I've never heard of an "S" twist. I've seen basses that were completely detuned right before a big truss rod adjustment that had developed a bow that resembled an "S", mainly because they didn't clamp.
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Squier/Fender truss rods revisited
- Thread starter lovethegrowl
- Start date
Luthiers tell me that its a result of too much string tension on one side (usually the treble). It's just a little, but enough to limit the action adjustment to medium-low instead of low.... so I am told.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I think the wise thing here would be for you to simply stay away from Fender products because you obviously have a preconceived idea about their quality lacking and I doubt you well ever be happy with one.
To be fair, the only consistent neck issues I have seen have been on the early blocked and bound Squier VM Jazz necks. I have seen more than a few with bad ski jump issues. They must have had a bad batch of neck blanks that caused this issue.
To be fair, the only consistent neck issues I have seen have been on the early blocked and bound Squier VM Jazz necks. I have seen more than a few with bad ski jump issues. They must have had a bad batch of neck blanks that caused this issue.
You could say the same for Ibanez as I own an SR406. I am told that not all basses can be set "low" but should be able to set "medium low". My basses are set "medium high" and have nothing but fret buzzes. NOTHING BUT GODDAMN FRET BUZZES" NO MUSIC, just BUZZES!
I am no expert, but all I hear is disclaimers from the techs who work on them. After paying nearly an entire week's worth of wages for a two hour set up I hear, "Squiers have lousy truss rods", Ibby's are too skinny front to back". Or, I frequently hear, " YOU must be an aggressive player!" I reply "no", that I am weak & have 'girly fingers'. Or I hear, "humidity, an act of God". Humidity? With medium-high action?
Frankly Hopkins you seem to be defending some kind of fraternity here. I am not sure which! Fender fraternity? Squier fraternity? Luthiers fraternity? I don't know. I do know that I work hard for my money & when I pay for a GODDAMN product or service it would he nice if it FREAKIN' works for once!
My Marcus Miller bass hasn't been set up yet, it was shipped with SUPER high action. Maybe I'll get lucky with that one when it us dressed/leveled & set up.
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unfortunately, the vast majority of people don't know how to adjust a truss-rod. it should not have to work that hard as a counter-measure.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I am not defending any fraternity at all, I am giving you my experiences. I have never met a bass that didn't have a defect that I couldn't get to achieve a fairly low action or set up as low as possible with no fret buzz, and the vast majority of the basses I work on are Fender basses, followed by Ibanez. If your techs are blaming a Fender or Ibanez design flaw as the reason they can't do a proper set up then you need new techs. Not completely agreeing with you has nothing to do with blindly defending a fraternity, hell, there is no fraternity. That's all in your head.
Yeah, now you are gonna tell me that these screaming voices I hear when no one's around are in my head? How about those fret buzzes no other luthier can fix. We'll start with my Ibanez SR406. Tell me how much you'll charge & your address, & you'll get a PayPal advance
My SR506 (Korean '96) (bolt-on) has 2 trusrods as does a Hohner BBassVI (neck-thru), They've been very stable, and haven't heard of anyone else having a problem with them.
Dual trussrods let you compensate for the tension difference (with most typical string sets) on a wide neck.
It may be better to start with something designed for a particular usage.
Dual trussrods let you compensate for the tension difference (with most typical string sets) on a wide neck.
It may be better to start with something designed for a particular usage.
Well if that Ibanez can be set up right, I will put my Alnico single coil Carvins in those big ass soap bar cavities, scrap the active preamp & put in 500k passive pots & THAT can be my 6 string jazz bass.
I know nothing about 506s but according to what TB Soundgear club users have written, the 406s are particularly thin from front to back. (Rickenbacker like) & stability problems are common. On my 406 the action is "medium-high" (according to Maurilio, my tech) & that buzzes like crazy. The only thing that makes that bass usable is that it has TI Jazz Rounds on it, & the built in active electronics fatten up those lean sounding strings & veil high frequencies to the point that you don't hear the buzzing too much.
It would be great to make the Ibby my 6 string jazz bass, but that would entail replacing the active pots with passive pots so you could actually hear the gritty Lo Riders I want to put on. Any suggestions? (Maybe 50 years later, when I pay off my Visa & Paypal for all this gear & mids & set ups that don't even yield decent results, I can get a Gerald Veasly bass for those TIs)
You wouldn't be writing that had you not taken the user name I wanted first.
if you like super low action but dont like the price of the work involved, your only option is to learn to do it yourself. i started working on the majority of my basses because i was spending a ton of money in repairs. i recently had mo refret a 77 stingray because i wanted the perfect/factory looking job he can do and because it added value to the bass (i just sold it). he did an absolutely perfect job. straight neck, low action, no buzz (for my touch). if you have him resurface the board to make it handle the increased tension of the 6th string, itll come out perfect.
Hopkins
Commercial User
If you were local I would be happy to set up any bass you own, but setting up a bass and shipping it half way across the country, to a totally different humidity would be pissing in the wind.
Mo put in those passive pots & predictably, bypassing the cheap onboard preamp & going to harder sounding Lo Riders (from Hibeams) turned it into a good sounding bass.
We have tentatively agreed to go with the resurfacing/refretting, & going for a 16" radius. (Hell, I'll settle for a 14" as that is an improvement over 12")
I am still concerned about the long term prognosis for that neck to stay adjustable for, say, a decade or so. Just heard from Mo. Not good long term so we are scrapping this project. He doesn't want to work with ebanol.
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The notion that I'd be unhappy with a Fender just because I have a preconceived idea just isn't too true. You know the old saying about the proof being in the pudding.
Mo (@ Nordstrands) texted me this morning telling me how good the bass sounds with the passive pots & lo riders. However, I asked him what the long term neck stability prognosis is. And he stipulated that the truss rod simply wasn't strong enough to handle that 6th string even if there is a resurfacing of the fretboard; & that ebanol is very sensitive to humidity & toxic to work with. I am hosed! He doesn't wanna go through with it.
In all fairness, Fender rarely uses ebanol. However the neck? OK, its wasnt designed for 6 strings. My lo rider gauges are 135 105 80 60 45 30. Maybe 204 lbs.? What if there was no 6th string & my gauges ranged from 145 to 50, wouldn't that approach the 200 lb. mark, & I'd be facing the same issues?
Now my option might be to put the TI Jazz Rounds on it. All 6 strings add up to about 180 lbs. & see how the neck holds up. Of course I would have to put in a Bartolini 69 split coil in a J housing, as those lean strings work best with one neck position Humbucker-with the pup cavity closer to the neck, that would be deeper sounding, and an improvement over the Ibanez pup position.
Or I can sell it for next to nothing on consignment. Propably this option.
The Carvins & Lo Riders can go on my Ibanez SR 406. But the position of the neck pup cavity is 1/2" closer to the bridge than 70s J pup repositioning. I suspect that won't sound great. I might go for an aerodyne type of arrangement.
I AM optimistic about my Fender MM Signature bass.
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Hopkins
Commercial User
Well, adding that 6th string would roughly 35-40 pounds of tension with all other things being equal, but using such a heavy gauge before on the 5 string set, Its hard to say what the actual difference is. DR does not have a tension chart. Lo-Riders are a pretty high tension string though, and that 6th may have very well been the straw that broke the camels back. Why not try a lighter gauge, or lower tension string? Maybe a set of Lo-Riders in a .120 .100 .080 .060 .040 .025 set. Or even something like a set of Hi Beams or Sun Beams to lower the tension further. A lower tension string may make the neck stable again, that way even if you hate the sound at least you would be able to sell it for something besides a parts/project bass, just disclose the information about it needing a lower tension string.
Well I have TIs Jazz Rounds (on my Ibby) that average just about 30 lbs pressure apiece. Hibeams were on the Squier before & it had the same neck problem. Ironically, I went to Lo Riders to give a harder attack (compensating for the basswood) & Mo raved about the sound after bypassing the cheap onboard preamp.
I can put my lo riders, & 1 or 2 of those Carvin J pups on the Ibanez (but the pup cavity spacings are different, closer to the bridge) then put those TIs on the Squier. Of course I'd have to put only one beefy split p Bartolini 69 in the neck position (no bridge pup for TIs rounds) to bring those TIs to life. This plan is a conceivable solution.
I can put my lo riders, & 1 or 2 of those Carvin J pups on the Ibanez (but the pup cavity spacings are different, closer to the bridge) then put those TIs on the Squier. Of course I'd have to put only one beefy split p Bartolini 69 in the neck position (no bridge pup for TIs rounds) to bring those TIs to life. This plan is a conceivable solution.
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A saddle can removed from the wammi bridge & the stock nut can be put back & converted to a 5 string for sale.
If I go to a 5 string for sale I'd put in fat sounding strings such as GHS Pressure Wounds, since I'd put back those old MIM ceramic pickups. Bright strings would be too light.
If I go to a 5 string for sale I'd put in fat sounding strings such as GHS Pressure Wounds, since I'd put back those old MIM ceramic pickups. Bright strings would be too light.
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