Why adjust truss rod

You've probably guessed that this means the truss rod now needs to be tightened. This fix is the same as before, except now you're turning the rod to the right. If the key isn't turning the rod, then you shouldn't try to muscle it.

This may indicate a problem that requires neck removal. That's not the end of the world, but it's definitely something you should have done professionally. Also, if you strip the bolt on the truss rod hard to do, but possible your guitar will be in need of some serious repairs. Apart from neck bowing, there are really no other reasons that you should touch the truss rod.

The task should need to be done, at most, a couple of times a year depending on where you live. The last thing I'll note is that truss rods should never be used to adjust the action on your guitar. Raising the strings for slide guitar or lowering them for shredding should be accomplished with bridge adjustments only. Save your time and money by getting an Allen key and adjusting your neck by yourself. Just be sure that the problem with your guitar really is neck bowing first. Matthew Wendler is a blogger and multi-instrumentalist from New Jersey.

Now that you understand what a truss rod is, how it works, how it affects playability, and where to access yours, we can look at how to adjust it. It takes a day or two for a truss rod adjustment to completely settle. For this reason, it is highly recommended you only make minor adjustments to the truss rod and give your guitar time to settle before you make further adjustments. Before you make any adjustments to your truss rod, have a think about what you are trying to achieve.

I recommend reading through this entire section before you adjust your truss rod. You can easily do this by looking down from the headstock and checking the bow of the neck against the strings:. Take note of the bow of the neck and how close the strings are at different points along the neck. If the bow is quite large, it means you need to tighten the truss rod. A large bow is caused by too much tension from the strings, so tightening the truss rod will compensate for this tension.

Tightening your truss rod means it creates extra pull away from the strings. This means it will pull your strings out-of-tune. To avoid any problems, loosen your strings before you make adjustments to your truss rod. Loosening the truss rod will allow the strings to create more pull on the neck.

As loosening the truss rod reduces the tension on the strings, you will notice your guitar drops in tuning after any adjustments. Make sure you re-tune your guitar to properly check your adjustment before you make any further adjustments. To properly adjust your truss rod, you need to use the properly sized tool. Some guitars use standard Allen hex wrenches in various sizes, while others use specifically made cranks that only work on certain guitars.

It is important that you use the appropriately sized tool to adjust your truss rod. If your guitar uses a standard hex wrench, make sure you use the right-sized wrench. Using the wrong size wrench can strip the nut and cause a lot of dramas.

You should be able to adjust a truss rod without much force. If it is able to turn the other way, it means your truss rod is at the limit. Loosen the truss rod to create more relief. If your frets buzz above the 12th fret but nowhere else, add some slight relief by loosening the truss rod.

This makes it difficult but not impossible to replace. To replace a truss rod, you would need to separate the fretboard from the neck to access the truss rod channel. You only need to loosen your guitar strings before adjusting your truss rod if you want to tighten the truss rod. Tightening the truss rod creates extra tension on the strings, which can cause problems.

Many guitarists are intimidated about truss rods and hesitate to make any adjustments to them. Table of Contents show. You can seriously damage your guitar if you incorrectly adjust your truss rod. Related Guides and Lessons:. If you have a guitar that played great when you got it, but has developed a higher, stiffer action over time, it may be time to learn how to adjust your truss rod so you can keep the action just the way you like it.

An adjustable truss rod is a slim steel rod embedded in the neck. One end is threaded for an adjusting nut and is accessible at either the peghead or through the soundhole.