FENDER PRECISION BASS NECK RESCUE: BOTTOMED OUT TRUSS ROD

Every now and then a repair lands on my bench that reminds me why I love working on guitars—and why proper neck relief matters more than people realize. Recently, I had the pleasure of bringing a well-played Fender Precision Bass back to life after its truss rod had completely bottomed out.

The Problem: A Neck That Wouldn’t Budge

The owner brought in a P-Bass that had become increasingly difficult to play. The action was sky-high, the neck had developed excessive forward bow, and no amount of truss-rod adjustment seemed to help. When I checked it out, I discovered the truss rod nut was fully tightened—bottomed out—yet the neck still had far too much relief.

A bottomed-out truss rod is a common issue on older or heavily played instruments. Over time, string tension, humidity changes, and simple wear can overpower the truss rod’s ability to counteract the bow.

The Solution: Straighten, Support, and Reset

To restore proper adjustability, I needed to mechanically reset the neck.

Here’s the process:

1. Removed the neck and fully inspected the truss rod channel and nut.

2. Clamped the neck into a back-bowed position using a specialized neck jig. This step physically re-straightens the wood so the truss rod isn’t fighting the full tension alone.

3. With the neck safely secured, I added a washer to the truss-rod nut to give it additional adjustment range.

4. Once the neck settled into its corrected shape, I released the clamps and rechecked relief.

5. The neck now responded perfectly to truss-rod adjustment, allowing me to set the relief to factory spec.

6. Finished with a full setup: nut slots checked, saddles adjusted, intonation dialed in, and pickup height optimized.

   
   

The Result: A New Life for a Classic Bass

After the repair, the Precision Bass played like it should—smooth action, stable tuning, and a neck that finally had the adjustment range it was missing. The owner could once again dial in their preferred setup without the truss rod maxing out.

This type of repair is a great reminder that a bottomed-out truss rod doesn’t always spell disaster. With the right tools and a careful approach, the neck can often be reset and made fully functional again.

If your guitar or bass has a neck that won’t straighten, buzzing issues that won’t go away, or a truss rod that feels maxed out, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to take a look and get your instrument playing its best.