Truss rod screw place: different directions?

[Erik Masson]

On some basses the truss rod adjustment screw is on the headstock, on other it's down by the body.
Do you tighten both types by screwning clockwise?

The reason I ask is this: on my sire v9 (screw down by the body) it feels like I am releasing tension when I turn the screw clockwise, and it feels like I am tensing when I screw counterclockwise.

Simply put: I have to work to turn the screw counterclockwise, and use very little energy to turn it clockwise. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

 

[BismarckHerring]

It doesn’t matter where it’s placed, turn clockwise for less relief and counterclockwise for more relief. There are very few exceptions (I think it’s the other way around on Pedullas).

If I’m not mistaken, all Sires have a dual action truss rod. That means that it can bend the neck in both directions, and you can tighten it both ways. Between the ‘forward bow’ and the ‘backward bow’ position, there is a neutral postion, where you will feel no resistance when turning the nut. I suspect that your truss rod is in a position where it slightly pushes the neck into a forward bow, so turning it clockwise will move it toward the neutral position, which means less tension. If you keep turning clockwise, you’ll encounter ‘normal’ resistance again.

That’s my theory anyway. As always, adjust in small increments, in the direction that you’re used to, and see if it has the desired effect. Be careful, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.

 

[Erik Masson]

It doesn’t matter where it’s placed, turn clockwise for less relief and counterclockwise for more relief. There are very few exceptions (I think it’s the other way around on Pedullas).

If I’m not mistaken, all Sires have a dual action truss rod. That means that it can bend the neck in both directions, and you can tighten it both ways. Between the ‘forward bow’ and the ‘backward bow’ position, there is a neutral postion, where you will feel no resistance when turning the nut. I suspect that your truss rod is in a position where it slightly pushes the neck into a forward bow, so turning it clockwise will move it toward the neutral position, which means less tension. If you keep turning clockwise, you’ll encounter ‘normal’ resistance again.

That’s my theory anyway. As always, adjust in small increments, in the direction that you’re used to, and see if it has the desired effect. Be careful, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.

Thanks for the quick and thourough answer.
That theory makes sense to me.

 

[Bloomfield]

I can't speak to your bass specifically, but truss rods that work in reverse are not totally unheard of.

With a double-action double rod, some makers have opted to put the fixed rod on the bottom, in order to put the adjuster closer to the fingerboard level. This would result in the truss rod working opposite to usual if it was threaded in the normal way. It's a confusing set-up, and not something I would wish upon future owners, luthiers, etc., not without leaving a note at least.

PS: BismarkHerring's advice above is quite a likely scenario, that you may just have come to the point where the threads are unloaded, and it may operate as expected past that point.