1st time neck adjustment, truss rod end about 1/8" from the neck, Yikes??

[kevorkazito]

On a 6-string JP MM...

I finally adjusted my neck (earlier post on how to do it:http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14454&highlight=kevorkazito)

My strings are buzzing a lot less but I had unscrew the truss rod quite a bit to get it to give some relief. Now the end of the truss rod (that nut with the holes in it) is about 1/8" from the end of the neck.

Have I loosened it too far? Should I tighten it to make it so it such that the nut is touching the end of the neck?

Thanks for your assistance!

Funny thing is that I had assumed that to put the relief (forward bow) that it was required to tighten the truss rod. Then the strings were coming tight to the frets.

I received the great advice to bar the 2nd and 15th frets and check it for a space between the frets at the 7th to 9th frets.

TIA,
tobi

 

[robelinda2]

i have no idea, but Fly By Night is a great album!

 

[Jimi D]

Yes, you've loosened your truss rod nut too far... as a rule, you shouldn't move it more than ½ turn at a time, then let the neck settle in... The nut is useless if it isn't snugged against the butt of the neck, so if you have it ⅛" away from the neck, you've totally slacked off the truss rod... this means there's no counter-balance to the force the string pull is exerting on the neck - I don't know what that might mean in the long run, but I suspect it could cause problems...

 

[brentrocks]

i hope you have all the relief you need now, because you arent gonna get anymore.

 

[kevorkazito]

OK, thanks. I'll snug that baby up.

The relief is great now. I actually wanted more because some areas of my neck, like 10 to 17 fret were still sounding like a sitar.

So I went to the bridge and increased the height. The axe is playing wonderful now.

i hope you have all the relief you need now, because you arent gonna get anymore.

 

[jappy]

Am I missing something here, or are the rumours about permanently stuffing up your neck through unqualified truss rod adjustments false?

 

[beej]

Am I missing something here, or are the rumours about permanently stuffing up your neck through unqualified truss rod adjustments false?

Huh? You'd have to go out of your way to damage your neck by using the truss rod. Just don't crank it to the point of breaking.

 

[jappy]

Yeh I think I might have to start venturing into that area... I've always been told never to touch the truss rod unless you knew what you were doing.

 

[robelinda2]

Yeh I think I might have to start venturing into that area... I've always been told never to touch the truss rod unless you knew what you were doing.

yeah but its easier to adjust on an EBMM axe if you are inexperienced, i think strats
( as an example ) are a complete ass of a guitar to adjust even if you are fully experienced!

 

[candid_x]

Yeh I think I might have to start venturing into that area... I've always been told never to touch the truss rod unless you knew what you were doing.

Adjusting the truss rod is like adjusting the air in your car’s tires. No big deal, if you don’t go to extremes. That’s what the truss is there for. One of my Sil necks is as stable as a rock. The other needs an occasional truss rod tweak. EBMM has the most intelligently designed truss rod adjustment system I’ve ever seen.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

My balls are the only guitars whose necks I have adjusted.

 

[jamminjim]

I don't know, Fender necks seem pretty easy to adjust to me. Granted, balls are certainly easier, but the others aren't that difficult with the right tools. Thing I like about balls is the lack of having to have a specified tool. The adjustment can be done just about anywhere with all kinds of different "tools".

Another thing that can't be stressed enough is to make small adjustments and then allow sufficient time for the neck to settle, not all necks FULLY react to adjustments immediately, in my experience.

 

[beej]

I don't know, Fender necks seem pretty easy to adjust to me.

Yeah- the ones with the truss rod ending at the headstock. But the ones that require removing the neck to tweek? Sheesh! You can be at that forever before you get it right!

 

[candid_x]

Yeah- the ones with the truss rod ending at the headstock. But the ones that require removing the neck to tweek? Sheesh! You can be at that forever before you get it right!

Exactly. Had a Warmoth strat with a ..erm, I forget what after-market neck, and it was very unstable. Had to unscrew the neck for each truss adjustment. Then had to wait again for it to settle in. Then do it all again. What a pain.