Truss Rod - stupid question?

adorshki said:

Hi Arfy. Actually the truss rod adjusts the flatness of the fretboard, it has nothing to do with neck angle.

The pivot point for neck angle is the joint itself. The tension of the strings pulls on the neck, bringing the headstock closer to the bridge, and the neck joint is the "weak spot" where compression and deformation occur.

The truss rod is contained entirely in the neck, so as the neck is pulled forward, the trussrod is pulled with it. It can't exert any counter-acting force on the joint itself.

The neck itself also flexes slightly under tension, but with no string tension it's actually is slightly "back-bowed". That's so the neck (or more precisely the fretboard )will be brought flat under string tension at pitch.

This chart may help explain why adjusting the rod does have a slight effect on action, but it's secondary and very limited:

So if the neck's diving into the top, then adding some "back bow" (tightening the rod) will tend to bring the action height down, but again, only slightly. It's not actually changing the neck angle.

The truss rod also controls "relief", where a small amount of up-bow is desirable to allow the fretted strings to clear higher frets to prevent buzzing.

Hope I explained that well enough.

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If I had known that the truss rod played a very small role in the overall action it would have saved me and a friend from wrecking a truss rod on an old Ventura 12 string. Of course with the neck angle problem we didn’t lose much but we didn’t help matters either

adorshki said:

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I used to live in North Carolina. UNC a few years back had Roger McGuinn teach a course on American pop music, or something like that. Trouble ensued when all the students' parents wanted to sit in on the classes as well.

Uke said:

I used to live in North Carolina. UNC a few years back had Roger McGuinn teach a course on American pop music, or something like that. Trouble ensued when all the students' parents wanted to sit in on the classes as well.

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Old habits are hard to break.
Those were the days.

OP, I'd recommend you watch a couple of good online videos on neck adjustments. It's nothing to be afraid of, as long as you approach it with care. I believe Dan Erlewine has a video up on this subject. It doesn't get any better than Dan.

I adjusted both truss rods in my Rickenbacker 12 string, which can be a harrowing task, but I did right. If I can do it, you can. No more string buzz.

I sold a nice Lyle Hummingbird copy back in the early days of eBay. Hadn't really checked it out as well as I thought I had, and as I was giving it a final check before packing, I noticed it had this weird buzz. Tracked it down to a broken truss rod, like when the nut just spins and spins.... Uh-Oh, time to contact the buyer and cancel transaction...

DrumBob, thanks for veering this back in the appropriate direction !

Uke said:

DrumBob, thanks for veering this back in the appropriate direction !

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Uke, over the years it has become clear that there is no "appropriate" direction for a thread on LTG.

Don't fear the veer!

walrus

Don't fear the veerer ;]

Uke said:

. . .veering this back . . .

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So nice to learn new expressions in your language.

Thank you so much

Nuuska said:

So nice to learn new expressions in your language.

Thank you so much

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Not too sure you should quote me on this -- oops, you already did! It may very well be one of those "tortured expressions."

To veer or not to veer, that is the question.


veer
verb (1)





veered; veering; veers

Definition of veer


intransitive verb


1 : to change direction or course the economy veered sharply downward



2 of the wind : to shift in a clockwise direction — compare back entry 4 sense 2



3 of a ship : to change course by turning the stern to the wind


transitive verb


: to direct to a different course specifically : wear sense 7


veer
noun

Definition of veer (Entry 2 of 3)


: a change in course or direction a veer to the right


veer
verb (2)

veered; veering; veers

Definition of veer (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb


: to let out (something, such as a rope)


Other Words from veer
Verb (1)
veeringly \ ˈvir-iŋ-lē

\ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for veer
Verb (1)

swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge mean to turn aside from a straight course. swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness. swerved to avoid hitting the dog veer implies a major change in direction. at that point the path veers to the right deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course. never deviated from her daily routine depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type. occasionally departs from his own guidelines digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse. a professor prone to digress diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions. after school their paths diverged




First Known Use of veer
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun
circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for veer
Verb (1)

Middle English veren, probably altered from Anglo-French virer "to whirl, turn, revolve" (continental Old French, "to throw with a twisting motion"), going back to Vulgar Latin *vīrāre, reduced from Latin vibrāre "to wave, propel suddenly" — more at vibrate

Note: The vowel change (e in Middle English, i in French) is of unclear motivation. Cf. Old Scots wyr, wyre "to throw along a curving trajectory," vyre "to turn about a fixed point," apparently borrowed from Anglo-French virer with no alteration of vowel.

Noun

noun derivative of veer entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English veren, borrowed from Middle Dutch *vieren or Middle Low German vīren, perhaps from a Frisian verbal derivative of Old Frisian fīr "far"; akin to Old English feorr far entry 1