Setting Up Your Bass Guitar: Adjusting The Truss Rod (Step 1 of 4) | ELIXIR Strings
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- Опубліковано 19 січ 2025
- John Carruthers shows us the proper way to adjust the bass truss rod. This video is step 1 of a 4 part bass setup series. Videos include adjusting the Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. Video 1 of 4.
Step 2: • Setting Up Your Bass G...
Step 3: • Setting Up Your Bass G...
Step 4: • Setting Up Your Bass G...
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After 10 years, this continues to be the best series on guitar setup available on UA-cam
thanks!
For real, nothing comes close. No bullshit, no shenanigans, no annoying youtubers like nowadays.
My go-to for sure.
@@ElixirStringsMedia and in 4 minutes. Thank you.
x2
As a beginner bass player these vids help a ton. My Ibanez sounded like shit and after following this guide it sounds amazing. I was a little scared to do it myself but its really not hard at all so long as you take your time and are careful.
This set of 4 tutorials on bass set-up is fantastic but there are a few additional points that some players who are new to doing their own set-up might not realise. Keep in mind that the bass should be tuned to concert pitch (or a step down if you prefer to play in a lower tuning) from the start, and keep re-checking the tuning (on every string - not just the one you're working on - because tuning affects the tension on the neck) throughout the process, right to the end. And in the step where he shows that the nut might need filing down, if you're measured height is lower than the recommended spec, you might need to replace the nut.
This guy is the only one on UA-cam that does this correctly I see so many other videos of people claiming they know what they're doing and they have no clue Mr Caruthers videos have helped me out tremendously over the last 10 to 15 years this guy's spot on thank you
Your instructions are easy to follow and to-the-point. Now I set up my own instruments, and I know they're done right. Thank you, John.
"most people dont have three hands"
unless they play N64
Victor Wooten seems to have 3 hands.
Some of them have 5 hands
I caught that too😂
First time I heard, I was like, It was a joke? Are you serious?
This guy is fantastic and really knows his SH!T... I have been all over uTube watching all sorts of idiots trying to show you bass set up. This is the most straight forward easiest to follow info on proper set up. All you need is basic tools and a feeler gauge set that cost $10 from Home Depot, Harbor Freight, Auto Zone.... And a tuner!
Thank you for making this video.
As I am getting older, I am really starting to appreciate the knowledge, understanding, etc of older gentlemen and women.
Thank you for the video, John.
God bless you!
Jesus loves you,
John and I met in 1983 which is when I bought my Stratocaster from Carruther's Guitars. Since then all works done to all of my guitars have been performed by John and everyone of my guitars, acoustic and electrics are perfect instruments. Thanks you John, Rick and all. Happy and Safe Holidays from me to y'all...
This is a great series - authoritative, clear and straight to the point. Such a refreshing change from the long drawn out and vague waffling that mars so many UA-cam vids. Thank you and well done.
Thanks John and Elixir for making these recordings. Every few months when I buy a new set of strings I watch them again.
What a relief
If you were making a joke I get it.
mkfanforever58 hahahaha
Glad I tuned in here. Some good action
@Bill Ding the constructor what the hell was that..
I used to find the idea of adjusting my own bass (particularly truss rod adjustments) quite daunting. This series of videos really helped me. Was also very pleased to find that most of these tools and gauges are quite easily and cheaply available online . Thanks
Great to hear!
Why I choose Elixir strings, the best ones I know ua-cam.com/video/aHVGMpnpu_w/v-deo.html
Most people don't have 3 hands..awesome.. the series is informative and you don't stutter, stammer waste my time while giving the info. Thanks, dude!
Holy sh*t! if your thinking of trying this...your wasting time by NOT getting it started! these four videos are priceless!!! i just got a bass about six months ago and it never really felt right. i kept getting string vibrations no matter what i tried. turned out to be a really overtightened truss bolt (it took over a full turn to get it right...wtf B&B?). now it sounds like a bass should...and much more fun to play! thx John C., you rock!
These 8 year old videos helped me out a GREAT deal. Thanks!!
For people asking questions:
1. yes, your bass must be tuned before taking measurements.
2. yes, you should loosen the strings before adjusting the truss rod.
3. tune to pitch before checking neck relief.
4. you only need to check the E string for relief, not every string.
5. all tools are available in motor car stores or on the internet
hihosilver666 thanks!
I never heard anyone suggest to tune the truss with strings loosened beside you. That will just case your neck to be out of whack when you tune back up. It will cause a little more tension on the neck but you will be re tuning the truss over and over trying to get it right without your normal string tuning. I did that once and it took me about 10 trys to get it right. Remember were talking about fractions here not inches.
The farthest I go is down to Eb and gap the strings to my liking and slap the hell out of it. Eb is my normal tuning and I never had any issues. You shouldn't have to play with the truss rod long enough to worry about the tension.
I understand that. I never had any problems with truss rods or necks but have repaired a few that were stripped out from over tightening them. That's the worst scenerio I think,
How can you both have the bass tuned, and loosen the strings?
"Most people don't have three hands" got me.
recently purchased a new bass that had been "set up" by the store. I've never adjusted a bass before, but followed these instructions and it is amazing how much better it plays & sounds. No more rattle, no more buzz. Thank you!
Just set up Fender American Standard Jazz Bass and only took about 40mins! Went to Harbor Freight Tools and got the proper tools for under 7 bucks! Saved me from spending $70-80 to have someone set it up! Great videos! Thanks!!!
this series is the best and easiest i've found on youtube! i feel confident to try it now. thank you Mr. Carruthers
Thanks for the positive feedback, Danny!
"your gonna need an Allen Wrench" k got it
"your gonna need these other tools" k, guess my bass isnt getting fixed...
Holy my God dude literally just had that thought like 2 mins ago.
I have all but nut files honestly you can get by without them just allen wrenches a capo and a paper business card will get you to about .020 then you can tighten it up a little more let it settle in before you make any more adjustments and always make sure if you're tightening your truss rod dont do any more then a quarter turn at a time (if its already tight if its super loose you can do a little more till you feel tension on it..) But rule of thumb is no more then a quarter turn at a time so you dont 1) break the truss rod
2) strip the bolt and make your seasonal adjustment into a more expensive repair 3) so it doesnt settle and be back bowed as this will cause excess fret noise like buzzing every where you play.
LOL same
@@Jihadbearzwithgunz You have no nut files. Your showers must be very boring;0
@@Jihadbearzwithgunz - But seriously, 1) -a) - adjust lightly and wait several hours. Measure again.. repeat. Wood is funky, hence shower comment.
Brilliantly explained John, many thank. As a complete novice with a first bass guitar that has strings about 4 ' from the neck ;-) , I have the confidence to approach setting the guitar up myself after watching your excellent and extremely clear explanation on what to do
The only friggin' decent explanation on the whole internet - thank you :)
Good stuff. I bought an inexpensive bass with a lousy setup and using these easy to follow videos I got great results
I've owned a capo for 30 years, today is the FIRST time I've ever used it. all this time I thought it was for people to lazy to learn how to play chords besides G C and D. now I have a third leg AND a third hand. THANK YOU
I saw a really cool acronym once or set up order of operations. T. R. A. I. N. Tune, relief, action, intonation, noodle.
I just set up my bass for the first time after watching your video, John. :) Thanks for this 4 part series. My bass is playing smooth like butter. Again, Thanks!
Yeah. You'll always get more from learning to setup your instruments yourself. For one, you care about the result a whole lot more than Joe Schmoe at Guitar Center. Secondly, you save money. And thirdly, you gain valuable experience and knowledge and an a deeper understanding of how your instrument functions. I changed out the pickups and setup my guitar myself. It was a troublesome experience learning how to wire the pups correctly, but I'm so glad I learned to do it myself!
These four videos helped me turn a cheap bass into a decent one. Thank you! All it takes is a little patience and visual attention to detail, right?
Most people don't have three hands! Love it! Good video, very informative.
Spot on. When I started out, nobody would even talk about this until you and others like Dan Erlewine
Been my bass guy now for 36 years.
@Glenn Henry Bro, it’s forty now
Excellent 4 part guide! I bought the proper tools and followed the guide. It made a world of difference with regard to playability. John, many thanks for explaining the dark art of bass setup.
This is such a badass. I live in his town so I was looking around for solutions to fret buzz, and wondering if I should just take my bass in to him since he did a great job on my guitar... and then the first video I click on, there he is. XFD I'm fucking dying
What town is this?
@@brendancody9538 seems like we will never know
@@brendancody9538 Its Carruthers guitars in Camarillo CA
An easy way to remember the correct sequence for guitar setups is T.R.A.I.N. Tune. Relief (truss rod). Adjust (bridge height). Intonation (string length). Noodle (play every string at every fret).
It's also important to remember to tune the guitar before and after each adjustment.
Thanks for your comment, Sky!
An extremely useful instructional series. My only point of concern, as it is a pretty commonly advised step in these guides, is the use of the feeler gauge to measure the distance between the fret and the string. There's simply no way to do this and get a reliable result as the human hand introduces a significant and immeasurable degree of variance. You can even see in this video where he wobbles the angle a little bit. Trying to get it perfectly flat with the fret and not introducing an angle, whether due to the gauge bowing or due to the fact that a human hand can't be brought to mechanical stillness, seems a vain attempt at shooting in the dark and has been so in my own experience. I'd be happy to hear any input on this that some readers might be willing to share.
Thank you so much for uploading these videos. I ran out and bought a feeler gauge and 6" scale (already had the other tools) and followed along. My bass has never sounded better! These vids made it so easy I'm still in awe.
John you have my thanks, you rock!
I'm so glad I found these videos. I received a $99 bass yesterday. The bridge height is way off. I've always had better quality guitars. So this was never an issue for me until now ! Thanks John
i realized, after playing a friends bass, that i had such a hard time playing mine because my strings were literally half an inch off the frets, this tutorial really helped, thanks!
p.s. managed to adjust the truss rod without the capo by using my elbow to fret
"Most people don't have three hands", I am only 2:30 in, and I've already learned something useful! :). Seriously though, good stuff!
For those who don't have a feeler gauge, I've seen some use a piece of paper folded up 2 times. Regular printer paper is approx. .003" so 4 plies is .012, not perfect but it works
Thank you for this video. Just got a Squier CV Jazz Bass with some really bad buzz turned out the truss Rod was very tight. These videos have been very helpful and informative.
Great to hear!
I didn’t have a feeler gauge so I found that two index cards was about 0.4 mm and that worked fine for me
I still going back to these video series whenever I forget how to setup my bass. Thanks Mr. John Carruthers!
For those who want to follow this series:
STEP 2 of 4: BRIDGE ACTION HEIGHT
ua-cam.com/video/c2DlwxSIPA0/v-deo.html
STEP 3 of 4: NUT SETUP
ua-cam.com/video/cI9Y9MsmnEc/v-deo.html
STEP 4 of 4: INTONATION
ua-cam.com/video/FC30nJgIAJM/v-deo.html
We're glad that you find them helpful!
is there any device / tools that has the same thickness with that gauge tools 2:56 ?
Just adjusted my 1994 Japanese P-Bass using this video. Flattened the action out quite nicely. Thanks!
You do a very good job of explaining each step in a very clear, understandable manner. Thank you.
I'm a novice at the bass that this was very helpful. Thanks
Sweet! My bass plays awesome, now. Instead of the feeler gauge, I did what the British guy in another video said, imagining just fitting a piece of paper in there. Thanks.
I respectfully would add a step and make it #1 before the others - check the frets with a fret level tool - it might save you the from the issues I had after performing all the steps twice - fret buzz in the higher frets. I thought I had done something wrong so I redid everything before I finally realized I had a problem with my Mighty Mite neck frets. Also you might hit an instrument where you have to "bend the rules" a little for playability - I'm working on a "Frankenstein" bass so I had to shim the neck slot to get it right. John gives us great info for most basses and his knowledge is invaluable - thanks for sharing.
Thank you for a fantastically clear, concise set of video tutorials on setting up a bass guitar! I have fiddled around before and never really nailed it, but your videos have changed all that. I thought I'd try it out on a cheap Precision copy I have before touching my genuine Fender bass and this copy now plays better than either my Fender or Rickenbacker basses! AAA+++
Thanks for sharing your expertise - just ordered your book!
I have over adjusted my truss rod and snapped the truss rod. Had to get a new neck. Brother that sucked....
Very helpful! Thanks John! I had some fret buzz when playing on the first 3 frets, and this totally solved the problem.
i use this video everytime i can't remember the correct gauge thx S2
Very good job! May I suggest that you put a link to where we can get your book?
2007 Mexican P Bass. I just checked my 2016 Am P Bass Pro, and it looks like it was set up pretty good.
Brilliant. I have been looking for a decent setup tutorial for ages and this one is easily the best. Everything else seems daunting and fails to explain that you need to do things in a certain order. Only daunting thing on this one is filing the nut, but if you don't change string gauges this shouldn't be an issue, right?
I just wanted to say that this evening I followed this guys steps to correctly set up my Fender J and P basses. Wow. What a difference. I'd urge any players out there to buy a capo, 32nds ruler, alen keys and feeler gauges and do this job yourself! No sense paying a guitar tech £45-£80 to set up your bass when you can do it at home just as well. This has transformed my jazz bass from a buzzing mess into something I can honestly say sounds like a different bass. Thank you!
these videos are absolutely invaluable, and things like this make me continue to buy elixir strings
Revisiting this again. Now I know more about the feeler gauge!
His specs are a bit higher than Fender specs. I setup my Fender Jazz using his exact same recommendations. The action was quite a bit higher than was comfortable for me but it did ease the tension on the strings though which are Rotosound swingbass 66.
What are the fender specs?
Hey I'm a Caruthers too... Love playing bass also 😂. Thanks for the tips 👍
You bet!
Quick and easy explanation. This rules thanks!
You're welcome!
Where does the spec come from? Why. 015? Is there a fender manual or something that says what it should be? Do all basses have that?
4 years later and still no answer. I'll ask around
@@fenderjazzface999 The guy on this video is doing it wrong on at least four things, according to Fender support pages:
1. You should loosen the strings before adjusting the truss rod.
2. Depress the string at the LAST fret, check the gap at the 8th fret.
3. As to the 9.5" neck radius, which is pretty much the standard, use a .012" feeler gauge.
4. Check your tuning, then re-check the gap.
Reference:
support.fender.com/hc/en-us/articles/214343843-How-do-I-set-up-my-bass-guitar-properly
Read the Truss rod paragraph.
@@fenderjazzface999 check out Dave's fun world of good stuff he highlights fender specs more in depth...
Thank you so much!!! My truss rod was soooooo loose. It really made a huge difference!!!
Rasher Quivers - I had the same problem but my doctor prescribed me Viagra 100mg twice a day and it made a huge difference.
Thanks for the Video John.
Where can I get a capo for bass?
Just a reminded to lefties, you will turn the wrench opposite how he is doing it; in this case you would move it up not down to loosen. Other than this one adjustment everything else is the same for left or right hand instruments.
A wonderful video series. Poetry.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for this video! Where did you get your wood files?
That makes such a huge difference, if you’ve ever played a buzzy junk bass you know what I’m sayin, Terrible action could discourage a new player.
Thank you for this video, I own a thunderbird so it's different in some ways. This video really helped me on my set up for it. Brilliant!! I've shared with my Facebook group , this is the go to vid for some us do it yourself guys. Thanks again!
Hi, can I ask, did you use the same measurements on your Thunderbird as the ones given in the video? I own a Epiphone Les Paul Special bass and I believe the setup is pretty much the same as the Thunderbird. Thanks!
I would absolutely love to let this man loose with my bass collection. If only.
AWESOME VIDEOS! SO GLAD YOU POSTED THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could you please share what tools I need to set up my Ibanez bass? I need to get tools for cheap, so I need the right keywords to show on eBay. I have the hex set already, not I need those spacer measureres and files. Are the heights the same for my bass as the one you are adjusting in your videos? Thanks.
“You might wanna check with somebody who does it on a regular BASSIST!”
What if you are a constipated bassist?
lol
I LOVE THESE SO Gosh D. MUCH!!!! THANK YOU!!!
Thanks so much for a clear & concise video on Bass Guitar set-up John! I did want to ask, would it have been acceptable to leave the Truss rod as is before you adjusted it, to leave the "action" lower as long as there are no issues with strings hitting frets? Thanks!
Excellent series and very informative and easy to follow!
I'm glad I found this channel!
I've been playing bass for a few years now and I've started to realize that maybe my bass doesnt sound as good as it could. I was looking at the nut action just a few minutes ago (which led me to looking up something like this video) and noticed that my strings seem to hover just above the first fret... It's really easy to hit a note on that fret but it seems way too low. I think I'm going to look up a luthier. I wonder if Guitar Center will have one among their staff?
It's not uncommon for Guitar Center to have someone on staff who does guitar repair. It is common for them to not be very good. It's an issue with Guitar Center in general. Chain stores tend to have less knowledgeable staff. Hopefully your experience is better than mine has been.
Hello,which wrench of truss rod is best for my fender cv 70s bass? 3/16 is too big obviously, and 4mm is a little bit loose , it almost makes me crazy😢 thanks
I looked at your book on Amazon. It seems to deal with just the standard guitar (electric & acoustic). It did not seem to discuss the bass guitar directly. Am I right in this or do you have a course that deals with the bass guitar itself. I like the videos. They are a big help
Thank you John! I've set up my bass following your video
If you were restringing your bass also, would you do all of this before or after?
all you need for this is an alan key and a capo. super easy. i just eyeballed the measurement thing. totally fixed by buzzy string situation
Thanks John,Very Clear........
So clock wise from the way you holding it ,right? You sitting.You said you turn it counter clock wise ,but turned it to the right. Also ,not everyone knows what a tight neck is .Does tight ,mean bowed ?
CW and CCW are always! referenced from the POV of the actual mechanism being rotated by the tool. In other words, looking at the mechanism from the top (where the tool is inserted). He is turning the Truss Rod Adjustment Nut CCW, as stated.
I have the same question
And what about if the truss rod adjustment is at the other end of the neck (where it meets the body)? Is it still clockwise to tighten, or the opposite? Clockwise at that end would be counterclockwise from the other end.
David Gleaves truss rod tightens and loosens like a screw. Doesn’t matter if you are upper or below the neck. Tightening the truss makes the neck flatter, loosening adds the bow in the neck. Righty tightly lefty loosie :)
Do you use these same measurements for a fretless bass too. If not Is there a video showing how to set up a fretless bass. I couldnt find anything.
2 years later, ever find anything?
Now... this is what a pro looks like 👍
This has been a great help. Thanks so much!
Is 0.015" a standard amount of relief? Are there reasons or situations to use more or less relief than that?
Interesting that you set the string height at .015" rather than .008" (2.0 MM) as recommended by Fender. I'm not questioning it, and it's only a difference of .007, but I'm curious if this is a measurement drawn from long experience.
I could've sworn you have to let the bass rest a while after making each truss rod adjustment....Is this guy a magician or something?
I never knew that was something you were supposed to do
its where the neck meets the body, it could be any fret depending on the scale length.
is there a common household item that can be a suitable substitute for the feelers gauge if you do not have one on you?
It's just like watching a Bob Ross video. So calming.
I found that re-adjusting the truss rod after you completed the setup makes the action a bit better.
It helps to have a "spare" bass to practice on, so if you make mistakes (and you will) it won't break your heart. You could even buy an el cheapo pawn shop bass to play with and get good before trying the same thing on "your baby".
3:22 Will the neck adjust itself so quickly that you can measure again right away after loosening the rod? I don't think so.