Low E String Rattle
 

Help please......I own a 15 year old Larrivee OM3, fantastic guitar and find it getting more playing time than my other much higher end acoustics but it has developed a Low E string rattle that is somewhat noticeable but when I play in STD tuning but when played in Dropped D tuning, it’s very bad.

I have checked the nut and nothings seems amiss there as well as the saddle.

There are zero intonation issues and was just wondering if a truss rod adjustment may be in order?

It came with a truss rod wrench and I am deathly afraid to use it.

Any advice on this issue and if a truss rod adjustment may be the remedy and if so any tips on the adjustment process?

The guitar lives in its humidified case in a constant 40-50% RHI range.

Thanks for any help.....

Truss rods adjust relief. To check the amount of relief you have, fret the e string at the first fret and with the other hand fret the fret closest to the body (usually 14th). If the e string is sitting on the 7th or 8th fret, that is the cause of your buzz. It needs more relief. Turn the truss rod to the left a quarter turn and check it again in a couple days, assuming the Larivee doesn’t have a two way truss rod. Do the quarter turns left until string tension pulls in some relief.

This time of year it could very well need an adjustment. But better to check the relief before just adjusting it.

Put a capo on the first fret (or just hold the low E down with your finger) and then hold down at the 14th fret. Look to see if there's a little gap at the 7th fret between the string and the fret... there should be just a little gap (measure it with feeler gauges if you have them).

If the fret is touching the string, you're going to need a bit more relief, and you'll want to loosen the truss rod slightly without forcing anything.

There are some debates about how much relief is the right amount, and it depends on your playing style a bit, but there should definitely be SOME gap there.

Thanks guys!!

I will give this a try.

Bingo!!

That did the trick.....thanks again

Just want to clarify, I turned the truss rod wrench to the left 1/4 turn.....so by doing that I actually loosed the truss a bit.....correct?

Thanks

Yes, correct.

keep an eye on it
 

You might want to check it again after a couple of days go by. It could change with the pull of the strings over time.

Ron