action question

[Big Dainjerus]

hey guys, my action seems to be a little high. How do I lower it? I sometimes mess with the truss rod but im scared to turn it a lot, and i wanted to ask you guys first. Cause i think i remember someone here saying that the truss rod only aligns the fret board, and does not raise or lower it. So what would be my best bet? ALso, I am having some high E string slippage issues...maybe my axis is really an EVH! Could this be because i am tuned down a half step and the strings may be more succeptible to slipping???

keep it real.

 

[bluebullet]

dont be afraid to adjust the trussrod just move it a little at a time like a quarter turn then give it some time to move a couple of hours, some people wait a day to be really safe then play it and if you want it lower give it another quarter turn and try it again. if you start to get fretbuzz on the upper frets then back it off a little. as far as the string slipping off the neck im not sure about that one.

 

[tommyindelaware]

hey guys, my action seems to be a little high. How do I lower it? I sometimes mess with the truss rod but im scared to turn it a lot, and i wanted to ask you guys first. Cause i think i remember someone here saying that the truss rod only aligns the fret board, and does not raise or lower it. So what would be my best bet? ALso, I am having some high E string slippage issues...maybe my axis is really an EVH! Could this be because i am tuned down a half step and the strings may be more succeptible to slipping???

keep it real.

the truss rod only affects typically the middle 2/3 of the fingerboard. to affect the action on the upper frets...you use the bridge height . tune to the pitch you will be using...and and adjust your truss rod so that your neck is flat. then adjust the bridge height to the upper frets (12th and up ) so that the action up there is where you need it.......then use the truss rod to relieve the straightnees of the fingerboard enough that when you strike a note in the middle and lower register......there is room for the string to travel w/out buzzing on a fret.........

also tuning down a half step w/9's is VERY slinky.......even 10's for me.....

 

[bluebullet]

if its a axis with a floyd than it is flush against the body and cant be dropped any further the trussrod or shimming the neck are the only options.

 

[Big Dainjerus]

how can i tell when the fretboard is flat?

 

[hambucker]

Look down the length from the nut end in some goo light. You will be able to see a concave curve (forward bow), or convex curve (back-bowing).

 

[jongitarz]

how can i tell when the fretboard is flat?

You can also use the string as a makeshift straight edge, and look at it from the side.

 

[bluebullet]

if you have the floyd flush against the body then just keep tweeking the trussrod till you get the action were you like it and if you start to get buzz on the lower frets then back it off. if you want micro action on the upper frets the you will need to shim but then you start to fret out on bends. checking how straight your neck is is over complicating things with the floyds because you really have no bridge adjustments you can make anyway. the saddles dont adjust up and down and the bridge is set as low as it can go. luckily the folks at music man are really good at what they do so the neck shims installed at the factory are just about perfect so the trussrod will more than likley be all you need to tweek . thats just my opinion and what ive found to work on my axis .