Warwick 5 string broken truss rod.

[Len Biglin]

Hi Guys , I have just had the pleasure of that dreaded "clunk" when the nut shears off the truss rod . Its a Warwick 5 string and lefty as well . The nut does not want to come out , does anyone have experience with these ? thanks Len

[Mike Kolb]

Ouch... but not unfixable by any means. StewMac has a "trussrod rescue kit" that -while not cheap- looks like it'll cure what ails the beast. It's pretty ingenious and the theory is sound. If you go that route, write-up a little review and share the results?

Other than that, maybe pull the fretboard and replace the rod? If you're anywhere near due for frets, it could be a "multiple mission" fix.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Truss_rods/Tru...

[Len Biglin]

Thanks Mike , I'm not sure if it's simple one-rod style or a double acting rod , and the nut wont come out although it is loose .I will keep you posted .Len

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

On a 5 string Warwick, it is a double acting rod. It may be set upside down, quite usual for some models, so that tightening is ccw and loosening is cw.

[Russell Vance]

Hi Pierre,
You noticed that - some time ago I thought I was losing my grip when I was adjusting a Warwick bass rod - went the opposite way and as you observe they made a batch or two with everything in "backwards/upsidedown"..........I guess this has trapped a few luthiers in their time.

Now that I think of it, I also recall that one of the Warwicks I pulled apart ( year 2002 or thereabouts) had a two way adjustable sliding flat rod pair with a split counter thread and a sleeve nut over the whole affair. I think this was also one of the reverse action jobs. The rivet which anchored the two sliding rods at the heel end had sheared and I simply replaced it, MIG welded it in place, put it all together and it worked a treat. If it is one of these the Stew mac trussrod rescue kit won't work.

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Yeah Russell... even when I know it's reverse, I always turn it the wrong way! Argh...
By the way, did you have some time to give a try to the resistor trick we were talking about in another thread?

[Russell Vance]

I'm stumped - putting a resistor in series with the pickup, that is, between the pickup hot lead and the connection to the pot just doesn't seem to make any sense but there are lots of things I don't understand and this will remain one of them.

Unless of course it simply provides a set load resistor even when the pot is nixed out (full volume) in which case you will lose a little overall output but maybe prevent some of the 'path of least resistance' inbalance effect. Maybe that's it.

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

That's exactly it. I'm afraid I haven't been that clear. But that's basically it.

[FRANK]

WORST COMES TO WORST YOU MAY BE ABLE TO POP OFF THE FINGER BOARD AND REPAIR THE TRUSS ROD ? IS THIS A BOLT ON BASS NECK ?HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF A REPLACEMENT NECK IF IT IS A BOLT ON LIKE WARMOTH?

[Len Biglin]

Thanks for your input everyone , it's a bolt - on neck , made of rosewood with wenge fretboard , it still looks like a banana with no tension or rod action.I am waiting to hear from Warwick about a replacement and what glue to expect under the fretboard .Any more ideas or experience is welcomed.Len

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Banana without trussrod action.... seems like this one had a too hot time. I have now a similar neck (another brand) at the shop, and the customer decided to have me making a new one. Last time I had a similar problem, it was a 7Os Stingray, and changing the trussrod didn't completely solve the problem : I had to plane it on a tension bench, and the whole repair was not very convincing : playable but not really convincing because the neck was really not stiff enough. After some thinking, I'm pretty sure now that I should have either inlay a lot of carbon fiber rods, or make a new one. If this can help in your diagnosis...

[Russell Vance]

Pierrre, my opinion on bass necks that have gone bananas is that carbon fibre reinforcement is a 'must do' once the fingerboard if off. I machine the neck flat and true if it relaxes to a relatively flat posture once the board it off - if not I put it under clamps/tension , clean it up/flatten it, machine slots for the carbon fibre and glue the carbon fibre reinforcing rods in using a flat caul,

Trying to flatten a neck which is bowed by simply planing it flat will result in losing some of your side dots and weakening the neck - not a good thing for bass necks but often OK with more meatier standard guitar necks. It also ensures that the neck will be the last thing that has problems when the instrument gets a bit older. Rusty.

[Dave Yelverton]

I have a customer with a Warwick bass who faithfully brings it in annually for a restring and set-up. I must admit I regard this with mixed feelings;whilst I welcome the custom, I know that the set-up is going to take considerably longer than normal due to the instability of the neck. If you rotate through the long axis from front horizontal to front vertical there is an appreciable change in the tuning which must be down to sag in the neck. I'm always forced to compromise on my set-ups, which I find frustrating, and end up giving him a higher action than I would like to compensate for the over-flexibilty of the neck. Having handled other Warwicks I think this is a fairly common failing. Whilst the neck is very handsome it doesn't do the job and I would agree that replacement with a stiffer material or reinforcement with c/f would do much to improve an otherwise good guitar. Dave