Truss rod access location

thegummy

merlin said:

How often do you adjust your truss rod? Keeping it at the heel on bolt on necks makes so much more sense. 

Pretty much every time I change to a different type of strings.

What makes sense about it being at the heel?

thegummy

LastMantra said:

I don't mind it either. OK it's not as easy as it being on the headstock but it still only takes a matter of a few minutes to adjust.

Time-wise it's not a huge upheaval, it's merely an annoyance; I'm more concerned with the fact I've already had to put bits of cocktail sticks in the screwholes because they've widened from being screwed off and on so many times and I've only had the bass a few years.

ICBM

thegummy said:

Time-wise it's not a huge upheaval, it's merely an annoyance; I'm more concerned with the fact I've already had to put bits of cocktail sticks in the screwholes because they've widened from being screwed off and on so many times and I've only had the bass a few years.

The problem is simply not providing a proper access slot at the end of the neck, not having it at the heel end.

This is the best of all worlds -

thegummy

ICBM said:

thegummy said:

Time-wise it's not a huge upheaval, it's merely an annoyance; I'm more concerned with the fact I've already had to put bits of cocktail sticks in the screwholes because they've widened from being screwed off and on so many times and I've only had the bass a few years.

The problem is simply not providing a proper access slot at the end of the neck, not having it at the heel end.

This is the best of all worlds -

Totally - it's the design where the neck has to be removed to adjust it that I hate.

Whether that's solved by an access slot, a wheel or by having the allen key slot at the headstock I'm happy.

Ever heard of people converting a normal bass (where the neck has to be removed) to one like your photo? Would it just be cutting a bit out the body and pickguard or more involved than that?

HAL9000

ICBM said:

thegummy said:

Time-wise it's not a huge upheaval, it's merely an annoyance; I'm more concerned with the fact I've already had to put bits of cocktail sticks in the screwholes because they've widened from being screwed off and on so many times and I've only had the bass a few years.

The problem is simply not providing a proper access slot at the end of the neck, not having it at the heel end.

This is the best of all worlds -

Ah, but does the front pickup have to be positioned differently? At admittedly just a quick glance I'm guessing that the pickup is possibly more in a 24 fret position than a 22 fret position, and that there could be a tonal difference.

thegummy

HAL9000 said:

Ah, but does the front pickup have to be positioned differently? At admittedly just a quick glance I'm guessing that the pickup is possibly more in a 24 fret position than a 22 fret position, and that there could be a tonal difference.

Well spotted!

That would be like causing a disaster to solve a peeve for me.

Although, it's a P Bass I have that has the problematic truss adjustment so it wouldn't be an issue for that with there being no neck pickup.

ICBM

thegummy said:

Ever heard of people converting a normal bass (where the neck has to be removed) to one like your photo? Would it just be cutting a bit out the body and pickguard or more involved than that?

No more involved than that. You often see old Fenders with some of the pickguard - and occasionally a tiny bit of the body-  filed away to make a crescent notch so you can get a screwdriver into the top half of the slot.

HAL9000 said:

Ah, but does the front pickup have to be positioned differently? At admittedly just a quick glance I'm guessing that the pickup is possibly more in a 24 fret position than a 22 fret position, and that there could be a tonal difference.

On that one it is, yes - but you could have the pickup a lot closer and still have room to get the Allen key in - there's still a gap between the pickup and the slot. Or alternatively, all you need to do is make the pickup rout deep enough and the adjustment screws long enough that you can lower the pickup into the body and get at the truss rod over the top of it.

zedhex

It's a pretty simple problem to fix on a Stratocaster. Take off the pickguard/scratchplate (or whatever you want to call it), and rout out a tiny little slot in front of the truss rod adjuster. It doesn't need to be much - just enough to get a screwdriver into the slot. I guess if it was a valuable classic, then it would be a concern that you are making changes, but if you're talking about a vintage reissue, I don't think it would be a big deal. Particularly as the scratchplate will cover up the slot. You would still have to take off the scratch plate to adjust the neck, but that's a lot better than taking the neck off.

WezV

wrinkleygit said:

My memory is a bit hazy on this, but I think in the early 60’s some Vox branded guitars and possibly Burns had “wheel” trussrod adjusters at the heel end of the neck.

I had a few 60's MIJ guitars with wheel adjusters at the heel.  Mostly Teisco I think




This is a gibson I had to repair recently... they had pretty much carved right down to the washer

ICBM

I wouldn't be surprised if there's *more* than a third of the cross-section taken out in that one.

WezV

Would have been fine if they had just left a bit more meat on the transition, but they didn't.   You can see stain actually made into into the crack so it likely left the factory already broken