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Chapter 3

Instruments with a Double Truss-Rod

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Instruments with a Double Truss-Rod

Instruments with two truss-rods are not at all rare these days. There are several

manufacturers that use this type of system, especially in the ERB-type basses, which

require a somewhat independent adjustment at the two extremes of their unusually

wide ﬁngerboards.

There are some manufacturers that use this

system in conventional basses and have done

Tip #5

so for many years, as is the case with

Rickenbacker basses, the old Tobias basses or

the Alembic basses.

In basses with two parallel

truss-rods, whenever possible,

use a torque wrench. This is a

type of hand tool that is used

Basically, there are two kinds of double truss to tighten screws that require

rod systems used in basses:

very precise adjustments due

to their function. This will

1. Parallel truss-rods that are joined

together inside the middle of the neck

allow you to apply the same

2. Diagonal and parallel truss-rods at

tension consistently to the two

each edge of the ﬁngerboard

truss-rods in this kind of

system.

Parallel Truss-Rod System (A+A)

This system differs very little from the

Wikipedia Source:

conventional single truss-rod system. The two

truss-rods must have the same tension and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

that's about all there is to it. If you have a bass

Torque_wrench

with this system, study the previous chapter on

adjusting a bass with a single truss-rod again

and follow the instructions just the same, the

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only difference being that you will need to make sure that both truss-rods are set at the

same tension, which requires a little more experience and a lot of caution.

two parallel truss-rods A+A

Diagram of an instrument with a parallel truss-rod system A+A

The premise is always the same: it's better to under-tighten than to over-tighten. To make

adjusting this kind of instrument easier and to prevent damaging it, I suggest that you use

a torque wrench (see Tip #5) whenever possible.

Diagonal Double Truss-Rod System (A+B)

The situation starts to get complicated and confusing when there is a diagonal truss-rod

system.

In this case, the adjustment doesn't seem quite as simple as it is with the parallel trussrods that are side by side. In reality, and this is the paradox, the diagonal double truss-rod

system is much easier to adjust than the parallel double truss-rod system! Strange, isn't

it?

First, let me explain the reason for this kind of system and the idea behind it. This will help

you understand how it works and afterwards, the adjustment will seem easy – no more

complicated than adjusting a neck with a single truss-rod.

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The Philosophy of the System

The idea behind this system is very simple. You already know from the previous chapter

that the neck needs to have a slight arc so that the strings are kept at an optimum height

over the ﬁngerboard.

This arc isn't the same for all of the strings because it varies slightly according to their

thickness. This is due to the width of the string's vibration.

The strings of the highest gauge have a wider vibration than the thinner strings, so these

thicker strings require a more pronounced arc while the thinner ones require a less

pronounced arc.

When we're talking about basses with 4, 5 or even 6 strings, this difference in arc isn't very

big and a truss-rod located along the central axis of the neck is sufﬁcient. Things get more

complicated in multi-string instruments of the ERB (Extended Range Bass) type.

These basses with 7, 8, 9 or up to 12 strings have extremely wide ﬁngerboards and the

gauge of the strings varies widely, which makes it necessary to apply a different arc at

each edge of the ﬁngerboard, which is made possible by the diagonal truss-rod system.

You should also know that once the strings are tuned to the correct pitch, they have

different tensions. But we already know this, right?

However, what most people don't know is that the strings with the greatest tension are the

thin ones and not the thick ones, as logic might suggest.

This puts more stress on the neck from the high strings and less stress from the low ones.

Going back to the arc, if we have to apply less curvature on the side where the high strings

are located and more on the side where the low strings are located, we will notice that the

truss-rod that has to withstand the most stress is truss-rod "A."

So, now that we know this, how should we adjust the neck with a diagonal double trussrod (A+B)?

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truss-rod “B”

Top edge of

the ﬁngerboard

Bottom edge of

the ﬁngerboard

truss-rod “A”

Diagram of an instrument with a diagonal truss-rod system A+B

It's Really Very Simple!

Treat it as if it were a bass with a single truss-rod, adjusting only truss-rod "A". Truss-rod

"B" will only be used, then, to compensate in case the arc of the top edge is too

pronounced or curved.

Here's the Complete Procedure:

1) Loosen truss-rod "B" completely so that there's no tension at all.

2) Tune the instrument again to compensate for the reduced neck tension.

3) Check the arc of the neck at the lower edge of the highest string, just as we did in the

previous chapter.

4) If the neck is too bowed, tighten truss-rod "A" by a quarter-turn.

5) If the neck isn't bowed enough, loosen truss-rod "A" by a quarter-turn.

6) Tune the instrument again to compensate for the change in neck tension.

7) Repeat the process starting at step 3 until the lower edge has the correct arc.

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8) Tighten truss-rod "B," if necessary, so that the top edge has the correct arc. In most

cases, this won't be necessary and you will only have to tighten it minimally so that the

head of the truss-rod isn't completely loose.

9) If it is necessary to decrease the arc of the top edge of the ﬁngerboard, you will have to

tighten truss-rod "B" by an eighth of a turn.

10) Tune the instrument again to compensate for the increased neck tension.

11) Check the resulting arc again after having tightened truss-rod "B" and if it still isn't

right, repeat the process starting at step 8 until it is.

12) If you have had to tighten truss-rod "B" a bit, once you have done this, check the arc at

the bottom edge of the ﬁngerboard again and if necessary, tighten or loosen truss-rod

"A" to compensate.



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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Appendix A

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Standard Tuning Table

4 string Bass

5 string Bass

6 string Bass

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Tuning Table for ERB Basses

String

7 string

8 string

9 string

String

10 string

11 string

12 string

Bass

StSandard ERB Tuning S

d ERB T

uning S le

Yves Carbonne T

uning S

es Carbonne T

uning S le

( )

*Strings tuned one octave below standard tuning

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Cut-Out Templates for Curvature Adjustment

Standard Formats A and B

To conserve the exact measurements of these templates, you should print this page on A4 paper. The

100mm and 200mm distances that are indicated should be used as a legend to set your printer so that the

template measurements remain faithful when printed.

Once they are printed out, glue them onto a piece of rigid plastic (methacrylate or polystyrene) about 2mm –

3mm thick, cut them out with hair clippers or a small handsaw and use 120-180 grade sandpaper to smooth

any rough edges so that the templates are precise.

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Cut-Out Templates

Standard Format

“A” type

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

7,5"

Cut-Out Templates

Standard Format

“B” type

10"

12"

14"

16"

20"

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Cut-Out Templates for Curvature Adjustment

ERB Formats A and B

To conserve the exact measurements of these templates, you should print this page on A4 paper. The

100mm and 200mm distances that are indicated should be used as a legend to set your printer so that the

template measurements remain faithful when printed.

Once they are printed out, glue them onto a piece of rigid plastic (methacrylate or polystyrene) about 2mm –

3mm thick, cut them out with hair clippers or a small handsaw and use 120-180 grade sandpaper to smooth

any rough edges so that the templates are precise.

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

40"

Cut-Out Templates

ERB Format “A” type

50"

60"

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

90"

Cut-Out Templates

ERB Format “A” type

75"

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Cut-Out Templates

The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

ERB Format “B” type

60"

40"

50"

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Cut-Out Templates

ERB Format “B” type

75"

90"

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Appendix B

More Educational Products

From Jerzy Drozd

If you have enjoyed this Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Bass Setup and have found it to

be useful, you can learn about other products from Jerzy Drozd in the following pages:

•The Alchemy of Sound - The Book

•Bass Design Fundamentals - Basic Video Course on Professional Bass Design

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

The Alchemy of Sound

http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/

The Book

alquimia-de-sonido.html

N ever before has there existed a book

The Alchemy of

that so sincerely reveals all of the closelyguarded secrets of the great luthiers

regarding the nature of the sound of such

Sound - The Book a beautiful instrument as the electric bass.

This one-of-a-kind book is a world-class

The Deﬁnitive Sound Bible for:

rarity, which compiles the principles that

govern the sound of all stringed

Bass Players, Retailers and

instruments, based on physical laws, as

explained for the ﬁrst time by the worldLuthiers

renowned luthier, Jerzy Drozd.

There is no other book that encompasses

The Best-Kept Secrets

and brings together the secrets

about Sound and

that are uncovered

here, much less in

How to Use Them to:

Spanish.

This book is written

for every kind of bass

★Better Understand

player and perspective

the Sound of Your

buyer who is interested

Bass

in learning more about

★Help You Make a

proven methods for

Decision when

choosing a new

Buying Your Next

instrument.

Instrument

It is likely that you have

★Help Your Clients

found yourself in the same

Decide Which

dilemma and have asked

Instrument to Buy

yourself these questions:

★Construct a Bass with

Maximum Sound Quality

Which bass is ideal for me

in terms of the sound I'm

looking for?

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The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Bass Setup version 1.0

Should I choose a bass with a

The 7 Laws of Bass Sound that

detachable neck or with a conjoined

will help you choose the ideal

neck and body?

bass for your playing style

without even having to try it out

Do the construction and the type of

How to position the pickups so

wood really inﬂuence the sound of the

bass as much as they claim?

that you will avoid those dreaded

"dead spots"

...and many other questions that you

How the scale length of your

have probably asked yourself

bass affects its playing comfort,

but most of all, its sound quality

This book is also dedicated to venders, so

...and much more

that they can better advise their

customers.

Last but not least, it is dedicated to any

This book is still in the process of being

luthier who wants to learn how to construct

written, but should be available sometime

instruments with a unique and superior

next year.

sound quality and avoid the years of trial

and error that are usually necessary in

order to learn and understand these

principles.

For more information:

http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/

alquimia-de-sonido.html

In this book, you will discover:

The two unique factors that

determine the overall sound of

the instrument

The formula for calculating the

sonorous properties of different

woods

The real reason why basses with

a detachable neck and those with

a conjoined neck and body

sound so different

The "Floating Neck" theory

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The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Bass Setup by Jerzy Drozd - HTML preview

Chapter 3

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