Going to adjust my truss rod

[Teeky]

I think it's always wise to be a little scientific before adjusting the truss rod. Check the relief before doing any adjustments.

 

Either use an 18" straightedge between string 3 and 4 along the fretboard or use a capo on the 1st fret and press a string down at the highest fret. You can then measure the clearance between fret and straightedge/string at the the 8th fret using feeler gauges. Factory setup is often about 0.012" but can be be reduced to a minimum of 0.004" depending on the action required. So you then have a reference.

Depending on your reading you might want to:

tighten (turn clockwise) to straighten an up-bow and remove relief or

loosen (turn counter clockwise) to allow a back bowed neck to pull straight into relief.

 

Be careful. Half a turn on the truss rod is a lot! Best to dab a drop of oil on the nut threads first and then try 1/8 to 1/4 turn in the direction you need. It's best to leave the neck a day or so to stabilise and then check the relief measurements again or just noodle to see what it feels like. Then repeat if necessary.

 

Doing it this way you're not stabbing in the dark and you have records you can refer to in case you need to adjust it in future.

 

That's only a part of getting the action right. As someone said earlier the nut and bridge heights can be adjusted to get the required action at fret 1 and 17, but that's another story.

[111518]

 

Mine are all used Heritages except my 137, which didn't ship with a hex wrench.

 

I've never gotten a wrench with any of my Heritages, new (only one) or used (the rest.) Just as well, I like this one much better:

[koula901]

Is it an optical illusion, or is that wrench really, really huge!

[GuitArtMan]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was the line from an old Blues song, maybe a Blind Melon Chitlin' classic...

Hey Blind Baby, what's this Ding Dong thing?

[koula901]

!!

 

What kind of oil should I use to lubricate the nut?

[Teeky]

Some general light household oil like 3in1.

[111518]

Is it an optical illusion, or is that wrench really, really huge!

 

OK, let's keep the wrench humor clean ...

I needed to loosen the nut on this guitar; it has an appointment with the doc for a heat treatment.

 

 

...here's a huge wrench (1 1/4, from my construction days), for comparison. The adjustment wrench is long, but that's what allows it to clear the headstock, but the handle gives a clear indication of how much adjustment you have made. The socket has also been turned down so that it is as thin as possible.

[Guest HRB853370]

 

I've never gotten a wrench with any of my Heritages, new (only one) or used (the rest.) Just as well, I like this one much better:

 

You got screwed then. Every Heritage I have has a wrench in the little compartment.

[Hfan]

Katy, You shouldn't have to special order the tool. It is really just a common nut driver available in any hardware store. I'd try ACE Hardware or the Depot and get something with a pretty long shaft. A T handle is nice but a regular scredriver type handle works as well.

[koula901]

thanks for the advice. Will try Guitar Denter for a T-shaped style.

[koula901]

Wow,

 

Are you sure the bridge isn't just set a little low?

 

Have you sighted down the neck by holding the guitar

up to a light source?

 

If your are sure raising the bridge slightly wont help out

you can follow these instructions for truss rod adjustment.

 

If not hold the guitar up so the headstock is nearest to the

light source and look from the end of the body along the neck

to see if you have any bow ( relief ) and if so note which way

the bow occurs...

 

Ideally, we all would like to have our necks as flat as can be but

many guitars will not allow this condition without some buzzing.

 

The relief will want to be ever so slight from a practically flat

( straight ) condition with any bow allowing a slightly larger gap

that will begin to eliminate any buzzing.

 

Usually tightening the truss rod flattens the neck profile if excessive

bow ( gap ) exists. Likewise loosening the truss rod with introduce bow

if the neck is either flat or is bowing forward ( too little gap usually near

the midpoint of the neck ) so you need to know where things are before

you tighten or loosen the truss rod nut....

 

Do this inspection first and post what you see....I'll hang

 

It's absolutely flat.

[koula901]

Koula,

A change in the neck due to humidity can make the action seem a bit lower. And I suppose, if the action used to be good and now it's too low and you've made no other adjustements, then loosening the truss rod a bit could bring it back to the action you want.

 

However, it's much more likely that the bridge height adjustment may have gotten changed during a string change or when you polished the the guitar. In that case you're better adjusting the bridge height.

 

To check the neck bow, lay the guitar down and fret it at the 1st and 17th fret where the neck meets the body and measure clearance at the 8th fret. Most recomendations I've seen call for less than 1/64" clearance. I've probably got twice that on some of my guitars. The point is, you shouldn't need much neck relief; certainly not the amount required to appreciably change your action.

 

Setting string height is different. That's usually measured at the 12 fret, or mid scale. Depending on your playing style, string heights of 3/64 -3/32" are normal. It depends on your playing style and preference.

 

Do you have a special instrument to measure string height?

[bobmeyrick]

Hey Blind Baby, what's this Ding Dong thing?

I think he's gonna show ya...

[Teeky]

Feeler gages are generally all you need. A set of graduated steel shims which you insert between 7th fret and a straight reference to measure relief clearance. (none in your case at present!). Available from auto stores or hardware stores for very little.

[111518]

Katy, You shouldn't have to special order the tool. It is really just a common nut driver available in any hardware store. I'd try ACE Hardware or the Depot and get something with a pretty long shaft. A T handle is nice but a regular scredriver type handle works as well.

thanks for the advice. Will try Guitar Denter for a T-shaped style.

 

Actually, I agree with Hfan and others. I do like the T-handle and long shaft for a number of reasons, but I've used a number of different tools over the years, and they have different advantages/disadvantages. If you have ready access to something that fits the nut and will make it into the cavity... it will be fine.

 

Lots of good advice here. I would just reiterate that IF you need to adjust the neck, go slow: make small adjustments, and give time to see what effect they will have. That's the trade off of this particular adjustment: a luthier is going to have much more experience judging what the neck needs and how it is likely to respond to adjustment, but, they are on the clock and have to give it their best shot and give it back to you. The neck could keep moving, or not, as they predicted, or not. You can be patient and work with the neck to get it right; make a small adjustment in the direction you think it needs to go, then play it for a day or two and then make a decision about that next 1/8 of a turn. It can be very satisfying to be in control of this process. Just take some care (or measurements, as Teeky suggests) and if things seem not to be working, the problem persists, the nut becomes hard to turn, etc. --take it to someone with more experience. The standard guitar truss rod is a very simple system. It can work great ... or not.

[koula901]

Thanks Larry. I loosened the strings last night. If by tomorrow night the action doesn't appear to be higher, I will first try raising the bridge - I think you do that by turning the screws to raise the height, and I will just see how that feels, tune the strings correctly, and make sure no buzzes. If that doesn't work, I may try adjusting the truss rod.

[smurph1]

I think the action got too low from the neck pulling away from the body, due to the humidity. the thought is, loosening up the truss a little bit will allow the neck to come forward, and perhaps then the action will snap back to where it was before. I know I never set the action this low before.

One mans opinion here, but if it isn't buzzing I'd leave it alone..My 2 cents..

[Guest HRB853370]

 

Actually, I agree with Hfan and others. I do like the T-handle and long shaft for a number of reasons, but I've used a number of different tools over the years, and they have different advantages/disadvantages. If you have ready access to something that fits the nut and will make it into the cavity... it will be fine.

 

Lots of good advice here. I would just reiterate that IF you need to adjust the neck, go slow: make small adjustments, and give time to see what effect they will have. That's the trade off of this particular adjustment: a luthier is going to have much more experience judging what the neck needs and how it is likely to respond to adjustment, but, they are on the clock and have to give it their best shot and give it back to you. The neck could keep moving, or not, as they predicted, or not. You can be patient and work with the neck to get it right; make a small adjustment in the direction you think it needs to go, then play it for a day or two and then make a decision about that next 1/8 of a turn. It can be very satisfying to be in control of this process. Just take some care (or measurements, as Teeky suggests) and if things seem not to be working, the problem persists, the nut becomes hard to turn, etc. --take it to someone with more experience. The standard guitar truss rod is a very simple system. It can work great ... or not.

 

Some may differ with this, but a good Luthier is NOT on the clock! They are acting in the best interests of their clients, and the clients guitars and they charge by the job not by the hour. The last time I had a setup, my guy waited 24 hours, keeping the guitar in the store a day or so, then adjusted it again, possibly twice. I have NEVER taken my guitar into a good tech shop and gotten it back LESS than one week later. Yes, the week seems like forever, but if you want it done RIGHT, a good shop will take their time. If you drop it off in the morning and they promise it back by early afternoon, be careful about that!

[Hfan]

Katy, Assuming the bridge height hasn't been adjusted and the guitar played without buzzing at the current bridge height I would try the truss rod first as that would seem to be the variable that would change on its own. If you hold down the 1st string at the 1st and last fret (use a capo on the first) and there is no gap from fret to string around the middle frets, I would loosen the truss rod maybe an eigth of a turn give a little relief (turn counter clockwise). I only started making slight adjustments a year or two ago and have been lucky. A few of my guitars seem to need seasonal adjustments. If you only turn a smidgen who won't hurt anything.

 

Oh this is a long shot, I've had some strings corrode and cause a buzz as well.

[Guest HRB853370]

Thanks Larry. I loosened the strings last night. If by tomorrow night the action doesn't appear to be higher, I will first try raising the bridge - I think you do that by turning the screws to raise the height, and I will just see how that feels, tune the strings correctly, and make sure no buzzes. If that doesn't work, I may try adjusting the truss rod.

 

Setting action requires some know how. I wouldn't attempt it. Find a good shop with a reputation and have them do a complete setup. You will not regret it. Average should be around $60 minus any parts if needed (and strings of course).

[GuitArtMan]

Thanks Larry. I loosened the strings last night. If by tomorrow night the action doesn't appear to be higher, I will first try raising the bridge - I think you do that by turning the screws to raise the height, and I will just see how that feels, tune the strings correctly, and make sure no buzzes. If that doesn't work, I may try adjusting the truss rod.

This doesn't make sense to me. How would loosening the strings raise the action? If anything, since the strings and the truss rod counteract each other, loosening the strings would mean the truss rod has less resitance and it will try to pull the neck straighter which would result in lower action.

[koula901]

One mans opinion here, but if it isn't buzzing I'd leave it alone..My 2 cents..

 

I have to do something to raise the action.

[koula901]

This doesn't make sense to me. How would loosening the strings raise the action? If anything, since the strings and the truss rod counteract each other, loosening the strings would mean the truss rod has less resitance and it will try to pull the neck straighter which would result in lower action.

 

 

Situation: more humidity, suddenly strings go sharp and action gets too low. What do you do to raise the action?

[Blunote]

 

Do you have a special instrument to measure string height?

 

Katy, I use feeler gauges to measure relief at the 8th fret, and a scale to measure action height at the 12th. Both are pictured.

 

If you're not familiar with feeler gauges, they available at any hardware of auto supply store for a few dollars. You stack them until you can just feel them contact the string when you pass them over the fret. You then just add the thicknesses of the stack to show get the relief height. You can also use them to measure the action height, but I more often just scale it.

[High Flying Bird]

Chances are the t-handle will not fit in your case's compartment.