Dual Action Truss Rod

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I've just noticed in the specs that the Epiphone T-Bird Pro V has a dual action truss rod. All of my basses have 'normal' truss rods & I recall that on the Squier musicmaster I used to own, It had quite a chunky neck compared to my mustang & TI Jazz flats didn't had enough tension to pull any relief into the neck, so I had to use heavier LaBella strings instead. I'm guessing that if that bass had a dual action truss rod, low tension strings would have been OK?

Any other differences with a dual action truss rod? Is there anything different I would need to keep in mind when doing a setup on a bass with one? I've sold a couple of basses this week, so it looks like a T-Bird Pro-V with natural oil finish might be coming my way soon if I can work out a way of making the missus think that its her idea that I order one.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[geoffbyrne]

No great probs with the dual - you've more or less covered it. Turn the nut one way, one sides bends & tensions the neck, and turn it the other, the opposite happens. Fairly easy & straight forward to work with.

BUT.......

Single-action Tension Rod nuts are made from brass, so that, if reamed, they may be removed & replaced. idea being the rest of the rod is steel & is OK.

You knew that.

A Dual-Action rod does *not* have a removable nut BUT it is still made from brass.

So, if reamed, the whole neck's b&ggered. I know. I have one.

It has been "fixed" by using a short steel self-tapping screw through it & the judicious use of Araldite, but if the person who designes truss rods had his head together, the adjustment nut wouldn't be made of soft metal.

Check the adjustment nut before you buy if it's a dual-action.

G.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='1031200' date='Nov 21 2010, 10:28 AM']You knew that.[/quote]
I must admit I didn't know that, but I do now - Cheers for the info.