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Old 08-16-2013, 10:22 AM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Originally Posted by dwstout View Post
I want to do a truss rod adjustment on an Ibanez. I know many will say go to a repair shop but this guitar cost $120. I helped someone find an acoustic guitar about 18 months ago. She only had $150 to spend and found this on Craig's List. So there's no money for a pro.
My question is: when looking at the hex-nut do I turn it clockwise or counter-clockwise to straighten the neck. Everything else on the guitar seems fine. Top is still flat and the heel isn't coming loose.
Tighten down (flattens relief at the headstock), Loosen up (raises relief at the headstock)...and unless you strip the nut or break one off, there's little to go wrong.

You can always put it back to where it started. Just limit it in ¼ to ⅓ turns and then check before adjusting again (about all you can accomplish with a normal alan wrench). It is not injurious to the neck unless you do really extreme things to it. It won't cause the guitar to explode nor damage the neck.

The worst case I ever saw was a student with a 30 yr old really cheap off brand, and the relief was so extreme it actually took a full revolution and a half to relax the neck (and a couple days of rest). That was unusual, most take only a third to half revolution (or sometimes less).

An issue you may find is if the first owner (owners?) sanded the bottom of the saddle. If so lowering the relief may cause buzzing and then the saddle may need to be shimmed a touch to compensate. Just go slow and methodically and don't panic. It's all do-able.

Once a guitar is reasonably well setup, adjusting relief is a perfectly good way to adjust action. Seasonal changes are often accompanied by a change in relief. Indeed neck relief is the only part of the action which changes quickly.

How much can a saddle or nut change once set properly?

I have sighted down the edge of many a neck and tweaked the relief to solve buzzes or too-high fretting.


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Last edited by ljguitar; 08-16-2013 at 11:23 AM. Reason: html code
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