Neck bend back - truss rod is loos

[HenrikRavn]

Hi
I got a used Sterling JP50, where the neck bend back, resulting in the strings touching the frets from fret 1 to 8. I can make the neck straight by turning the truss rod down, so that it touches the pickup - with quite some pressure on the pickup. Any suggestions on how to make the neck bend the "right way"?

Thanks and kind regards
Henrik Ravn

 

[DrKev]

Hi Henrik,

I'm sorry but I don't have good news.

Short answer: Try to get your money back.

Long Answer: The Music Man truss rod is single action only, meaning it cannot make the neck bend forward and once the adjustment wheel is no longer in contact with the neck wood is not having any effect. Certainly it should never be in contact enough with pickup to bend the neck in any direction! The only thing that might, maybe, possibly work is to find a luthier who can attempt a heat treatment of the neck to restore a flat neck condition with no string tension or truss rod tension. But I fear the worst and unless you paid an exceptionally low price and the seller was honest and told you about the neck issue, I would demand your money back.

 

[HenrikRavn]

Thanks for reply. I got the guitar for a good price and it sounds real nice, so it would be fine to solve the problem.

 

[TheSash]

Thanks for reply. I got the guitar for a good price and it sounds real nice, so it would be fine to solve the problem.

From what you wrote, you can't solve the problem without removing the fretboard and installing a new Trussrod. This will cost at least 300-400 $. (just estimate, impossible to say without seeing the guitar)
I did work for a luthier a few years and I did that on many guitars.

So my recommendation is, take the guitar to a luthier.
I can't say anything on that picture that you attached.

Cheers
Sash

 

[jayjayjay]

OK, forgive me if this is an ignorant question - but wouldn't it be easier/more expedient/potentially cheaper just to replace the neck? These are bolt-on necks, after all.

Maybe contact Sterling's customer support and see if they can provide a replacement neck?

Shoot them an email: [email protected]