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  #1  
Old 01-12-2018, 09:26 PM
Dirty Bill Dirty Bill is offline
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Default Neck adjustment

Do you all have any tips for adjusting acoustic guitar neck? It seems I just go back and forth.
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Old 01-12-2018, 11:41 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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In what way are we talking adjusting, are we refrring to truss rod adjustments or neck shim adjustments

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Old 02-21-2018, 04:38 PM
BT55 BT55 is offline
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Neck adjustments can be misunderstood. Adjusting the neck is to correct its bow, not for string height. As a rule you should adjust about a 1/4 turn at a time. Let the guitar neck move and about 10 minutes later another 1/4 turn as required. If this is a string height issue that is corrected by adjusting the height of the bridge saddle.
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Old 02-21-2018, 05:34 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BT55 View Post
Adjusting the neck is to correct its bow, not for string height. As a rule you should adjust about a 1/4 turn at a time. Let the guitar neck move and about 10 minutes later another 1/4 turn as required.

I've never met a professional who adjusts a truss rod this way.

Start by measuring what you have, rather than randomly adjusting the truss rod. A common value is .005" to .01" as measured at the 7th fret. If you have that, adjustment of the truss rod isn't likely appropriate.
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Old 02-21-2018, 05:42 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BT55 View Post
Neck adjustments can be misunderstood. Adjusting the neck is to correct its bow, not for string height. As a rule you should adjust about a 1/4 turn at a time. Let the guitar neck move and about 10 minutes later another 1/4 turn as required. If this is a string height issue that is corrected by adjusting the height of the bridge saddle.
I concur, on the understanding that neck relief has already been adjudged to be too extreme in one way or another.

I prefer action on my guitars to be a tad higher than the makers recommend - they say .005" and I prefer more like .008" at the seventh with capo on first and string pressed done on highest (19th) fret.
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Old 02-21-2018, 07:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirty Bill View Post
Do you all have any tips for adjusting acoustic guitar neck? It seems I just go back and forth.
Tips for adjusting what aspect of the neck? Back and forth how/with what? The question as it is presented can’t be answered.
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Old 02-23-2018, 04:52 PM
BT55 BT55 is offline
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Default Neck adjustment

Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
I've never met a professional who adjusts a truss rod this way.



Start by measuring what you have, rather than randomly adjusting the truss rod. A common value is .005" to .01" as measured at the 7th fret. If you have that, adjustment of the truss rod isn't likely appropriate.


You are correct based on the concept that you have measuring devices that can determine the relief. The OP is looking for an answer that he can use. If he wanted pro help he would go to a Luthier. Anyone can use a household straightedge to determine the neck relief. For regular people - not luthiers, small adjustments with testing will accomplish correcting the neck bow. You can also use a quarter to determine string height at the twelfth fret. No special tools required.
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Last edited by BT55; 02-23-2018 at 05:36 PM.
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Old 02-25-2018, 10:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BT55 View Post
You are correct based on the concept that you have measuring devices that can determine the relief. The OP is looking for an answer that he can use. If he wanted pro help he would go to a Luthier. Anyone can use a household straightedge to determine the neck relief. For regular people - not luthiers, small adjustments with testing will accomplish correcting the neck bow. You can also use a quarter to determine string height at the twelfth fret. No special tools required.
That's a strange response, as nothing in Charles's response requires terribly sophisticated tools. A straightedge and feeler gauges only on cost a few dollars. Anyone wishing to make their own adjustments ought to be willing to invest a few dollars in such simple tools. For $25 or less we can dispense with crude methods like coins.
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Old 02-26-2018, 02:40 AM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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'back and forth' would imply that you are overshooting, possibly because you are not waiting long enough for the adjustment to take effect. Turn it less and wait longer. Also, adjust when the strings are up to pitch, if possible. That prevents wild swings that can occur when tightening and loosening the strings.
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Old 02-27-2018, 11:49 AM
JackB1 JackB1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BT55 View Post
Neck adjustments can be misunderstood. Adjusting the neck is to correct its bow, not for string height. As a rule you should adjust about a 1/4 turn at a time. Let the guitar neck move and about 10 minutes later another 1/4 turn as required. If this is a string height issue that is corrected by adjusting the height of the bridge saddle.
it really takes 10 mins for the neck to move? I have seen guitar techs adjust a truss rod and then IMMEDIATELY check it again.
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Old 03-01-2018, 07:21 PM
BT55 BT55 is offline
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Originally Posted by JackB1 View Post
it really takes 10 mins for the neck to move? I have seen guitar techs adjust a truss rod and then IMMEDIATELY check it again.


Stew-Mac article “Don't be nervous about adjusting that truss rod!”
“After adjusting the rod I’ll usually let the instrument “settle” into the adjustment for a few hours and then I’ll evaluate it again and tweak it if necessary.”
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Old 03-02-2018, 11:29 AM
Rodger Knox Rodger Knox is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JackB1 View Post
it really takes 10 mins for the neck to move? I have seen guitar techs adjust a truss rod and then IMMEDIATELY check it again.
That depends on the type and condition of the truss rod. Most will respond in a few minutes or less, some take longer.
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  #13  
Old 03-02-2018, 11:57 AM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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I may be unique in doing this, but I never tighten a truss-rod without first applying pressure to the center of the back of the neck.

Way I see it, that gives the neck a chance to "settle back" instead of "creeping forward".
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  #14  
Old 03-04-2018, 06:36 PM
Dirty Bill Dirty Bill is offline
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Thanks for your replies.
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