Going to adjust my truss rod

[111518]

 

 

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

 

Katy:

This makes sense. The wood swells (because of additional moisture) around the truss rod, which doesn't move, and therefore the neck is pulled back. I would loosen the truss rod a bit, (eighth of a turn counter-clockwise, looking down at at the truss rod nut from top of headstock), retune to pitch, and see if it seems a little better. If it is still better the next day, but buzzing a bit, back off just a tad more. GuitArtMan is correct: the truss rod works in opposition to the tension created by the strings, so, although there are different schools of thought about adjusting the neck under tension, however you land on that issue, you won't know what you've accomplished until the guitar is back at pitch ...and even then, sometimes it takes a while for the neck to move all that it will eventually move when you loosen the truss rod.

[111518]

Here's a diagram that might help:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/truss_rod_adjustment.pdf

 

The hard thing to visualize is that the truss rod is not reinforcement. It works by producing tension to counter the tension created by the strings (as GuitarArtMan suggested). Imagine a bow (as in bow and arrow) made out of a straight piece of wood, but with strings on both sides, instead of the the one side as on actual bows. If you could balance the tension on both the strings, then the piece of wood would be straight. So, the truss rod in a guitar balances the tension created by the strings tuned to pitch. If those strings are relaxed, the rod "wins out," and pulls more back bow into the neck, if the strings "win out," they pull a forward bow into the neck. To think of your situation: If the "string" on one side of the imaginary bow is fixed(a rod of steel) and somehow (more moisture) the piece of wood gets a little longer, the wood is going to bow out in the middle from the rod, which increases the length on the other side and makes the strings go sharp. It also means the strings are more likely to rattle. because there is now a "hump" in the neck. Loosening the rod allows the tension of the strings to pull the neck back straight, and should correct the buzzing.

[koula901]

That's a nice article, thank you, Larry. I'll buy the tool and the oil this weekend and deal with it. The fun will be to see what happens after I turn the air conditioner on! Poor guitars!

[Steiner]

I think he's gonna show ya...

 

Holy cow! Would you look at the size of that thing!!! We'll never get that on the album cover...

 

 

EDIT:

 

I have a set of sears nut drivers. They work fine on all my Heritages

[koula901]

[Guest HRB853370]

 

Holy cow! Would you look at the size of that thing!!! We'll never get that on the album cover...

 

 

EDIT:

 

I have a set of sears nut drivers. They work fine on all my Heritages

 

"is that a real nut driver or a sears nut driver"

 

Frank Zappa

[Guest HRB853370]

 

Katy:

This makes sense. The wood swells (because of additional moisture) around the truss rod, which doesn't move, and therefore the neck is pulled back. I would loosen the truss rod a bit, (eighth of a turn counter-clockwise, looking down at at the truss rod nut from top of headstock), retune to pitch, and see if it seems a little better. If it is still better the next day, but buzzing a bit, back off just a tad more. GuitArtMan is correct: the truss rod works in opposition to the tension created by the strings, so, although there are different schools of thought about adjusting the neck under tension, however you land on that issue, you won't know what you've accomplished until the guitar is back at pitch ...and even then, sometimes it takes a while for the neck to move all that it will eventually move when you loosen the truss rod.

 

I did exact procudure above to correct same problem Katy has, and problem eliminated.

[DetroitBlues]

Since you have such a fine instrument, about $40 to a luthier to set it up for you.

[Guest HRB853370]

Since you have such a fine instrument, about $40 to a luthier to set it up for you.

 

More like around $60 in these parts.

[bobmeyrick]

 

"is that a real nut driver or a sears nut driver"

 

Frank Zappa

Hmmm...no foolin ...

[Hfan]

Any of the above mentioned adjustments can be attempted without hurting the guitar. Best case, problem resolved, Knowledge and confidence increased, money kept in wallet, worst case, nothing harmed and a trip to the luthier. I am no expert by all means and have worked on lots of other non guitar related equipment. I have saved a bunch of money doing simple adjustments. When you have a bunch of guits the upkeep $ can be daunting.

 

On the Tele forum there is a large group of members who have learned to dress and level frets etc. Ron Kirn has a great thread there with instructions. If I ever have the time I will give it a shot with my cheap classical as a guinea pig.