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Post subject: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:10 pm
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I could really use some help here. After reading the post, "Fret Buzz Solution," by Rossfloss, I still have a minor question. The action is much lower on my guitar from the 1st fret to say the 3rd or 4th, and gets higher and higher as you approach the 22nd fret. Overall, I feel the action is way too high on the guitar but because of the fact that it's so low near the headstock, I am experiencing fret buzz and am unable to lower the action. From my untrained eye, my neck seems to have a slight concave bow looking from the headstock down to the body. Does the solution require a truss rod adjustment? Thanks in advance.

Just an FYI, I am referring to my 2010 American Deluxe Telecaster with stock strings.


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 5:04 am
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If you fret the 1st and last fret, you should be able to slide a calling card under the 12th fret. That's the way I understand checking truss rod adjustment and bow of the neck. Maybe your nut is too low, it's to new to be worn?


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 11:40 am
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I always say this.....

Are you getting fret buzz acoustically or plugged in and through an amp (or headphones).

I ask because you can have some fret buzz acoustically and still be absolutely fine through an amp.

A general rule of thumb is that if you have fret buzz in the lower frets only, you need more relief. If you have fret buzz in the upper frets only, you have too much relief.

Look around and check out youtube setup vids. There are lots of them. Fenders are relatively easy to adjust.

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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:13 pm
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Thanks for the replies. I am getting buzz both acoustically and through the amp. I made a slight counter clockwise adjustment and am letting the wood settle. I am a little concerned that this will not fix the problem as the bow seems to be pretty asymmetrical. In other words, from midway to the headstock the neck pulls, or curves up from the body. From midway to the body, there doesn't seem to be any curvature whatsoever. As an amateur, I don't see how this could be corrected with relief but I guess I'll see. Is a micro-tilt adjustment in my near future also?


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 3:26 am
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Does your guitar have micro-tilt? if not, some people put a shim in their neck joint. I use half a business card that sits in the half of the pocket that is closest to the body, which sounds like it may help your dilemma as well.


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 5:28 pm
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+1 on the neck angle! Although the strings should get further from the board as you go towards the last fret, it shouldn't be a dramatic change. You can either play with the micro-tilt (look it up online), or use a shim to set the neck at a better back-angle. Then check your setup and add/remove relief if needed. And set the string height if needed.


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 4:04 am
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Yea it does have the micro tilt option. I decided on Saturday that since it's a new guitar that has gone through a decent humidity change to take it to a professional. I don't really feel comfortable making so many different adjustments. I did learn a lot about truss rod adjustments (and feel pretty comfortable tackling that) so my next lesson will be setting the height of the bridge saddles and making micro-tilt adjustments. I'm going to practice on my Epiphone Les Paul though, not my Deluxe!! There is also a grounding issue they are going to check out so it worked out in the end. Thanks everyone!


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 4:54 pm
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Check the set-up info that came with your guitar but I believe a counter clockwise adjustment loosens the truss rod and removes relief from the neck. If it's tool straight you will get fret buzz.

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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:11 am
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I made a couple adjustments with no success so I took it into an authorized repairman for a setup. There was also an obnoxious buzz with my N3s that needed checked out so I said hey, let's kill a couple birds here. The pickup buzz was driving me nuts and originally I thought it was a grounding issue but I believe they checked current flow (normal) and are to the point of putting another new set of N3s in. It's been a couple weeks since I dropped it off and haven't had a good opportunity to chat with my luthier but I'll let everyone know the end result.

Lee


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:22 pm
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You do the best thing : see a repaiman.

Guitar neck set up is not a rocket science but you have to understand very well how things works.


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:41 pm
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First find out what radius your neck is. Then get a metal straight edge that is long enough to run the length of the fretboard. Lay the straight edge long the top middle fretboard and measure the gap around the 12th fret. It should be .010 for 9.5 radius or .012 for 7.5 radius. If your truss rod is adjusted to these specs then you may need to shim the heel of your neck. Also you should look into a possible fret dressing and leveling


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 5:08 pm
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Tepidy, your are close to a good answer . But too late the guitar is at a repairman

Truss rod adjustment for neck curve is one thing and shimming neck for string action in another thing.

Neck curve is NOT only one setting as you said 0.010 for 9.5 radius or 0.12 for 7.5 radius. Those two settind could be a center but you can go lower or higher. You have to adjust with your string gauge AND if you play hard or not , AND your strings action.
Many guitarist use straight neck, no curve.

After the neck curve is ok :
Strings action ; to high on 22 th fret; screw down your saddles. If you can't, now is time to shim the neck pocket. The string comes closer to the fret board


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 5:11 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
Tepidy, your are close to a good answer . But too late the guitar is at a repairman

Truss rod adjustment for neck curve is one thing and shimming neck for string action in another thing.

Neck curve is NOT only one setting as you said 0.010 for 9.5 radius or 0.12 for 7.5 radius. Those two settind could be a center but you can go lower or higher. You have to adjust with your string gauge AND if you play hard or not , AND your strings action.
Many guitarist use straight neck, no curve.

After the neck curve is ok :
Strings action ; to high on 22 th fret; screw down your saddles. If you can't, now is time to shim the neck pocket. The string comes closer to the fret board

Correct


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 6:02 pm
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I actually felt somewhat comfortable adjusting the truss rod and I'm sure I could have learned how to properly use the micro-tilt with some good reading. The guitar has a compound radius that goes from 9.5" at the first fret to 14". To make matters even more difficult, I wanted to go to 10's for strings which required some nut work (another skill I'm not comfortable performing). AND, I have been getting a very invasive buzz from the guitar and after performing multiple tests, my luthier is having some new N3s sent to him to swap out the pickups. It was kind of inevitable that I had to take the guitar in and to be honest, I feel much better about it. A brand new guitar like that shouldn't be the first-time patient for me anyways. All the advice given will go a long way as I am learning many important things about setups and I appreciate your help guys!


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Post subject: Re: Truss Rod Adjustment?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 4:44 am
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One thing I forgot to tell about ajusting truss rod ; WAINT COUPLE HOURS between each ajustement.
The truss rod and neck move very slowly and takes time to be in is right positon.

And when you think neck is ok , WAIT 48 hours make sure it is right.


You can't make a good adjustements in fews minute or the same day.


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