I have a 5-string bass that has upbow to the point that the truss rod is completely loose and the strings are still touching the first 7 frets. I tried clamping it down in the middle with the fretboard up (maybe clamping it upside down with like a stack of paper under the middle?) I currently have a 1-inch dowel under the strings tuned up a whole step laying facedown with a pair of shoes on the headstock. It's been sitting like that for 3 days and still has a freaking up bow! WHAT DO?!? I don't have a heat blanket, not that I'd want to go about doing that anyway. I just want to play my damn bass.
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Upbow with no relief.
- Thread starter Libu369
- Start date
With a long straight edge on the frets, and the strings tuned to tension, do you have gaps at each end? If so, how big a gap?
Did you keep turning the nut in the opposite direction to see if it starts getting tight again? A dual acting rod will have a neutral spot when there is no tension on the rod either direction, and the nut will turn easily.
I don't have a straight edge, and it's a single action. The nut loosened completely off the rod. I put it back on and tightened it just until it started to grab and started the dowel process. The strings were touching up to the third fret and then starts freeing up. I'm hoping the person before me didn't really screw it, but I have hope.
Unfortunately, there's no easy fix here. Your neck has a "backbow"; the wood has warped, causing the neck to bend back, leaving the middle high. With a single-acting truss rod that's loose, there's nothing you can do with the truss rod to straighten it. The neck needs to be repaired. And if you pay someone to repair it, it may cost more than finding a replacement neck. That's the sad truth.
There are two approaches to straightening a backbowed neck: Heat straightening and mechanical straightening.
Heat straightening involves clamping the neck to force into a forward bend, and then carefully applying heat to get the wood to slightly soften and bend. It's trickier than it sounds, but it can be done at home with some care. There are many threads here on TalkBass about heat-straightening necks by owners. Mostly successful, but some not. And there a few pro shops that specialize in heat straightening necks. Most famous is Warpedneck.com. You may want to read their site for more information about what they do.
FIX AN INSTRUMENT'S WARPED NECK
Mechanical straightening is the old-fashioned way to fix a backbowed neck. Pull out the frets, recut the surface of the fingerboard to flat, recut the slots, install new frets. In bad cases, mill off the whole fingerboard and put on a new one. That's the method I use to restore valuable old necks that are warped. But it's expensive, because it's a lot of work.
There are two approaches to straightening a backbowed neck: Heat straightening and mechanical straightening.
Heat straightening involves clamping the neck to force into a forward bend, and then carefully applying heat to get the wood to slightly soften and bend. It's trickier than it sounds, but it can be done at home with some care. There are many threads here on TalkBass about heat-straightening necks by owners. Mostly successful, but some not. And there a few pro shops that specialize in heat straightening necks. Most famous is Warpedneck.com. You may want to read their site for more information about what they do.
FIX AN INSTRUMENT'S WARPED NECK
Mechanical straightening is the old-fashioned way to fix a backbowed neck. Pull out the frets, recut the surface of the fingerboard to flat, recut the slots, install new frets. In bad cases, mill off the whole fingerboard and put on a new one. That's the method I use to restore valuable old necks that are warped. But it's expensive, because it's a lot of work.
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That sounds like a lot of work and this is a Pedulla so I'm willing to pay whatever it costs if I'm not able to get it to do what I want it to do within a week. I'll try slight heat first. Thank you for the link,Thank you for your response, and most of all, Thank you for reading the entire description.
Okay, hold on, this is a Pedulla? Have you seen some of our threads about replacing truss rods in Pedullas? Such as this one I wrote:
Scary Repairs: Two Pedullas With Broken Truss Rods
The several Pedullas that I've worked on were all double-acting truss rods. The earlier one ('80's) that we replaced the rod in had a head (nut) that threaded onto the end of the rod and was brazed on. Turning the head made the whole rod rotate. On that bass, the head had been snapped off, and we had to replace the entire truss rod assembly.
You are saying that the nut unscrewed all the way off, and you were able to screw it back on? Did the back end of the nut look like it had been brazed or welded?
Maybe you've got an earlier bass where Mike used a single acting rod? Maybe the truss rod was previously broken and replaced with a single-acting rod? I don't know what's going on here with the truss rod.
Scary Repairs: Two Pedullas With Broken Truss Rods
The several Pedullas that I've worked on were all double-acting truss rods. The earlier one ('80's) that we replaced the rod in had a head (nut) that threaded onto the end of the rod and was brazed on. Turning the head made the whole rod rotate. On that bass, the head had been snapped off, and we had to replace the entire truss rod assembly.
You are saying that the nut unscrewed all the way off, and you were able to screw it back on? Did the back end of the nut look like it had been brazed or welded?
Maybe you've got an earlier bass where Mike used a single acting rod? Maybe the truss rod was previously broken and replaced with a single-acting rod? I don't know what's going on here with the truss rod.
The guy I got it from bought it in '98, so I'm going to assume that they replaced it with a single acting rod, because I don't see anyone with any common sense replacing a double acting with a single acting, or even replacing a single acting with a single acting. My rule of thumb is if I can get the truss rod out then a double acting is going in.
Yes, maybe that's the story, that it's a repair replacement. I'm not an expert on Pedulla history, but I think they all came from the factory with double acting truss rods. There were several different designs, but they were all double-acting. And they had a lot of trouble with the heads stripping or breaking, which means replacing the truss rod. Most of us would put in a modern style double-acting rod, but someone may have fitted in a classic single-acting single-rod kit.
Well, however it got there, it is what it is. A neck with a backbow and a single-acting truss rod that can't help it. You are going to have to repair it. I'd say that this is a good candidate to send to Warpedneck.com. Send the neck to them and let them evaluate it. They are very good at the heat straightening method. They can probably bend it from a mild backbow to a mild forward bow, which the truss rod can then control. No harm to the fingerboard, frets, or finish. If they can do it, that will be the least expensive fix. You're probably looking at $150 plus shipping. They have a very good reputation.
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Don't bring out the pitchforks or anything, but I clamped it outside in the 90° sun for 2 hours. It went to a pretty severe back bow but nothing serious so I just screwed the nut back on and am slowly getting it back to perfect relief. Basically just forced it from one extreme to the other. Not ideal, but it worked and I didn't hurt anything.
Heat-straightening necks is a complicated thing. I'd be surprised if what you did lasts very long. When someone like Warpednecks.com does it, they take it to a higher temperature than you're going to get from sitting in the sun. I think it's in the 160-180 degree range, and soaked for some hours. That's what it takes to get the wood to permanently change shape.
But, there's no real harm in what you did. It's worth a try.
But, there's no real harm in what you did. It's worth a try.
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