Adjusting the Truss Rod

[GrayAkira]

It's the most scariest thing to do on the bass, for me at least. Here's the LONG story.

I bought my new bass and the first time I changed the strings, the neck was back-bowed, ard the 2-3fret, after I've put on the strings. I tried to adjust the truss rod myself, but I dare not cause I know what will happened if I do it wrongly (neck breaking). So I send to a shop, and they charge me $32 (inclusive of the new strings).

So it's that time of again to change my strings and I scared my neck back-bowed again. I wanted to send to a tech but I scared the neck won't back-bowed like what it did last time, know what I'm saying? Well, I just want to know your opinion about this website and wheather the steps are correct. Or should I just sent to a tech anyway.

http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_setup/adjusting_neck_relief.html

Edit: I'm using .50 gauge strings. Tuned down 2 steps, that is CFA#D#. I think that's what causes back-bowed, but not sure.

 

[Ken]

Hi GrayAkira.... I know its scary when u first start adjusting your own truss rod... but you shld go ahead anyways, or you will always be paying some fellow cash to do this process which once you are familiar with becomes very simple.

Btw, the website seems pretty on the spot. The perks of being able to adjust your own truss rods also means that you can adjust your basses to just how you like them.

Anyways, it sounds like your neck is too tight due to the slacken of tension when you detune 2 whole steps.... loosening it up ( left turns on the truss rods) shld be in order.

 

[exin]

you can visit www.garywillis.com to check out how to set up your bass .. he has a comprehensive section there ..

basically what you need to know is that .. your neck will bend when you take out all your strings .. if you want your neck to maintain that tension .. change one string at a time .. e.g. .. take out one old string and put in one new string .. then do it for the rest of the other 3 strings .. this way the neck wouldn't be put under so much tension ..

 

[BlackMoo]

If you're changing the strings to the same brand and gauge, then it shoulden't be a problem!

 

[GrayAkira]

Ahaha, alright thanks for the cool tips. I've changed my strings and thankfully nothing bad happened. Whee.. Thanks for the tips though.

 

[exin]

If you're changing the strings to the same brand and gauge, then it shoulden't be a problem!

true .. but you have to realise that when you take out all your strings at the same time .. your neck bends backwards cos no more tension .. after bending forward and backwards quite a number of times .. you'll realise that the tension will affect the neck . so i'd always check my neck after i change my strings to see whether i need to adjust my truss rod lah ..

but with a warmoth neck .. what the heck .. it's so stalble i could leave it there .. it survived 14 years of usage anyway .. so .. .yeah .. =)

 

[Z3r0_G]

my warwick... boo hoo.. necks gonna be a banana by the end of this year..

 

[exin]

my warwick... boo hoo.. necks gonna be a banana by the end of this year..

hahahhahaah .. pray hard it doesn't warp lah .. =P ..

 

[GrayAkira]

Oh.. What's the different with warping and the usual back/forward bow? Is it like there are more work needed to recover the neck back??

 

[exin]

Oh.. What's the different with warping and the usual back/forward bow? Is it like there are more work needed to recover the neck back??

warping is when the neck wood starts to absorb humidity or water .. then it affects the wood tension ...

normal back/forward bow happens when you put strings on your guitar/bass .. your strings when you tune them have their own tensions .. so when you put tension on the neck it'll bend ..

 

[crozzfire]

Oh.. What's the different with warping and the usual back/forward bow? Is it like there are more work needed to recover the neck back??

warping is when the neck starts to absorb the humidity in the air... 8)

 

[rylche]

warping is when the neck starts to absorb the humidity in the air... Cool

wow thanks for telling us it's the humidity in the air. exin didnt know that

warping is when the neck wood starts to absorb humidity or water .. then it affects the wood tension ...

:roll:


alright, getting to the point, do you think the necksocks offered by some manufacturers are likely to protect the bass? i have this habit of not leaving my bass in the gigbag as i like to jsut pick it up and play, thus increasing the amount of time i spend on practising.

 

[Z3r0_G]

oh.. so u saw em in bass player too. haha i guess it's more of protecting the strings. than the neck. i dunu

 

[exin]

warping is when the neck starts to absorb the humidity in the air... Cool

wow thanks for telling us it's the humidity in the air. exin didnt know that

warping is when the neck wood starts to absorb humidity or water .. then it affects the wood tension ...

:roll:


alright, getting to the point, do you think the necksocks offered by some manufacturers are likely to protect the bass? i have this habit of not leaving my bass in the gigbag as i like to jsut pick it up and play, thus increasing the amount of time i spend on practising.

actually no need lah .. just follow a few simple rules your bass can survive in singapore weather one .. don't put under direct sunlight or indirect/direct heat .. e.g. .. next to a window that will receive sunglight .. my hamer bass neck warped because i left my bass by the window for 2 years .. then after that .. there it goes ..

buy a guitar stand .. make sure you hold the bass either by the connection point where the neck connects to the body or at the headstock there .. yeah .. like this your neck can survive one lah .. also keep checking constantly .. maybe once every 2 weeks to see whether there's any problems or not ..

 

[jbarks]

i left my samick out on my bed where it get about 2hrs of suntan every day in the evening for about a month... just took it out again and the neck was still straight as an arrow. amazing thing.

then there's my marcus miller, which still has an arrow-straight neck as well. i just left it in the bag facing downwards to relieve some of the tension on the neck. so damn reliable i've given up checking the neck to see if it warped i even held a 1m ruler to it and it was 100% straight.

or if you happen to leave your aircon on 24/7, that works too...