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Telenator · February 9th, 2009, 11:43 PM

I bought a MIM Precision Bass last week dirt cheap. The guy sellling it said the truss rod had snapped and it was too costly to get it fixed.

In another thread, I think it was Jwells who did a truss rod repair and shared his technique in photos so, I figured I'd give it a shot on this bass neck.

Worked like a charm!

Once I repaired the broken truss rod I was able to re-install it through the slot I had cut.

Here's a few photos.

Photo 1 - I have gouged a trench in the heel of the neck by drilling a few 1/2" holes and then smoothing the sides with a file.

Photo 2 - This shot shows the filler piece I made so that after I repaired the truss rod, I was able to slide it back inside the neck and then secure the barrel with the filler piece and glue it into place.

Photo 3 - This shows the heel of the neck with the excess trimmed off the filler piece.

Photo 4 - Here another look at the repaired neck.

The bass actually plays great now!

Stuco · February 9th, 2009, 11:45 PM

Great job!

Tim Armstrong · February 9th, 2009, 11:47 PM

Very cool!

It took me a few minutes to understand what you did, but once the light bulb went on, I was mighty impressed. And how cool is it that Jwells provided the inspiration!

Tim

Telenator · February 9th, 2009, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

Very cool!

It took me a few minutes to understand what you did, but once the light bulb went on, I was mighty impressed. And how cool is it that Jwells provided the inspiration!

Tim

I get so much great, practical information from this website, I just can't tell you!

Scott S · February 9th, 2009, 11:50 PM

Nice work! It's the rare guitar part that can't be saved with a little ingenuity.

- Scott

Anchoret · February 10th, 2009, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

It took me a few minutes to understand what you did, but once the light bulb went on, I was mighty impressed.

My lightbulb is still dim.

Though I wish to compliment the poster on an exceptionally fine little piece of jointery (or joinery, if you prefer), I still don't quite see what he did.

Perhaps a link to the referenced earlier post is in order.

Don't get me started about the prevailing ignorance of proper and safe trussrod adjustment, however.

Tim Armstrong · February 10th, 2009, 01:13 AM

Apparently, the trussrod screws into that round metal thing. He dug a channel to it so he could pull the whole thing out from the heel, fixed or replaced whatever was wrong with the trussrod, slid it back in, and then did the fancy joinery!

Slick, I say!

Tim

Telenator · February 10th, 2009, 07:55 AM

I bought a MIM Precision Bass last week dirt cheap. The guy selling it said the truss rod had snapped and it was too costly to get it fixed.

The truss rod had snapped right where it was peened into the anchor barrel. "The round metal part" shown in the photos.

Having seen a recent thread here where someone (jwells?) had done a similar repair, I gouged out a trench in the heel that allowed me to remove the anchor barrel and slide out the truss rod.

Of all the weird things, the truss rod had an occlusion in it, (a carbon/air pocket that made the rod weak right where it was peened into the anchor.

I drilled out the anchor, re-inserted the truss rod, peened it into place and then soldered it with a torch and silver solder.

Because of the break, the truss rod was 1/2" shorter so I had to extend the trench 1/2" so the threads would still reach the threaded adjuster nut at the headstock.

Having cut the trench allowed me to slide the truss rod back into the neck with the anchor barrel installed. Trying to peen the rod and solder it while it was still in the neck would have ruined the neck.

Next, I cut a piece of oak, (didn't have any maple on hand) shaped it to fit snug against the anchore and glued it in place. Trimmed off the excess and put it all back together.

Total investment, $60 - with a gig bag!

AnthemBassMan · February 10th, 2009, 12:27 PM

-An excellent job there! One of those things that satisfies you because you took something that might have been junked and made it completely useful again.

L8R,
Matt

BCbassman · August 27th, 2009, 02:06 PM

Great job! I'll have to remember this thread if ever run across a broken MIM Fender bass neck.
I wonder if this technique would work on other brands of basses?

boris bubbanov · September 2nd, 2009, 08:45 PM

It sure might.

The guitar neck that Jack Wells fixed was a G + L. All kinds of different truss rod anchors. This is one advantage to having the truss rod access at the nut, as the repair work is hidden or mostly hidden in the neck pocket.

yellowsnow4free · September 10th, 2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telenator

That looks great!!!

If you don't mind my asking, how much did you buy the bass for?

Telenator · September 23rd, 2009, 10:37 AM

$50

February 9th, 2009, 11:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,620 5 Photos	Precision Bass Neck Save!!! I bought a MIM Precision Bass last week dirt cheap. The guy sellling it said the truss rod had snapped and it was too costly to get it fixed. In another thread, I think it was Jwells who did a truss rod repair and shared his technique in photos so, I figured I'd give it a shot on this bass neck. Worked like a charm! Once I repaired the broken truss rod I was able to re-install it through the slot I had cut. Here's a few photos. Photo 1 - I have gouged a trench in the heel of the neck by drilling a few 1/2" holes and then smoothing the sides with a file. Photo 2 - This shot shows the filler piece I made so that after I repaired the truss rod, I was able to slide it back inside the neck and then secure the barrel with the filler piece and glue it into place. Photo 3 - This shows the heel of the neck with the excess trimmed off the filler piece. Photo 4 - Here another look at the repaired neck. The bass actually plays great now! __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

February 9th, 2009, 11:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,225	Great job! __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

February 9th, 2009, 11:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,148	Very cool! It took me a few minutes to understand what you did, but once the light bulb went on, I was mighty impressed. And how cool is it that Jwells provided the inspiration! Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

February 9th, 2009, 11:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
Scott S Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SW CR IA US NA PE Age: 29 Posts: 2,871	Nice work! It's the rare guitar part that can't be saved with a little ingenuity. - Scott __________________ "The chorus pedal is God's gift to the untuneable guitar." - Peter Holsapple

February 10th, 2009, 01:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,148	Apparently, the trussrod screws into that round metal thing. He dug a channel to it so he could pull the whole thing out from the heel, fixed or replaced whatever was wrong with the trussrod, slid it back in, and then did the fancy joinery! Slick, I say! Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

February 10th, 2009, 07:55 AM	#8 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,620 5 Photos	I bought a MIM Precision Bass last week dirt cheap. The guy selling it said the truss rod had snapped and it was too costly to get it fixed. The truss rod had snapped right where it was peened into the anchor barrel. "The round metal part" shown in the photos. Having seen a recent thread here where someone (jwells?) had done a similar repair, I gouged out a trench in the heel that allowed me to remove the anchor barrel and slide out the truss rod. Of all the weird things, the truss rod had an occlusion in it, (a carbon/air pocket that made the rod weak right where it was peened into the anchor. I drilled out the anchor, re-inserted the truss rod, peened it into place and then soldered it with a torch and silver solder. Because of the break, the truss rod was 1/2" shorter so I had to extend the trench 1/2" so the threads would still reach the threaded adjuster nut at the headstock. Having cut the trench allowed me to slide the truss rod back into the neck with the anchor barrel installed. Trying to peen the rod and solder it while it was still in the neck would have ruined the neck. Next, I cut a piece of oak, (didn't have any maple on hand) shaped it to fit snug against the anchore and glued it in place. Trimmed off the excess and put it all back together. Total investment, $60 - with a gig bag! __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

February 10th, 2009, 12:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
AnthemBassMan Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ohio. Tuscarawas County Farm Country! Age: 43 Posts: 491	-An excellent job there! One of those things that satisfies you because you took something that might have been junked and made it completely useful again. L8R, Matt

August 27th, 2009, 02:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
BCbassman NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Washington D.C suburb Posts: 8	Great job! I'll have to remember this thread if ever run across a broken MIM Fender bass neck. I wonder if this technique would work on other brands of basses?

September 2nd, 2009, 08:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 15,209	It sure might. The guitar neck that Jack Wells fixed was a G + L. All kinds of different truss rod anchors. This is one advantage to having the truss rod access at the nut, as the repair work is hidden or mostly hidden in the neck pocket. __________________ When i listen

September 23rd, 2009, 10:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,620 5 Photos	$50 __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

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