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Your Trussrods?
Do you adjust them regularly through the year as seasons and temps change etc?
Sorry for almost repeating a thread, but I didn't want to Hi-jack the String Buzz thread, but I was going to post this anyway tonight.
I tweeked the Wolfgang a few weeks back and it's ok, but I found the VSOP to be a little on the high side tonight.
I was practicing a16th note triplets Rhythm excercise using an E9 Chord and I may have got a bit carried away but I found myself struggling a little more than with the Wolfgang, It felt like the action was a bit high.
I actually broke the thin E while practicing this. I haven't broke a string whilst playing for as long as I can remember(I don't play like a Fairy either), the set is only 7 weeks old, so thats about 49 hours of playtime per guitar. I usually change strings every 12 weeks.
I know it's nowt new but it felt like the effort I was putting into the excercise was due to a high action that needs adjusting.
I just want to gauge how often you lot Tweek as I don't want to become an Over-Tweeker and do possible damage to the guitars. I'm a New Tweeker really.
Cheers Fellas.
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"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
@ICBM
I'm ok with the tools, it all came with the Guitar, it's just an Allen Key Socket.
Thank You.
@richardhomer
Hi Rich, the VSOP(Which is in esscence a Strat) is nearly new, but I have no idea if that should mean it doesn't "move", I;m not clued up enough.
All it is is that I've only for the first time in years of playing actually tweeked the trussrod on one of my guitars and I'll get paranoid thinking I'm "Overdoing it" when really that might be what most players do all year round.
@BenSirAmos made me think twice on the String Buzz thread saying unless you(The OP) are sure don't adjust anything or you may cause problems.
The action did seem a tad high on the VSOP, I'm only talking probably under 1/8 of a turn.
Thanks.
1/8-1/4 turn I'd say us fine, if the truss feels stiff take it easy, get it checked. I once got a phone call from my dad after he managed to pop the rod out through the fingerboard on his Warwick...
@Van_Hayden Ooooh, bet you enjoyed that phone call %-(
Thank you for the advice.
You should always evaluate the straightness of a neck with the guitar tuned to concert pitch, held in the playing position (ie not flat on a work bench). Capo at the first fret and use your right hand to press the the bottom E and the top E on to the last fret. You are looking for a gap between the base of the string and the seventh/eighth on the bass side of around half a millimetre. If you play hard and use heavy strings, more may be desirable.
Tweak the rod clockwise to tighten (which will reduce relief) - or anti-clockwise to increase relief. As long as you don't exceed an eighth of a turn at a time and always use the right key (to avoid chewing up the the adjuster), all will be well....
@richardhomer.
Thanks, Rich. I think it was you you who helped me with my "Virgin Tweek" on the Wolfgang back on the old site.
In other words, they don't know what they are doing....
The basic skills needed to set up a guitar are something I believe anyone can (and should) master. As a player, surely YOU are best placed to decide exactly how you want your guitar to feel. You know how hard you play (in terms or right-hand attack) and how hard you press the strings down with your left hand. So the best person to evaluate how much relief is needed, how low you can drop the action and set the intonation is YOU.
A skilled 'tech' should take these playing traits into account when setting up a guitar, but personally I'd rather do this stuff myself. All my guitars play the way I want them too and intonate properly.
Genuinely, this stuff is straight-forward.
Good luck with the tweaking.....
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"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
ICBM is right, you need to do your research before you start tweaking. There was a major change in the truss rods design at some point in the 80s which meant you don't need to relax the pressure before adjustment.