Fender Acoustic Guitar Truss Rod Adjustment

Most guitars have incorporated truss rods since at least the middle of the 20th century.

Fender acoustic guitar truss rod adjustment. Download my 20 top diy guitar maintenance tools. 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. Tighten the truss rod adjusting nut to straighten a neck that has an up bow. It s a special truss rod or truss rod system if you like developed and first used by fender in the early 1980s.

A nut at one end of it often accessible at the headstock end of a guitar with an allen wrench although it s sometimes at the butt end of the neck allows it to be tightened or loosened as necessary. The trick is knowing when you ve got the neck the way you want it. 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. Loosen the nut if the neck is back bowed.

Adjusting a guitar truss rod is a key part of maintaining optimal playability. Understanding your truss rod. Before you do anything to your truss rod you need to have a reasonably good understanding of truss rods. These are metal rods that run through the neck of the guitar and attach to the body.

Fender also offers a double action truss rod adjustment wheel on all american elite models that makes it a snap to address neck relief. 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. When a quality guitar leaves the factory the truss rod is adjusted according to the maker s taste in setup specs. Here s how to evaluate and adjust your electric or acoustic neck with a minimum of tools.

Sight the neck to see what condition it s in. You can adjust the truss rod with a nut located at one end. It has remained in use ever since on a relatively small number of electric guitars. 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.