Drax Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) Vintage truss rod adjustment. It's the official Fender guy but looks like a real cowboy job. Does anyone actually do it like this? (from 4mins - not for the faint hearted) [media]http://youtu.be/qKtlsps4SqY[/media] Edited April 10, 2015 by Drax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) Yup, I don't have the appropriate shaped spanner for my Yamaha BB450 and I did the truss rod like that by loosening (but not removing) the neck screws then angling the neck to provide access for a regular socket and wrench. Couldn't be bothered removing the strings and the neck entirely, already did that for the washer trick for the maxed out rod. Edited April 10, 2015 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Those body end truss rods are a pain in the butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Didn't enjoy watching that. I would at least slacken the strings to reduce some tension when the neck pops out of the pocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Why a cowboy job? I wouldn't have an issue doing that. It looks like someone who is familiar with doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Not how I'd do it, 15 years setting basses up as a job and now as a pastime and to help mates out. I'm sure it works, but f*** me, not how I'd do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Yowza. You'd want to have a lot of confidence in that technique to use that on a bass. I can see chipped finish and damaged pickguards in the future of many a bass that get's treated like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1428711580' post='2744064'] Why a cowboy job? I wouldn't have an issue doing that. It looks like someone who is familiar with doing it. [/quote] Shoving the neck back in and yanking it out can cause paint splitting etc - just because he's done it 500 times that way, time 501 might be a priceless (expensive) 1960's Jazz and it could go wrong. I always work on other people's gear like it's their pride and joy even if it's a £120 Squier. My gear is my business, but the epiphone t-bird might be the dream bass of the person I'm fixing it for. I've worked on Wals, sadowskys, 1960's/70's fenders and £10,000 Gibson Tom Murphy aged Les Pauls - the kid with the stagg strat got the same setup, fret polish everything. Just because he's a CS guy surrounded by the gear, doesn't make it worthless and from a brand image thing, he's undersold it a fair bit by manhandling that bass. I know that probably seems a bit OTT. Edited April 11, 2015 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) [quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1428712289' post='2744069'] I know that probably seems a bit OTT. [/quote] Nah, call it passionate! Your argument is solid and from a professional point of view definitely not the most caring way to do it. I'd be happy to do it that way on my own basses though if I'm in a hurry, but only ones already knocked up cos as you say, the neck pocket edges can be weak spots for paint. And I wonder what it does to the screw holes in the neck too if done repeatedly? Did he really say "I have fun wrangling it this way"??? Says it all really. J What was more painful for me is that I had one of those basses and sold it to Beedster as I needed the cash and couldn't justify owning it at the time Edited April 11, 2015 by Chiliwailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzneck Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 (edited) Maybe that explains why a lot of Fs have sloppy neck joints. I'm running.......................................... Edited April 13, 2015 by Jazzneck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 It's certainly not the way I'd do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 6 basses with vintage type trussrod and thats the way I always adjust them but I do loosen the strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 That's the method quoted in The Haynes Fender Bass Manual (by Andy Gibson) with loosened strings. Although he said he "does not do this in front of a client - it looks horrendous" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1429034991' post='2747266'] That's the method quoted in The Haynes Fender Bass Manual (by Andy Gibson) with loosened strings. Although he said he "does not do this in front of a client - it looks horrendous" [/quote] I do find it slightly ironic that a book about Fender was written by a Mr Gibson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1429094887' post='2747862'] I do find it slightly ironic that a book about Fender was written by a Mr Gibson [/quote] Maybe that's why he's recommending this method Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I've done it that way but always loosen the strings first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1429096977' post='2747888'] I've done it that way but always loosen the strings first. [/quote] Seems there's quite a few people comfortable doing it that way, so can't all be bad. Difference I guess between what you're comfortable with doing on your own bass, vs someone elses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 You have to be careful doing that on a '57 P with the anodized guard, it can be a snug fit and angling the neck like that could scratch the finish on the side of the neck. Speaking from experience - but it was a Road Worn P so it kinda didn't matter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 How do you do this without risk of damaging the finish? I'm not sure how you're supposed to get at the truss screw without pulling the neck from the heel? I loosen the strings when I do this to make sure I don't hurt myself more than anything else. That fella is just used to doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1429094887' post='2747862'] I do find it slightly ironic that a book about Fender was written by a Mr Gibson [/quote] You're lucky it was not a Mr Hall. Sorry for confusion, the (short) item in the book was by Mr Gibson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I've just watched this. sh*t the bed! No way on earth would I do it like that. I actually recoiled at the sound! Surely you risk stripping threads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Just realised what this tutorial reminds me of [url="http://youtu.be/ueHC7pgfYGU?t=94"]http://youtu.be/ueHC7pgfYGU?t=94[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='Drax' timestamp='1429108424' post='2748106'] Just realised what this tutorial reminds me of [url="http://youtu.be/ueHC7pgfYGU?t=94"]http://youtu.be/ueHC7pgfYGU?t=94[/url] [/quote] Just seeing the title of the vid was enough, I didn't need reminding! My thoughts on the truss rod video were of the slightly more benign osteopathic variety :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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