Warwick Corvette Standard User Manual

Contents

16Fine Tuning Your Warwick BassAlthough every Warwick bass is meticulously set up prior to shipment, it will eventually become necessary to perform adjust-ments to your instrument to maintain optimum playability. Many factors can influence your instrument’s action, including tempe-rature, humidity and changes in string gauges. It is very common for an instrument to need some degree of truss rod adjustmentfollowing shipment to your dealer. No two players have exactly the same needs when it comes to how their bass is adjusted. Youcan and should adjust your bass according to your own playing needs. The following tools are needed to complete your setup:One 1.5mm hex key (included with bass)One 2.5mm hex key (included with bass)One 5.0mm trussrod tool (included with bass)A slot screwdriverOne #1 Phillips screwdriverOne electronic tunerThe first step is to tune your strings to the desired pitches. An electronic tuner is highly recommended for this as to ensure theaccuracy of the truss rod adjustment. If the amount of string tension on your neck has just undergone a significant change, theneck should be allowed to settle for at least 30 minutes before adjusting the truss rod. The longer it has to settle, the more youincrease your chances of getting your adjustments right the first time. Inspect your neck. Place your finger on the E (or B) stringin the first fret space and another finger on the 12th fret. Using your string as a straight edge, look at the gaps between the stringand the tops of the 4th through the 8th frets. Where the largest gap occurs will vary from bass to bass. If the largest gap is morethan about .020” or .5 mm, you will probably need to tighten your truss rod. If there is no gap at all, you will most likely need toloosen it. Most people prefer to have their relief set somewhere in between these parameters. A common misconception is that aneck should be perfectly straight for best results. This is simply not true. A bass neck should be very slightly concave as to allowbuzz-free action in the first few positions. A properly set up bass always has some relief in the neck.Adjusting Your Truss RodAll Warwick basses are fitted with a patented snap-fitting truss rod cover that can be easily removed using a slot screwdriver. Itis not necessary to loosen the strings during truss rod cover removal or replacement. The truss rod controls the amount of bow,or relief in the neck by counteracting the string tension. Over the years, Warwick has used 3 types of truss rods, each of whichhas its own requirements for an optimal setup. Please read the following to ascertain which truss rod your bass has been equip-ped with and how it should be adjusted. If you have no experience with truss rod adjustment, it is recommended it be taken to aqualified dealer or repair person. Over adjustment in either direction can cause permanent damage to the instrument and may notbe covered under warranty. If you encounter any significant resistance while adjusting your truss rod, do not turn any further. Theonly thing you need to remember when making a truss rod adjustment is that “a little goes a long way”. The safest way to makean adjustment is to plug your bass into an electronic tuner and check the tuning after every eighth of a turn of the truss rod. If theneck is being bowed back, the strings with go sharp. If the neck is being allowed to relax, then the strings will go flat. Be sure tore-tune the strings and check the string height after every quarter turn, until you have achieved the desired neck set up. WarwickFixed Steel Truss Rod: As of July 1998, all Warwick basses are equipped with a steel-reinforced neck and 2-way fixed steel trussrod. All bolt-on necks since February 1996 also employ this truss rod. The easiest way to tell if your bass has this truss rod designis the presence of a volute, or small heel behind the nut. This truss rod can adjust the neck in either direction (push/pull) andworks as one would normally expect. If you are facing the 5mm Allen fitting, turn clockwise to flatten the neck, counterclockwiseto introduce more relief. This truss rod should be adjusted in 1/8-turn increments. Rotate 45 degrees in the desired direction andlet the neck stabilize. Full stabilization can take from hours to weeks after the tension on the neck is altered, but most of the effectof 1/8 of a turn should manifest itself within an hour. If your neck has much more forward bow than you like, it may require a moresubstantial amount of adjustment. Loosening your string tension can ease this process if more than 1/4 turn is required tostraighten your neck to your taste. Warwicks Removable 2-way Truss Rod: This truss rod appears in some bolt-on necks from1992 through January 1996, and some neck-through models from 1992 through 1998. Adjustment should be made in the samemanner listed above, but in 1/4 turn increments. Because this truss rod is removable, a few have been installed or reinstalled“upside down”, necessitating adjustments in the opposite directions of what would normally be expected. This had originally beendone to mimic the effects of the original left-handed threaded truss rod, as to not confuse owners of older models.Original Removable Truss Rod: This can be found on models made in the 1980’s through some as late as 1998. The threads allowtightening of this rod only to the left, which may seem somewhatcounterintuitive to some. If the adjustment nut comes off when turned clockwise, it is a sure sign that your bass has been fittedwith this type of truss rod. The effects of tightening this truss rod depend on whether it has been installed with the threaded sideup or down.