In this post we'll take a look into the truss rod. I'm not going to get too fixated on being as technically acurate as possible here. We'll just cover what we have to in order to make sure your neck is playable and comfortable.
Like I mentioned in the previous "
Setups" post, your truss rod is useful to counteract the tension placed on the neck by the strings when they are tuned to pitch. Your strings are pulling the neck forward. Your truss rod is pulling the neck back. It is simply a metal rod that runs the length of the guitar neck, and it will have a bolt or some sort of screw top (either hex, or phillips in most cases) that can be turned in either direction to tighten or loosen the rod. The tighter it is- the more you are pulling your neck back.
One quick thing to mention, is that a truss rod adjustment is not always a quick process. It isn't necessarily a long process, but you should allow yourself a bit of time (this is for those impatient people out there- just so you're not expecting to breeze through this... don't worry though, I'm impatient too). Additionally, you shouldn't need to make this adjustment all that often. I know guys who go tweaking on this
every time they change their strings, and it is just not necessary unless you have some problems with your guitar. If your neck feels like it is playing fine, and you aren't noticing anything weird like fret buzz or higher action in the middle of your neck, then you are probably in good shape.
Okay, let's go....
Here are the tools we need:
- The appropriate truss rod tool for your guitar. Don't get duped into spending top dollar for one of these, as you can get any of these at your local hardware store on the cheap. Check w/ the guitar manufacturer if you're not sure what type of wrench or screwdriver you will need to adjust the rod before you get to cranking- the last thing we need is to strip the nut out! Some popular sizes are 5/16th deep-socket, 4 and 5mm hex or allen wrench, and a #2 phillips screwdriver.
- Go ahead and get that phillips head out anyways.
- A capo. If you don't have one, you can get a great capo for around $15, and you're guaranteed to use it in the future too. 2 birds. 1 stone.
- A single .009, and .010, and .011 gauge string... or a micrometer if you've got one handy. I would check with your local guitar shop for bulk strings you can get singles of though, cause you'll be able to get them for pennies.
- A new set of strings
Now that you have all of your supplies, get your kitchen table or bench cleared off, and set up your workspace so you can have a place to make your adjustment.
Before you change out your strings, you'll want to eyeball the curve of your neck; this is also referred to as sighting your neck. This just means that you are looking straight down the edge of the neck with the headstock closest to your face. Because your strings are perfectly straight when they are on the guitar and tuned up, it gives you a pretty good reference for what is going on with the neck.
With the guitar face up on the workbench, and capo the 1st fret. Now fret the low E string at the 12th fret and we're going to measure the gap between the string and the top of the 6th fret with our free hand. If you have that micrometer handy, go ahead and put it up there- if not, use those single 9, 10, and 11 strings we talked about earlier. Industry standard for most electric guitars is going to be around .009" - .010". If you can just pass the .009 string between the 6th fret and the string, then you are in the ballpark. If you are way higher than that, then we're going to want to tighten the truss rod. If you are touching the string, you have hump in the neck, and we need to loosen it, and let those strings pull the neck forward. (Feel free to use the .010 and .011 strings for a measurement that suits you best)
Now is a good time to think about where on the neck your truss rod nut access is. Most guitars nowadays are made with the truss rod nut to have easy access at the headstock just above the nut, but some bolt-on neck guitars are still built with the access at the bottom of the neck, and you'll have to remove the neck to make the adjustment. This can sometimes be a pain in the neck (sorry guys- couldn't resist that one...) and require more patience than others, as you'll need to make sure you're making the proper adjustments the first time around, so you don't have to spend time taking the strings and neck back off the guitar.
Now, go ahead and take off the strings (and neck- if applicable) and make your adjustment. If you need to loosen the rod, you are going to be turning counterclockwise, tightening is clockwise. Make no more than a quarter turn in the appropriate direction for you- if you were pretty close on the initial inspection, make the turn even less (if you notice very stubborn resistance when making turns, or it is not even moving at all- PLEASE DON'T FORCE IT!!- your truss rod may have a problem like stripped threads or the nut may be bottomed out). I wish I could tell you exactly how much to turn, but every guitar is different. By the second or third time doing this, you'll know exactly how much you'll need for your guitar, and the whole process will go a lot quicker.
Go ahead and get out a beer- you deserve one for hangin' in there so far.
String up that guitar, stretch out those new strings, and take another look using the capo method we used above. Are you looking good yet? You should pretty much be there. I always wait about an hour before I get a good reading, because the new strings will put a bit more pressure on the neck, and because it can take a little time for the neck to settle where it will end up. Wood doesn't always bend as quickly as we want it to...
If you find that you over or under adjusted, just repeat the adjustment instructions in the desired direction. No need to take the strings back off unless you have to take the neck off too.
Please leave us some comments on how it works out for you if it is your first time around. We're working with our photographer to get some good clear photos on here (should make this a little easier to work through).
As always, thanks for checking out the blog- and tell your friends about us!!
**If you have any questions about the tips in this blog, or would like to see a post about something we haven't covered, please email us at: guitarguruguys@gmail.com