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.
Truss Rod Adjustments Suck
- Thread starter Jack Deth
- Start date
LoL, I agree, not a big deal to me either, but to many people on talkbass, that would be very serious, and would mean that your system is actually problematic. The solution should be something that doesn't require damaging your instrument or taking it apart to adjust the truss rod.OMG!!! I scratched my bass!!
It’s much easier to avoid scratches if you’re using an appropriately small screwdriver - 1/8” is plenty. If you give backbow pressure to the neck manually while you do it, you don’t need the leverage of a large screwdriver - you can use a small one just in the top half of the slot (i.e. the outside edge of the screwdriver is close to the outside edge of the slot, not centred about the cross, which you can’t do anyway when the pickguard is on). With the pickguard off as in that photo, there’s even more room to avoid scratching anything.
That said, on a >45 year old bass like mine, I hardly notice any new scratches amongst the old ones!
The fear of scratching seem to stress me out with a new/pristine instrument which causes me additional (most?) frustration with truss rod adjustments I think. It’s like the bass is a very fragile fine painting and I walk on broken glass while doing the adjustment, including removing the little screws that hold the cover on the headstock. After I’ve banged it a good time against something and christened it, I have little issue doing anything to them afterwards. Cost of the bass does not seem to alter the stress level either, so it’s not a value thing.
What? His helmet had a truss rod. Haven’t you noticed how it always seemed like his neck was fused? There’s a rod in there, and that machine he gets into adjusts it. That’s why the helmet goes back together when it opens up. It’s also why he stays so stressed (worried sick his helmet or suit will get scratched in that machine for the highly invasive rod adjustment).This does not seem like something your avatar would say…
Do you have the correct key. Fender has one about 8 inches long. Most other manufacturers can provide one. My Warwick key is even longer and both fit like gloves.
You misunderstood, side-to-side clearance and angle to fit it down into the channel. On my most problematic bass, length is actually detrimental because of the angle down into the neck. The short end of a 90 degree hex key barely fits into the routed slot.
My first electric, Teisco Del Rey ET-200, was like that...I learned to adjust the neck myself and what worked for me. A great skill to have!
I don't mind having to do it if I can come to an "agreement" with the instrument, but to have the adjustment at the bottom of the neck...yeah that sucks...
Last edited:
My first bass was a Japanese long scale bass, probably a Teisco, it actually sounded pretty good. I have no idea how you adjusted the truss rod on it, I didn't even know they had them back then.
