Double action truss rods will adjust in both directions. It can induce a back bow or relief. This device is usually a two rod system. One rod acts upon the other. That adds or removes relief "independently" to the neck.
