The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Build and Repair

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 03-23-2020, 01:40 PM
tdblanchard tdblanchard is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 9
Default Truss rod is all the way loose!

I took out my Bourgeois for the first time in a year and notice the action was way low (easy) so I figured the neck must’ve somehow gone out of whack. Sure enough, after a bit of loosening of the truss rod, the high E string started buzzing less. Well I got the truss rod all the way loosened and it’s still got a Pretty bad buzz at the fifth fret.
What’s the magic solution here?
__________________
1970's USA Fender Strat Re-issue (Kinman pickups)
2019 Elite Strat
2018 American Standard Strat
Oscar Schmidt Classical
60's Silvertone
Bourgeois Slope D Mahogany/Bearclaw
http://www.superflydisco.com
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-23-2020, 01:54 PM
cyberdog cyberdog is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Saskatoon
Posts: 145
Default

My guess: Guitar was stored with loosened strings but with tension remaining on the truss rod. As to what to do, I'd contact the manufacturer.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-23-2020, 02:02 PM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: In The Hills, Off Mulholland
Posts: 4,101
Default

Sounds like it's time for an inspection and set up. Take it in to your favorite tech and have them look at it and do a proper set up on it. Afterwards it should be perfect.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-23-2020, 02:10 PM
Lefty MacGuffin Lefty MacGuffin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 20
Default

Bourgeois Guitars have a two way truss rod. There is a spot in the rotation where it feels loose. Keep turning in a counter clockwise direction and it will start working again.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-23-2020, 02:25 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,381
Default

While truss rods are easy to adjust, their adjustment is not a universal fix for all action issues.

We are at a time of the year where, for many people, indoor humidity levels remain low. One symptom of a guitar subject to low humidity is that the top flattens, lowering the action. Probably the place to start is to identify what is the humidity level where the guitar has been stored. Are there other symptoms of dryness, such as protruding fret ends?


"When all you have is a hammer, all problems look like nails."
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-23-2020, 06:11 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,082
Default

Loosening the rod too much (increasing relief) can actually make buzzing worse on the upper frets. That is in spite of the fact that adding relief tends to raise the action.
The correct relief setting is where the tendency to buzz is the same all along the neck. This usually occurs when the relief is between 0.003" and 0.010". This should be set first, before adjusting tha action at the bridge.
As Charles indicates, a low action from low humidity is almost always due to a sunken top, not from a change in neck relief, which on most guitars is relatively stable during normal winter/summer humidity changes. With that in mind, the better way to deal with seasonal changes in action is by adjusting the saddle. Taller in winter, and shorter in summer.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-24-2020, 06:17 AM
MC5C MC5C is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Tatamagouche Nova Scotia
Posts: 1,136
Default

Don't use the truss rod to adjust action. It's really common in spring and fall to need to adjust or even change the bridge saddle to accomodate changes in action due to humidity change. Lots of people have two saddles and swap them out. The truss rod is to adjust the straightness of the neck for relief, and that is it, nothing else. The fact that adjusting the relief usually has an impact on action height doesn't mean you crank away on the nut when you need to adjust the saddle height.
__________________
Brian Evans
Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-24-2020, 06:33 AM
tdblanchard tdblanchard is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 9
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty MacGuffin View Post
Bourgeois Guitars have a two way truss rod. There is a spot in the rotation where it feels loose. Keep turning in a counter clockwise direction and it will start working again.
Thanks!
I'll give it a try today.
I'd take it in to get it setup but unfortunately our state is shut down right now because of the Corona Virus. Ironically, this is when I need the medicine of playing this beauty the most :-(
__________________
1970's USA Fender Strat Re-issue (Kinman pickups)
2019 Elite Strat
2018 American Standard Strat
Oscar Schmidt Classical
60's Silvertone
Bourgeois Slope D Mahogany/Bearclaw
http://www.superflydisco.com
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-24-2020, 06:45 AM
tdblanchard tdblanchard is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 9
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tdblanchard View Post
Thanks!
I'll give it a try today.
I'd take it in to get it setup but unfortunately our state is shut down right now because of the Corona Virus. Ironically, this is when I need the medicine of playing this beauty the most :-(
WORKED LIKE A CHARM!!!!
Here I thought my beloved Slope D was ruined!!
That was utterly wild. Sure enough, after about a half-turn, it started tightening up again and then I had to chase the buzzing fret from the fifth up to the 9th and now it's just about gone.

Just to clarify...I wasn't trying to adjust the action.

Thanks a ton!!
__________________
1970's USA Fender Strat Re-issue (Kinman pickups)
2019 Elite Strat
2018 American Standard Strat
Oscar Schmidt Classical
60's Silvertone
Bourgeois Slope D Mahogany/Bearclaw
http://www.superflydisco.com
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-24-2020, 07:41 AM
redir redir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 7,657
Default

Well, it does sound like you were trying to adjust the action with the truss rod

How much relief is in the neck now? It might stop the buzz by having excessive relief but it's not an ideal situation either. The proper method is to set the relief to where it should be then adjust the nut and saddle.

It's certainly possible that the neck could have back bowed and you managed to set it right but as mentioned more typical is that the neck is fine and the top sunk.

So check your relief. If it's excessive then you would want to set it proper and then raise the saddle. Or if you are happy with it then just leave it
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 03-24-2020, 10:40 AM
Robin, Wales Robin, Wales is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Eryri, Wales
Posts: 4,572
Default

Yep - there is sometimes a dead spot/slack spot on a two way truss rod at its neutral point, which may not actually be the neutral point of the neck relief - but it is alarming if you don't expect it!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 03-24-2020, 11:03 AM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: In The Hills, Off Mulholland
Posts: 4,101
Default

Still a great time for a good set up.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Build and Repair

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:05 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=