Adjusting the Fretboard

[stktrader]

I have a Seagull S6 that I recently bought. It was being stored in a gigbag but the relatively humidity was in the 30's. I had the guitar adjusted by a local luthier and he did a fantastic job making the strings lower at the 12 fret. In the last few weeks I have had it stored in a guitar case with 3 humidity packs and the relative humidity is now at 50%. The strings seem to have risen and the fretboard is not flat with a straight edge from fret 1-21. The middle frets are lower with clear space under the straight edge. Does that mean I need to adjust the truss rod until the fretboard is flat? I know from reading it only takes small measures with that bolt to make a change and it may take a few adjustment over a week or so to finalize the adjustment. What direction with the allen wrench if this is what needs to be done. It will always be stored now at 50% Rh. tia

[Brucebubs]

I believe you're thinking in the right direction and the truss rod needs to be tightened a little.
Make a small adjustment and give it a few days to settle in.

[stktrader]

Thanks Bruce. Should I do a 1/4 turn like 12-3 on a clock?

[Earl49]

If you fret at #1 and #14, there should be about 0.006" - 0.009" of clearance under the strings at the mid point. That is considered the correct relief for most guitars and most players. Fret boards are not supposed to be perfectly flat, because the string vibrates in an arc and needs some extra clearance mid-span. If he adjusted it while your guitar was very dry it is not unusual for things to change as you get closer to a good 50% RH. A dry top will sink below "flat" and a wet top will swell, changing the overall action. Most factories use 6/64" at the bass E and 4/64" at the treble e, when measured above the 12th fret.

When I make truss rod adjustments, I usually do 1/4 turn at a time. The change will be immediate, but some additional slight settling may occur overnight. You don't want to to loosen the strings. Just NEVER force anything. If the adjusting nut binds, stop immediately and take it to a shop. Repairing a broken truss rod will cost more than the value of the S6.

[FreDrummer]

Originally Posted by stktrader

Thanks Bruce. Should I do a 1/4 turn like 12-3 on a clock?

I usually go in even smaller increments, like 1/8 turn at a time (the Allen wrench in the above sketch would go from 12 o’clock to about 1:30 (only halfway to 3:00 o’clock). In practice, you can’t always get a full 1/4 turn with strings on without really mashing the strings with the wrench. So, I’ll frequently go with just 1/8 turn, play it, let it stabilize for a day or two, then adjust further if necessary.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by stktrader

Thanks Bruce. Should I do a 1/4 turn like 12-3 on a clock?

Yes that's correct.
Earl49's advice above is excellent.

[stktrader]

Thanks everyone. I will give it a small adjustment and see what happens.

[stktrader]

The truss rod nut moved very easily. I probably moved it from 12-3. That quarter turn seems to have lowered the strings at the 12 fret. I tested it for buzzing and didn't find any. Now I will let it sit for a couple of days and see the final results.

[stktrader]

Now that I have adjusted the truss rod my Bass E sits 3 mm high at the 12th fret and just under 2 mm at the 1st string E. Does that read about right? I notice that the Bass E at the first fret will buzz slightly. None of the others strings at the 1st fret buzz. I am thinking to not overthink my setup at this point. I am a beginner.

[stktrader]

I am much happier with my Seagull over the Teton I sold on Reverb. It was difficult to make a C chord with the Teton with a 43mm nut. With the wider nut on the Seagull it is no problem. I have 48 yo construction trade hands so my fingers are a little bigger. I also like the dreadnought sound with the Cedar top too. The Teton was a Grand Concert with a Spruce top.