Truss Rod Adjustemnt on Axis

[Rayneman]

The action on my Axis has been a little goofy lately (the heat has been on more often lately).

I made an adjustment that I thought would get things back to normal - turned the truss rod knob with an allen wrench clockwise (or toward the bottom cutaway on a right handed guitar). This is what I have normally done to alleviate fret buzz toward the first couple of frets.

Today, I come to find that the action is VERY high, and the neck seems to be in a more "U" shape of curvature, thus the higher action. I figure I must have made too much of an adjustment.

Before I go and screw around with this some more, is my solution to turn the know counter-clockwise - toward me if I'm holding the guitar in playing positions? Maybe I'm all confused with the direction it should be going and I want to make sure.

I appreciate any help I can get!!!!!

EDIT: I searched for an answer but couldn't find one.

THANKS.

 

[hbucker]

Turning it clockwise should tighten the rod and straighten the neck (less relief). Turning it counterclockwise should loosen the rod causing it to bend with the pull of the strings.

 

[nobozos]

Rayneman, I'll try to help you out as much as I can.

First of all, there is MUCH more to adjusting your neck relief than simply turning your truss rod adjustment wheel one way or the other until you don't get fret buzz.
The first thing you need to do to get your neck adjusted correctly is to have a capot, and some "feeler gauges" on hand so that you can measure the gap between the string and the frets.

1) Put the capot on the first fret.
2) Fret the sixth string (E) at the last fret.
3) Check the string clearance at the eighth fret.(no less than .005", no more than .015")
4) To increase clearance, turn counterclockwise
-To decrease clearance, turn clockwise
5) Retune, and repeat these steps until proper adjustment is achieved

Now that your neck is adjusted properly, you can set your string action.

I have found on the Axis's I have had, there really isn't much you can adjust, except to raise the string height. You can only lower the pivot bolts on the Floyd Rose to a certian point before the back of the Floyd starts to get kicked up at an odd angle, and is no longer parallel with the body. Luckily, the Axis's I have played have all had great action at the lowest setting.

The proper neck adjustment should take care of your problem though.

All of the information I just gave you is from the Wolfgang Owner's Manual, which you can download for free from Peavey.com. The guitars are so similar, you can use the owners manual to make adjustments to the Axis.

I wish EBMM would make similar manuals for their guitars so that I didn't have to refer you to Peavey. The good thing about the Wolfgang manual is that it explains every adjustment that can be made to the guitar in enough detail so that the average player can easily make the adjustments himself. Everything from adjusting intonation, to properly setting up the D-Tuna.

Let me know if this helped you out, or if I can help anymore.

 

[CubanoSucio]

Hello,

That was good info, thanks. I have a question too. My SS is a LEFTY and was wondering if the adjustment is the same for a lefty. Can anyone answer this for me please? Thanks in advance.

 

[nobozos]

I can't say with any amount of certianty, but I believe the clockwise/counterclockwise adjustment will be opposite on a lefty neck.

The best advice I can give you is to go through the neck relief adjustment procedure as described above, and see which direction increases/decreases the distance from the eighth fret to the string.

 

[Dr. Metal]

In regards to the truss rod adjustment procedure, does this also apply to the MM Petrucci's. THey have the same problem of no documentation.

Also, one thing I have heard over the years is to NEVER turn the truss rod more than a 1/4 turn at any given time. Does that mean in a 24 hour period or just as you are turning it to adjust it?

Rick
http://www.CriticalPathBand.org

 

[nobozos]

I would imagine that the procedure would be the same, I can't see where there would be any differences.

So far as the no more than a quarter turn at a time thing goes, I would say that it depends on the guitar. I had a PRS custom 24 which has a double acting truss rod, and if you turned that thing a quarter turn, you would be able to shoot arrows off of it.

I think maybe what they are trying to say is to make your adjustments in no more than quarter turn increments.

 

[Dr. Metal]

OK, that makes sense. Thanks a lot for your help. Now to just get MM to actually include some real documentation (and cases) with their fine instruments!!

 

[nobozos]

Whoa, Dr. Metal, where did you buy your JP? As far as I know, all the EBMM's are shipped with cases, which should be included in the price. At least that's the way it is with the Axis.

Can someone from Ernie Ball please verify this?

I have heard of some music stores selling the guitar a little below retail, and then charging extra for the case, which is supposed to be included in the transaction.

Again, I can only speak from what I know about the Axis, but I can't imagine Ernie Ball having a different policy for a Signature Series guitar like the JP.

 

[Greg]

All Music Man guitars are shipped in hard shell cases. The case is included in the retail price.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[nobozos]

Thanks Greg, that's what I thought.

Dr. Metal, if you bought that guitar new from the guitar shop, and they didn't give you the case for it, I would go down there and raise holy hell until I got it. I might say something like, "Is Ernie Ball aware that you are not selling the cases with the guitars, and what will they do when I call and tell them that you are not?"

I'm sure whoever that guitar shop deals with at Ernie
Ball would not be too happy to find out they didn't include the case on the deal.

 

[Dr. Metal]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to mislead you guys... I did get the official hardshell case with my JP, I'm just unhappy with the extremely poor fit.

For a guitar of this caliber (and price), I would expect a case that fits more snug. There is something like a 4 inch gap at the top of the lower horn (that part that curves out from the neck) and probably about 3 inches from the inside of the horn to the case. The bottom edge has about an inch or so gap. I stuff a polishing cloth there so the guitar doesn't rock around as much.

So, yes I got a case, just not happy with it and the lack of documentation. But I can't praise the guitar enough!!! I love this thing!!!

Thanks for your help.

 

[Kirkster57]

Hello, I have a lefty SS too and the neck adjustments are the same as a righty. Clockwise to tighten and CC to loosen (more relief).

Hello,

That was good info, thanks. I have a question too. My SS is a LEFTY and was wondering if the adjustment is the same for a lefty. Can anyone answer this for me please? Thanks in advance.

 

[Kirkster57]

I wish EB would put together a manual too. At least post specs on the Web site of something. Would be nice to have something to refer to.

Rayneman, I'll try to help you out as much as I can.

First of all, there is MUCH more to adjusting your neck relief than simply turning your truss rod adjustment wheel one way or the other until you don't get fret buzz.
The first thing you need to do to get your neck adjusted correctly is to have a capot, and some "feeler gauges" on hand so that you can measure the gap between the string and the frets.

1) Put the capot on the first fret.
2) Fret the sixth string (E) at the last fret.
3) Check the string clearance at the eighth fret.(no less than .005", no more than .015")
4) To increase clearance, turn counterclockwise
-To decrease clearance, turn clockwise
5) Retune, and repeat these steps until proper adjustment is achieved

Now that your neck is adjusted properly, you can set your string action.

I have found on the Axis's I have had, there really isn't much you can adjust, except to raise the string height. You can only lower the pivot bolts on the Floyd Rose to a certian point before the back of the Floyd starts to get kicked up at an odd angle, and is no longer parallel with the body. Luckily, the Axis's I have played have all had great action at the lowest setting.

The proper neck adjustment should take care of your problem though.

All of the information I just gave you is from the Wolfgang Owner's Manual, which you can download for free from Peavey.com. The guitars are so similar, you can use the owners manual to make adjustments to the Axis.

I wish EBMM would make similar manuals for their guitars so that I didn't have to refer you to Peavey. The good thing about the Wolfgang manual is that it explains every adjustment that can be made to the guitar in enough detail so that the average player can easily make the adjustments himself. Everything from adjusting intonation, to properly setting up the D-Tuna.

Let me know if this helped you out, or if I can help anymore.

 

[horton]

I have a dumb question...

When adjusting the truss rod, should the guitar be in standard tuning(high tension)

or should I detune(release tension) the strings before I adjust?

 

[candid_x]

I have a dumb question...

When adjusting the truss rod, should the guitar be in standard tuning(high tension)

or should I detune(release tension) the strings before I adjust?

Keep in your regular tuning, whatever that be, when adjusting the rod.

 

[jim1h]

The info provided on the ernie ball web site for action adjustment on my axis worked a treat, I have a right handed axis and turned the adjustment wheel on full turn clockwise, (one full turn is from the far position on the left to the far position on the right) I didnt touch the floyd at all to lower the action.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I wish EB would put together a manual too. At least post specs on the Web site of something. Would be nice to have something to refer to.

Well its been posted now, for all eternity for all to see!