Old hairpin truss rods

[Colonel Sanders]

Yes, old necks with the hairpin truss rods are tricky to adjust (for the neophytes) but from my experience, once adjusted, they just don’t move as long as you keep the same string tensions.

I’ve adjusted my old ‘73 4001 once when I bought it in 2010 and haven’t touched it once since then. By comparison, I need to tweak my 4003 and 4005XC each 4 moths with the season changes.

Anyone else find the same thing?

[Dirk]

Agreed, they really seem to hold things better for longer.
They are a challenge if you don't know the proper procedure certainly.

p.s. your nickname instantly reminds me of Spaceballs the movie.
"What's wrong Colonel Sanders, chicken?"

[bassdroid]

Same experiences here.

A good friend has a '73 4001 that he rescued about 30 years ago. That bass was in really bad shape back then, missing most of its parts with 2 broken truss rods and a severe upbow in the neck. After repairing the broken truss rods (long story) he was able to bring the neck back to the correct position using only hand pressure. The rods held and have been holding ever since with absolutely no adjustments made since then.

For myself, I have recently aquired a beautiful '73 4000. Its rods appear to never have been adjusted. The overspray on the thrust block and the truss rod nuts aligns perfectly and there are no nicks or scars from any sort of wrench or tool applied to them. Hard to believe it, but the rods appear to be completely the same as when they left the factory in 1973.

Both bases play amazingly with very low action.

[henry5]

The older rods definitely seem to need less adjustment, once set, than pretty much any other rods I’ve ever used, on any guitars. I’ve discussed this with several luthiers, who all poo-poo it and say there’s no science behind it. But over more than 40 years of playing, that’s what I’ve found.

[jps]

The older rods definitely seem to need less adjustment, once set, than pretty much any other rods I’ve ever used, on any guitars. I’ve discussed this with several luthiers, who all poo-poo it and say there’s no science behind it. But over more than 40 years of playing, that’s what I’ve found.

I very much concur with this assessment.

[DavyR]

Yes, I have an April 1973 4001 JetGlo that I bought used in 2001 that I have seldom played since and I swear the neck relief has remained exactly the same since! The previous owner, who bought it used in 1977, claims he never had the neck adjusted, also. This is just amazing! There has GOT to be something to those older type hairpin rods for most of my basses/guitars eventually need neck adjustments.

[Tache3]

Set mine up in 1990- haven't had to adjust it since.

That may change soon, as my old fingers are finding 45-105 gauge strings hard work so will probably go down to 45-100.

[bassduke49]

It's not the rods that need adjustment. It's the wood. The rods are simply the tool to make the adjustment to the wood. The older instruments that have never needed adjustment have stable wood. No seasonal variations in temperature and humidity? Likely the wood isn't going to expand or shrink. No changes of string tension? Wood won't be warping. And the rods are not like "rebar" - they don't provide "strength" to the neck. They are just tools in situ.

[DavyR]

It's not the rods that need adjustment. It's the wood. The rods are simply the tool to make the adjustment to the wood. The older instruments that have never needed adjustment have stable wood. No seasonal variations in temperature and humidity? Likely the wood isn't going to expand or shrink. No changes of string tension? Wood won't be warping. And the rods are not like "rebar" - they don't provide "strength" to the neck. They are just tools in situ.

This crossed my mind and thanks for posting this. Yeah, the neck on my '73 4001 feels like one solid hunk of wood! But, then why do all my other basses/guitars appear to NOT have stable neck wood of varying degrees? What's so special about a RIC '73 4001 neck? Thx.

[henry5]

It's not the rods that need adjustment. It's the wood. The rods are simply the tool to make the adjustment to the wood. The older instruments that have never needed adjustment have stable wood. No seasonal variations in temperature and humidity? Likely the wood isn't going to expand or shrink. No changes of string tension? Wood won't be warping. And the rods are not like "rebar" - they don't provide "strength" to the neck. They are just tools in situ.

I don’t really buy this. I’ve had so many basses from all eras and my old Rics have been by far the most stable. Also, my main ‘72 had the rods changed many years ago by a well-known luthier for ones of his own design. The original rods were bent into the headstock and I’d been worried that I might encounter problems if I’d needed to adjust them (although I hadn’t needed to). I couldn’t get direct replacements at the time and didn’t know how to fix them. I assumed he’d replace like for like but he had other ideas. The neck is still pretty stable, but it was definitely more stable before, and yet the wood is the same. Also, my current luthier, who builds world-class boutique basses, told me he changed from his original truss rod designs he used to a new one that ‘supported’ the neck more, due to some issues with neck movement.

[bassduke49]

Maybe the wood used on these older basses was "better" - more stable, denser, different species or sub species, harvested from a different area, better growing conditions over time - lots of variables there. Now, if you've changed the rods after years of apparent stability, you've changed the conditions and the wood may be reacting a bit. Variables vary. Sometimes we get lucky.

I liken this to a perfectly aligned car that is moving down a perfectly straight road. With no variables and the car set perfectly down the middle of the road, the car should continue down the road without adjustment. But it's a warm day and getting warmer. That perfectly straight blacktop road is heating up, and one small spot is expanding just little more than the rest of the road, raising the surface just a tiny bit. As the car passes over it, the tires on one side of the car rise with the raised surface, shifting the center of gravity of the car a bit over to the other side, and now the car isn't going straight anymore. The driver uses the steering wheel to realign the car's direction of travel. The steering wheel, worm gear, rack and pinion, tie rods, king pins, and all of that front suspension stuff do not add strength or rigidity to the car, only allow the driver to adjust the direction of travel over small and large variables. Same same with truss rods and guitar necks. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

[jps]

Maybe the wood used on these older basses was "better" - more stable, denser, different species or sub species, harvested from a different area, better growing conditions over time - lots of variables there. Now, if you've changed the rods after years of apparent stability, you've changed the conditions and the wood may be reacting a bit. Variables vary. Sometimes we get lucky.

I liken this to a perfectly aligned car that is moving down a perfectly straight road. With no variables and the car set perfectly down the middle of the road, the car should continue down the road without adjustment. But it's a warm day and getting warmer. That perfectly straight blacktop road is heating up, and one small spot is expanding just little more than the rest of the road, raising the surface just a tiny bit. As the car passes over it, the tires on one side of the car rise with the raised surface, shifting the center of gravity of the car a bit over to the other side, and now the car isn't going straight anymore. The driver uses the steering wheel to realign the car's direction of travel. The steering wheel, worm gear, rack and pinion, tie rods, king pins, and all of that front suspension stuff do not add strength or rigidity to the car, only allow the driver to adjust the direction of travel over small and large variables. Same same with truss rods and guitar necks. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Isn't that why self-driving cars are being created?

[rickenbrother]

I stick with a certain string set for an instrument, so I love the old style truss rods. Set 'em and forget 'em.

[Isaac]

Maybe the wood used on these older basses was "better" - more stable, denser, different species or sub species, harvested from a different area, better growing conditions over time - lots of variables there. Now, if you've changed the rods after years of apparent stability, you've changed the conditions and the wood may be reacting a bit. Variables vary. Sometimes we get lucky.

I think that's probably true.

I don't know about the maple that RIC uses, but I know that soft woods used to be harvested in more northerly climes. In more recent years, timber has been preferentially grown in the South, where it grows faster, but is less dense.

[henry5]

Maybe the wood used on these older basses was "better" - more stable, denser, different species or sub species, harvested from a different area, better growing conditions over time - lots of variables there. Now, if you've changed the rods after years of apparent stability, you've changed the conditions and the wood may be reacting a bit. Variables vary. Sometimes we get lucky.

I liken this to a perfectly aligned car that is moving down a perfectly straight road. With no variables and the car set perfectly down the middle of the road, the car should continue down the road without adjustment. But it's a warm day and getting warmer. That perfectly straight blacktop road is heating up, and one small spot is expanding just little more than the rest of the road, raising the surface just a tiny bit. As the car passes over it, the tires on one side of the car rise with the raised surface, shifting the center of gravity of the car a bit over to the other side, and now the car isn't going straight anymore. The driver uses the steering wheel to realign the car's direction of travel. The steering wheel, worm gear, rack and pinion, tie rods, king pins, and all of that front suspension stuff do not add strength or rigidity to the car, only allow the driver to adjust the direction of travel over small and large variables. Same same with truss rods and guitar necks. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

When I discussed the neck with the luthier who changed the rods he said it was “spongy” (it’s quite flamed). So again, not so sure it was the neck wood itself that made the difference. But hey, as long as it works, who really cares?