#1
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Adjusting Neck Relief When There's No Truss Rod?
How do you adjust the neck relief when there's no truss rod in a guitar? I'm interested in getting a Rainsong and the older models don't have the truss rod.
Steve |
#2
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The simple answer is that you don't. You are stuck with the properties of how the particular guitar was designed. The stiffness of the neck will determine what relief you get based on a particular string gauge.
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It's the player, not the guitar... But, the guitar helps!!! |
#3
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There are ways to adjust neck relief with no truss rod, but they are mostly much more involved.
The easiest way is to change the gauge of strings you use--heavier strings will pull the headstock more and cause more neck relief, light strings will do the opposite. The harder way is to use compression fretting, or fretboard planing. If you have too much relief, you can use compression fretting (frets with a fret tang a bit wider than the fret slot, the cumulative effect will straighten or back-bow the neck). If you have too little relief, you can have the fretboard planed (removing wood from the fretboard removes stiffness, allowing the strings to pull the headstock forward more and introduce more relief). Edit: the effectiveness of fretboard planing will depend on the fretboard material. I was assuming ebony when I wrote this, but it could be a carbon fiber fretboard on a Rainsong, which would make fretboard planing unfeasible. I'm not sure what fretboard material they use. |
#4
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With regard to the Rainsong guitars- those carbon fiber necks are so stiff that they flex very little under string tension. The relief should be very little with light or medium strings- which is how most players prefer it.
If you want to get really fussy about it, you can have a really good tech or luthier do a setup. They can either use a neck jig to simulate string tension while leveling the frets, or they can use a special tool to level the frets with the strings on. Really shouldn't be necessary though.
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1943 Gibson J-45 Martin Custom Shop 000-28 Authentic Aged 1937 Voyage Air VAOM-4 IBG Epiphone J-200 Aged Antique |
#5
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#6
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Tune down
Another work-around to lessen the existing relief is to use the guitar tuned down a 1/2 step or whole step or for slack tunings. I often do that anyway for vocal range or, of course, for Open D, Open G flat, Open C, etc.
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#7
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You don't.
I mean, you can, but it usually involves compression fretting. I keep my WS-3000 Rainsong tuned down a full step because otherwise it has excessive relief. Really wish it had an adjustable truss-rod.
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Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01 Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking Breedlove American Series C20/SR Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212 https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music |
#8
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Is your relief really that bad?
I agree with others, compression fretting is the only way to dramatically reduce it. Although humidity and string gauge will do it to lesser extent. |
#9
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He is looking at a Rainsong Carbon Fiber guitar. So, string gauge yes, humidity No.
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Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01 Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking Breedlove American Series C20/SR Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212 https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music |
#10
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That’s exactly why the newer ones have it now...to give that flexibility...
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2020 Yamaha LL56 Custom 2021 Boucher SG-51-BMV 2020 RainSong CO-WS1000N2 2019 PRS Silver Sky |
#11
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Quote:
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2020 Yamaha LL56 Custom 2021 Boucher SG-51-BMV 2020 RainSong CO-WS1000N2 2019 PRS Silver Sky |
#12
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It is not really all that hard to make careful measure,ents, remove the frets, recon tour the fingerboard, and refret. Assuming the relief issue is within a mm or so.
Last edited by Bruce Sexauer; 02-15-2020 at 11:19 AM. |
#13
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That's usually what happens when I try to fix anything.
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#14
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Quote:
I've had my OM1000 for 19 years, no neck problems whatsoever, NTM lightweight! Recorded the song below with it, 13-56, BEADF#B.
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#15
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You dont, a good luthier can introduce relief in many ways on a neck should it need it.
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Cole Clark Fat Lady Gretsch Electromatic Martin CEO7 Maton Messiah Taylor 814CE |