Harsh Truss Rod lesson learned today

[Sibob]

I agree that if you're playing in a lot of different tunings, as Erisu seems to be, then a 5 string is going to help you with all the chopping and changing.
For me, it was a lot easier to have a nice 4 string bass (what I prefer playing) in the one tuning that we use.

Si

[Sibob]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='672159' date='Dec 2 2009, 03:16 PM']how one gets into a truss rod after all the neck is built must be a real luthier job anyway[/quote]


I think this is the part that determines if a neck is a write-off or not
Because it's a bound neck, I'm not sure if steaming the fretboard off works in the same way, or even if it's still a valid technique....not being of any kind of Luthier stock.

Si

[mrcrow]

[quote name='Sibob' post='672168' date='Dec 2 2009, 03:26 PM']I think this is the part that determines if a neck is a write-off or not
Because it's a bound neck, I'm not sure if steaming the fretboard off works in the same way, or even if it's still a valid technique....not being of any kind of Luthier stock.

Si[/quote]

i have a shuker bass and jon told me its a two way rod..whatever that means...and looking at my bass...the freboard is maple on a maple neck verrrrrrrrrrrrryyy tight joint between the two..in fact it looks like a solid neck...but no skunk stripe

its a pit a neck needs to be so bound up since a truss rod can be a problem virtually from day 1...

i used to think the rod was just screwed into a nut at the other end from the end you adjust it...a simple bolt..or so to speak
but i found to my chagrin after b***ering up a rick that the rods are flat and cant be rotated...at least not on the rick
i found my freboard beginning to part company with the neck wood....and didnt know how to cure it
eventually i did get the rod..s..to rotate back to where they should have been and sold it on to someone more able to do a full correction...at a vast loss in ££

Edited December 2, 2009 by mrcrow

[Paul_C]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='672175' date='Dec 2 2009, 03:32 PM']i have a shuker bass and jon told me its a two way rod..whatever that means...and looking at my bass...the freboard is maple on a maple neck verrrrrrrrrrrrryyy tight joint between the two..in fact it looks like a solid neck...but no skunk stripe

its a pit a neck needs to be so bound up since a truss rod can be a problem virtually from day 1...

i used to think the rod was just screwed into a nut at the other end from the end you adjust it...a simple bolt..or so to speak
but i found to my chagrin after b***ering up a rick that the rods are flat and cant be rotated...at least not on the rick
i found my freboard beginning to part company with the neck wood....and didnt know how to cure it
eventually i did get the rod..s..to rotate back to where they should have been and sold it on to someone more able to do a full correction...at a vast loss in ££[/quote]

a two way rod means you can adjust the neck in both directions, and it doesn't rely on compression of the wood to do so as in the case of a single rod in, for example, a Fender neck - Rickenbacker's rod is somewhere between the two and, like a two way rod, there is perhaps more risk of popping the fingerboard off

a two way rod sits in a flat channel routed in the neck, while a Fender style rod sits in a curved channel which needs a skunk stripe to give access to fit it.

one of the unusual things about Rickenbacker rods is that they can be pulled out of the neck and replaced, without needing any surgery to do so

Edited December 2, 2009 by Paul_C

[mrcrow]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='672210' date='Dec 2 2009, 04:12 PM'][b]one of the unusual things about Rickenbacker rods is that they can be pulled out of the neck and replaced, without needing any surgery to do so[/b][/quote]

dohhh
i really made a mess of mine...i rotated them or at least one of them...the anchor plate at the headstock was beginning to sink into the wood

[Sibob]

Well the fingerboard definitly hadn't popped off, and the neck had bow so I was doing the correct clockwise adjustment.
I assume that if a neck/fingerboard joint is attached in a proper way, the truss will give up the ghost before the fingerboard comes off!?
It is also worth noting that although I perhaps went too far, I kept turning (in small increments), because to me there was still a visible bow to the neck after each 'turn-&-settle'.

Si

[Sibob]

So Jon received the neck earlier today, emailed me just now and said that he's got the old rod out, and after some fiddling (with the other rod I presume), should be able to get a new one into the neck!

Fingers crossed
Very glad to have potentially saved the wood, although not out of the woods yet
Si

[mrcrow]

[quote name='Sibob' post='673155' date='Dec 3 2009, 01:30 PM']So Jon received the neck earlier today, emailed me just now and said that he's got the old rod out, and after some fiddling (with the other rod I presume), should be able to get a new one into the neck!

Fingers crossed
Very glad to have potentially saved the wood, although not out of the woods yet
Si[/quote]

santa lives in hope

[EBS_freak]

You do realise that your mishap has put the Shuker builds back 3 months ??

[Sibob]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='673284' date='Dec 3 2009, 03:27 PM']You do realise that your mishap has put the Shuker builds back 3 months ?? [/quote]





:ph34r:

Si

[Sibob]

So Jon has seemingly fixed the neck!!
He's posting it on Monday, so by Wednesday I'll have it back on the bass hehe.....but very gently.
Slowly slowly catchy monkey and all that

Horrah

Si

[Telebass]

Good news!

[Grand Wazoo]

any before and after pictures?

[Sibob]

[quote name='bass5' post='712837' date='Jan 14 2010, 06:14 PM']any before and after pictures?[/quote]

There won't be any aesthetic differences as the issues were obviously all internal.
When it's back and re-assembled...I'll post a pic of the bass again lol

Si

[henry norton]

[quote name='Sibob' post='713161' date='Jan 14 2010, 11:34 PM']There won't be any aesthetic differences as the issues were obviously all internal.
When it's back and re-assembled...I'll post a pic of the bass again lol

Si[/quote]
Good news. Did he explain what had happened? It sounds like you're always very careful with truss rods which makes me wonder if there was a quality issue with the rod itself. There's quite allot to a double action rod and a fair bit of welding and lining up to get it all together and working properly (compared to a Gibson type anyway), but the way they work isn't rocket science and it normally takes real abuse to break a decent one. Keep us posted if you find out any more.

[Sibob]

Yeah will do mate!
When Jon emails back saying he's posted it Monday, I'll ask if he has anymore specifics!

Cheers
Si

[peted]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='673284' date='Dec 3 2009, 03:27 PM']You do realise that your mishap has put the Shuker builds back 3 months ?? [/quote]
I think I'll be asking for delivery to the after-life at this rate

[Sibob]

Ok people, my Shuker neck is back with me......so that means allllll your builds are back on track!

Got the neck back on the body, slowly took the strings to (standard) pitch, not too accurately, but within half a semi-tone. The neck looked beautifully straight, and so I'll leave to settle over a few hours before I tinker (gently) anymore!

progress will be posted

Si