Truss rod not deep enough?

[ICTGoober]

On the bench: I have a 1987 Fender P-bass - the 1962 reissue made in Japan, and a very early one. The client has never been able to get the truss rod straight enough. It appears to me that the truss rod is not deep enough in the neck to be effective. Anyone own or worked on one of these before who would know if they are all the same? The client uses low tension LaBella flats, and yet the truss rod doesn't have enough oomph to get the bow out of the fingerboard. Just wondered if they were all this way?

 

[uOpt]

Nice slab board.

 

[beaubrummels]

I don't have any expertise, but searching at least, it appears the earlier tele-style P-bass neck has the adjustment at about the same location. The cutaway views seem to indicate the adjustment location shouldn't be as much of a problem since the truss bows down into the neck wood from there (assuming that diagram is accurate.)

 

[beaubrummels]

I can't get the one photo to display. Try this link:

http://www.3rguitars.co.uk/fender truss rod.jpg

 

[beaubrummels]

Here's a MIM Jazz bass reissue (this was on Reverb, but listed with a broken truss rod - same problem?)

 

[ICTGoober]

Yes, I know they are supposed to bow down in the middle. This one doesn't have the skunk stripe, of course - and no bullet at the peghead. Perhaps the truss rod has come loose at the peghead end of the assembly. Only way to know is pull the fingerboard and the inlayed strip to see.... This one might be expensive.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Lol... memory of my Charvel So Cal comes to mind. Truss rod problem is death sentence. Sell the bass or replace the neck altogether.

Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk

 

[ICTGoober]

Truss rod problem is death sentence.

Well, that's a lie.

Sell the bass or replace the neck altogether.

And that's just dumb.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Hm, seems like the combination of rod geometry and length of exposed thread doesn't allow for sufficient engagement to straighten the neck?

I assume you've checked the frets; if the upper ones are too high because of the classic bolt-on ski-jump effect, then this could also be compounding the issue.

As you say, if it has come loose at the anchor and you're mushing wood when you tighten it, it'll be a $$ jobbie.

 

[ICTGoober]

Forgot to mention.... The client had added 2 washers behind the truss rod adjusting nut and gained no ground. There is no wood coming out of the hole, but the truss rod is tight as can be (it seems). I'm still thinking the fingerboard must be pulled... So I guess I'll break out the knives and heating iron....

 

[GuitarDoc]

Sometimes necks can be stubborn to truss rod adjustments. It becomes necessary to manually bend the neck (in clamps on the bench) before/while adjusting the rod. I think Dan Erlewine made a video about how to do this.

I found it...
https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-i...-your-truss-rod-without-breaking-your-guitar/

 

[NegativeEase]

yikes, that Truss is living like zombie, who might bust through the surface and haunt some folks later

maybe its no big deal -especially because it's slabbed, but damn Ive never had any bolt ons living that close to the board.

interesting

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, the clamp method is how I read about this specific problem. Still, if you take the fingerboard off, I'd be curious as to what's there.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I'd do what Dan did in the video...take the nut off and clean and lube it before trying to clamp or adjust the rod. Certainly I'd do that before taking the fretboard off. That should be done as a LAST resort when/if all else fails.

Besides, I don't see anything wrong with the position of that truss rod. That's how they are...right under and touching the fretboard. If it were any deeper down into the neck it would be breaking through the back of the neck where it is much thinner. Typical truss rod is 1/4 - 3/8" thick. The maple neck (not counting the fretboard) is only about 1/2" thick between the 1st and 15th frets. That means that there is only 1/8" max of neck wood under the rod.

 

[ICTGoober]

It's ALL been tried by other guys, except for pulling the fingerboard.

 

[Mincer]

Yank that sucker right off!

 

[GuitarDoc]

I just can't imagine that it would be worth the cost and risk to take it apart when you can get a new replacement for under $200.

Taking the fretboard off opens up a whole can of worms...possible cracking the fretboard, popping out frets, replacing the truss rod, refinishing the neck after putting it back together.

You say it's "ALL" been tried by other "guys". You sure about that? It's pretty rare when those steps suggested in Dan's vid can't fix that problem.

Are you going to do it? You sure you know how? You don't even know where truss rods are placed in the neck (how deep and why they can't be placed any deeper). I think you're gonna be biting off more than you can chew. (You DO have teeth, don't you?)

 

[ICTGoober]

DUDE. I have been doing repairs for a living for 45 years. You are just a punk who THINKS he's a legend. I'll ignore you now, because frankly - you deserve it.

 

[GuitarStv]

How much do you charge for pulling a fretboard, fixing the rod, and then putting it all back together properly (including the necessary refinish)? That seems like a lot of work. You could get a very good quality replacement neck for around 300$ that has the truss rod in the right location.

 

[ICTGoober]

It will probably be around $400.

LOOK, I know a new Warmoth neck or another Fender would be way cheaper - but THE CLIENT makes the calls, okay? He wants this neck fixed, and he's got the money to throw around. He's also been with me a long time, and I want him to be happy. Therefore....this mission is GO.