Will My Truss Break?

[Tommy-P]

Hey, I'm not a luthier and I know this is luthiers corner but I have a problem with a bass and I thought that the people veiwing these threads in particular would know how to assist through greater knowledge gained through experience.

The Problem I have is that I have recently converted my Cheapo P 4 string to BEAD. It has been set up and everything else to near perfection but there is still some minute forward bow on the neck (hardly noticeble). However I strith to make it as good as it can be,

The truss has been tightened up a lot and I daren't go too far incase I write it off.

Could that happen or can truss rods handle a bit more abuse than I'm allowing myself?
Thanks

 

[Nelson Guitars]

So how hard are you torquing on that rod. One grunt or two? Unless we can feel it I don't know that anyone can really answer your question. How tight is tight?

Short answer is yes, you can twist the head right off that thing. It all depends on how it was made and how hard you are torquing.

Sorry I couldn't be more precise.

Greg N

 

[Son of Magni]

If it's a compression rod it'd probably be best to wait a few days to let the wood respond anyways. It may end up just fine where it is.

 

[Tommy-P]

Thanks. Its been a few days now. And it still seems to be bowing from the 5th fret. What is a grunt? Its had a few turns of an allen key until it started making the noise like rubbing a balloon
so I stopped
sounds like aI better be careful

 

[SDB Guitars]

You might look at your string gauge, too, as slightly lighter string gauge will equate to lower neck tension...

Most 5 string necks I have seen are not really build to any higher tolerance than most 4 string necks... most seem to just have a single truss rod, without SF or graphite bars. adjust it a little bit at a time (no more than 1/4 turn at a time), and wait several hours between adjustments...

 

[Nelson Guitars]

What is a grunt?

A guttural sound sometimes associated with great exertion.

It is was a term I picked up in the trades when trying to describe how hard to torque a bolt or nut. "One grunt or two?" is a crude way to define this without having to pull out a torque wrench. Kind of like a CH vs. an RCH.

Greg N

 

[Son of Magni]

...Kind of like a CH vs. an RCH.

Greg N

Oh oh, I hope no one asks you to define those two terms

 

[Nelson Guitars]

I can be discrete.

Greg N

 

[Bassamatic]

According to what I have learned, there should ALWAYS be a small amount of neck bow, called "relief", to prevent fret buzz with low action.

To check it, hold a string at the first fret (I use a guitar capo as an extra hand) and at the 12-15th fret. There should be a small clearance in the middle - maybe 1-2mm.

 

[Nelson Guitars]

Everything is personal taste. Musicians are no exception. While I agree that there should be relief for better play there are those who will want flat and ultra low action with no buzzing. To me this makes it difficult to play, but try to convince someone who believes differently... Not likely. And if they don't believe in the instrument they will pass it by pick up the one that they do believe in.

So vive la difference! I'll take a little relief with mine please.

Greg N

 

[Tommy-P]

I was definately aprehansive about any more tightening so I didn't. But instead I got rid of the bow just by tuning down a step which ment a slight readjustment from what I had done because it gave me a super low action when the neck straightened out. Now I just have to play everything a bit higher up the neck.
The downside is the notes from the G that I was transposing higher up on the D string are now even higher up!
Sounds ok though