Why? Why do people think cranking on the truss rod nut is the way to fix any action issue?
Along with apparently being more than willing to use a socket with a 12" handle to "straighten" the neck perfectly flat, no relief. Even if that requires enough torque to drive the truss rod nut washer deep into the headstock to the point the wood under the truss rod cover is driven upward.
I can't tell you how many times I have purchased an otherwise structurally sound guitar, especially electrics, that when I go over them to clean and set them up to my tastes that the truss rod nut is so darn tight. The nut is not bound on the rod it has just been over tightened to the point I described above. I have mentioned in other posts that I tend to acquire my guitars like my wife and I do our dogs, as rescues. Many of my guitars have not had the best of lives what with dings, nicks, gouges, bent tuners not to mention spills and dirt. But almost all of these guitars though they may not win a beauty contest were structurally sound. And these are not just entry level guitars. The previous owners have probably spent between $600 and $1800 on most of these guitars, and that's if they were purchased used. These guitars were purchased from a number of different places including; Guitar Center, Ebay, online music stores small and large as well as directly from individuals. (have not had this issue when buying from LTG members though, no surprise)
The thing that really gets me is that after I clean and setup these guitars I have never needed to tighten the truss rod nut much past snug to get .015" relief. I only ever use an old short wood handle 1/4" nut driver for these adjustments. It has a 1" diameter handle. If I can't get enough torque in my hand from that, I am doing something wrong.
Thanks for listening to my rant. It just happened again. I recently picked up a 1978 Starfire IV and the previous owner had cranked the heck out of the truss rod nut, why? I am just finishing setting it up now and the nut goes a little past snug and I'm there.
Along with apparently being more than willing to use a socket with a 12" handle to "straighten" the neck perfectly flat, no relief. Even if that requires enough torque to drive the truss rod nut washer deep into the headstock to the point the wood under the truss rod cover is driven upward.
I can't tell you how many times I have purchased an otherwise structurally sound guitar, especially electrics, that when I go over them to clean and set them up to my tastes that the truss rod nut is so darn tight. The nut is not bound on the rod it has just been over tightened to the point I described above. I have mentioned in other posts that I tend to acquire my guitars like my wife and I do our dogs, as rescues. Many of my guitars have not had the best of lives what with dings, nicks, gouges, bent tuners not to mention spills and dirt. But almost all of these guitars though they may not win a beauty contest were structurally sound. And these are not just entry level guitars. The previous owners have probably spent between $600 and $1800 on most of these guitars, and that's if they were purchased used. These guitars were purchased from a number of different places including; Guitar Center, Ebay, online music stores small and large as well as directly from individuals. (have not had this issue when buying from LTG members though, no surprise)
The thing that really gets me is that after I clean and setup these guitars I have never needed to tighten the truss rod nut much past snug to get .015" relief. I only ever use an old short wood handle 1/4" nut driver for these adjustments. It has a 1" diameter handle. If I can't get enough torque in my hand from that, I am doing something wrong.
Thanks for listening to my rant. It just happened again. I recently picked up a 1978 Starfire IV and the previous owner had cranked the heck out of the truss rod nut, why? I am just finishing setting it up now and the nut goes a little past snug and I'm there.
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