• 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.

The lazy ****....

#21
hdracer said:
I think it depends on where you live. A MIA maybe not so much. I live in Minnesota. We get major temp changes. My CIJ & MIM have had to be tweeked about 3x each in the last four months. I do like my action low so any change is noticeable. Also I change strings and clean my frett board a lot and adjust with new strings.
Click to expand...
I live in Michigan and we get similar temperature changes, and I can't understand a truss rod needing frequent adjustment unless the wood of the neck is real junk. Having bought a number of new basses, I have come to expect having to adjust when new, adjust after 6 months, maybe a again after a year and then the neck should be fairly well set. Changes in string gauges or other hardware would make further adjustment understandable.

My $0.02 on the access hole. Finesse it a little better and paint. Sand that little divot on the end of the fretboard smooth and go back to playing....can't imagine you spend a lot of time fingering down there.


Final thought - current owner can do what they want. Smash, set on fire, use for boat oar....:D
 
#24
Munjibunga said:
Not me. I'd be mad at the dumbass who designed it like that in the first place. In fact, I am mad, because my Mustang is like that, and I'd like to take some relief out of the neck. So, rather than take it apart and do it myself, I'll take it down to Top Gear and pay to let someone else deal with it. I might have them route a slot in it while they've got it, just for spite.

If you want a neck that's easy to adjust, take a look at a Sadowsky. Now them're right smart.
Click to expand...

+1 Dumbass design. I've milled several reliefs in basses that didn't have them over the years. Having to take the neck off to make an adjustment is just plain stupid engineering. I've also opened up the clearence in the headstock end of some others so a wrench could ACTUALLY be used :rolleyes:

On the plus side you could take your neck off, sand away the blemish on the fretboard and have a relief milled into your body, getting rid of the ham handed effort the previous owner created :o :) IMHO, having to remove the pickguard to access the trussrod is also DUMB. I'd machine a relief in that too!
 
#26
I got this surprise abortion a few years ago. Jackazz seller did'nt think it was worth mentioning. Nor would he refund my cash. Lying thieves abide everywhere, even on "trusted" forums.

Half of the hole was visible with the neck installed.

9f824a41.jpg
 
#29
Templar said:
I got this surprise abortion a few years ago. Jackazz seller did'nt think it was worth mentioning. Nor would he refund my cash. Lying thieves abide everywhere, even on "trusted" forums.

Half of the hole was visible with the neck installed.

9f824a41.jpg
Click to expand...

What exactly is going on there? I'd imagine the fingerboard would have had to come off to do that.

Any idea what the reason for that was?
 
#30
My newly acquired MIJ E-serial Fender P-Bass has the same kind of "lazy" mark on the body, but not as severe as OP's Jazz.

It was a mark left by one of the previous owners attempted using a large flat-head screw driver to adjust the truss rod with the neck tightly bolted. :mad:
As a result, the body wood (real soft basswood) got chewed up little bit around the area right below the truss rod head.
But thank God, he did NOT put a drill on the body!!!
With pickguard on, it is not visible at least...

I may sand down the chewed up area to smooth it out, seal it and apply black glossy paint someday to make it look more legit (?) later on when I get board.
 
#32
Fetusyolk said:
it's not too bad. . just give it a nice sanding and it can pass for a decent truss rod slot- pretty convenient. why would you want to take your neck off to adjust the rod any way?
Click to expand...

Exactly. The bass isn't collectible, and the original design is stupid. Why would you even stress over something you can't really see unless you looked hard for it?
 
#34
Gotta be honest. I'd rather have to take the neck off than look at that big hole in the pickguard.

The adjustment on the new American Standards works and looks just fine with out any kind of disassembly.

I'd still prefer a headstock adjuster to anything at the heal. (big required IMO)
 
#36
savit260 said:
Gotta be honest. I'd rather have to take the neck off than look at that big hole in the pickguard.

I'd still prefer a headstock adjuster to anything at the heal. (big required IMO)
Click to expand...

You're not alone. Truss rod access is truly a matter of taste. One thing seems to be true. (Maybe it's a law of the universe or something.) If a bass has easy truss rod access it never needs adjusting. If the access is difficult it often needs adjustment. It's a conspiracy, for sure. :)

M. M.
 
#37
The thing is it is almost never necessary to actually remove the neck. I can usually just get a large flat head on the threads enough to make the adjustment without disturbing anything else. The pickguard must be removed of course.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back