Question about truss rod adjusting on a strat

[Tazz3]

Sorry for the stupid questions i belong to other forums but i feel comfy asking them here, cause u guys know me

The strat i just ordered is a classic player 50's and i found out that it has the truss Rod adjuster in the heel,now i will never try to adjust the rod my self.
I know better,, but do they come from the fatory adjusted good?? What are the odds of haveing to mess with the rod on a brand new guiatr if thats the case i will just get a classic vibe lol

 

[BryMelvin]

Most people unless you travel a lot or tour end up at the most adjusting truss rods seasonally. If your guitar spends most of its time in the equipment trailer probably at each gig setup!

Truss rod in the heel is no biggie. If it's out a little loosen strings 10 turns. Capo around 12 4 screws.
bend neck right direction,( little me: I put it between my knees and bend like I'm stringing a bow) Turn 1/8 reassemble and tune. 7 minutes. You never turn more than 1/8 to 1/4 turn at a time anyway. Worst condition if it's fretting out bad and you have to loosen a lot. No big deal you can play with too much relief much better than too little.

A lot of guitarists obsess too much about too much relief. They should practice on an acoustic more and then they wouldn't notice.

 

[StoogeSurfer]

That's good advice. If you try to adjust the truss yourself remember small changes make big differences. Remember that you *tighten* (turn clockwise) the truss to flatten the neck. Opposite direction adds more bow (relief) to the neck, allowing the string tension to bow the neck. If you change your string size, going up or down in size, it's possible that a truss adjustment will be in order to give you the same action.

 

[tap4154]

The good thing about having the adjustment at heel is you're less tempted to mess with it. But as BryMelvin described it's not that hard, using a capo to keep the strings on. I only do it if I notice relief is WAY off, but I like a higher action anyway. For me, I can go years without touching the truss rod, but the climate here is pretty even year 'round.

 

[telemnemonics]

I do find that a brand new guitar more often than not needs a truss rod adjustment.
If you get a pro setup the first time it needs adjusting, then in the future if the action gets too high you tighten the rod 1/8- 1/4 turn, and if the action gets too low and buzzy, you loosen the rod 1/8- 1/4 turn.
When you first get it you might find it more difficult to figure out what is needed, between saddle heights and truss rod/ neck relief.
A pro setup the first time will give you a reference point to work from.

 

[Tazz3]

Thanks all for the advice, im not sure if i even want this kind of guitar

 

[tap4154]

Thanks all for the advice, im not sure if i even want this kind of guitar

Well, you could always get a Les Paul, then wait for the headstock to snap off

Seriously, you're worrying way too much. I had several of my heel-adjusted guitars for many years before I even touched the truss rod, and frankly I can remove the neck, give it a 1/8 turn and have it back together and tuned back up in five minutes.

 

[MilwMark]

Keep in mind, truss rods aren't really for action adjustments. They're to counteract the string tension.

 

[8barlouie]

I like a little more neck relief bacause I tend to hit em hard. Most times when I purchase a guitar it needs an adjustment one way or the other. Just like other have already stated, no bigee. You can always take it to a good tech for a $60 setup. Probably a good idea no matter what.

 

[telemnemonics]

Keep in mind, truss rods aren't really for action adjustments. They're to counteract the string tension.

Technically yes, but when the action on a properly adjusted guitar changes, it's usually because the neck relief changed and the truss rod needs adjustment, not usually because the saddles moved.

New guitars are another story...

 

[Jules78]

There are some great youtube videos on adjusting strat truss rods. Kip Bradford's video helped me. I would not be afraid to tackle it yourself. It will save you money on setups and you can keep your guitar in great condition even as temp
and humidity changes. You can also experiment with different setups and find what feels good. I think that part of being a good musician is learning to care for your guitars. Grt yourself the right tools and guages, watch some videos and make small adjustments.

 

[Platefire]

I shyed away from ever messing with a truss rod most of my guitar playing life. It's when I started buying cheap squires as project guitars to fix up that it seemed less of a threat as on my better guitars. Truthfully it's really simple. I guess I'm old school, because I sight down the edge of the fingerboard of the neck to check it. Bows is like a valley/drop in the middle of the neck and back bows is like a hump. So a valley is called relief.

People with an light easy touch tend to play on a flatter neck with less relief. With the neck set really straight you can get lower action and play really fast---but as a heavy handed string bender I find the strings set like that hard to get ahold of and bend. So I set my action a little high and a little relief with me don't hurt. I find with a little higher action and a little relief the strings really sing and sustain more than when they do right on top of the frets. So I like my neck almost straight with a hair of relief, action a little high. It's good to know just what your looking for, for your style of playing.

From my experience the need to remove relief by turning the truss rod clockwise is a lot more prevalent than adjusting counter-clockwise to gain relief. So once you see the relief/bow in the neck, as already indicated only turn the Allen wrench 1/8 to 1/4 turn at a time, stop and I let it sit over night and let it settle in---then check it the next day. If it still needs more, adjust the same amount and then let set again. There is safety in taking you time, being patient and continue to do it in small increments until you are there.

So first, your observe your neck to check for relief and make a determination---less relief or more relief. Once you determine if an adjustment is needed clockwise of counterclockwise, make it in small increments, set and observe. Once it's right and you happy with the improvement, no need to go any further. You have to overcome you fear by arming yourself with a good information & understanding of what your doing, take your time, stop and ask a forum question if you have to, then proceed again until your there step by step. Platefire

 

[ricardo1912]

Maybe its because the UK climate is not particularly extreme but I never touch truss rod adjustment once it is set up. The neck relief stays constant on all my guitars. I have guitars I bought new that came perfectly adjusted from the factory and have never been touched yet still have a decently low action and no fret buzz. I have occasionally had to tweak the neck relief on secondhand guitars but only when they first arrived.
So a new guitar should arrive properly adjusted and it really doesn't matter which end of the neck the truss rod is as you won't be tweaking it on a regular basis.

 

[Platefire]

ricardo1912

Your right no need in even fooling with it if your neck is right. I have some guitars that I have never adjusted the neck. Some guitars are more sensitive to seasonal changes and others are solid as the Rock of Jibraltar---UN-movable. I'm kind of old school guy with the moto, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Platefire

 

[xafinity]

IMO, For the vast majority of guitar owners the trussrod should be damn near impossible to find. Few people will bother to learn and understand setups and neck relief and so just turn the the rod this way and that because someone said to. If you have to ask which way and how much you should leave it alone. Watch a bunch of setup videos then just do it but not just because you think thats what people do. Measure stuff first. For neck relief you dont even need to measure just sight down the barrel.
I agree if it aint broke dont break it.