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Maxed truss rod - skip to post #12


Jono Bolton
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I've got a neck and I think the truss rod is maxed out. It's a heel-end adjustment, and the nut/adjuster is screwed in as far as it can go, but the neck could probably do with another quarter-to-half turn to get the relief as low as it needs to be. It's definitely playable, but I've managed to get the action on my other P Bass very low, so it's a bit of a jump going between the two. 

The neck is from a Japanese SQ series Squier Precision, some I'm not sure if it's imperial or metric. Does anyone know what size of washer I need, how many, and where to get them from? 

Edited by Jono Bolton
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I did this with my old Roscoe Beck signature. I raided the tool box and reamed out a washer I already had for bespoke fit. The problem I found was that getting the right hole diameter for the thread, led to the flange being too big to fit in the packet. Thus the reamed out, smaller washer.

Worked a treat BTW.

Edited by ezbass
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1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

Just an idea, If you can get the nut off you might be able to measure the centre hole against the measurements below , to see if the fender ones are suitable 🙂

DCB894CD-6DA1-4397-8576-FD5F1310A2A5.png

I had seen the Fender ones, but can't find them in the UK anywhere 

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3 hours ago, John Cribbin said:

Check out Ebay, pack of 10 similar size black nylon washers £1.99 for 10 delivered.

I'm not sure nylon washers will be tough enough, there's a fair bit of compression on the end nut. 

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The neck is wooden, so the washer need not be metal before enough force can be applied to cause the wood to bend. It may be helpful for it to have some give so you don't do damage if you tighten the nut too enthusiastically.

Edited by Dan Dare
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1 hour ago, John Cribbin said:

Well nylon wouldn't have been my first choice, but if you look at the description of the Fender ones, they are nylon ....

 

10 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

The neck is wooden, so the washer need not be metal before enough force can be applied to cause the wood to bend. It may be helpful for it to have some give so you don't do damage if you tighten the nut too enthusiastically.

I'm happy to stand corrected. If fender use nylon as standard then it must me fine. 

That said, personally I'd still go with metal for no other reason than the cost difference is negligible, and it would satisfy my mind. 🙂

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Thanks for all the replies so far. I've been thinking about this a bit more; is adding washers to the truss the right way to go here? I've screwed the truss nut in as far as I can, and there's still a bit too much of a bow; it's a tiny bit more than I'm aiming for, but the truss has definitely reached it's max. 

Would I be better off taking the nut/adjuster out and trying to clamp the neck straight or in a back bow before adding the nut back in? I watched Dan Erlewine's video on clamping an old Tele bass neck, and he didn't seem to leave it clamped for any length of time. Is it as quick and easy as it appears?

 

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Dan knows what he is talking about, he's older than most of the guitars he works on! 

If you think about it , by clamping the neck  as he shows, and loosening the truss rod, you are taking off the tension and enabling a little more adjustment as you are not fighting the bow in the neck. You may not even need washers? (This may be me talking bs however re washers)

I have heard of others who with a twisted neck have clamped it for some time and then gradually tightened the truss rod and clamped it some more  but that is not  the issue you have.

Edited by yorks5stringer
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