Neck bow|Relief|Truss Rod|Seasons|Climate|RH%

[Abe]

So it seems that my guitar got itself a bit backbowed since I got it. Was perhaps slightly already that when I got it and then has since reacted to my environment to become an issue. It is lacking relief and string bounce where there should be a bit of it. With the 1st fret capo’d and the last fret fretted I can see an adjustment is called for. Truss rod adjustments scared me at first but I worked up the confidence to be sure of what I am doing. May be going at it extra carefully with like a 1/8th turn to start, counter-clockwise, just until I see the right amount of relief return. Only thing I have to measure with is millimeter specific guitar picks, but I don’t think exactitude is important when the low action with small amount of relief and bounce is the preference.

PRS suggests the proper relief to be between 3/64th” and 6/64th” / ( 1.190752 - 2.38125mm ). I can try for that, on the low end, knowing that low action with a small amount of buzz is permitted by my preferences.

Wonder what exactly happened so fast, in 6 weeks. Well it has been in an air conditioned room that was never at any humidity level I expected the change in. ( usually 40-55% humidity) Played it a lot, and left it hanging on the wall a lot. Think it was the contrast from being stored for a few years at the music shop I bought it from, swinging to my room’s environment here. But it did indeed change. Open B string buzzy rattle is what really tells me that, as well as some fretted string buzz low on the fretboard, with relief simply not being where it should be anymore / no ‘bounce’.

One thing I’m wondering is if there may be optimal times of year we decide to adjust our truss rods. Such as like summer, warmer, in which location, however one might run air conditioning, the air conditioner can have the dehumidifying effect etc. But then winter, in which region, how much heating must be used, how drying is the heat source etc. I live in New England so obviously that means the 4 seasons in a pretty balanced way seasonally.

So as I sit here in a room that is at 46% RH, has been a bit lower, but has been as high as 56% RH lately also... I wonder, would I be adjusting the truss rod at an optimal time right now? Should I wait and see what happens to the ‘bow’ as it goes from summer to fall to winter with indoor heating and no a/c.

Overthinking it maybe. But I’d like to ask, does anyone find that they specifically choose possible truss rod adjustment times via what’s in relation to their seasonal weather and indoor climate schedule etc.?

 

[Senor Verde]

I have guitars that I need to adjust the truss rod frequently and others that rarely need it. I check them before rehearsal or a gig and adjust as needed. I've never thought about only adjusting on a schedule as environmental conditions ie: barometric pressure is not something I can do anything about.

 

[fstrat76]

I think that 3/64-6/64 number is referring to string height not relief. That would be awfully high relief on my necks. My necks, the relief is .005" at the 7th fret pressing at frets 1/12 or 1/15. And I am always checking truss rod action - relief. Most tweaks are done at every string change, or sometimes before that, if needed.

 

[Abe]

Ahah. Yea, you're right. That number wouldn't make sense for relief. Yours and 0.010 seems more so right for relief specified here.
Basically eyeballing it will suit me fine as currently there's just simply no relief bounce there to see, all the way touched where it shouldn't be (string and fret) I will adjust just to raise it to where there's just slightly that relief and bounce.

My whole question I guess depends on what winter with heat source and room temp humidity will be in contrast to what these summer months have been with the a/c.

I'll give it the works. Fret oiling. Truss rod tweak. Approved of action. New strings. Intonation saddles check. More jamming.

 

[fstrat76]

Winter is most difficult to keep the RH% up during the very cold months here. I am always running humidifiers during these months and this helps keep the relief within normal ranges.

 

[Abe]

Would one say that getting dry generally causes one thing while getting more humid causes the other as far as frontbowing and backbowing?

Most seem to suggest backbow from swell of humid and frontbow from overly drying. But other factors, hmm.

 

[Greywolf]

It's always prudent to keep them in the case in a climate stable room. Living in the south where we have humid 100 summers and cold dry winters it can be a challenge. Acoustics are more succeptible . I keep dessicant packs in all my casses that have semi, or hollowbodies.

Typically truss rods shouldn't need too much adjustment unless you are changing string gauges.

 

[vchizzle]

Yeah, you’re way over thinking it. Adjust it if it feels wrong or plays poorly and buzzes. .010 at the 8th fret is what PRS used to have on their site. Go buy a cheap feel gauge set at a hardware store. Check it once in awhile if it makes you feel better. I don’t play for a living, but used to play 100+ shows a year. Guitars in trailers to gigs, hot humid summers, cold Wisconsin winters. Guitars are less delicate than you think. Even in the harshest of swings, maybe I end up adjusting a couple times a year.

 

[Bogner]

Find What You Like And Adjust Accordingly. How Often You May Or May Not Have To Adjust A Truss Rod Is Guesswork At Best. You Simply Do It If And When Needed. I Had A Les Paul That Gave Me Fits For Months When I First Bought It New. It Was Always Shifting On Me. It Finally Stabilized And Settled Down And Once It Did The Shifting Was Very Minimal Going Forward No Matter The Time Of Year/Season/Etc. Each Guitar Is Unique And Will Respond Accordingly. Don't Worry Yourself Over It...Make Small Turns On The Adjustments As Not Much Is Usually Needed. I Don't Recall Ever Going More Than A Quarter Of A Turn Or So On A New Guitar. As Time Goes By The Incremental Adjustments Seem To Be Even Less For Me Once I Establish What I Want And The Guitar is Properly Set Up To My Liking And Settled It. I Hope Some Of This Was Helpful.

 

[Abe]

Overthinking. Yes, I do that.

 

[vchizzle]

Overthinking. Yes, I do that.

It gets the best of us. You should see me research a new tv. It exhausts me just thinking about it!

 

[Abe]

As it was slightly backbowed, I made my truss rod adjustment to bring back the bouncy relief to my guitar.
3/8ths of a counterclockwise turn was needed.
Intonation check.
Buzz free.

 

[dogrocketp]

People don’t realize how a very slight adjustment can affect a PRS. Tune your Ferrari.

 

[Abe]

I had done everything before many times but never made my own truss rod adjustment. So now I feel a sense of accomplishment and understanding and confidence to do it with. Also I'm very thankful for a specimen with a very level fret job so I may have it set the way that is best for me.

 

[PXR5]

So it seems that my guitar got itself a bit backbowed since I got it. Was perhaps slightly already that when I got it and then has since reacted to my environment to become an issue. It is lacking relief and string bounce where there should be a bit of it. With the 1st fret capo’d and the last fret fretted I can see an adjustment is called for. Truss rod adjustments scared me at first but I worked up the confidence to be sure of what I am doing. May be going at it extra carefully with like a 1/8th turn to start, counter-clockwise, just until I see the right amount of relief return. Only thing I have to measure with is millimeter specific guitar picks, but I don’t think exactitude is important when the low action with small amount of relief and bounce is the preference.

PRS suggests the proper relief to be between 3/64th” and 6/64th” / ( 1.190752 - 2.38125mm ). I can try for that, on the low end, knowing that low action with a small amount of buzz is permitted by my preferences.

Wonder what exactly happened so fast, in 6 weeks. Well it has been in an air conditioned room that was never at any humidity level I expected the change in. ( usually 40-55% humidity) Played it a lot, and left it hanging on the wall a lot. Think it was the contrast from being stored for a few years at the music shop I bought it from, swinging to my room’s environment here. But it did indeed change. Open B string buzzy rattle is what really tells me that, as well as some fretted string buzz low on the fretboard, with relief simply not being where it should be anymore / no ‘bounce’.

One thing I’m wondering is if there may be optimal times of year we decide to adjust our truss rods. Such as like summer, warmer, in which location, however one might run air conditioning, the air conditioner can have the dehumidifying effect etc. But then winter, in which region, how much heating must be used, how drying is the heat source etc. I live in New England so obviously that means the 4 seasons in a pretty balanced way seasonally.

So as I sit here in a room that is at 46% RH, has been a bit lower, but has been as high as 56% RH lately also... I wonder, would I be adjusting the truss rod at an optimal time right now? Should I wait and see what happens to the ‘bow’ as it goes from summer to fall to winter with indoor heating and no a/c.

Overthinking it maybe. But I’d like to ask, does anyone find that they specifically choose possible truss rod adjustment times via what’s in relation to their seasonal weather and indoor climate schedule etc.?

I have a Yamaha SG1820 which was stable when I got it new. When I move it to our current home it was fine until I decided to get it set up. 1st repairman adjusted it bit maybe 3 weeks after or less the guitar wasn't playing well lots of buzzing. It had a back bow.
Took it to a different tech after few weeks again it seemed to be not intonated correctly. The guitar had been forced into a front bow. Next a luthier who leveled 2 frets and carried out fret dress. It played great for 2 or 3 weeks before the buzzing was back. Took it to a well known legendary luthier and the back bow was there again. I keep the guitar in the case when not played . Yamaha offered to look at the guitar but the shop I bought it from felt that there had been to many changes in the neck relief and wood needed to settle. They increased the action but left that truss rod alone. Now the guitar is seemingly more stable. They belive in time it will settle. I would consider a slightly higher action and only the smallest of relief adjustments leaving it maybe 2 or 3 weeks between each adjustment to allow the wood to settle. The slightly higher action will give a little more tolerance when the neck moves a little. Now I will say non of the PRS I've owned had these issues. Perhaps they can offer to look at the guitar if its new. I wish I had contacted Yamaha earlier rather than delaying.
I've today got a used SE Santana standard 22 fret it needs a little work but I wouldn't expect the neck to move on that by any significant amount.