To Fix/Straighten an overbowed neck (too much relief).

[Hamer Dave]

OK, I just got this early Cruise bass. Neck needed adjusting, since it too much relief and already snug. The guy put all sorts of shims under the truss nut, hoping to get more torque on the beast. I was in process of removing all that, lubing, and was to attempt setting up with a bit of back pressure as I re-snug her up. It helps sometimes.

After removing the nut, and shims, a sight down the neck revealed an extreme slope upward, most noticed at I'd say about the 9th fret. First thought... Someone left this thing in the trunk of a car on a hot day, under typical string tension.

So... Is that a good assumption? Thoughts on correcting?

I'm thinking re-heat in a jig, and persuade her back to straight. Maybe a block under where she's most noticeable (9th fret), and clamp her down(under heat), and gradually get her pulled back at the headstock. Let her sit there for a while, cool down, and re-evaluate.

Or is she gonna be a canoe oar, rest of her life?!!

dave

[MCChris]

Set her up for slide.

[Hamer Dave]

I'll consider that thought. Meanwhile...

[Ting Ho Dung]

Reason for taking off the shims? I'm assuming they were washers? If the torque didn't break the truss rod is there a problem? Leaving it in a trunk of a car? We all ship these things through UPS in their hot vans. I'm not sure that would have caused the problem. I dono. Hopefully someone intheknow will chime in.

[crunchee]

I'm thinking re-heat in a jig, and persuade her back to straight. Maybe a block under where she's most noticeable (9th fret), and clamp her down(under heat), and gradually get her pulled back at the headstock. Let her sit there for a while, cool down, and re-evaluate.

Or is she gonna be a canoe oar, rest of her life?!!

If that doesn't work, pull the frets or re-fingerboard, and go fretless.

[BCR Greg]

We heat the board and slip the glue joint to straighten them.

[murkat]

if the threading is protruding more than it was stock,

and requiring the nut to have washers behind it and

the wood stop,

you may have more than just a back bow issue...

A. degradation of wood at the truss rod stop

B. degradation of wood at the truss rod oriface interface at, under the string nut.

To fix,

A. pull the board, rebuild wood around truss rod stop.

B. reface, replace wood around truss rod shaft at head stock.

[tbonesullivan]

definitely sounds like it needs professional help. is it still bowed without the strings off?

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

Pics would be good...

[Duplex Dave]

if the threading is protruding more than it was stock,

and requiring the nut to have washers behind it and

the wood stop,

you may have more than just a back bow issue...

A. degradation of wood at the truss rod stop

B. degradation of wood at the truss rod oriface interface at, under the string nut.

To fix,

A. pull the board, rebuild wood around truss rod stop.

B. reface, replace wood around truss rod shaft at head stock.

Yep, what murkat said. Sounds like the rod is slipping. The method that was used to keep the rod in place on the oposite end has failed. A picture of how much thread is exposed at the nut will tell the story.

[svl]

Murkat is the man, so that's your plan, Stan. And it doesn't sound like a job for mere mortals, so it sounds like some decent cashola will be necessary to tame the beast...

[murkat]

If the public only knew what they were buying "new" as in Historics form the GCS...

Oh, I had fixed a many...

Lenny Kravits has one of them.

It was a scraper,

And I stepped up for a pepsi challenge...

If I fix it, and showed it can be done, and for future fixes,

I get the guitar. They agreed.

Then Lenny comes in, saw the guitar....

They gave it to him,

So pissed I was... all down hill from there man...

[crunchee]

If the public only knew what they were buying "new" as in Historics form the GCS...

Oh, I had fixed a many...

Lenny Kravits has one of them.

It was a scraper,

And I stepped up for a pepsi challenge...

If I fix it, and showed it can be done, and for future fixes,

I get the guitar. They agreed.

Then Lenny comes in, saw the guitar....

They gave it to him,

So pissed I was... all down hill from there man...

Sounds like a great way to provide employee incentives...not! Reminds me of the Glassdoor reviews regards Gibson...

http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Gibson-Guitar-Reviews-E6869.htm

[murkat]

[Hamer Dave]

Hey everyone!

A picture tells a story...

I'll post it a bit later. When I'm at the bean counter.

d

[Hamer Dave]

Here's a photo. The nut is spun on the freshly lubed truss rod to the point of the rod peeking out the tip a wee bit. So that's how far the rod extends under the truss rod cover! I'd say an easy 1/2 to 5/8" longer than the norm. Atop the truss cover you'll see all the 'shims' that were on there. A couple drilled out nuts, another spacer of some sort, and a washer (which may be original).

Ok, not allowing that picture extension on this community???? Can't post image. It's .jpg

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

Here's a photo. The nut is spun on the freshly lubed truss rod to the point of the rod peeking out the tip a wee bit. So that's how far the rod extends under the truss rod cover! I'd say an easy 1/2 to 5/8" longer than the norm. Atop the truss cover you'll see all the 'shims' that were on there. A couple drilled out nuts, another spacer of some sort, and a washer (which may be original).

Ok, not allowing that picture extension on this community???? Can't post image. It's .jpg

Put the pic on Photobucket.com or some place similar then post the link to it inside IMG tags (inside straight brackets) like this

[ IMG]http://www.your-image-url.com/your-pic.jpg[/img ]

NOTE: I put spaces in the IMG tags so you can see the code. When you add the link, there should be no SPACE inside the IMG tags...

[mc2]

Is this the Cruisebass that was on EBAY a week or so ago that also has a split in the back of the neck in first position, from the overtightened truss rod? I think that one was the same year and also said the truss rod was tightened all the way and the neck still had a bow.

I'd think heat press treatment or pull the frets and plane the fingerboard to compensate for the bow....but considering what a playable 80s Cruisebass is selling for, it may not be worth the effort/cost. You might be better off parting it out and just buying one with a good neck.