Fender jazz bass repair
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 406 posts since 10 Mar, 2005
I bought a jazz bass with a twisted neck and a broken truss rod. My intention was simple replace the neck. After inspecting it closely i realised that the truss rod was not broken but the hex nut to tighten it was stripped. Obviously someone had tried to force a metric allen key to tighten and stripped it.So i searched a local power tools place as they had loads of imperial hex keys. I found one that would fit and turn the hex nut. I eventually got it out of the neck. The only place in the world i could find with a replacement nut was in New York.Ok if you live in the USA. So that was a long wait for that part. Next problem was the neck was all twisted. I bought a g-clamp and a spirit level and started working on getting the neck straight. 5 days of clamping and unclamping then inspection. I got it to go staright. Before it would not play any note below the 12th fret any string. The E string was buzzing badly on the f and g next to the nut unplayable. Now it is a joy to play strings are a nice distance from the board intonation is spot on. Really pleased with it never tried anything like this before. Closest i have ever came to woodworking is sawing pieces of wood badly. This video helped immensely cheers Dan
https://youtu.be/ZtKzL3n0fgc
https://youtu.be/ZtKzL3n0fgc
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 406 posts since 10 Mar, 2005
I thought for sure i was going to break it, Cause the guy in the video looked like he knew what he was doing i didn't maybe i fluked it. Not a thing i would do normally to an expensive instrument but i bought it with the price of the neck taken out. So had nothing to lose i would never try this on an instrument i had payed a lot of money for.
https://youtu.be/dptj4dMuS1w
https://youtu.be/dptj4dMuS1w
- KVRAF
- 15207 posts since 8 Mar, 2005 from Utrecht, Holland
I always thought a bent neck was the end of the instrument, now I learned not all is lost...
We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
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My MusicCalc is served over https!!
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 406 posts since 10 Mar, 2005
After a few weeks happy to say still working fine. I thought it would not last but it seems fine. What a great sounding bass. For the money i paid it would be a low end Squier. The hard bit was getting the neck to straighten in the first place. But the squeaks and groans tightening up the truss rod were heart stopping
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- KVRAF
- 3080 posts since 17 Apr, 2005 from S.E. TN
Hi boombaxx
That video you posted looked similar to what was explained by a local guitar craftsman long ago. I never tried it.
(This was years ago) He explained that customers would try to adjust their necks just by cranking on the truss rod nut, and strip out the nut and truss rod threads, and finally bring in the messed-up guitar for pro repair.
He said the right way is to bend the neck the way you want it, then just take up whatever slack is exposed on the truss rod nut after the neck is straight. He said it needs to be done gradually. He would put the guitar neck under pressure, and add a little more force daily for several days letting it gradually settle to the right shape, and finally tighten up the truss rod nut to take up the slack.
I don't know if "several days gradual bending" is necessary to do it right. Thats just what the dude said years ago.
Which is basically what was explained in that video.
That video you posted looked similar to what was explained by a local guitar craftsman long ago. I never tried it.
(This was years ago) He explained that customers would try to adjust their necks just by cranking on the truss rod nut, and strip out the nut and truss rod threads, and finally bring in the messed-up guitar for pro repair.
He said the right way is to bend the neck the way you want it, then just take up whatever slack is exposed on the truss rod nut after the neck is straight. He said it needs to be done gradually. He would put the guitar neck under pressure, and add a little more force daily for several days letting it gradually settle to the right shape, and finally tighten up the truss rod nut to take up the slack.
I don't know if "several days gradual bending" is necessary to do it right. Thats just what the dude said years ago.
Which is basically what was explained in that video.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 406 posts since 10 Mar, 2005
Took me 5 days of clamping and unclamping before i even considered going near the truss rod.The truss rod is not a way to fix it only holds the neck in place That was my revelation it's all about getting the neck straight first. I used a slight bow in mine. Also you after unclamping u have to let the neck settle i left it a good 2 hours before reclamping Overtightening will result in catastrophic failure either with the clamp or the truss rod. Loads of small movements is how i did it. Then check and rechecking. Video is spot on though.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_rod
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_rod