4003 Neck With Side Bend
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 8:54 am
I've done searches but haven't come up with much so here goes......I have a new to me 2015 4003 that I felt the G string was riding too close to the edge of the fretboard. My first inclination is that the saddle is grooved off center, which it is. Though upon further inspection it also appears that all of the strings are shifted a bit to the treble side. I see a lot of photos that show this same orientation, though I have held a new one at a store recently that the centering was correct.
A straight edge along either side of the neck indicated that there was a slight sideways curvature, concave on the "G" side of the neck. I read on this forum about a similar situation and some steps to correct it. One suggested that one of the rods may have flipped sideways. I don't know about that but I don't think I'm ready to go yanking those things out at this stage of the game.
One suggestion was to relieve all of the tension and allow the neck to rest a bit. In doing so I made this observation. ....after loosening the strings and moving on to the rods I noted that while the treble side rod was providing some assistance to the neck, the bass side rod was just finger tight. I loosened both. The action before starting this was very good, with only a slight bit of relief...about what i would adjust a "normal" Bass to.
Now that the Bass has had a couple of days to set, hanging from one of those hanger type stands, I can say that the neck is straight. My straight edge no longer rocks on the what was the convex, or bass side, of the neck.
I've ordered a new set of saddles since I think they were not grooved properly, and a nut....just in case, that I will have my set up guy work with.
So now I am wondering how should I go about re-applying string and truss rod tension that will give the best shot at getting the action back to good without inducing the side bend again? I know the truss rods are not intended to have a side to side effect.....but hey, this is a Ric. The previous owner had it strung with Sunbeams. I'm thinking of getting a set of the stock Rickenbacker strings to have it set up with.
A straight edge along either side of the neck indicated that there was a slight sideways curvature, concave on the "G" side of the neck. I read on this forum about a similar situation and some steps to correct it. One suggested that one of the rods may have flipped sideways. I don't know about that but I don't think I'm ready to go yanking those things out at this stage of the game.
One suggestion was to relieve all of the tension and allow the neck to rest a bit. In doing so I made this observation. ....after loosening the strings and moving on to the rods I noted that while the treble side rod was providing some assistance to the neck, the bass side rod was just finger tight. I loosened both. The action before starting this was very good, with only a slight bit of relief...about what i would adjust a "normal" Bass to.
Now that the Bass has had a couple of days to set, hanging from one of those hanger type stands, I can say that the neck is straight. My straight edge no longer rocks on the what was the convex, or bass side, of the neck.
I've ordered a new set of saddles since I think they were not grooved properly, and a nut....just in case, that I will have my set up guy work with.
So now I am wondering how should I go about re-applying string and truss rod tension that will give the best shot at getting the action back to good without inducing the side bend again? I know the truss rods are not intended to have a side to side effect.....but hey, this is a Ric. The previous owner had it strung with Sunbeams. I'm thinking of getting a set of the stock Rickenbacker strings to have it set up with.