basexperience

I have an update - Robin reckons put carbon rods in would be a worthy upgrade, so the neck is getting those too. Anything which helps me get that neck flat!

Hey there - could you add Julian Mullen on the list? He’s based in Reading, Berkshire - he does excellent work, he fitted a GK-3 and OBP-3 into a 6 string I have, plus did lovely setup work including shims on a fretless of mine. http://julianmullenguitars.co.uk/Contact.htm

Hey there - could you add Julian Mullen on the list? He’s based in Reading, Berkshire - he does excellent work, he fitted a GK-3 and OBP-3 into a 6 string I have, plus did lovely setup work including shims on a fretless of mine. http://julianmullenguitars.co.uk/Contact.htm

If anyone would like to know how the truss rod repair is going - check this thread:

I think @Manton Customs is going to send me one - perhaps Robin could comment on here directly? I'd like to see a picture of the old rod vs a proper truss rod, too - Robin is ordering something suitable.

I’ve heard back from Robin at @Manton Customs - it’s going really well so far. - fingerboard is off, took a lot of work. Maryszczyk apparently go for serious glue. - truss rod looks like it’s some generic threaded rod which has been fashioned into a truss rod, so my guess is this is why it’s failed - the materials aren’t designed for this purpose. - the binding on the sides of the fretboard is pickguard material (plastic) and didn’t do well with the heat, but it’s already on order along with a suitable proper truss rod. - the good news is the neck is in good shape and with a proper rod, it’ll play nicely. this confirms what others have said about their Maruszczyk when the truss rod broke - that for some reason, they don’t put decent rods in their basses. can’t wait to see and play the result!

Hello all! I purchased this a while back on Basschat, a beautiful blue burst Maruszczyk (I was attracted by the finish, if I'm honest, but the bass is a wonderful recording bass, being completely and eerily silent with the Glockenklang preamp it has). All was pretty good for a while, but I never quite got the neck as flat as I wanted it (relief). I knew about the reverse truss rod, so no worries there. I also always had some trouble getting the Allen key into the rod, seemed like it was too far into the neck (it's mounted at the body end). Last year, as Winter came in, I kicked off the humidifier in the studio, and set about mitigating any relief issues I saw on the basses (I monitor humidity in the office to keep it above 45% or so) - Rikkers, Warwicks, Tobias, SRAS7 (twin rod!) etc - then I get to the Maruszczyk, and I decide this year I'm going to get that relief where I want it (I love a very, very straight neck). I run out of adjustment. WTF? I try slackening it off, taking the strings off, putting them back on, etc, nothing gives me any more adjustment. I turn a little more, and... SNAP - there goes the head of the rod! I take the neck off and confirm my suspicions. Yep. Then I spot posts over here on BC about it, so I get in touch with @Andyjr1515 (IIRC) and he directs me to Robin Manton over at @Manton Customs, who tells me he's really busy and he could look at it sometime in March 2025, so I stash the bass (which isn't getting any worse) and wait. Well, it's been interesting so far - I've been introduced to Lenspeed Logistics, who are EXACTLY who you want if you want to courier instruments and gear around the UK - don't use anybody else, guys, these guys are musicians and they know how to transport gear, from what I see. Even chatted to the courier who did the pickup about venues, gigs, the state of live music etc. Great company. The bass should get some attention this week. Robin reckons the usual hot iron treatment should get the neck off - the bass is rather heavily ornamented, shall we say - there's binding around the entire thing, including the neck, so I'm interested to see what Robin can do. Given the discussions I've seen on getting Maruszczyk to engage with this issue, I decided to go straight to a UK luthier to fix, negating issues with shipping a neck (or even sourcing one...). Robin's been great with communications, very patient 😉 Here's a droolsome listing for the same bass on Bass Direct. You can see why I want this thing to work properly, it's gorgeous. https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/maruszczyk-elwood-absolution-5a-gloss-blueburst/

Nice one. I have a bass with the same saddle type, but the saddles were way too tall. IIRC I got a set from Thomann and got free shipping because I ordered other stuff. I'll fail away your bass direct solution though.

Hey again! The bass is with @Manton Customs now - thanks for recommending, @Andyjr1515 - Robin’s a busy man and now has some time to look at it next week. My bass showed the same sunken truss rod nut behaviour a different Maruszczyk was showing in another thread on here as well, I think. Hopefully Robin can do the replacement and she’ll be a stellar bass.

I played Elites for a while: still string my 1986 Aria Pro II JTB-2J with them! these days, though, after using Warwick strings for a while (they’re awful btw, I just didn’t realise it!) I use D’addario XL nickels. They’re amazing. btw washing strings in methylated spirit / denatured alcohol works wonders. 4-5 uses out of one set, come out sparkly and played in. Lovely.

I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Bass Centre, too: they repaired a Warwick Pro Tube IX for me (which I brought in on the train!) which a courier company had banjaxed, and I bought a Trace 2x10 monolith which I then had to get from Wapping to Ealing Broadway where the car was parked. if you saw a nutjob hailing a cab around london and using it as a seat that day, it was me. That thing was *heavy*. I remember my wife throwing me the car keys over a barrier in a jubilee line station somewhere - she was off doing other stuff with friends 😁 every time I’m down that way in London, I remember BC. Always an anticipation about visiting. The gallery is great though, at least the local pubs are fun 🤣👍🏻👍🏻

Nice bass - have just spotted one come up for sale, and at a really good price, too. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BgrXwtU6t/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Dude, I’m stoked for you! I’ve been gigging since I was 19, now I’m 54 and still gigging, and it’s a rush, isn’t it? Nothing better. Enjoy mate.

An update on this bass: the (reverse, I knew while adjusting!) truss rod snapped at the adjuster. The bass is now with Robin Manton to fit a decent rod. This isn’t unknown on these basses, apparently. Btw I can recommend Lenspeed Logistics for shipping basses. Excellent service from people who know how to transport something fragile and expensive.

Resurrecting this thread - my 2014 Elwood 5 absolution has just done exactly the same thing. Neck wouldn’t go flat this winter, couldn’t get the neck to adjust, ran out of adjustment (anticlockwise trying to get the flat neck I like), head snapped off. My other basses are all fine. I’m hoping a truss rod replacement with something of better quality will do the job, as it’s a gorgeous bass - https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/maruszczyk-elwood-absolution-5a-gloss-blueburst/ sadly @Andyjr1515 can’t fix it as his arthritis is still flaring, but he recommended Robin at Manton guitars - impressive looking luthier. He’s already replied so we’ll see how the repair goes. should I start another thread on this?