Help! Yay..and OH NO!!

[Exemonium]

So after spending countless countless days and hours in front of this thing researching, and trying basses...I finally found it! My "new" cherryburst sterling!! New to me, I did buy it used.

If anyone could help tell me it's birth date that'd be helpful ;-)


Time for the huge OH NO! The relief was a little much for me so I get it home, time for a setup! As I go to turn the wheel, I feel resistance and immediately stop. First inkling...this truss rod is maxed and that may be why it was traded in. I called the store up, they told me to swing in Wednesday to have the tech look at it. I certainly don't want to miss out on this beauty because of a truss rod. And I don't have the extra money to pay the tech on top of replacement parts. So I've been searching as to where I can buy a replacement neck and cannot find one anywhere. I've read that some luthiers can help it so it would adjust a slight bit more, but would that last years down the road? I take care of my things because I want them to last. What is the best solution in this situation? ...aside from buying another one.

 

[maddog]

First, grats on the find!

Secondly, not sure what you mean by resistance. If you aren't taking pressure off the neck when turning the capstan wheel, it will have resistance.

good luck on it. If anything, can try some lower tension strings.

 

[Exemonium]

Well, i've setup guitars and a couple basses before, it would require a much firmer turn than I'm willing to give it. Even after loosening the strings it's as if it won't turn. I'm trying to straighten the neck from relief. If I turn it counter clockwise it turns fine, but as I try to turn the wheel clockwise(CW from the body facing the headstock) it seems to stop at a point. I've already lowered the saddles as low as they can get without creating higher fret buzz and it's still a little high. My largest concern is if it bows more in the future I wouldn't be able to straighten it again. The last thing I'm going to do is risk stripping the truss or grinding the nut into the wood

Keeping my fingers crossed that something can be done though.

 

[maddog]

sounds like it is time for LuthierMan!

I hope it works out for you. Cherryburst is so, so sweet!

 

[todddlur]

take the truss rod nut completely off and add some washers to the rod. this will give you some room to play with. if you search this you'll find that it is a common fix.

 

[GHWelles]

neck shim maybe?

 

[Exemonium]

Ya I saw that solution, and on a lower end instrument I would in a second. But This being my first good instrument, I don't want to fiddle too much.

 

[todddlur]

it works.

 

[five7]

All right!