Neck without strings, need to adjust truss rod?

[expat701]

Hi, I purchased a mint condition, genuine Fender American Standard Tele neck on eBay. It looks like it's a pull directly off a brand new guitar.

As I am slowly putting together a partscaster it may be 6 months or so before this neck goes on to a body, gets strung and is consequently back under full tension again.

I seriously doubt the person I bought it off loosened the truss rod when they stripped this neck off the guitar and put it up for sale.

My question is simply, do you think I need to loosen the truss rod whilst this neck sits in storage???

It's a bi-flex truss rod and I don't know to properly adjust them, or rather I'm not confident to do this myself. If the rod does need to be loosened whilst the neck is sitting without strings, I will need to take it to a guitar tech.

Appreciate your advise. Wayne

 

[Jupiter]

Does it have a back bow now?

 

[expat701]

No, it looks dead straight...

 

[expat701]

Anyone able to help me?

 

[KokoTele]

If it's straight, then there's not much to worry about, but it wouldn't hurt to loosen it 1/4 or 1/2 turn just to be certain that it doesn't develop a backbow.

 

[Jupiter]

If it's straight, then there's not much to worry about, but it wouldn't hurt to loosen it 1/4 or 1/2 turn just to be certain that it doesn't develop a backbow.

+1 Don't take it to a tech for that! Just lefty-loosey it a smidge.

 

[expat701]

Thanks guys. It's a bi flex truss rod... do you simply loosen them at the headstock with an Allen (hex) Key just like you do a MIM neck? I'm worried there's something particular or different about adjusting the truss rod with these kind of necks.

 

[Jupiter]

The design is different inside the neck, but yeah, "lefty-loosey/righty-tighty" is the same.

 

[boris bubbanov]

It's a bi flex truss rod..

If it is a Bi-Flex best to just leave it alone.

 

[expat701]

Boris, yes it's an American Standard neck - Bi Flex. I've had other people say the same thing... best left to a professional, why is that?

 

[KokoTele]

I've had other people say the same thing... best left to a professional, why is that?

Because they don't know what they're talking about and think that truss rods can only be adjusted by medicine men and rocket scientists

Adjusting a truss rod is akin to checking the air in your car's tires. If you can do that without a mechanic, then you can set your truss rod right.

On a bi-flex style rod, there's not really "loose" or "tight." Keep it set so the neck stays straight.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Boris, yes it's an American Standard neck - Bi Flex. I've had other people say the same thing... best left to a professional, why is that?

That's not what I'm saying.

I think people SHOULD learn to adjust their own truss rods and also recognize when it is needed and when it is NOT.

I can't disagree with guys wanting to slightly detension an idle traditional style single action truss rod. I see strong arguments for doing so.

But. With a dual action truss rod things are different. The rods (simplification) are at a state of equilibrium. If you were to detension one aspect of this rod you'd increase the load on the other aspect of it. You could make a case that the dual action rod is "committed" to some form of load no matter what you do to it.

If I could make a crude automotive analogy: let's say you wanna preserve the tires, bushes and springs on your roadster over the winter. You jack up all 4 corners of the vehicle, and place jackstands. Fine. Next winter you wanna do the same thing, but 3 jackstands have been stolen. Will it really help to place a jackstand at just one corner of the car frame? Won't the opposite corner of the car be subjected to more insult than usual?

 

[expat701]

Got it. Thanks guys, you've all been really helpful.

I think for the moment I will simply check it's dead straight (or got some relief) with a ruler... if it's not back bowed I'll leave it, but continue to check it every couple of weeks.

If it has (or begins to develop) a back bow I'll imediately act on it.