I've noticed on a couple of my necks that tightening the truss rod does not have the same outcome. One, when I tighten it, it causes back bow. The other neck is the opposite, when I tighten it, it causes front bow. Is this normal? HAve I gone mAd?

one is off a MIM Strat, that one back-bows when tightened at the headstock. The other is off a Tele copy (headstock). Does it make sense that they would be different? I have a Warmoth that front-bows from tightening at the heel, but that is from the heel so it makes sense. Maybe I just screwed up and got it backwards.

Does not compute.

Are you sure you're tightening when you think you are?

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Regardless which end of the fingerboard the adjustment nut is, by "tighten" we mean turning it clockwise - yes? On every trussrod I have ever met of whatever design (vintage, modern, double-action, etc) tightening/turning the rod clockwise causes/increases backbow.

My US Fenders have "bi-flex" trussrods, and I have myself built necks with both WDMusic's and Stew-Mac's "double-action" trussrods. On all of these, if you continue to turn the nut anti-clockwise past the relaxed position it will continue the other way and force frontbow. Never in my life encountered a neck where that was necessary - but I guess the feature must be there for some reason or other, beyond increasing the price slightly.

However, in my experience clockwise always means increased backbow. "Righty-tighty, lefty-loosy". Second time today I've typed that silly but effective phrase...

But I haven't met every trussrod on every guitar: as always I stand to be corrected.

Cheers - C

Thanks for the info. I think I just got confused when I misinterpreted the results I was getting. What you all are saying makes sense. It must have been a brain cloud.

righty tighty, lefty loosey.. well depends on where you're turning

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If I Like It...
I Just Do It...

Well yes!

I often used to feel there was room for confusion on that saying when I used to see it quoted in guitar magazine Q&As. Once you realise it assumes you're looking at the top of the screw head at the end of the rod it makes sense (regardless which end of the neck the adjuster is):



BTW: that's not my photo, I just lifted it off the net. Anyone spot anything missing on that neck?

Perhaps this quick diagram clears it up once and for all:



Or just think of that nut head as the top of a jar of peanut butter. Does that help...?

Cheers - C

Actually that's the only function of that particular feature as near as i can tell.




Not at all, he just has really high quality fibreglass frets on it.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Ah-ha, would those be the Emperor's New Frets? I believe I saw an item about those in Guitarist magazine. Or rather I didn't - if you see what I mean. (Or if you don't see what I mean... Gosh, this could get complicated.)

Cheers - C

Hehehe!

I hear you need to use the force when doing any fret work on those.

Ooooh! Is that a Rondo Music body attached to that neck Mr C?

Andy

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Pending Greatness

Crunchy or creamy? Aaargh, your analogies are too confusing!

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I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.

Heck yes, I'd forgotten what a difference that can make.

Well then the crunchy one with jalapenos.

Cheers - C

(PS: there's a few people just not quite certain if that's real or not...)