Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I may be out of line contributing, IMO it looks from the pics that the top rod is pre-bent in the wrong direction )I in stead of (I . Do the non threaded ends finish in a chisel point? from pics I've seen in the truss rod sections the long part of the chisel should be closest to the threaded end and when tightened would force the correct bend. This just an observation from the pics, from someone who has very little experience.

Gin, if you do not have a straight edge, just as good are strings under tension. Hold down the E string at the first fret and at the 15th fret and see how far from the strings the 7th fret is. You can use a capo at the first fret if you have one, to free up a hand. Then you can go the same with G string.

Alright I let you guys know in about an hour or so.

Gin the rods should go in as you see in these pics, Notice that the threaded ends are at the bottom.


Protect the headstock to avoid damage to the finish with masking tape and a cotton cloth. I always put a clamp on the fingerboard when removing/reinstalling the rods.


When the rods are out, give them manually more of a curve. Yours look kind of straight.

Oh man I didnt now it was that much of a curve I needed, I only gave me a very slight bend. I've put the rods in right and the bends were the right way. I pretty much did everything in your pictures, including the masking tape. Ill give it another go, check the rods. Hope it works this time. Pics help a lot lol.

Sometimes a little curve works out just fine. Sometimes you need a little more.

Ah, just pulled them out, and the neck seems to have actually developed an upbow, so do I try to put the rods back and string it up again to see if there is a fix or just send it off to heat treatment?

Clamp your bass with soft jawed clamps to a suitable surface like a padded table or workbench. Have someone hold it down if you don't have the clamps.
Put something like a rolled up pair of long, thick, white cotton socks under about the 7th fret to hold the neck on while you pull back on the neck enough to make the strings flush against the neck when you tighten down the nuts.

Gin, any progress?
I have a similar problem with the rods not being able to hold the neck completely straight (not that much of a problem really, but..), and just wandered if you managed to get some improvement by bending the rods or something.

No luck so far.... I reinserted the rods and it did nussing! Pulled them out and they were straight as an arrow. I might try bridge clamp method, but Ill try it the normal way 1 more time tonight.

Okay I let the neck readjust itself with the rods out for a couple of days now, the neck got straightened out, but installed the rods back in and did adjustments made the neck have an up bow still. I did give the rods more curves before reinstertion, but nothing seems to be working. Somehow Im still putting the rods in incorrectly. Yes they are going in the right way too. Le sigh.

This was before I even put the strings on btw.

Gin: I will let the Bass Gurus comment on the following photo, but a while back there was some discussion regarding how the truss rods should be bent for re-insertion and this surfaced. The photo is from 2005 if I remember correctly.

Thats a pretty wicked bend, Ill give it that much this time....

About a 2" arc is usually what I put in before reinstalling the rods. A bit of paste wax on the rods helps, too. Tape a scrap of tin can or rigid plastic sheet to the headstock to avoid chewing up the edge of the truss rod rout. I put a nut onto the end of the truss rod, not tightened, though, and I use a pair of vise grips clamped tightly on the nut to lift the rod so it clears that edge as it goes in. The bass neck has to be clamped or held down very firmly for this to work.

Good stuff, Joey!

I tried this method as it seems more suitable then holding the neck with my hand. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthrea ... ost8495834

That didnt seem to help either... So what options do i have left? heat treatment? Lighter strings?