Hi! I am just in the middle of adjusting my truss rod when I ran into a problem.

Usually you adjust the truss rod from the headstock right? And when looking downwards on the guitar, lefty-loosy, righty-tighty applies? But when I adjust my truss from the other side (with the pickguard, and look upwards the neck...is it still lefty-loosy, or is it reverse den, since I`m looking another direction??


Maybe a silly question, but I became unsure if the truss rod was the same way, independent of which side you adjust it from

Follow up question:

I know the truss rod can break if I tight it too much. But can something happen (which idestroys something) if I loosen to much? I am currently loosening it up, but it feels like a almost have to force it...

And remember, be careful & just make small adjustments each time !

Right now, it looks like my nut and bridge is about the same height, but the strings are clearly lower at a place between 9.-15. fret. The e-string is actually touching the frets

edit/update:

Lately, the guitar neck has been stored in rooms/garages with VERY different temperatures, over 12 Celcius in difference. I assumed it would effect the neck, but so much that it is currently unplayable?!
The thought has struck me, that I screwed it on inaccurate, but it doesn`t look like it, and I have done it the same with my strat, which always worked:s

This post has been edited by mhskeide: Jun 27 2011, 07:31 PM

No! ...and yes Possibly, when you've turned counter clockwise to the bottom there's no more moving space. No room for error. But I've read somewhere of someone who turned too much so the nut went of the rod. Must have been a too short rod but still.

You never have to apply strong pressure. When you do, you've met as far as it goes. After turning it wait 30-60 min and let the changes take effect.
After such temprature changes, give it a day or two to settle to the new temperature before touching the truss rod.

Remember that the truss rod is not means to change the action (the bridge is), but to shape the neck to your preferences. Action should be considered a bi-effect.

Good luck

I know, but the action seems good at both bridge and nut, but the strings are lowering in the middle of the scale...but I have adjusted the truss rod now for almost half a round, so I`ll follow your advice and leave it. If it is still hopeless tomorrow, I reckon I just have to see an amp tech.

In order to check the neck curvature, fret the 1st fret of any string, fret the 17th fret as well, and observe the action on top of the 7th fret. There should be some space between the string and the fret, a very small space. Check each string like this.

Check the curvature by looking along the neck, it should be slightly bowed. If you are player that has light touch and plays fast, neck should be more straight. If you are a player that has aggressive picking technique, it should provide you with more relief in order to let the strings vibrate.

The degree of the neck relief is something that depends on the quality of the instrument. The better the instrument, the more flexible the setup can be. Don't expect wonders tho, many instrument have very few proper settings available, so it may be wise to take it to guitar tech, and explain to him exactly how you want your instrument to behave. It's up to him to keep the guitar, make adjustments, so you can return after few days and see if it fits now. No guitar tech can really help you unless you go try it, make more finer adjustment, try again, adjust again etc. Have that in mind when he says the price, and agree the smallest price for several adjustments that you might need.