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Need some help!

D

deathbassist

Feb 27, 2010
87
0
carthage MO USA
#1
Ok so I've been playing my six string. and for about two weeks i've noticed a buzz on the 6 and 8th fret on the E, A , D , and G strings. so I decided I would fix it today because I'm sick. I've done plenty of setups on my basses and I normally get them right. But I straightned the neck and the shimmed it. But then it kept buzzing. So I looked at the neck from the bridge of the bass and what do you know there was a slight bow coming inward at these frets. So I thought I straightned it but I guess I didn't. But I don't know how to get the bow out of the middle of the neck. I'm afraid if I turn the dual tross rod left it will backbow around the twelfth fret and if I turn it right I think it would make it worse. So I need some advice on what do do before I start doing it. Normally when I straighten necks there isn't that bow in the smack middle of it. So any advice would be appreciated. :bassist:

thanks
 
#2
Ive figured out what to do but I have run into a problem.
I turned the dual truss rod to the right to tighten and the bow has come out and the neck is straight all the way till the twelfth fret. but then it bows down a bit so I need to tighten it more. But my left truss rod out of the two has gone slack. But the right one is real tight. I think that the right one is holding all the tension. I can loosen the left one a bit and feel a little tension. So I don't know what to do should I loosen the right one so the tension will equal out and start back at square one. any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks
 
#3
Before we offer any suggestions, let's figure out where we are now. How much relief are you seeing at the 8th fret with the first and 17th fretted? Actual numbers (via feeler gauges) would be nice be an approximation is better than nothing. The fact the neck is dead-straight between the 1st and 12th is disturbing and may contribute to the problem.

Riis
 
#4
Wish I could tell ya that would mean that I have to bend it back to see. It's just the neck is straight. But a very slight bow from about the twefth fret to the twentyfourth fret. Very slight. But what I am asking is do I need to turn my right truss rod back to equal out the tension because the left one is very loose and the right one is very tight. I did turn it left a early this morning and it straightened the neck more. So Im just kinda stuck. I just don't know why the left truss rod has gone slack. But it's not broke.
 
#5
deathbassist said:
Wish I could tell ya that would mean that I have to bend it back to see. It's just the neck is straight. But a very slight bow from about the twefth fret to the twentyfourth fret. Very slight. But what I am asking is do I need to turn my right truss rod back to equal out the tension because the left one is very loose and the right one is very tight. I did turn it left a early this morning and it straightened the neck more. So Im just kinda stuck. I just don't know why the left truss rod has gone slack. But it's not broke.
Click to expand...

Gotta run to the store but I'll be right back. In the meantime, I need you to re-define the the trussrods as either "treble side" or "bass side" and the looseness or tightness of each. This will avoid confusion on my part. I think we can figure this thing out.

Riis
 
#6
Thanks man.
Alright the treble side is the one that is really loose.
The bass side is the one that's very tight.

Thanks again for all the help.

And as I said the neck is straight to the twelfth fret. It very slightly bows away from the string from there to the end of the neck. I could probably straighten this but I don't want to leave the truss rods that way because it might cause problems in the future
 
#7
deathbassist said:
Thanks man.
Alright the treble side is the one that is really loose.
The bass side is the one that's very tight.

Thanks again for all the help.

And as I said the neck is straight to the twelfth fret. It very slightly bows away from the string from there to the end of the neck. I could probably straighten this but I don't want to leave the truss rods that way because it might cause problems in the future
Click to expand...

Do not to try straighten anything....you're dangerously close to creating an "S" curve which will screw things up royally. I'm gonna make a handful of assumptions...correct me if I'm wrong:

#1) The strings are tuned to pitch.

#2) The truss rods are accessible at the heel as opposed to the headstock.

#3) You have access to a business card to double as a feeler gauge (if necessary).

Priority #1: return the bass to normal playing condition. By that, I mean a set-up that provides comfortable, buzz-free performance. Want a perfectly straight neck? Tough beans...it's not gonna happen at this stage of the game.

Verify the above and we'll proceed. Normally, we'd handle this via PM's but others may be interested in the proper approach to dual truss rods...or any truss rod in general.

Riis
 
#8
sorry man thought you said to message you.

The strings are tuned to pitch.

The truss rods are not accessible at the heel only at the headstock

And I have feeler guages.

By the way I have tension in the treble truss rod now. It has alot compared to earlier.It's almost equal tension to the bass truss rod.

I don't know if that changes the situation or not.

If it dosn't I'll do what you said and get it to a normal playing condition. But it's gonna require some shimming....
 
#9
No problem...I return-PM'd you.

Bottom line: we're looking for .010-.012" relief on both the bass and treble sides at the 8th fret with the 1st and 17th fretted. Keep in mind that the 17th-24th frets is the fingerboard segment which is least responsive to truss rod adjustment.

Riis
 

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