REMINDER: Truss Rod Adjustment. Be Careful, But Don’t Be Afraid

[68reissue]

I’ve been playing for decades, but I always shied away from doing any adjustments on my own, and that includes tweaking the truss rod. Last year I bought a pair of SE Custom 24s, and they’re some of the best playing guitars I’ve ever had my hands on. I play my Whale Blue most often, and it’s the one on the stand in my living room. Well, winters in Pennsylvania can get very cold indeed, and the barometric pressure and humidity can fluctuate wildly.

I noticed recently my SE Custom was not quite as comfy to play as it had been. Nothing crazy, just a slightly less silky feel. So, following a very basic YouTube video, I depressed the first string at the first and last fret. Sure enough, there was just a bit more clearance at the 7th-8th fret than I remember when I first got the guitar. I decided to tighten the truss rod about an eight of a turn. That helped! I retuned, turned it another eighth, and it is once again PERFECT. The culprit was just a seasonal change, I guess.

I know it possible to really screw things up with the truss rod, but as long as you’re careful and patient, there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ll leave intonation and action to the pros, but I’m glad I gave this a try.

 

[BrianC]

Yes, Rider here showed me the way with the TR and I am good with it now. It is a skill easily learned and VERY valuable!!

 

[Acnestes]

It's like a bi-monthly ritual on the coast where I live.
For what it's worth, I have found it valuable to re-check it maybe 3 days after you do the adjustment - It seems to me that it can settle just a bit with time, even though the major effect is pretty much immediate.

 

[Acnestes]

"I know it possible to really screw things up with the truss rod, but as long as you’re careful and patient, there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ll leave intonation and action to the pros, but I’m glad I gave this a try."

Don't be afraid to do basic adjustments! As long as you're not removing material (e.g.,filing nut slots) everything is reversible. It's all just turning screws, and they can all be turned back to where you started. Adjusating the string height and intonation is not hard and every player should be able to do it. All it takes is a decent tuner, the right Allen keys and patience.

 

[GuitarJammin]

I say learn to adjust intonation too, that isn't too difficult. It doesn't take much and really keeps your music sounding a lot better. There aren't any shops around where I live that do tech work. The one place that does can keep your guitar for an unreasonable amount of time. I was forced to learn it all on my own.