Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: Erlend_G on June 25, 2005, 11:06:48 PM
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Well, i'm really really worried and scared rigth now....
A couple of weeks ago, i tigthened up the truss-rod of my Ibanez Fretless bass. I only did half a turn a day, and loosened the strings each time; just as i've read in books\heard from professionals.
Anyway, i didn't overtigthen it. Yesterday, i were going to add some relief, but the truss-rod were stuck! I couldn't loosen it, or move it at all!
What should i do? :(.... there's no techs or luthiers avaible, and i'm really afraid of destroying my new, expensive bass.
Thanks,
-Erlend
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A 1/2 turn for a truss rod is huge. If the truss rod won't turn the other way, either you've taken the adjustment nut off of the rod itself, or over-torqued the rod. You will need a professional tech to look at it; take it to the shop you bought it at.
Erlend, this forum is small and not every reply is instantaneous; senseless bumping is annoying to read, especially since the post didn't even fall.
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I think you've overturned it too. My guess is the screw thread is busted. Hopefully a pro can rethread the rod.
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OK, try this: Tighten your strings. Start with tuning it up one full tone and let it rest for a while, then try to turn the truss rod the other way, carefully. If that doesn't work, tune it up another tone and try again. Be very carefull, if the wood starts to make noises, something bad happens.
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Erlend, you need three hands for this, so unless you're exceptionally gifted, get someone to help!
Put the neck over your knee, fretboard down and press down on the body and the headstock to take the stress off the truss rod. Obviously don't use too much force, you don't want to break anything! While you're doing this, try loosening the nut. If it doesn't turn, sounds like the nut is seized on the rod, probably through cross threading or having run off the threads. If it does turn but doesn't loosen, sounds like the rod is broken or loose at its anchor and is binding in the channel. I would guess something mechanical has gone wrong with the rod, probably the nut overtightened on the rod beyond the threads. Without knowing more about the type of rod fitted it's difficult to advise further. I would agree with Twilight about a half turn being a fairly huge adjustment, though it depends on the guitar, type of rod and sensitivity of the neck, and realistically up to a quarter turn should be enough for most adjustments unless the nut is actually loose. If there is genuinely a problem with the rod, it's a fretboard off job I'm afraid.
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Phew! We can all breathe again now. PDT_038
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that was every guitar player's worst nightmare, thank god yu woke up from it.