[pfox14]

I have a 1967 EB-3 that was just a body & neck and in bad condition. I fixed it all up only to find that the truss rod didn't seem to work. The neck is straight without tension on the strings, but as soon as I tune it up, the neck bows badly. I know this is an all too common problem with the EBs, the mahogany neck is just not strong enough vs. a maple neck you'd find on a Fender. So, is there a simple fix? My feeling is there's not and I will have to replace the truss rod with something a lot stiffer, which is a nighmarish undertaking. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Bassilisk]

pfox14, on 02 January 2012 - 01:22 PM, said:

I have a 1967 EB-3 that was just a body & neck and in bad condition. I fixed it all up only to find that the truss rod didn't seem to work. The neck is straight without tension on the strings, but as soon as I tune it up, the neck bows badly. I know this is an all too common problem with the EBs, the mahogany neck is just not strong enough vs. a maple neck you'd find on a Fender. So, is there a simple fix?

The short answer is - No. There is no simple fix.

FYI, this is not "common" to EB's. It doesn't matter whether it's maple or mahogany or even graphite. I say this because almost all graphite necks now in production have truss rods in them. Older instruments like Steinberegers don't have them but they've now been around long enough to show that nothing is infinitely stiff. Some manage to stay correct, others will bow out and have to be reset with heat treatment. BTW, these were molded with a backbow to achieve the correct relief when strung. Now the truss rods control the flex due to string gauge changes etc.

Everything it going to flex under tension and without a truss rod to control the amount you're looking at an unusable instrument. When I buy used the very first thing I ask is whether the truss rod is working (not maxed out). No adjustment, no sale.

Unfortunately, to make your bass workable you will have to replace it.

P.S. - you don't want to put something else in there (I will have to replace the truss rod with something a lot stiffer). You need to have something that flexes and allows control - you can get a replacement truss rod at Stew-Mac.

[Reilly81]

I have a 71 Gibson SB 400 that Keith Holland is going to work on, replace the truss rod. Go to his website and scroll down to video of EBO truss Rod replacement. Gibson told me it would run about a grand. Keith is quoting me about $450 plus or minus but I sent it off. Slow turnaround, won't be back until mid February but was worth it to me.

http://khguitars.com...egory/featured/