Hello all,

I have a 1979 Fullerton Strat with a 3-bolt & micro-tilt neck. I recently noticed that there was a LOT of neck relief, so I've been adjusting it over a several day period. In about 7 days, I've turned the truss rod 360 degrees (restricting myself to a 1/4 turn a day, letting the neck adjust, then checking relief). The relief has come down i.e. the neck is getting less bowed, but I'm wondering how much is too much truss rod turning?

I am currently at .018 at the 8th fret (capo on first fret, 6th string depressed at dusty end), and I'd like to get it back to the specs described in "The Fender Stratocaster Handbook", pg 100. Which describes .012 for 7.25" neck radius. My neck does seem to be 7.25" from nut to bridge.

I am using the techniques described in that book and in Dan Erlewine's "How to make you electric guitar play great"

I guess the reason I am being so cautious and asking here before preceeding is that this guitar has never needed significant truss rod adjustments. I've recently switched brands of strings, but not gauges. Could that have an effect?

I am adjusting this with strings at pitch, which I believe to be the correct approach. Yes? No?

Thanks for any advice, especially if you have one of these types of necks. Doesn't seem to be tons of info about this specific neck style.

I've seen it recommended to be done both ways. Since you have done it with the strings at pitch, try detuning them, adjusting the truss rod a bit and then retuning. That will take the stress off turning the nut.

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Bill

Welcome.

Yes, you have a 7.25" radius fingerboard.

Even the same gauge of strings can have different tensions depending on their alloy.

If your neck is severely bowed (and evidently it is), relax the string tension and tighten the rod past the point of what you would approximate as 'enough'. Don't get crazy with it though. Then, bring the strings back up to pitch and sight the neck. If you've overdone it, its always easier to back off the rod. If there's still a nasty bow, repeat the above procedure. If its minor and in either case, if you start meeting too much resistance while tightening, lie the guitar flat, immobilize the body and manually start arching the neck by pushing down on the "ball" of the headstock while tightening the rod.

Lastly, truss rods do bind. A very effective trick I use is to hold the guitar right below the headstock with one hand and again, without going nuts, give the back of the neck several palm heel raps all over. This will not only free up the rod but it will accelerate the wood to 'cooperate' with what the rod wants it to do.

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You dig?

Thanks for all the tips.

In addition to the loosening and tightening tips above, I actually would up removing the neck and putting it on a straight-edge (a cast aluminium level) with some bungie cords to pull the neck in the correct direction. Obviously this is a somewhat risky thing to do, but Dan Erlewine demonstrated this technique, and the neck was being very stubborn. (Although Dan actually uses wood clamps). The bungies were not too tight - just enough to persuade the neck to go in the right direction with the additional truss rod tightening.

The good news is it's dead flat now, so when I put the strings back on, I am hoping to hit just the right amount of relief.

I also discovered that I need a new nut, which I am in the process of making.

i like that book of dans very much. i learned a ton from that book.
when i first got it i sat down and read it cover to cover w/o stopping lol.
there is a new edition coming out in june with updated techniques and a follow along DVD, so remember to keep an eye out for that.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

When adjusting traditional one-way truss rods, I ALWAYS detune before tightening the rod any. I leave it strung to pitch if loosening. If you really crank the rod due to the neck not moving under string tension, you will be compressing the wood behind the nut, and doing nothing to make the neck move. I loosen my strings, use one hand to slightly pull the headstock back, taking all tension off the rod. Then I snug the nut up and let go of the headstock. The neck will stay at this point. Tune up and check the relief. Repeat until correct measurement is achieved! :D:D