#16
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Adjusting the truss rod under tension is standard practice at every manufacturer I'm aware of and I've done it that way for decades. In fact I can't think of a single reason for doing it any other way.
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#17
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1. Because you can't access the truss rod nut with the strings in the way. It happens sometimes.
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#18
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Guitar neck relief changes must be made under full normal string tension. Always.
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#19
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The toughest one to access that I can think of is Collings, but I still do mine without loosening the strings, although I agree it is a pain (a slight slackening of the D and G strings does make the job easier). Of course the fact remains that the correct way to do the adjustment is under tension.
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#20
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Mr. Tauber took the thoughts right out of my mind.
From my limited technical experience, I'd be wondering, ' how the heck does someone get a truss rod wrench inside and turn WITHOUT removing the strings ' I guess I learned quite a bit in this thread. That its possible to turn the truss rod WITH the strings on. I'd think you'd always have to take the strings of, or at least loosen them to get your gigantic man hands inside the sound hole Harmonics |
#21
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Quote:
__________________
"I've seen it raining fire in the sky..." -- John Denver (Rocky Mountain High) Martin D-15M Taylor 420 Maple Alvarez MD80 Alvarez MD80/12 |
#22
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Quote:
Quote:
What matters is the end result. There are numerous ways of obtaining that result. Do what works. |
#23
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I'd never buy an electric with the truss rod accessibility like that, it's stupid.
Back to the OP... I'm of the belief that a 1/4 turn is too much, an 1/8th is enough then let is settle and do another 1/8th if it needs it. Less is more in the case of a truss rod. |
#24
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Quote:
Quote:
Different rod designs and installation arrangements have varying levels of effectiveness and require a different amount of tightening or loosening for the same result. And, of course, different neck designs and construction react differently. Most common designs and installations require less than one full revolution of the nut on the rod to achieve the desired neck relief. Some require more, some require less. Tighten or loosen the nut until you get what you want. If you over-tighten it by an 1/8 of a turn or - gad, even 1/4 of a turn - the guitar isn't going to explode: un-tighten it by 1/8 (or 1/4) of a turn. And use common sense: if it takes two feet to brace the guitar and two hands on the wrench to turn the nut, something is amiss. Do you guys stay up late at night trying to figure out ways to make this more complicated than it needs to be? Really. Last edited by charles Tauber; 08-16-2013 at 09:52 PM. |
#25
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Quote:
-Raf
__________________
-Raf |
#26
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Adjusting the truss rod is completely overthought, just like guitar humidity. It's really a simple adjustment that accomplishes a simple task and is dirt easy, when done with a little care. Maybe I'm just old and it's lost its perplexity, but it's just a part of owning a guitar and is not that big a deal. Like changing the oil on your car, the first couple of times you try it may be intimidating, but then it becomes second nature.
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#27
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Quote:
Secondly, I've seen people strip truss rods by wrenching on them so easy does it. I work carefully and precisely and my customers appreciate this. I have now spoken the truth for you to embrace or not. Billy von Billy the 17th |
#28
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Truss Rod Adjustment
Quote:
Glen
__________________
Yamaha FG-375S Jumbo Martin DXME/D-35E/DC Aura/000-14 Custom/D-16E Custom/ 000C Nylon/0000-28HE/Concept IV Jumbo/00-16C/D-4132SE Gibson LP Deluxe/ES-347 TD/Chet Atkins CE Fender MIA Deluxe Strat Art & Lutherie 12-string Bellucci Concert Sigma CR-7 Recording King ROS-06 FE3/RPH-05 D'Angelico "New Yorker" New Masters "Esperance SP" Hermosa AH-20 “I never met a guitar I didn't like.” |
#29
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Quote:
So, suppose for discussion sake, a truss rod needs one full turn of the truss rod to achieve the desired neck relief. You state, that one should turn the nut 1/8 of a turn and then "let it settle". For how long does it need to settle? An hour, a day, a week? Let's take the middle value, a day. So, on day two I then turn the nut another 1/8, then let it settle for another day? On the third day, I then turn it another 1/8? To get to the required full one turn, will, by your scheme, take 7 days. Instead, let's let it settle for an hour between 1/8 turns. It then takes 7 hours to adjust the truss rod? Now, your reasoning, uh, sorry, "truth", is that if one turns it the full one turn all at once, it increases the chances of the rod breaking? So, again, for discussion sake, I turn the rod 7/8 of a turn at which point it suddenly breaks without warning. If we use your "truth", of turning only 1/8 at a time, what happens when we get to the 7/8 of a turn, arriving there after 6 consecutive days of 1/8 turns at a time? Will having tightened the nut to the same tension over 6 days prevent that failure? Is there going to be some warning at 6/8 + 1/32 turns that one more 32nd of a turn and it will break? Or is it going to break at the same point, without warning, as it did doing it as a single adjustment? Last edited by charles Tauber; 08-16-2013 at 11:38 PM. |
#30
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Truss rod
Wow.
Great topic for late night viewing. Maybe my common sense leads me astray sometimes.... The guitars I'm working on are usually my own. I think I can tell now by checking relief that sometimes its "this one needs a lot" or "this neck is pretty good". Lots of times I'm taking off crappy strings and adjusting the truss rod with only a D or G string on, adjust the rod, tune to pitch and check the relief. Yes, KNOWING that when I put the strings on I need to verify the relief at tension. Most times for me, I need to get my hand down inside the guitar to adjust the truss rod. One habit I picked up from reading posts from experienced luthier/techs is to always LOOSEN the truss rod a good 1/8 to 1/4 first (knowing I'm going right back to tight) just in case it's already been cranked tight to the breaking point. Someone said "how's it going to feel to turn it a fraction of an inch and have it break?" I appreciate the advice that experience brings to this forum.
__________________
TOO Stinkin' MANY GITS! Buncha Les Pauls Buncha Strats Martin HD-28, 2012-000CNylon Taylor 310K Taylor 214CE Taylor 110 Larrivee D-05 FG-375S FG-180 (5) FG-300 (5) FG-360 FG-350W APX-10 FG160E Woodsong K100,SW400 Paul Beard GRE Many other Yamahas (25 others- Garrison, Seagull, PRS, Squier 51, Dynamic) BigMike sez: I tried to be good, but there were just too many options. |