#1
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Do I need a truss rod adjustment?
My L-05 Larrivee has always been easy to play, but lately I’ve noticed that it is not as much so, particularly barre chords up the neck. I decided to take a ruler to it, and here’s what I found: the low E string is about 1.5/32nds above the first fret, 5/32nds above the 12th fret and 5+/32nds above the 20th fret. If I fret the low E at the first fret, it is 4/32nds above the 12th fret. If I fret the low E at the 12th fret, it is 2/32nds above the 20th fret.
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Regards, Jim Larrivée L-05 Mahogany Gibson Les Paul Traditional Fender Stratocaster Epiphone Les Paul Standard |
#2
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Translating these measurements to metric (my preferred units for setup), you’ve described height of the 6th above the 12th fret as being 4 mm, whereas something around 2.0-2.5 would be needed for comfortable barre chords. Your guitar likely needs a lot more than a truss rod adjustment, so find yourself a reputable guitar tech and let him/her do a proper assessment.
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Tim Mullin Shefford, QC CANADA |
#3
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The purpose of the truss rod is to maintain optimal relief, not adjust the action. While the measurements you give tell that the action is too high, they do not indicate relief. If the relief is correct (usually around 0.006"), then action adjustments should be addressed by changing the height of the saddle or the nut.
FYI, the nut is too high. The bottom of the nut slots should be in the same plane as the tops of the frets. You check this by pressing the string down on the second fret and note that the string should barely clear the first fret. You can check the action at the first fret if you want, but just be aware that it should always be about 12% of the 12th fret action, since the distance from the nut to the first fret is about 12% of the distance from the nut to the 12th. |
#4
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I think it's time for a good setup. Nut does seem high, action is quite high, and yes, you might need a truss rod adjustment. How old is the guitar? Seems like natural settling for a 5 - 10 year old instrument. Some people do fairly complete setup adjustments every six months or so. FWIW, I look for a neck that is really close to flat, around .003 relief - but I measure it by eye fretting at both 1 and 12, and just look to see if there is any space at all under the string around the 5th fret. I look for 3/32 under the string for the low E at the 12th fret, and 2/32" under the string for the high E at the 12th fret. Yours is really quite high. Probably not neck reset time, but getting along that road.
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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. Last edited by MC5C; 08-06-2018 at 06:00 AM. |
#5
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Your nut is high, but that says nothing about your relief. Set up is very demanding if the guitar is to play correctly, and although it involves just 3 major parameters (assuming heathy frets), most lay players do not seem to have a grip on it. Go see a pro.
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#6
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Quote:
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Regards, Jim Larrivée L-05 Mahogany Gibson Les Paul Traditional Fender Stratocaster Epiphone Les Paul Standard |
#7
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"I’m curious as to why you believe the nut is too high"
Kyle, you said in your first post that string height at the first fret was 1.5/32" which is .047". Normal string height at the first fret for the low E string is in the range of .008" to .010", so you are around 5 times higher than normal. Now, I think that you probably measured wrong, but it bears looking at. Brian
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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. |
#8
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