Musicians/guitarists: Truss Rods

faceking

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I have a Fender 12 string that is hitting her 35th birthday. I used to get her gussied up at a shop, but he's moved to Hawaii years ago. Not sure what he did to keep her in ship-shape, or it's just the lifespan of a Fender (vs. a CF Martin), but the action is getting high, and the top is ever slightly warping (me thinks I have an impeccable eye on neck bowing, and can surely spot a dip where the neck overlays the top).

Can I make few turns of an allen wrench on the truss rod, and be good again?... guessing it's letting up on the tensile and let it harken back to better/quicker action, but more/less figure out the top and bowing??? I've replaced frets before, and worked well with resonator tuning, so figure it can't be that hard, as I've never heard/seen of any instrumentation. I Google'd and with no luck, found nothing on how to adjust an acoustic and calibrate thereafter, and how to wait and so forth and measure/re-measure. This bird has spent some time in very dry and hot weather, and now sits at my beach place, often unheated and perhaps slightly damp for 7+ years. It's a beautiful and was once a well-dried out guitar esp. for a sub-$1,000 model, and would hate to see it on the south side of life given 25 yrs of it's tenure with me. Advice/pointers/websites appreciated. I've posted elsewhere if like-minds are interested in whatever anecdotes appear, I can update here or PM.
 
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Deno

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I wouldn't unless you know what your doing, I think only slight adjustments to the rod are necessary, I don't think it will take out a dip that is not over the entire length of the fret board. If it is an acoustic guitar adjustments to the bridge would be the way to lower the action as long as they don't start to ping against the frets closer to the nut. Maybe a finer gauge string like a slinky would take your attention away from the higher action. Keeping the guitar in a case with a resin bag is very important to keep an older guitar from warping and extreme temperature changes are a certain no no. If you love the guitar a professional could rework the fingerboard and redo the frets if your willing to pay for it. You might also consider removing the tension on the strings when storing the guitar if you don't play it regular.
 
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faceking

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I wouldn't unless you know what your doing, I think only slight adjustments to the rod are necessary, I don't think it will take out a dip that is not over the entire length of the fret board. If it is an acoustic guitar adjustments to the bridge would be the way to lower the action as long as they don't start to ping against the frets closer to the nut. Maybe a finer gauge string like a slinky would take your attention away from the higher action. Keeping the guitar in a case with a resin bag is very important to keep an older guitar from warping and extreme temperature changes are a certain no no. If you love the guitar a professional could rework the fingerboard and redo the frets if your willing to pay for it. You might also consider removing the tension on the strings when storing the guitar if you don't play it regular.

Thanks for the reply. It's actually not the neck.. it's more so the neck vs. body/body top.

So I've read a few forums, and hearing that "truss rod" sacred attitude is unwarranted. It's not like I'm looking to turn it 5 times. I'm not looking for action height, but more worried about the top where the neck meets the guitar top... it's warping down. I think I need to lessen the tension just little... and see where it goes by the summer. Am reading it's a right/tighty = less tension on the rod. Weird, but think that's the answer.
 

faceking

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thank you for contributing to my question/need with a braggadocio insult. (you do need to separate the politics crap with regular 'life'). nice D-28. i have still have a D-45. once upon a time, i had about 3/4 as many guitars, now I keep what counts, or what I won't worry about or can hobby about with... thusly, my turn at fussing with a truss rod on an acoustic 12-string despite your myriad of electrics.

although, I will admit, if/when I grab another semi/electric it will be a Grestch Falcon or Country Gentleman. your Falcon/Bigsby whitey is a beauty. It's the recent remake I see, but nice trim. they are more versatile than a 335 me thinks. However, your resonator guitar preference, ... is downright hideous.

also, nice Ricky...
 

pym

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thank you for contributing to my question/need with a braggadocio insult. (you do need to separate the politics crap with regular 'life'). nice D-28. i have still have a D-45. once upon a time, i had about 3/4 as many guitars, now I keep what counts, or what I won't worry about or can hobby about with... thusly, my turn at fussing with a truss rod on an acoustic 12-string despite your myriad of electrics.

although, I will admit, if/when I grab another semi/electric it will be a Grestch Falcon or Country Gentleman. your Falcon/Bigsby whitey is a beauty. It's the recent remake I see, but nice trim. they are more versatile than a 335 me thinks. However, your resonator guitar preference, ... is downright hideous.

also, nice Ricky...
Yeah...my Mom bought em all for me, Including the D-42. Please show us your D-45 with a Faceking Label.....I'd like to see that.
Yes.....Hideous Resonator choices indeed......I'm sure i could play your ass off with either of them on the worst day of my life. Facey......Ho-Hum.
 

Randll86

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I have a Fender 12 string that is hitting her 35th birthday. I used to get her gussied up at a shop, but he's moved to Hawaii years ago. Not sure what he did to keep her in ship-shape, or it's just the lifespan of a Fender (vs. a CF Martin), but the action is getting high, and the top is ever slightly warping (me thinks I have an impeccable eye on neck bowing, and can surely spot a dip where the neck overlays the top).

Can I make few turns of an allen wrench on the truss rod, and be good again?... guessing it's letting up on the tensile and let it harken back to better/quicker action, but more/less figure out the top and bowing??? I've replaced frets before, and worked well with resonator tuning, so figure it can't be that hard, as I've never heard/seen of any instrumentation. I Google'd and with no luck, found nothing on how to adjust an acoustic and calibrate thereafter, and how to wait and so forth and measure/re-measure. This bird has spent some time in very dry and hot weather, and now sits at my beach place, often unheated and perhaps slightly damp for 7+ years. It's a beautiful and was once a well-dried out guitar esp. for a sub-$1,000 model, and would hate to see it on the south side of life given 25 yrs of it's tenure with me. Advice/pointers/websites appreciated. I've posted elsewhere if like-minds are interested in whatever anecdotes appear, I can update here or PM.


Hey man, I am no expert or anything, but I have a thing for resurrecting guitars...or maybe its a problem letting go...well any way about your twanger. Take the strings off and let the neck relax for a few days then restring it with lighter gage strings and see how she does, then mess with the truss rod if necessary, remember a little at a time and it takes a few for the neck to adjust to the tension. Be carefull adjusting to much or fucking with bridge placement, you can screw up intonation, then you will need an expert. Hope this helps.
 

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Yeah...my Mom bought em all for me, Including the D-42. Please show us your D-45 with a Faceking Label.....I'd like to see that.
Yes.....Hideous Resonator choices indeed......I'm sure i could play your ass off with either of them on the worst day of my life. Facey......Ho-Hum.


Thinking you are a great player, is like thinking you are cool...If you think you are...your not.
 

pym

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Thinking you are a great player, is like thinking you are cool...If you think you are...your not.

Yeah.....i bought all my guitars fer lookin' at. Never claimed greatness either. But i have been playing everyday of my life since 1971. I play jazz/rock/and bluegrass styles fluently. And for my own edification PSYC.
I have rebuilt/restored all my own Vacuum tube amps {10 of em'} and do all my own guitar adjustments. His 12v'er has almost certainly BELLIED. It is a Japanese era Fender acoustic. Not noted for there build quality. I left a BEST solution link for his guitar at the bottom of my links.
I am PUT up OR Shut up'ing' Faceking here. NOT YOU.
He likes to call people out about there personal selves.
I'm ready.