“Relief” refers to a very slight, intentional up-bow that lifts the strings a little higher than they’d be on a perfectly straight neck. Even go as far as to leave it for a day and re-measure the next day. But a change in string gauges, climate (especially a change in humidity), or simply the player’s taste may require an adjustment, even on a new guitar. Don’t laugh this off. Do you know of a way to remove and replace the nut from a dual-action truss rod? I found this warning online and agree with it fully. Fender American, and most MIM’s, have the most reliable truss rods for working for many decades. Site Map | Privacy, Use the appropriate sized wrench/socket (if in doubt check the manufacturer's website), Start by loosening the rod a little first*. As is mentioned in the video above, the truss rod adjustment isn’t a cure for action in itself. This way, you’ll know how smoothly the nut will turn, and you’ll have a better feel for it when you do your adjustments. It’s worth noting that a lot of my setups over the years don’t require and movement of the truss rod. All guitar truss rods are alike only with regards to their intended function, to adjust neck relief. I keep my adjustment tool in my bag so I know where it is. Depending on whether you need to increase or decrease the, Turn the rod only 1/8th of a turn at a time. European luthier Marguerite Pastella, of Fret Not Guitar Repair, identified five types of truss rods commonly used in building electric and acoustic guitars.2. Some are soldered on. I’m struggling with adjusting my new PRS. An old-school truss rod bolt at the bottom of the neck (Image credit: Future) When you’re adjusting the truss rod, make sure the Allen key is seated properly in the truss rod nut; push it all the way in. The guitar is a rare example of a 1954 Stratocaster with a hardtail bridge. Measure the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 7th fret. Here’s how to evaluate and adjust your electric or acoustic neck with a minimum of tools. Should I try to put a drop of oil on my truss rod threads? Too much relief and a neck feels "mushy" towards the center. I understand the truss rod thing much better now. You can do this using feeler gauges or just lightly pressing on the string at the 7th fret to get a feel for the gap. Getting that experience includes a level of risk about breaking your truss rod, and stripping out or breaking your truss rod barrel nut. Please add more info on adjusting a double-action truss rod like on a PRS guitar. I tried to replace my broken truss rod. You’re dealing with an engineered system and need to understand truss rod design and how a truss rod works. Truss rod adjustments are made to alter the straightness (flatness) of the neck. Tip © 2020 Guitar.com is a member of the media division of BandLab Technologies. Build the pedal that redefined overdrive. Conventional truss rods can only compensate for forward neck bow. . To compensate for undesirable curvature in the neck you can adjust your neck up or down. John LeVan, a writer, and guitar repair expert at Premier Guitar stated, ” I have at least 20 different wrenches and hex keys dedicated to adjusting guitar necks, but I still run across that one guitar that requires a tool I don’t have. Always make certain you are using the correct wrench for your particular truss rod nut. This new compilation from Jack White’s Third Man Records is a treasure trove of 90s shoegaze and space-rock rarities from a set of Michigan bands indebted to the UK scene. These often require specially shaped wrenches which will snake around the top brace and back up to the heel of the neck. The truss rod of an acoustic guitar is a threaded metal rod that is inlaid within the guitar’s neck. Don’t be discouraged. For this article we’re going to disucss the two most common types of truss rods used for electric guitars and bass guitars. Just bought Squier Strat to learn with very high action. I like the article, but I’m still not sure I want to try this task. Do I need to adjust my truss rod once in a while or only when I get a guitar setup? Whilst the truss rod adjustment itself isn’t necessarily going to set the action how you want it, it is a necessary first step. The October 2020 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! I put some penetrating oil in the pocket and left if standing up for a couple of days. I’m afraid I might break my truss rod so I just get my tech to do it. Guitars are made from wood, and wood has a tendency to move around, depending on how hot, cold or humid conditions might be. Using the wrong sized wrench/socket may permit it to round out the threads and ruin the nut. And there’s a great tip for clamping the neck to take tension off the truss rod on page 18 of The Guitar Player Repair Guide. Ideally, it would be great for you to know how to perform basic maintenance and adjustments. If the frets are too uneven to read with a straightedge, a notched straightedge sits over the frets, letting you read the wood of the fingerboard. Dan Erlewine's Maintenance & Setup for Electric Guitars and Basses, Dan Erlewine's Maintenance & Setup for Steel-string Acoustic Guitars. If you are comfortable taking on the project as a DIY effort, you should look into the “truss rod rescue tool” sold by StewMac. Loosen the nut if the neck is back-bowed.The trick is knowing when you’ve got the neck the way you want it. You may need a qualified repair person to investigate. If it rises with some relief, tighten the nut until the straightedge lays as flat as possible on the frets. I can’t wait to try this out. 21 Guitar Playing Tips Every Beginner Should Know, Tips for Learning How to Play the Guitar and Sing at the Same Time, Acoustic Guitar Stands: Ways to Keep Your Guitar When Not Playing, Takamine Serial Numbers: What They Can Tell You and How to Decode Them. You need tools to measure action to know when it’s correct. It may be the case that you need to do it once or twice a year (particularly in environments where the humidity changes drastically between seasons) or it may be the case that you don’t need to do it for 10-15 years. Just remember to never turn more than an 1/8th turn per adjustment. In a pinch you can use a string as a straightedge. All Rights Reserved. Find a reliable guitar tech and you’ll always be far ahead. Is there a good source to buy cheap truss rod tools? If the gap at the 7th fret is larger than the gaps towards the 1st and 14th frets then there is some ‘, If the gap at the 7th fret is less than the gaps at the 1st and 14th fret then there is ‘, Under a cover at the headstock end (usually you can get in there via a few screws), Remove the cover on the headstock (if your access is via the headstock). You can assess the results by playing the guitar. It does not always fit well and can lead you to damage the truss rod cover screw heads. Increase Relief Loosening the truss rod by turning it counter-clockwise influences the neck to pull away from the strings (concave). If the frets are too uneven to read with a straightedge, a notched straightedge sits over the frets, letting you read the wood of the fingerboard. Whichever setup you prefer, a straight neck is a good starting point. Changing string gauges may require a truss rod adjustment as this changes the tension on the neck.. Finding a balance between the tension exerted by the strings and by the truss rod is how we control the amount of relief. ← How to Prevent Guitar Humidity and Temperature Problems, adjusting the truss rod on an acoustic guitar, replacement truss rods and truss rod nuts, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCENNbxLrQ8, Small scewdriver (if you need to remove a truss rod cover), Adjustment Wrench that fits your guitar’s truss rod nut, String height gauge with 1/32″ and 1/64″ markings, Electronic tuner (clamp on or rack mounted digital tuner).