Guitar truss rod questions

Subject: Guitar truss rod questions
From: GUEST,Warped
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 10:09 PM

I noticed a slight warp (neck bends away from the strings)in my favorite electric. The adjustment head is located at the nut - access is from the headstock as you look back towards the body of the guitar. The only other time I ever tried this adjustment was on an old cheapie accoustic and I couldn't tell if I helped it or made it worse.

Is it universal that a clockwise turn of the adjustment head tightens the truss to take out warps, or does it vary from brand to brand, model to model?

Should the adjustment be done with tension on the neck(i.e., strings in place) or should the strings be removed? Or loosened?

Should one notice immediate results after making adjustments, or does it take awhile for the neck to "set?"

Adjustments to correct slight warps should be made in increments of _______? (Quarter turns? one eighth of a turn? More? Less? I'm just trying to get a handle on how much I should turn the adjustment head).

Thanks in advance, 'Catters.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: bob jr
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 10:30 PM

its usually a good idea to get a pro to do any adjustments on your truss rod

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: flattop
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 10:32 PM

Electrics often are designed to have a slight warp. The slight warp keeps light strings from buzzing. If the action is good and the notes are true, don't adjust it.

If you are adjusting it, loosen the strings, pull the neck back (bracing between your leg) and tighten the nut a bit. Let the pressure off the neck, then pull it back and tighten it a tiny amount. Be patient. Do it a bit at a time. It works. I once straightened a severely warped Fender bass this way.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 10:36 PM

Well bob jr., I kew we'd find something to agree on eventually!!!

Luthiers and repairman all over the world just love it when they get a guitar that's been "adjusted." The common belief that truss rods control all the neck is the problem here. Is the neck twisted? Warped? How much relief is there? The fretboard radius makes a difference in the amount relief and has to be taken into account.

Let a pro work it over for you and you'll be infinitely happier.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 08:40 AM

There's got to be a slight bend in the neck of an acoustic guitar when the strings are tightened. Fret it at the 12th fret and the first fret, and you'll see the strings aren't touching the fret half away along the neck. 16th of an inch clearance, or round about that, but it varies from guitar to guitar.

That's the kind of amount of bend which a non-pro can fiddle around with getting exactly right, and it drives you crazy doing it. Or it does me, because the only way I know to do it is restring the guitar and tune it up; and if it's not quite right, loosen down all the strings and fiddle with it a bit more and so forth.

So if anyone's got any advice about short cuts and wrinkles, I'd be grateful. But if there's a significant warp, for God's sake don't go messing about with it yourself.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Mooh
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 04:07 PM

Previous advice notwithstanding, frets.com contains wonderful directions. Frank Ford is the pro of pros. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 05:28 PM

Warped. You didn't say what model of what brand. It makes a big difference.

Rick

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 05:46 PM

Adjusting a truss-rod isn't exactly rocket science, assuming you are of a practical bent and understand how the rod works. Go to your local bookstore and get hold of Dan Erlewines's book "Gutar Player Repair Guide". Worth having even if you never intend to do any repairs yourself. At least you will be able to tell when your repairman is bullshitting you.

Murray

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 05:57 PM

Can some one set me right on this. I seem to remember reading somewhere that there are compression and tension truss rods which require a different method of adjuctment. Is this fact or is my memory playing tricks with me?

Jon

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: GUEST,Warped
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 06:10 PM

The adjustment to be done is on a Gibson SG Standard.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: bob jr
Date: 20 Jul 00 - 10:34 PM

again i will state my position that if you know a good reliable repair guy (its always good to be on a first name friendly basis with these guys they can really make a differance) take it to him ,you have a nice guitar dont cut corners on repairs that wont cost you much to have done but can cost you alot to do yourself

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Racer
Date: 21 Jul 00 - 04:34 AM

Yeah, and it only costs like $30. You can do irreparable damage to the neck by adjusting it yourself. If it's still bowed, then you're alright. If it's bent the other way (I forget the terminology), then you might have a hard time getting it bowed again. The adjustable truss rod is more capable of bending than the neck. We're talking about steel against wood here, which one's going to give.

Guitar necks need to be a little bit bowed, or you will never get a good sound out of them. The strings will buzz at the lower frets. Plus, with any electric you can also adjust the bridge.

The people that do this professionally have many more tools than you do. They don't charge very much to do it. Stick with the professionals.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 21 Jul 00 - 06:00 PM

OK, if there is too much relief and it is really a situation which can be resolved by a truss-rod adjustment, the only tool you need is an Allen wrench. Period. ( A straight-edge is useful but not essential). And another reason why it is actually preferable to do this yourself (assuming you are not a ham-fisted moron, which no Mudcatter would be anyway) is that sometimes it can take a lot longer for the neck to adjust fully to its new tension than you would imagine. Ergo, you can take your time, and refine your adjustment over a longer period than any so-called "pro" would be willing to devote to the job. I would never pay 30 bucks to have my truss-rod adjusted. And in answer to the original question, you don't want to turn the wrench more than a quarter turn at any one time.

Murray

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: Dee45
Date: 21 Jul 00 - 06:06 PM

A little more truss rod info.

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jul 00 - 07:12 PM

"I would never pay 30 bucks to have my truss-rod adjusted." There's a thread going at the moment called

Subject: RE: Guitar truss rod questions
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Jul 00 - 06:24 AM

That doesn't make sense. I don't know what went wrong - what I thought I'd said was that I've posted this in the thread "Signs of the Times."