I broke a Fender neck by taking the strings off

[BBassBassington]

Seems ridiculous right? Wrong.

I own a 2019 Player Jazz. It's always played great but recently I decided to do some neck swaps and the Player Jazz neck was the leftover one. So I loosened the truss rod and put it up for sale. The person who bought it was unable to get the truss rod to tighten again, so we talked and I agreed to pay a repair if he brought it in. Luthier says the neck is unrepairable.

How badly made are these things that taking tension off the neck seems to break it?

This isn't even my first broken MIM neck. I had the truss rod try to jump out the skunk stripe on a Player Precision neck.

At the end of the day I'm not buying another MIM Fender bass. They make them out of spaghetti apparently. And it's a shame because I love Fenders but if a bass can't survive a gentle life with me it doesn't deserve to be on sale.

 

[James Collins]

I always suspect that the people saying that they can't tighten the truss rod don't know what they are talking about.

I am also suspicious of what a "luthier" means, because a luthier can fix a broken truss rod. There is no such thing as an unrepairable neck, just one that isn't worth the cost of repairing.

Sorry about your bad luck. I've never owned one personally. Dan Erlwine just recently posted a video on this topic with StewMac.

 

[James Collins]

 

[BBassBassington]

I always suspect that the people saying that they can't tighten the truss rod don't know what they are talking about.

I am also suspicious of what a "luthier" means, because a luthier can fix a broken truss rod. There is no such thing as an unrepairable neck, just one that isn't worth the cost of repairing.

Sorry about your bad luck. I've never owned one personally. Dan Erlwine just recently posted a video on this topic with StewMac.

Thanks. I assume unrepairable means not worth it. It'd be a process to remove the fretboard, replace the truss rod, and re-install the fretboard. Cost-wise that's probably only worth it on a vintage and high-value instrument. Not a basic MIM Fender neck.

I'm gonna check out that video, thanks for posting that.

 

[blacktocomm]

One of the most comfortable necks I’ve ever played was a Mexican road worn jazz. Felt wonderful in my hands. It was also the most unstable piece of wood I’ve ever encountered.

 

[BBassBassington]

Perhaps they should change their names to the Fender Noodle Neck Series.

One of the most comfortable necks I’ve ever played was a Mexican road worn jazz. Felt wonderful in my hands. It was also the most unstable piece of wood I’ve ever encountered.

 

[GreyBeard]

Truss rods can be replaced if they are broken. Send it to this guy. His shop is 2 mi from my house and he is just about as good as it gets.

 

[elgranluis]

Pretty interesting.

How exactly did the buyer break the neck ? Is the nut stripped , did the nut break off with a piece of the truss rod?

 

[devnulljp]

Buyer broke the truss rod and doesn't want to admit it.

 

[jd56hawk]

Pics?

 

[Jim C]

Just for the record, I never loosen my truss rods. When I buy a bass (or just a neck), once the instrument is set up, the truss rod NEVER gets touched for anything other than minor adjustments for weather.
I always keep them strung and up to pitch too (including shipping). I think it keeps the entire instrument more stable.
.02

 

[BassFalcon]

Buyer broke the truss rod and doesn't want to admit it.

That seems like the likely conclusion. What the OP describes doing himself, unstringing and loosening the Rod, is physically impossible to cause the damage claimed. Unless it was a double acting truss Rod, but in that case the OP would’ve been well aware he broke it. Because it would loosen, and then if you keep going it would tighten again, and then “ping” no more truss rod. The only possible scenario is that buyer received it, put on his clown outfit because that’s clearly what he is, and started cranking on the rod until it went “ping”. OP, I’m sorry you got played like that. Yet another reason why I just sell my used gear to GC and consider the money I lost by not selling it myself privately a convenience charge.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I guess it’s a miracle that my two mim basses have not crumbled like matchsticks. Even more of a miracle that I haven’t needed to adjust the rods in many years.

 

[shadven]

Why did you loosen the truss Rod in the first place? I’ve had maybe a hundred basses in my life, and I never had cause to loosen a truss Rod. Adjust yes, a 1/4 to 1/2 turn at most.

 

[Mrtoodamnsabre]

Real dumb if it’s the case but is the buyer tightening it and it’s straight and the strings aren’t lowering? It’s very likely the neck pocket doesn’t match the neck and he needs a shim?

 

[7dollarbologna]

I always stick with the MIM premium instruments - the low end of the MIM are just Squiers with a Fender decal

 

[7dollarbologna]

One of the most comfortable necks I’ve ever played was a Mexican road worn jazz. Felt wonderful in my hands. It was also the most unstable piece of wood I’ve ever encountered.

Great example of Premium MIM

 

[elgranluis]

I always stick with the MIM premium instruments - the low end of the MIM are just Squiers with a Fender decal

You realize that mim necks were made in the usa for the first 15 years or so that the Ensenada facility operated, right ?

 

[andare]

If i understand correctly, OP took the neck off the bass and put it up for sale. Of course he had to loosen the truss rod once there was no more string tension. Leaving the truss rod tightened would've bent the neck.

The buyer clearly broke the truss rod.

MIM necks are crap these days but they're not that bad.

OP, you got gipped.

 

[7dollarbologna]

You realize that mim necks were made in the usa for the first 15 years or so that the Ensenada facility operated, right ?

I’m only interested in about 2014 forward- they got a new CNC machine back then and quality went up - the old “classic series” lacquer line is awesome, so are the Hwy 1, the JMJ Mustang is excellent and so is the pink Flea bass