How to adjust an acoustic guitar truss rod.
Acoustic guitar truss rod direction.
Generally you can access your truss rod in the headstock of your guitar.
Some guitars have a small plate that screws in over top to cover the access point.
Loosen the nut if the neck is back bowed the trick is knowing when you ve got the neck the way you want it.
S l november 16 2012.
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.
An adjustable truss rod is either one way or two way also known as single action or double action.
2 main types of guitar truss rods.
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.
The truss rod is a slim steel rod inside the neck of your guitar.
Truss rod adjustments are made to alter the straightness flatness of the neck truss rods often require adjusting after changing string gauges or when temperature and humidity change the amount of bow in the 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.
You might need to do an acoustic guitar truss rod adjustment for a couple of reasons.
Locate your guitar s truss rod.
Single action truss rod compression rod this type of truss rod usually consists of a single piece of steel that is threaded on one end to receive an adjustment nut and washer and on the other end may be threaded on one side to receive an anchor bolt or bent into an l shape.
You can find the adjusting nut either at the peghead or through the sound hole depending on how your guitar is designed.
It might be because you need to adjust the action of your guitar.
When adjusting a truss rod in either direction you are changing the force applied to the rod.
Adjusting guitar truss rods.
If your guitar has one of these covers remove it to get to the truss rod.
With some acoustic guitars you can only adjust the truss rod through the soundhole.
You can adjust the truss rod with a nut located at one end.
The types of forces that act on a truss rod are compression tension and torque.
Here s how to evaluate and adjust your electric or acoustic neck with a minimum of tools.
Whilst the truss rod adjustment itself isn t necessarily going to set the action how you want it it is a necessary first step.