first tweak of my truss!

[lowdowner]

So... after more than 1000 hours of playing on the same set of 'stock' strings I changed my warwicks to a set of Rotosound 66 heavy gauge (50-110's). After fitting them I noticed that the neck was far more bowed than before so I bit the bullet and got out my truss rod tool and gave it a 1/8 turn (maybe slightly more, my neck was *very* bowed!)

Now it's fab - I've lowered the action anyway on the E and A strings which were a little high, and checked for buzzes and rattles. All seems well. *More* than well actually and I'm excited that I might be able to control the truss rod if I need to after hearing so many scare stories of people ruining their necks.

Great new bright funky sound, and some cool looking red ended strings to boot!

I'll re-check in the morning to see how much it 'beds in', but for now it plays like a dream.

Is 1000 hours a lot of playing time from a set of strings? I've no idea!

[RichF]

takes all sorts and some dont change their strings ever. I like sparkle and since I like Legacy's at only £7.99 a set I do every month or two whatever (less than 100 hours?), more frequent when recording and gigging regularly (sweaty fingers!).

Edited August 18, 2012 by RichF

[Lozz196]

Good choice of string there. They do have added tension, but I just love them.

[Mr Fretbuzz]

I bit the bullet and tweaked my truss rod on my brand new P ..... Scary as I hadn't done it before... About a quarter turn anti clockwise... Before the E string was clanking against frets :-(

[heminder]

Those scare stories are over-exaggerated I think. It will only break if you crank it like a maniac.

[lowdowner]

I'll tell you what happens when I check again in t' morning For now they're great - really good feel to them

[mart]

Has the intonation coped with the change of strings and truss rod tweak?

[stingrayPete1977]

I love the way the truss rod adjustment time creeps up on you until one day you think what the funk is going on, little tweak and it feels awesome!

[lowdowner]

[quote name='mart' timestamp='1345325016' post='1776386']
Has the intonation coped with the change of strings and truss rod tweak?
[/quote]
You see, this is just the kind of question to fill my newbie head with doubt again

If you mean are all the strings relatively in-tune at different locations on the neck then I think so, if you mean something more esoteric then I don't know...

[gary mac]

Yes, I would normally check the tuning open and at the twelve fret and the twelve harmonic.

[mart]

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1345359970' post='1776529']

You see, this is just the kind of question to fill my newbie head with doubt again

If you mean are all the strings relatively in-tune at different locations on the neck then I think so, if you mean something more esoteric then I don't know...
[/quote]
Yes, that's exactly what I mean. So now, not only are you a competent truss-rod-tweaker, but you also know how to check the most important side effect. Pat yourself on the back!

[lowdowner]

Ah - I think i'd only describe myself as competent after a few more tweaks. I shall be looking for opportunities though

[warwickhunt]

Nice to hear that another fellow bassist has overcome the 'Truss-Rod Terror'!

If you are fore-armed with a bit of knowledge about what it is the truss rod does and that a little goes a long way etc. then you'd generally have to be a complete f*ckwit to break a bass/truss rod (assuming it doesn't have a fault and that is why the truss rod needs tweaking). However, it still scares the life out of most folks; I've worked with guitarists who have frankly been aghast when they have seen me tweak my truss rod at a rehearsal and they have been playing 20+ years, they still pay someone £40-£50 to fettle their guitar's truss rod! In fact I know one bassist who was going to sell his bass because the action was too high, 10 minutes with a set of allen keys and a screwdriver and he was quite frankly astonished at what could be done.

[steve-bbb]

just searching the forums her e- can anybody point me in the direction of the 'idiots how to adjust your truss guide' whether on here or externally please ta muchly

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1345369566' post='1776625']
just searching the forums her e- can anybody point me in the direction of the 'idiots how to adjust your truss guide' whether on here or externally please ta muchly
[/quote]

I'm sure there'll be loads of others on t'interweb/youtube but this one came up recently... [url="http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/String_action_and_setup/i-3910.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=205467"]http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/String_action_and_setup/i-3910.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=205467[/url]

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1345369975' post='1776628']
I'm sure there'll be loads of others on t'interweb/youtube but this one came up recently... [url="http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/String_action_and_setup/i-3910.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=205467"]http://www.stewmac.c...st=3&xsr=205467[/url]
[/quote]

just found this...quite a nice easy to understand explanation

[url="http://youtu.be/QpTL8lenqqM"]http://youtu.be/QpTL8lenqqM[/url]

[lowdowner]

And here - it's from Warwick, but should be common to most basses (though some truss rods are threaded the opposite way so, as with all trust rod adjustments, slowly slowly catchee monkey!)

http://www.warwick.de/media/manuals/Basses/WWBassManual_EN.pdf

Listen to me - an expert all of a sudden!

[steve-bbb]

anybody on here specifically with a TRB managed to adjust their rod successfully?

please let me into the secret if you have!!

edit - finally after a bit of gentle brute force its had a 1/4 turn def feels better now see how it settles down tomorrow

Edited August 19, 2012 by steve-bbb

[pst62]

[quote name='heminder' timestamp='1345321678' post='1776349']
Those scare stories are over-exaggerated I think. It will only break if you crank it like a maniac.
[/quote] or if your name is Mark D Phillips