Acoustic Guitar Truss Rod Adjustment Direction

Here s how to evaluate and adjust your electric or acoustic neck with a minimum of tools.

Acoustic guitar truss rod adjustment direction.

Starting with a dead flat neck i increase neck relief slightly until the instrument plays without buzzing. S l november 16 2012. That is why truss rod adjustments are normally done in conjunction with a set up. The truss rod pulls the neck backward.

The neck of most guitars has what s known as a truss rod which is a one or two piece adjustable metal rod that goes down the inside of the center of the neck. The truss rod is a slim steel rod inside the neck of your guitar. Tighten the truss rod adjusting nut to straighten a neck that has an up bow. Loosening a truss rod turning counter clockwise adds relief to decreases tension on the neck which results in increased higher string action height.

Some bow is necessary for a guitar to play well but you don t want it to be bowed too much. While the amount of relief is a matter. Locate your guitar s truss rod. You can adjust the truss rod with a nut located at one end.

When making truss rod adjustments i first assess the instrument s action and playability along with the players aggressiveness and playing style. An adjustable truss rod is either one way or two way also known as single action or double action. The trick is knowing when you ve got the neck the way you want it. Loosen the nut if the neck is back bowed.

When adjusting a truss rod in either direction you are changing the force applied to the rod. Sight the neck to see what condition it s in. A truss rod is an interior metal bar running the entire length of a guitar s neck. Different manufacturers put them in different places but they re usually at the headstock under a cap just behind the nut or where the neck joins the body just under.

The types of forces that act on a truss rod are compression tension and torque. But a change in string gauges climate especially a change in humidity or simply the player s taste may require an adjustment even on a new. When a quality guitar leaves the factory the truss rod is adjusted according to the maker s taste in setup specs. How to adjust an acoustic guitar truss rod.