I bought a brand new Martin 00-18 in April. The neck/action was fine when I bought it.
I picked it up today having not touched it for about 3 or 4 weeks and immediately saw the action has become very high (5mm+ on low E) and the neck has clearly bowed. Should I be concerned with a sudden shift like this? My other acoustics (kept in the same room) are all fine.
Presumably the shop I bought it would remedy this for free but it's probably a 2 hour 30 min round trip. Should I just by the necessary truss rod adjustment tool and do it myself?
Comments
"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
Cheers, better buy myself the appropriate tool then
"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
If after that the action still isn't low enough, *then* maybe think about having a professional look at it if you're not comfortable shaving down a bridge saddle yourself.
"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
Would you drive 2-1/2 hours to take it back under warranty if a string broke? Replacing a string is at about the same level of technical difficulty as adjusting a truss rod.
"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
A diagnosis is always a first quest before any adjustment and an acceptable level of experience is of the essence. Anyone can turn a nut, not everyone understands why! You can't compare the changing of a string to a truss rod adjustment.
Easier to copy and paste an answer..........................................
"The risks when adjusting a truss rod are:
Only the first and last are permanent.
The long term risk is that the last one may not happen immediately. A change in humidity or string tension in the future may cause it to crack weeks or months after the adjustment.
Any neck where the truss rod has caused damage will have had some preexisting defect. If there is no defects present you will be able to over tighten the TR until the guitar is basically impossible to play and not cause any damage. I don't recommend trying it but guitar necks are incredibly strong and generally only fail from impacts or due to defects"
You're actually more likely to damage a guitar trying to get a stuck bridge pin out if you don't know what you're doing than by adjusting a truss rod.
People are so ludicrously scared of these things it's untrue, and repeating myths about them just perpetuates it. It's a simple adjustment that anyone who has enough manual dexterity to actually play the thing can do themselves.
"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
If it matters - yes, if you use the wrong size Allen key then you can potentially damage the truss rod nut. But snapping a roughly 6mm diameter steel rod with the amount of torque you can put on with a hand tool is just not going to happen, so why exaggerate? And the only time you're likely to crack a neck by adjusting one is on a pre-1985 Rickenbacker with the very strange rods they used.
I've been setting up guitars professionally for over thirty years and I can assure you that damaged truss rods are very rare - far, far rarer than guitars which are badly set up simply because the owners have read all the myths and nonsense about how if you turn it a fraction too far the neck will explode or something...
Your own quote goes on to say -
Which is true.
"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
You have turned this whole discussion into a futile argument for arguments sakes. There is no valid point to what you are saying in context to what is being asked...just a futile analysis of nothingness.
You even said to the guy "If after that the action still isn't low enough, *then* maybe think about having a professional look at it if you're not comfortable shaving down a bridge saddle yourself."Why not just ask him to do a neck reset whilst your'e at it.
Truss Rods... I didn't realise I was reading Myths and conveying nonsense !! We will just have to agree that we disagree.
Anyway, good luck with setting up guitars and hopefully making it to 31 years
I'm done.