Ibanez bass, broken truss rod

[Jonnda]

I'm not sure if I already asked this, but...

I while back I convinced some one to give me their cheapish Ibanez 5 string bass. It has a broken truss rod, probably because at some point someone was a moron.

Okay, so here is the question: Do I have to remove the fret board or can I just remove the sunk stripe on the back. It is a fender style neck with a rosewood fretboard, and I just think it would be easier to remove the skunk stripe. Am I wrong?

[Custom 5]

not sure what type of rod you have but i recently fixed a truss rod on a mim p-bass like this:

i cut a channel in from the heel so i could remove the broken truss rod.


then i fixed the trussrod and re-installed it with a filler block i made.


glued it in place and trimmed 'er off.


sanded it smooth and added a touch of poly


works perfect!

[Jonnda]

Wow that is a great idea! But on mine there is a wood plug where the metal anchor on yours is, but I wonder if that just a wood cover?

How do you keep the router from hitting the metal?

Photots will be posted later if nessisary.

[Custom 5]

you can only run the router in so far. then you take a dremel and trim out some more. then do the last bit with an exacto knife. it takes a little doing but it's far less intrusive than pulling the fretboard or the stripe.

[Jonnda]

I finally got the darn truss rod out.



It took allot of work to pull it out once the wood was out of the way.

Now it's time to put a new one in. However I am scared to put the original style of truss rod back in. I'm thinkin that since it is a five string, it has a bad forward bow from years of use with no rod by prior owner, and the last rod broke, I should put a tougher rod in. The one by LMI seems to fit the bill. I would have to remove the skunk stripe for this but now that there is no rod I can fill the area with steam and pry out the stripe of wood.

Thoughts on this?

[boobtube21]

That's a good idea Custom 5, I'll have to remember that...

I'm certainly no expert...but might I suggest something: If you used a stock replacement, and that wouldn't fix any issues caused by using it without the truss rod, a bigger one might not help either. I would think that if you just put a stock replacement in, and slowly tightened it up in increments over a few days or even a couple weeks, it should slowly go back to the right shape, no?

Besides the last rod may have broken due to:

a) maladustment by someone who didn't know what they were doing or

b) too heavy of a string set... sounds unlikely, but I knew a guy who inherited a 5-string Ibanez bass that was used hard with super heavy strings for years, and shortly after he got it a tuning peg broke.

[Jonnda]

That's a good idea Custom 5, I'll have to remember that...

I'm certainly no expert...but might I suggest something: If you used a stock replacement, and that wouldn't fix any issues caused by using it without the truss rod, a bigger one might not help either. I would think that if you just put a stock replacement in, and slowly tightened it up in increments over a few days or even a couple weeks, it should slowly go back to the right shape, no?

Besides the last rod may have broken due to:

a) maladustment by someone who didn't know what they were doing or

b) too heavy of a string set... sounds unlikely, but I knew a guy who inherited a 5-string Ibanez bass that was used hard with super heavy strings for years, and shortly after he got it a tuning peg broke.

You make a good point. I guess I should try it with a stock style rod before making any drastic changes. If I could make it work without reinstalling the wood I removed, like I think I can, then that would make perfect sense.

I also read somewhere that a refret with fret wire that has a wider tang can be helpful for correcting too much relief bow and stiffen the neck.

BTW I decided to not use the router in favor of the ol' hand tools. I bought a nice razor saw and cut down to the fretboard the best I could. Then I used a chisel and very carefully broke off the bit of wood. If I do this right I should be able to put the removed wood back. Why did I do that? To preserve the part on the neck that says 'MAY' of MAY 98, and so that lazy perfectionist me would not have to fabricate a new bit of wood. I just know that I'd obsess over getting a new bit to fit just right.

[chuckocaster]

have you looked into what stewmac offers? i know sometimes their prices are a little high, but it's worth a look.

great job both of you guys!

[Jonnda]

have you looked into what stewmac offers? i know sometimes their prices are a little high, but it's worth a look.

great job both of you guys!

All they have for me is a truss rod kit with the wrong kind of nut and anchor. I would have just bought it anyway for the threaded stainless steel rod, however it is way to short for my bass application. They used to sell an exact replacement, just what I needed, but it's off the menu for some reason. Also it seems that no one sells the right kind of adjusting nut so I'll have to make my own as described in a book I have. Despite all this I am ordering their anchor nut in hopes I can modify it for my purposes.

If I was going for the double rod like I threatened to, I know about their Hot Rod system. The opinion on MIMF seems to be that the patent two way rod over at LMI is better. None the less I spec'd the LMI for it's apparent lower profile, i.e. less wood to remove.

[chuckocaster]

cool, seems like you've done your homework. i just wonder if it really was the rod that failed, or maybe it broke for some other reason. was there rust or anything the threads. i read an article from dan erlewine where he fixed a trussrod, and then made sure to say that it needs to be lubed properly on the threads to keep it functioning properly.

boobtube already pointed this out.

i think whichever way you go it's gonna be a step in the right direction.

[Jonnda]

I looked at the rod again. it's bent one inch down from the end of the threds by approx 3 degrees. Then there is a rust patch, but it isn't on the threads. However, the break was on the threads. So yeah! Maybe it was just the nut freezing on the rod. Stewmac has a gadget to fix that, but I got this bass free and I don't intend to spend that much on it.

I got some awesome teflon anti-seize pipe grease. What a great purchase that stuff was as I have found countless applications for it.

I really appreciate the prompt responses. The moral support is very helpful for me during guitar surgery.

[chuckocaster]

i'd be careful with that pipe dope, is it this stuff? http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php?...product_id=213
that's what we use at work on gas lines.

i brought up the thread deal cause that's been a major cause of issues with trussrods. people get over zealous and use the "big hammer" approach. i learned long ago that if a part doesn't fit or work it doesn't need to be persuaded. you need to step back and figure out what about it isn't working right. fix the real problem, not the immediate problem. there is always a reason for a failure, not just "well it just needs to be cranked on a little harder."

[Jonnda]

No it isn't that stuff.

It's a product from Bostik called "Never Seez: Anti-Seize & Lubricating Compound"
I have been using this one little can for years and it's never given me a problem. I originally bought it out of concern for galvanic corrosion occurring in the magnesium frame bike that I used to have (it was stolen). Any time I had to connect steel to magnesium, or aluminum to magnesium I used this stuff.

What was your concern with this grease? It's main components other then oil are zinc oxide and Teflon. The zinc would prevent the steel from corroding and the Teflon will lubricate long after the oil drys up.

[Jonnda]

So I got around to fabricating a truss rod, anchor, and nut. The anchor is made out of a little chunk of rebar that I found lying around the shop. I had ordered the anchor from stew mac but I then discovered that it wasn't much different then something available at hometown hardware store...which means it was not the right size. I also managed to make my own nut out of a filed down hex coupler nut and a hex screw with plans for thread locker. Unfortunately that got lost and I ordered a fender american standard trussrod nut. I thought that would be the simplest and quickest way. Wrong. I found myself at school with access to only a bench grinder at the time. I spent a good half hour grinding that nut down to the Ibanez size, where as filing down the corners on the coupler nut took about five minutes with a drill press and file.






So I put it back together and started stringing her up. The truss rod was doing hardly anything.

just when it started to affect the bow of the neck the nut gets jammed. I think I botched the threads when I cut them, the die I used might be cheapo as it was not very self centering , or the rod is too long. Probably a little of all the aforementioned. So I'm going to try again some time soon.

[boobtube21]

Ah crap!

That's a tough job, and even tougher considering you "rolled your own". I commend you for your ambition. Hopefully you can get it right, I'll be inspired if you do (as I'm sure we all will be.) So don't give up and keep us updated!

[Jonnda]

Ah crap!

That's a tough job, and even tougher considering you "rolled your own". I commend you for your ambition. Hopefully you can get it right, I'll be inspired if you do (as I'm sure we all will be.) So don't give up and keep us updated!

Thanks allot for the support

If they sold the OE truss rod assembly outright I wouldn't have to machine my own. I bet if I was a real luthier working in a music shop I'd have a big magic parts list book that always has just what I need. But I do find it amusing and fitting (pun?) that I used a bit of rebar to ultimately help reinforce the neck. Also isn't rebar in the class of ad hoc, fix-anything materials, alongside chewing gum, baling wire, duct tape, and zip ties?

[boobtube21]

Also isn't rebar in the class of ad hoc, fix-anything materials, alongside chewing gum, baling wire, duct tape, and zip ties?

I wasn't aware that it was but I'll add it to my list now. And don't forget silicone caulking for leaks!