How to Repair Crescent Bass Guitars
The Crescent line of bass guitars mimic the tried and true designs of Fender's Jazz and Precision basses, minus the pricey hangtags. While these instruments borrow heavily from their main sources of inspiration, they're intended to provide beginners and budget-conscious players with an affordable alternative. Sometimes, these and other inexpensive instruments require some basic repairs, usually fixing the relief (straightness) of the neck to rid the bass of any undesirable fret-buzzing noise.
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Instructions
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Lay the Crescent bass on a flat, stable work surface with a towel underneath the body and a pillow under the headstock. This is both for stability and to prevent potential damage to the bass's finish. De-tune (loosen) the strings by turning the tuning keys on the headstock. This will allow for ease of access to the truss rod, a long metal rod buried under the fingerboard that's responsible for neck straightness.
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Locate the hexagonal truss rod nut, either at the bottom of the neck at the body joint or at the top of the headstock. If the latter, use a screwdriver to remove the triangular truss rod cover and set aside. Insert the Allen wrench and turn it gently one-quarter turn to the left to loosen the nut, then one-quarter turn to the right to tighten the rod.
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Retune the bass and play a few notes around the fifth to seventh frets, listening for any fret buzz. If there is still fret buzz present, turn one more quarter-turn and set aside. If none is present, reattach the truss rod cover, if applicable, and set the bass aside to allow the tension on the wood to settle. Recheck the bass for buzzing in a few hours. Repeat the above steps if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not overturn the wrench. This increases neck stress and may actually snap it in half. If need be, seek the help of a qualified guitar and bass technician.
