Apart from the truss rod the other four things that you can adjust are the saddles on the bridge for string height the intonation on each string the pickup height and the nut height. Turning the Truss Rod 1.
Expect to maybe do a quarter-turn or a half-turn.
Bass guitar truss rod adjustment. Turning the Truss Rod 1. Unscrew the truss rod cover if your bass has one. At the top of the neck of your bass look just below the strings.
Insert an Allen wrench into the truss rod adjustment at the top of the neck. Take an Allen wrench that fits the slot. Turn the wrench to the left if.
How to Adjust the Truss Rod on a Bass Guitar Press the E string down at the first fret with your left hand and hold it. Press the E string down at the last fret with your right hand. To do a professional guitar setup or professional bass setup you want the neck to be level flat.
To compensate for undesirable curvature in the neck you can adjust your neck up or down. Decrease Relief Tightening the truss rod by turning it clockwise influences the neck to curve upward toward the strings convex. With the right tools and this guide youll be able to adjust your truss rod with confidence to achieve that perfect playability and sound.
Test your truss rod adjustment by fretting each string of the bass at each fret. If there is fret buzz when playing at any of the first 5 frets the neck is too straight and the truss rod needs to be loosened. If there is fret buzz only above the 12th fret there is too much relief in the neck and the truss rod needs to be tightened.
It doesnt take much turning of the truss rod to adjust the neck. Expect to maybe do a quarter-turn or a half-turn. Use the correct size hex key so you dont strip the truss rod nut.
Your bass may have come with the hex key you need. To avoid breaking the truss rod first loosen it by turning it to the left lefty-loosey. Tighten the truss rod adjusting nut to straighten a neck that has an up-bow.
Loosen the nut if the neck is back-bowed. The trick is knowing when youve got the neck the way you want it. Heres how to evaluate and adjust your electric or acoustic neck with a minimum of tools.
After the adjustment is made re-tune the strings and re-check the gap with the feeler gauge. Adjustment at headstock allen wrench. Sight down the edge of the fingerboard from behind the headstock looking toward the body of the instrument.
If the neck is too concave action too high turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess relief. A truss rod is not for adjusting action. A truss rod is NOT for adjusting action.
Despite the fact there is information around the web telling readers to adjust their truss rod to raise or lower action a truss rod is not for adjusting action. Bass guitar setup could be complex but Colourtone Guitars make it simpler with their expertise and knowledge. This allows you to tweak a truss rod while the neck is under tension.
You can assess the results by playing the guitar. Depending on the type of guitar adjusting the truss rod may require the use of a large crosshead screwdriver a socket wrench or an allen key. Occasionally manufacturers supply the necessary tool inside the case.
Apart from the truss rod the other four things that you can adjust are the saddles on the bridge for string height the intonation on each string the pickup height and the nut height. As I mentioned in the video most basses dont come with adjustable nuts. I wish they did check out Warwicks Just-a-Nut III here.
Find the right Truss Rod Wrench size needed in a database of over 75 guitar and bass brands including Fender PRS Gibson Martin Ibanez Taylor Jackson Takamine Schecter Yamaha Breedlove and many more. Truss rod adjustments are made to alter the straightness flatness of the neck. Truss rods often require adjusting after changing string gauges or when temperature and humidity change the amount of bow in the neck.
Read how to check neck relief find the truss rod nut determine the correct measurement and avoid common problems. The location of the truss rod adjustment depends on which Hagstrom guitar you have. All Hagstrom electric guitars and electric basses have their truss rod adjustment at the headstock.
If you own a Hagstrom acoustic guitar all adjustments are made through the sound hole by the neck joint. Cody Arsenault of Musicians Tuts explains how to fix an upbow and backbow in a guitars neck by making some simple DIY truss rod adjustments. Fender also offers a double action truss rod adjustment wheel on all American Elite models that makes it a snap to address neck relief.