Truss rod or neck set for 78 360

[Jimmy-Jim-Jim]

I have just got a new 1978 360 and the action is a little too high to be comfortable. The bridge is quite near its maximum and there are dead notes from the 12th fret of the E string so lowering the bridge is not an option. I have also noticed that there is something of a bow towards the middle of the neck ie. at, for example, frets 8-10 the action is higher than at frets 1-2 or 15-18. I dont think this guitar has been played for 30 years so I cant expect a perfect set up, but Is this a truss rod tweek or a neck set situation?

[beatlefreak]

Always suspect a truss rod adjustment first. Look here for more information.

[libratune]

I'd go with the truss rods first and see if you can get the board to flatten out. Recommended quarter-turn of the rods every 24 hours until the board sights even. Then if the action is still too high, you're into Plan B, neck reset, which will be costly.

[Jimmy-Jim-Jim]

Thank you. I was actually looking at your posts and it is true that the neck has a slight bow, which needs to be straightened. I am not happy at adjusting the truss rods myself. Is tightening clockwise or anticlockwise? And how can you tell if truss rods are at their maximum as they can be quite stiff? Is there a good Rickenbacker technician in the UK?

[johnallg]

Your Rick will have the old rods, which you loosen until backed off, then move and hold the neck where you want it, then tighten the rods. No amount of additional rod tightening will move it; you will pop the fretboard off the neck.

Follow the link Kris provides and read his great posts on setting up a Rick guitar. Follow the directions for the old style rods.

[ken_j]

... Is tightening clockwise or anticlockwise? ...

Righty tighty...Lefty loosey.

[beatlefreak]

Yes, as John says, you have the old style truss rods which means you have to manually adjust the neck, then snug the truss rod nuts to hold the adjustment in place. Do a search on the forum for 'truss rods' and you should uncover a slew of threads about the old style rods and how to properly adjust them.

[jingle_jangle]

This guitar is a poster child to have its neck relaxed and then re-tensioned. After all, it's been around for 30 years and it's probably been unplayable for part of that time...

1. Remove strings.

2. Release all tension on the truss rods by loosening the nuts until they are slack--plus a full turn.

3. Let the whole instrument sit like this for several days, checking the neck with a good metal straightedge against the frets. It should flatten out. Let it sit until it does. If, after a few weeks, it doesn't flatten completely, then you can still adjust the rods and probably bring things back to near normal. If it shows any uneven warping, twisting, or weird bow during this time, it's probably going to need a heated beam and some clamping.

Remember that it's an old-style rod and must be helped by preloading the neck before adjusting.

[Jimmy-Jim-Jim]

Thanks for these replies. I am unsure as to how to proceed, to use (1) the bend the neck back and simultaneously tighten the truss rod or (2) Completely loosen the truss rods and see if the neck settles, then tighten.

I'm not particularly handy but I would like to fully technically understand the reasons for both methods, before I start doing anything. One further question are the Rickenbacker truss rod adjusters sold on ebay okay to buy?

I have also enclosed details of the truss rods of my Mapleglow (where the rods have definetely seen some work, but where the neck is near perfect) and my Fireglow which looks like the truss rods have never been touched but which needs some adjustment).

[Wiker]

I recently bought a brand new Rickenbacker truss rod wrench to use on a '70s 4001, but the truss rod nuts actually didn’t fit inside the wrench. I think the reason was that the metal of the wrench had some surface treatment, not chrome but some other kind of plating that was also applied inside the wrench, and made it too tight for the nuts. Don’t know if every Ric wrench is made like that, but I ended up getting this one from StewMac (the 1/4” on), which has a perfectly fit on the old nuts:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Truss_rods/ ... nches.html

[FretlessOnly]

Thanks for these replies. I am unsure as to how to proceed, to use (1) the bend the neck back and simultaneously tighten the truss rod or (2) Completely loosen the truss rods and see if the neck settles, then tighten.

I would take Paul's advice on all things Rickenbacker. What he is effectively advising is that you do #2 before you do #1 so that the neck will have a few days to "relax." After that, you will have a better idea of whether a standard "old school" adjustment (move neck to desired position and then use rod nuts to bring neck to stable in that position) will solve your problem. There is no risk whatsoever by doing #2 before you do #1. #1 is the "be careful" step. Just do #2 correctly by not tightening rather than loosening the rods.

That said, it looks like your truss rods on the FG have not seen much tightening over the years, since there is very little material "beyond the adjustment nuts" (but perhaps the older rods were more typically like that). Remove the TR cover, loosen the strings to floppy, and then, sighting from headstock to bridge, loosen the rods by turning to the left (counterclockwise) until they are clearly removed of all tension. Follow Paul's advice from here after a few days and see how it shapes up.

As for the adjustment tool, any straight, small thin-walled 1/4" socket should work, but it is important that it be of the "hand-tight" version only. In other words, no 90-degree socket wrenches; just a nice, small, low-torque, straight hand-held socket wrench with a plastic handle and a fairly short (~3") shaft. I paid $8 for mine at the local hardware store.

[johnallg]

The RIC adjuster is an Xcellite L8 that you can buy many places. I got mine here:
http://www.amazon.com/Cooper-Hand-Tools ... 000ZUK398/