#Truss rod diagram professional#

Guitar kits will often require some truss rod adjustment after assembling. At this point, when applicable, a replacement neck seems a wiser investment.One of the most obvious reasons a guitar may not play well comes down to a bent or warped guitar neck. It's hard to pour over $300 into a repair only to find it will be required again in another year or two. when dealing with a very new instrument who's neck is moving unpredictably, it remains likely that the neck could continue to do so, making a seemingly perfect repair only temporary. The reason for this assumption is simple. I am more inclined to believe improvement is possible when the instrument is older and the neck has settled. When a neck remains in a back bowed state with no string tension (and the rod completely loose) I may choose to plane the neck.Īs with other neck issues, this is a situation that must be evaluated. When the neck is only slightly back bowed or simply dead flat, using heavier gauge strings may create just enough tension to pull then neck straight or increase the relief. In this situation a single action truss rod can offer no help. Unfortunately some necks can actually back bow, even with the truss rod completely loose and the instrument tuned to pitch. Ideally, loosening the truss rod should allow the strings to pull it upward and create more relief in the neck. When adjusting truss rods on vintage or problematic guitars I prefer to lubricate the threads with graphite to help prevent thread seizure in the future.

When the truss rod nut is not welded to the rod (like those used on two way truss rods), the nut is backed out and replaced. This is a situation that requires physical examination to determine the best course of action. If, however, the neck shows itself to be weak and spongy, satisfactory results may not be obtainable using this method. Planeing straightens the fingerboard and larger fret tangs create additional compression and stiffness the neck. When no further truss rod adjustment is available and the neck still has too much relief I may choose to plane the fingerboard and refret using fret wire with a larger tang. I may also remove string tension to reduce resistance and in some situations, clamp the neck in a slightly back bowed state prior to tightening the nut. If a truss rod nut is difficult to turn I lubricate the threads before preceding. Heavy tension has caused excessive upward bow that can not be removed with a truss rod adjustment.The neck has taken a set and moves very little with or without string tension (warping).The neck (wood) is lax and does not resist string tension adequately.A maxed out truss rod may continue to turn but in actuality it may merely be compressing the wood behind the truss rod nut.

#Truss rod diagram professional#

If you see no change in neck relief when tightening the truss rod it's best to stop and seek professional advice. When making adjustments to older instruments it is advisable to lubricate the nut with graphite to prevent seizure and damage. Some older, untouched instruments may also show resistance when the threads between the rod and nut corrode. The truss rod is as tight as it will go and the neck still has way too much relief in it. Truss rods can break if too much tension is placed on an already maxed out truss rod so caution is warranted. When a truss rod nut is difficult to turn it could be that the rod has met it's limit of adjustment. Normal truss rod adjustments do not require hiring a strong man to turn the wrench. Sometimes you get lucky and the neck will still be playable and have acceptable relief even with a broken truss rod. For inexpensive instruments this can be the end of the line as repair cost may exceed replacement cost. At this point, pricing a factory replacement neck may be in order if the instrument is relatively new and still in production. The cost of replacing truss rods will almost always exceed $500. Removing most truss rods requires removal of the fingerboard, which in turn, requires a complete refret and finish work. You may hear a clicking sound when attempting to tighten a broken truss rod, others may spin freely, offering little to no resistance. Truss Rod Problems Broken Truss Rod / Rod Turns Freely