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Question About my Trussrod

UniTap

UniTap

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Apr 3, 2007
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118
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Quebec city
I was playing bass tonight and just realized the action was a bit high. So I took an allen wrench and went for the trussrod. 1/4 of turn and it was all set. It isn't new stuff for me; I use it regurlarly. :cool:
The thing is, I ALWAYS have to turn it clockwise. Will it eventualy break if the situation goes on? Do you guys have to get the action higher sometimes?:confused:
Sorry if I sound paranoid, but I know u can understand how much I love my basses ;)
 
tadawson

tadawson

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Sep 28, 2005
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Houghton, MI
UniTap said:
I was playing bass tonight and just realized the action was a bit high. So I took an allen wrench and went for the trussrod. 1/4 of turn and it was all set. It isn't new stuff for me; I use it regurlarly. :cool:
The thing is, I ALWAYS have to turn it clockwise. Will it eventualy break if the situation goes on? Do you guys have to get the action higher sometimes?:confused:
Sorry if I sound paranoid, but I know u can understand how much I love my basses ;)
Click to expand...

I have to go back and forth the same amount between spring and fall as the seasons change, I have never had to go consistently in one direction. And I rarely need to go much more than 1/8 of a turn . . .

Now, having said that, if the bass is new to you, and the climate where you are is very different from where it came from, you may need to keep going in the same direction until things equalize in terms of humidity and such . . . but it shouldn't go on forever . . .

- Tim
 
A.J.

A.J.

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You won't break the truss rod or the neck by tightening the truss rod.
 
I

iamcatwarrior

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May 7, 2008
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Minneapolis, MN
Just go slow.

Here's what I do: I make truss wheel adjustments of roughly 1/10-1/8 of a turn at a time. Then I check neck relief. Then repeat until I'm satisfied.

BTW, I think that you would have to turn the truss wheel a recklessly high amount of full turns to strip out the truss rod or break it.
 
Goofball Jones

Goofball Jones

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May 19, 2007
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70 miles East of Chicago
I'm kind of where the original poster is. I've turned the truss-rod clock-wise to lower the action and it's now at the point where it's VERY tight to try to turn it. It's like it's fully tightened and if I force it clockwise anymore either the thing I'm turning it with will bend (small screwdriver that fits almost perfectly in the holes) or I'll break something with the truss-rod.

I'm doing this to put it at factory specs of 3/32" at the 12th fret on the E string. Haven't touched the saddles, they're the same as they came from the factory.
 
GHWelles

GHWelles

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Jul 28, 2005
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Rancho Mirage
You also may need to let the instrument sit a while before it settles in after a trussrod adjustment. Some instruments (non-EBMM) I find I have to let sit overnight to get a true reading on where things stand.

I have not noticed this with my EBMM's however, they probably have better truss rods.
 
GHWelles

GHWelles

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Goofball Jones said:
I'm kind of where the original poster is. I've turned the truss-rod clock-wise to lower the action and it's now at the point where it's VERY tight to try to turn it. It's like it's fully tightened and if I force it clockwise anymore either the thing I'm turning it with will bend (small screwdriver that fits almost perfectly in the holes) or I'll break something with the truss-rod.

I'm doing this to put it at factory specs of 3/32" at the 12th fret on the E string. Haven't touched the saddles, they're the same as they came from the factory.
Click to expand...

Well, check the relief to see if the Truss rod is set correctly, then go to lowering the saddles.
 
K

kevbroce

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Jan 24, 2009
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Bus 15, Warped Tour
Like AJ said, you won't break break the neck or truss rod. I setup all the EB demo guitars and basses on the 08 Warped Tour, never had any truss rod or setup issues and we were all over the place, Florida to Saskatchewan. I think that the truss rod adjustment wheel would be flush against the neck wood before any damage could occur to the neck, but for that to happen would be odd.

I'd suggest calling customer service. I've done it in the past, they're very helpful.
 
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