Guitar Truss Rod Adjustment Diagram

Adjusting a guitar truss rod is a key part of maintaining optimal playability.

Guitar truss rod adjustment diagram.

Understanding your truss rod. Its purpose is to help counteract the forces on the neck from the tension of steel strings. A truss rod is an interior metal bar running the entire length of a guitar s neck. Guitar truss rod adjustment guide this article provides a top level view of how a truss rod works and how to adjust a truss rod.

Adjusting guitar truss rods. But a change in string gauges climate especially a change in humidity or simply the player s taste may require an adjustment even on a new guitar. Different manufacturers put them in different places but they re usually at the headstock under a cap just behind the nut or where the neck joins the body just under. Typically a properly adjusted truss rod will leave a neck.

And slightly worn frets simply by adjusting the truss rod. The neck of most guitars has what s known as a truss rod which is a one or two piece adjustable metal rod that goes down the inside of the center of the neck. When a quality guitar leaves the factory the truss rod is adjusted according to the maker s taste in setup specs. When tightened it counteracts the tension created by the strings the strings pull the neck forward.

You can adjust the truss rod with a nut located at one end. Tune the guitar to pitch and hold the guitar in the playing position not laying on its back then use an 18 precision straightedge to see if the neck s straight. It seems that there is an unspoken rule that truss rod adjustments can only be performed by professionals with years of experience. Before you do anything to your truss rod you need to have a reasonably good understanding of truss rods.

The truss rod pulls the neck backward. The truss rod is a thin steel rod fitted into a curved channel within the neck of electric and acoustic steel stringed guitars and basses see the diagram below. Diy truss rod adjustment.