Truss rod problem

[Rainer Bastian]

Is there anybody out there who has experience with replacing the truss rod of an Elite 5 ? Is it possible at all ?

The truss rod screw of my BMT Elite 5 seems to be damaged - I cannot tighten it any more, although the neck isn't as straight as my other Smiths. I don't like to force the movement. Before I remove the screw completely (loosening is possible) I would like to share your experiences with it.

It is the first time that I come into problems with the truss rod. All of my 10 Smith basses never needed a neck adjustment - but now I tried to change the string gauge on my BMT...

Thanks

[Ken Smith]

Is there anybody out there who has experience with replacing the truss rod of an Elite 5 ? Is it possible at all ?

The truss rod screw of my BMT Elite 5 seems to be damaged - I cannot tighten it any more, although the neck isn't as straight as my other Smiths. I don't like to force the movement. Before I remove the screw completely (loosening is possible) I would like to share your experiences with it.

It is the first time that I come into problems with the truss rod. All of my 10 Smith basses never needed a neck adjustment - but now I tried to change the string gauge on my BMT...

Thanks

Loosen the strings right away. Then call John our tech on Monday at the Shop. If something is broken in the Truss rod and you leave the strings tuned, you can damage the neck.

Not a big problem for us to fix or replace the rod. Not a job for the do-it-yourselfers either.

In the future, don't waste time posting asking the general bass public, call us and get it taken care of.

If you start trying all the things that people may tell you, you could possible ruin the bass. Just call using a phone, not a computer.

[ramon ramos]

hi ken i'm new here on your forum's and something you said caught my
attention. the part about loosen the string's immediately do to the truss rod damage.my question ken is what is best or what do you advise me
to do. i own a smith6m and iv'e alway's left it in my case tuned up not
even thinking that i could be damaging my investment!.should i alway's
loosen my string's when my bass is not in use? or does the possability
of warping the neck increase with the constant stress on the neck
of having to re-tune up? i use my bass twice a week and this
concerns me. thank you for your time ken.

[Ken Smith]

hi ken i'm new here on your forum's and something you said caught my
attention. the part about loosen the string's immediately do to the truss rod damage.my question ken is what is best or what do you advise me
to do. i own a smith6m and iv'e alway's left it in my case tuned up not
even thinking that i could be damaging my investment!.should i alway's
loosen my string's when my bass is not in use? or does the possability
of warping the neck increase with the constant stress on the neck
of having to re-tune up? i use my bass twice a week and this
concerns me. thank you for your time ken.

Leave it Tuned all the time but keep it adjusted properly. If you thing the Neck is under stress or strain, loosen the strings only slightly and then tune it before you play. In the above post I advised him to loosen the strings because the Truss Nut or Washer might be broken. In that case the Rod is not helping the Neck if need be so loosening the Strings will help to avoid any possible additional strain or damage to the Neck.

[ramon ramos]

:D thank's ken i will leave my bass tuned up. the neck is fine, i just didnt want to contribute any damage to it. thank's again ramon.

[Tim Bishop]

Over the last 10 years, I have owned and own several Smiths and have NEVER had a problem storing any of my Smiths with bass tuned in-the-case. :D

For example: After about 6 years of storing my KSA 6 (1999 Ann. Model 6-String) tuned in-the-case, I pulled it out to check it a few times. Not only was the neck perfectly straight and set up exactly as I set it up originally, it was still in tune! I can say the same for every Smith I have owned. Ken's necks are VERY stable!

How's that for an endorsement Ken? :)

[Ken Smith]

Over the last 10 years, I have owned and own several Smiths and have NEVER had a problem storing any of my Smiths with bass tuned in-the-case. :D

For example: After about 6 years of storing my KSA 6 (1999 Ann. Model 6-String) tuned in-the-case, I pulled it out to check it a few times. Not only was the neck perfectly straight and set up exactly as I set it up originally, it was still in tune! I can say the same for every Smith I have owned. Ken's necks are VERY stable!

How's that for an endorsement Ken? :)

Sounds like a plan to me..;)

[Bob Faulkner]

Mine has been tuned in the case for going on 7 years. The only time it's out of the case is when I'm playing it. No problems.

[ramon ramos]

hi,Tim just a simple question in regard's to 6 string smith's do they all have 2 truss rod's or 1 rod 2 graphite stabilizer's combo? or is it the melvin davis 7 string monster! that has it all. and does ken ever envision an 8 string beauty!!!! with 4/4 tuner's that would be something out of sight.

[Ken Smith]

hi,Tim just a simple question in regard's to 6 string smith's do they all have 2 truss rod's or 1 rod 2 graphite stabilizer's combo? or is it the melvin davis 7 string monster! that has it all. and does ken ever envision an 8 string beauty!!!! with 4/4 tuner's that would be something out of sight.

You are asking Tim what I envision?...lol

All Basses have a single truss rod. This is a doubled rod where one side pulls the other. Same rod since the first Bass made. We did try a few 6s with 2 rods with or without Graphite but we went back with the single rod and 2 bars of graphite.

[ramon ramos]

i see said the blind man, thank's for replying back on this one ken. i thought that that all of your bass model's were the same design in the neck it's just that there so slim and slim, the most confortable neck ever!! my 6m is almost 4'' wide! at the 24th and i'm thinking man what is holding this all together. i just had to peek inside the truss cover and when i saw the allen bolt, and i'm a part time machinist ken and you know something that one little probably unsuspecting,unimportant 1/8th bolt design, to me prove's your commitment and love to the bass both as a musician and master luthier!!.......yes sir there's something about that ''S'' .