| Author | Message | ||
| paulembic
New Username: paulembic Post Number: 6 Registered: 6-2004 |
Just re-strung it today and noticed a slight neck bow centered at about B on the low E string. Never adjusted truss rod before. Always in its case. Which way to turn it and how far,.. (gulp) sweating bad here....I may not abe to check this or my e-mail before a show I have to play tomorrow night, so...? paulembic pmacfarlane@the1101experiment.org | ||
| paulembic
New Username: paulembic Post Number: 7 Registered: 6-2004 |
more accurately, a twist, more noticable as a bow on the bass side at the first octave. the nut end seems twisted anti-clockwise when viewd towards the bridge down from the nut end. whimper whimper.... | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 465 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Paul, Don't sweat it. That's a simple fix. The beauty of the Alembic dual truss rod system is that you can correct just such problems. They are independant of each other For a concave bow, you want to tighten the truss rod by using the 1/4" wrench included with your Bass and turn clockwise. For a convex bow, You want to loosen the truss rod by turning counter clockwise. I check the gap by pressing on the first and 15th frets. There should be a small gap at the 7th fret. It's pretty simple. Usually whenever you replace your strings, you'll have to make small adjustments to the truss rod. If you change string guage, you'll have to make larger adjustments. Remember, the truss rod is your friend! Good luck, Rami | ||
| paulembic
New Username: paulembic Post Number: 8 Registered: 6-2004 |
Belive it or not, I NEVER got a truss rod wrench with The Riff King! I have very inadequate tools, so I'm doing my slow, careful best with a pair of pliers--too late for any stores to be open! But a little here, a little there... hope hope hope... muchas gracias | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 441 Registered: 4-2004 |
here is a suggestion for the future as it seems to work for me. i have made 8 string changes on my orion five. when changing strings... do them one at a time. start with the string in the center. A on a 5 string, d on a 4. then go to the outside strings next, alternating a-g-b-d-e. 4 string a-g-d-e this method seems to keep the tension on the neck never remove all the strings at one time and replace. it relieves all the tension in the neck and it may move as the new strings go on, | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 395 Registered: 11-2002 |
Sorry, flax, but this idea of never removing all the strings, or changing them in a particular order, is bogus, and it pains me every time I hear it. No offense intended (honest). I have taken off all the strings at once - in the process of doing my bridge block experiments, or oiling the wood - on the order of 30 times in the last year, with no ill effects. Back at the 'mother ship', they do this for any number of reasons - like leveling a fingerboard, doing fretwork, and so forth - and the only special consideration is that if the strings will be off for a significant period of time (several days or more), then they will loosen the truss rods a little to keep things "at ease". paulembic - just to be sure I understand what you're saying, it looks to you like the heavy-string side of the neck bulges up towards the strings, rather than having a small amount of relief. If so, then you should tighten the the truss rod on that side, i.e. turn the nut clockwise when looking at it from the bridge. Normally I'd start with only about 1/8 turn, but if you can visibly see the problem, start with 1/4. Gently(!) twist and bend the neck slightly in the desired direction for a minute or so, to help it settle, then retune and see how it goes. Good luck, man. [edit: what a bozo - I said it backwards here, and then again a couple posts below. If the neck is concave, tighten the nuts. Sorry.] (Message edited by bob on April 07, 2005) | ||
| paulembic
New Username: paulembic Post Number: 9 Registered: 6-2004 |
To clarify, the neck has a CONCAVE bow, more prounounced on the bass strings side, causing a subtle twist. Tomorow, if at all possible between running to client meetings from dawn to dusk, and before tomorrow night's gig, I will get to a guitar shop that will hopefully have a truss rod wrench that fits and crank it a tad, the left one of course COUNTER clockwise... my attempts with a too-big pair of pliers did nada. Or, I'll play it once more as is then take care of it Friday or saturday.Thanks for all the help so far you folk are treat, besides having the greatest taste in basses--now Mica, send me a wreneh! | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 396 Registered: 11-2002 |
Sorry for the misunderstanding, sounds like you have it clear: loosen (counterclockwise) the left one, and perhaps very slightly tighten the right one. The wrench is nothing special, just a standard 1/4 inch crescent, as you can see here (and pick up in any hardware store): http://store.yahoo.com/alembic/trussrodwrench.html | ||
| gare
Intermediate Member Username: gare Post Number: 176 Registered: 11-2003 |
Paul Check in the 'Must read' list for Joeys description on neck adjustments. The procedures are simple and straight forward. Just take your time doing them. Gary | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 467 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Paul, Did you buy your Bass directly from Alembic or through a dealer? If it came direct, I'd be very surprised if they forgot to include a truss rod wrench. If it came from a dealer, I'd suspect someone swiped it. In the case of my dealer, everytime I'd want to buy an Alembic from them, they'd have to turn the place upside down looking for the wrench and the straplocks. One time, I saw one of the salesguys actually wearing one around his neck on a chain! I told him I wouldn't buy the Bass unless he gave it to me. You really should NOT try to adjust the truss rods with pliers. Unless you have a flat surface to surface contact, you'll chew up or round off the corners of the nut. When you do get the wrench, it may no longer fit properly. As well, pliers will always slip and you'll never get enough torque to the nut to properly adjust it. Rather than risk any damage to the nut, I suggest waiting to the next day when you can buy a 1/4" box-end wrench from any hardware or mechanics supply store. They're very easy to find. I'm sure that just about everybody has one, perhaps your other musician friends. Good luck, Rami (Message edited by rami on April 08, 2005) | ||
| bigredbass
Advanced Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 388 Registered: 9-2002 |
P L I E R S on the truss rod nuts? I'm speechless . . . J o e y | ||
| paulembic
New Username: paulembic Post Number: 10 Registered: 6-2004 |
Whew... all fixed everybody! Houes before the show, i raceds back from a day-job client meeting to my fave repiar place who cranked the bars and lowered the action and refiled the nut and more for $30 right as i waited. Ahhh...... I did no damage with my silly pliers, but oh, I feel so much bettr. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SUCH CARE AND SUGGESTIONS. LOVE paulembic | ||
| paulembic
Junior Username: paulembic Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2004 |
Whew... all fixed everybody! Mere hours before the show, I raced back from a day-job client meeting to my fave repair place who cranked the bars and lowered the action and refiled the nut and more for $30 right as i waited. It plays betetr now than ever! Ahhh...... I did no damage with my silly pliers, but oh, I feel so much better. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SUCH CARE AND SUGGESTIONS. LOVE paulembic | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1585 Registered: 5-2002 |
This thread really had me confused!!! Right now work has all my focus and late last night I reached a good stopping point and decided to check the club before bed. I read this thread and I'm wondering how it is that Palembic could be posting for help with such a problem; after all, it it Paul who prints out Joey's posts on truss rod adjustments for reference when working on his bass. This morning I check the thread again and I can see by the light of day that it is Paulembic and not Palembic!!! I guess I was more fatigued than I thought! | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1980 Registered: 9-2002 |
Youhou! Ia he-ere! Moder ..you can change my clubname to Paul the bad one if you want/can/may. Or Paul TBO. PTBO | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1588 Registered: 5-2002 |
My lack of functioning brain cells is no excuse for changing peoples club names <g>!! | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 399 Registered: 11-2002 |
Talk about (not) functioning brain cells, I'm the one who screwed up the truss rod thing, not once but twice, in a short span of time. I KNOW this stuff, sheesh. And I can't blame this one on my fading eyesight, though perhaps age is becoming a more general factor... As some of you may recall, when paulembic first posted here, I sugggested(?) that he use a different name because it would be too confusing, but then Val pointed out that it went back to the yahoo days, so he actually had an earlier claim. (I apologized to him by email, just a couple days ago when this thing came up.) Delighted to hear that the riff king is back in play. | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 468 Registered: 6-2002 |
All this talk about the "Riff King" got me to go back to the Custom Archive for another look. What a cool Bass! Although I find 8 strings a little too weird for my taste (I just can't get the hang of them), the "King" is really something special - and appropriately named. (Message edited by rami on April 09, 2005) | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 452 Registered: 4-2004 |
bob no offense but do you have a comment on everything? can i just call you yoda>? you seem to know it all.... gees....... |
