Wheel type truss rods

I love the ease of use of the wheel type truss rod on my StingRay 5. No taking off covers on the head, no modifying an opening at the bass of the neck, no special tool to use. Simple and easy with a small Phillips head screwdriver (that I also use to adjust intonation) when I need to make my usual humidity adjustments in the summer and winter.
My 76 Fender Fretless had to have the opening to the truss rod at the base of the neck modified to be able to get the tool to fit. Why didn’t they just make the access opening larger?? Weird.
My Yamaha at least had a decent sized opening, but still needed a special socket tool to adjust the truss rod………which was lost when my nephew borrowed the bass for a jam session! :triumph:
Just wondering why other companies don’t use such an easy way to adjust truss rods on the basses they make.
I’d be interested to hear pros and cons of all the different ways that truss rods are adjusted.

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Wheel is by far the most convenient. For the cost (which is minimal) I don’t know why it’s not more common, other than no one buys a bass because of the truss wheel.

Second is truss in the base of the neck without a wheel, and next is in the neck. Dead last is having to loosen or remove the neck to get access like in some Fender models. The dumb things Fender does with trusses like having to buy a special tool to adjust, well you could write a dissertation on the dumbness of it all.

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Wheeled truss rods are a joy to use. But easy hex wrench access at the bass of the neck is a close second.

And forget that “loosen the neck bolts to adjust the truss rod” crap. Vintage is vintage, but that’s plain stupid.

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I equate taking off the neck, adjusting the truss rod, then reattaching the neck, then re-checking, repeat if necessary is like sighting in a sniper rifle by taking off the scope, make click adjustments, re-attach, check accuracy, repeat if necessary.

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Most manufacturers don’t think their consumers are intelligent enough to be using the truss rod, which is why they probably don’t do anything convenient

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No need!
Losses strings.
Loosen screws, @75% at heel end, @25% towards headstock.
Tighten & tune.

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Most manufacturers do do something convenient, only Fender has the weird vintage design flaw authenticity fetish.

I do wish more would use the wheel but really, using an allen wrench is no big deal.

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Maybe for basses. Breedlove and Martin are an enormous pain

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Oh yeah I believe that

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For what it’s worth, Fender does make wheel truss rod adjustment on a couple of models. I have one in my American Deluxe Dimension.

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Fender only includes wheels as an option on their MIA stuff - and they market it that way, “this is one of the advantages of these higher end offerings”. It’s funny because the bodies are cut by CNC, so no added cost to change the opening and the difference in price of the actual wheel vs Allen key is about $5 retail (not accounting for the deal Fender would get in bulk). They definitely know it’s a desirable feature and seems like they’re deliberately withholding wheel adjustment from their lower end stuff so they can use it to market the higher end stuff.

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I’m with you. It’s not about the cost. It would have been same as no difference to Fender. I think it’s more for not annoying Leo’s other 2 kids.

Can you imagine if Sterling offer a Caprice, Cutlass and their version of Jazz bass? It would be a disaster for Fender. One of the top seller for beginners is already the Ray4 and Ray5.

The last time Fender offer H model, music man created a cult following models and G&l did the same with their SB series taking chunks out of their high end offerings. It’s best when every stay in their own lane. Lol.

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Fender put a wheel in the Charvel basses. They know how

My Charvel has a wheel which is MIM by Fender

Gee it’s almost like Fender care more about the money/profits than they do their customers.What a surprise :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

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If that was the case we’d be so lucky because they could just put all the eggs in one basket, lol. It seems like Fender is more afraid to innovate their mass production than making more money.

I’d love to get my hands on their $500 Squier Futura P bass with roasted asymmetrical neck, compound radius with wheel adjustment truss rod. Lol

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:point_up_2: :point_up_2:

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I respectfully disagree. My Charvels have compound radius, roasted maple, and a truss wheel coming out of their factory in Mexico. Clearly they have the manufacturing capacity outside the US.

I think they simply are wedded to vintage, and don’t see this as a feature that sells basses. They make money hands over fist now, in their view it ain’t broke.

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You got that right. I specifically buy the vintage spec basses. Gibson has the same problem

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You made my point @Wombat-metal. Your “Chavel” not Fender. Fender is he biggest boy there is out there. They can make just about anything but they don’t seem to put their sauces in their local Fender and Squier instruments. They do let their creativity run wild with the Made in JPan and Made in China outlet.

Like @KenKnight said it’s just the matter of retooling and re spec their parts it won’t even cost them more to build a new instruments they have the know how.