62 AVRI Jazzmaster Truss Rod Won't Tighten Any Further

[smurphy28]

Hello!

I just recently purchased a used AVRI 62 Jazzmaster from 2003. While trying to set it up a bit better I went to adjust the truss rod a take a bit of relief out of the neck and it won't tighten at all. It will loosen but is maxed on.

Did I buy a guitar with a warped neck? Am I screwed or can my tech fix this? Problem is he's backed up at least a few weeks which is why I'm trying to sort it out myself.

Any advice?

[seenoevil II]

Loads of options. What you're willing to try yourself? That's another story.

First of all, make sure the rod works at all. Loosen it and see if the neck responds, or while it's off the body, see if it bows back without string tension. Then back it off just to feel the nut turn and make the nut isn't just binding on the threads.

Something to try is backing the rod off and giving it a firm tug backwards. Maybe over your knee. This is hard maple, you can't hurt it with jazz buff's skinny arms. The rod might be hung up on some old squeeze out or friction with the woodb inside the channel. This might free it up and also just convince the neck to move some. Then re tighted the the rod and repeat, checking the relief as you go.

The most straight forward approach is spacers. Back the truss nut all the way out and place an appropriate sized washer around the threaded rod being sure but to mar the threads. You might not have such washers on hand.

Then you can bust out the clamps. Clamp to a padded straight surface with maybe a shim at one or both ends to give a back bow and leave for a day. If no progress, set it up again and use a hair dryer to gently heat the maple (heat gun is likely too hot and might ruin the finish or delaminated the fingerboard).


These have worked for me, but on an AVRI, I'd let a pro try them. Just remember this is hard maple you're dealing with. You have to show it who's boss. But use controlled force. If you hear cracking, stop.

[schoolie]

That's a common problem. You can buy truss rod washers to get more tension on the neck.https://guitarpartsresource.com/hardware_trussnuts.htm

[timtam]

This is the spacer/washer approach to get some adjustment range back on your truss rod ....

Washers ..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Fender ... 3213503785

[smurphy28]

Loads of options. What you're willing to try yourself? That's another story.

First of all, make sure the rod works at all. Loosen it and see if the neck responds, or while it's off the body, see if it bows back without string tension. Then back it off just to feel the nut turn and make the nut isn't just binding on the threads.

Something to try is backing the rod off and giving it a firm tug backwards. Maybe over your knee. This is hard maple, you can't hurt it with jazz buff's skinny arms. The rod might be hung up on some old squeeze out or friction with the woodb inside the channel. This might free it up and also just convince the neck to move some. Then re tighted the the rod and repeat, checking the relief as you go.

The most straight forward approach is spacers. Back the truss nut all the way out and place an appropriate sized washer around the threaded rod being sure but to mar the threads. You might not have such washers on hand.

Then you can bust out the clamps. Clamp to a padded straight surface with maybe a shim at one or both ends to give a back bow and leave for a day. If no progress, set it up again and use a hair dryer to gently heat the maple (heat gun is likely too hot and might ruin the finish or delaminated the fingerboard).


These have worked for me, but on an AVRI, I'd let a pro try them. Just remember this is hard maple you're dealing with. You have to show it who's boss. But use controlled force. If you hear cracking, stop.

Great advice - thanks! Maybe I let a pro deal with it. I'm sure this isn't the first time he's seen this. I'm glad it sounds like it might be fixable though.

[Francer]

I’ve bought two AVRI necks in the last couple of years and they both have this problem, I suspect it’s a design flaw on this model, there’s a few more reports around the web for the AVRI line if look for them.

Washers are your best first bet, you might be lucky (I wasn’t) and I’m not sure any of the ‘bending’ options will result in a permanent fix if at all, if the truss rod is maxed out, physically bending to add more back bow means the truss rod will not be contributing to the neck stability at all since it can’t contract on it’s own (I guess it may have some elasticity to take up the slack), and over time, with string tension the neck will return to it’s old bend until it contacts the rod again.

One small suggestion, don’t just tighten the nut to add backbow, help it out by removing the neck and placing fretboard down on two piles of books (or cushions or whatever) one at each end, and then push down on the centre of the neck to take the tension off the rod, and then tighten the nut, you might get a little extra backbow this way.

This guy massively over eggs the pudding with his crazy rig, but this is the idea https://youtu.be/dHLoYcHUovc

[PJazzmaster]

I’ve bought two AVRI necks in the last couple of years and they both have this problem, I suspect it’s a design flaw on this model, there’s a few more reports around the web for the AVRI line if look for them.

↑ ↑↑ this. Not unlikely, but not on all AVRI necks. My AVRI JM had the same issue. I play with rather high action so I was able to cope with it for a very long time. But somehow the backbow got worse and worse over time. After about 10 years I changed the neck , I found a used AVRI JM neck on eBay. I got it for a good price since it had a partial refret (the first 5 frets) - a-not-so-good job - definitely not done by a pro but actually good enough (and the old neck was in desperate need for a refret anyway). And surprise surprise: the replacement neck is simply awesome, the guitar plays better than it ever did, seriously.

but also try what others are suggesting !!! especially that:

This is the spacer/washer approach to get some adjustment range back on your truss rod ....

Washers ..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Fender ... 3213503785

[Francer]

They are lovely necks to be fair, mine is a nice slim profile with a lovely dark board. I just decided to live with it and I don’t really think about it anymore, it’s not too bowed and seems stable for now, fingers crossed.

[RaistMagus]

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to add to the statistics, so to speak. I've had two AVRI 62 JMs (2008 and 2005) and the 2005 has this issue; the truss rod is maxxed out and the neck still has too much relief. Good to read that it is fixable : )

[GilmourD]

Also realizing that this is a golden oldie...

Odd suggestion that has worked for me a couple times is putting some sort of lube on the threads inside the nut. Something might be hanging up in there. A dab o' Vaseline (petroleum jelly) and the nut goes a bit further.

[MattK]

Great advice here and worth reviving (some of my guitars are quite old and still pretty good too!). Two bits to add, one is that I had an AVRI Jazz Bass with this problem too, except that the owner had tightened it further and put a torque on the rod, so that the neck twisted at the nut (weakness of the JB design because there’s so little wood at that part of the neck). I was able to fix it using the clamping and washers described here. The other thing to add is that a 100-150W incandescent bulb or a heat lamp (intended for people!) is a good way to get some gentle, even heat into the neck, much better and safer than a hair drier. Put the lamp 1 or 2 feet away so you can put your hand on the back of the neck without feeling uncomfortable.

[Biloxide]

I have the same problem with a fender mexico tele classic 60's brand new, i can't flatten it more max, too much relief... i knew the tip of washer adding but a more drastic work should be the right way to go with clamps and holders. I have a neck holder frets working with cork pad for holding the neck may be a good support to put pressure with iron clamps and backbowed it.... like it was said ?

[MattK]

if you remove the tuners etc, you should be able to clamp the back of the headstock and the heel to the same flat surface. You could put a cork shim under the neck, but (a) be careful where you put it and (b) a backbow is an even worse thing to deal with, so I'd be conservative! Gentle heat lamp for a day or so, followed by cooling for a day or so while still clamped, is a good way to carefully change a neck.

[Biloxide]

Ok Mattewk, i understand your caution!!! I need to find a cheapo heat lamp, don't know how it cost.
Go back to this new neck, strings are 10/46, i can see that this generous relief start at the 3 case and down to the 17 case there is 2 shims. The first shim is a flat 0.9-1mm and the second is a 0.25 degrree, the neck pocket was too deep and my saddles was very low, can't mute the strings and lots of buzz's at the high step.
Now the guitar is playable a little out of tune on open chords, saddles are not compensated, but the relief is within 0,35-0,40 mm with a feeler gauge at 7 case with capo at 1 an 17 fretted, i have not try to squeeze harder, i hear and feel at this limit some squeaks and harness to go further... ...

[MattK]

Even a 150W incandescent flood lamp is good, that's what I used on the Jazz Bass neck. I'm not sure if there are restrictions on such bulbs these days, but it would be the cheapest and safest solution. This kind of thing:

(note that LED and halogen versions would not work, because you need an inefficient incandescent bulb to waste the electricity as heat ...)