It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:27 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 32 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3
Author Message
Post subject: Re: the best tool to adjust the truss rod reissue 57
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 1:13 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:28 pm
Posts: 1594
Location: SoCal, US
John Sims wrote:
I do think the internet has encouraged the fascination of constantly adjusting the truss rod and I don't think people considered it as a necessity "back in the day". You could argue that the head adjustment appeared in the 70's so it wasn't the internet but I would counter that this was probably as a result of the three bolt location and micro tilt. Perhaps it was then that people became more inclined to adjust relief, because they could and micro tilt encouraged them to carry out their own adjustments?

Agreed 100%.
Truss rod and micro-tilt. I think the changes that were made were more for marketing. With Gibson, the neck is fixed, but the bridge provides the geometry adjustment for the strings. Fender (Strat, Tele, and bass) had "fine" adjustment on the saddles, but gross adjustments had to be made shimming the neck.

In 40 years I have never once felt the need to shim or adjust a neck.
In 40 years I have only felt the need to adjust a truss rod once... and that was on a brand new Epiphone SG in 2014.
That said, I have always lived in SoCal, so our humidity is relatively stable. The humidity inside my home is always pretty constant at 35-45% and we keep it between 70 and 76 degrees.

_________________
-- Rich


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: the best tool to adjust the truss rod reissue 57
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 7:48 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:57 pm
Posts: 1089
Location: Rossendale UK
stratmangler wrote:
Some guitars have screw holes that are very tight fitting, and it is physically impossible to do what's shown in the video.
In such a case you'd need to slacken the strings right off, capo the strings at the first fret, and completely undo the neck screws in order to get to the nut.
My son's 60s lacquer Stratocaster is one such case in point. At some point I'll pull it apart again, and work the screw hole sizes up a touch


I was tracking down a mechanical buzz on this Strat today, and I wondered if the noise might be coming from the truss rod adjuster, so the neck was taken off, and the adjuster given a very minor tweak clockwise (ie tightened).

Whilst the neck was off I measured the neck screws to find that they were 4.2mm diameter outer thread, so I'd need a slightly larger drill bit. I have a very large set of drill bits, and 4.5mm is covered, so I used one at that size.
I ran the drill bit through each hole in the body a few times, brushing away the cut material on each pass, and refitted the neck, neckplate and screws, and tightened things up.
The neck is now very solidly attached, much more so than was possible before.

The guitar now feels as solidly made as my USA Strat Deluxe.
The bonus is that when the truss rod needs tweaking the neck can be popped instead of being removed.

The negative is I wonder why Fender couldn't make the damned thing right in the first place.
I have a list of gripes with this one instrument that's as long as my arm, and it shouldn't be the case with an instrument that costs the thick end of a grand. :evil:

_________________
Chris :)

Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 32 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: