What truss rod should I be using to fix my Guild Acoustic?

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Hi everyone, I'll be the first to say that guitar maintenance is not my strong point but I'm trying to improve it and that's why I'm here.

So I have Guild Acoustic Model OM-240E in my room and because the heat is on in the winter and I've been storing it in a soft case gig bag the bow of the neck is curved where the high e string is grating against the board making an annoying jangle sound (can upload audio of it for clarification if needed). After some research I think I need to adjust the action on my neck but am unsure what size truss rod I should be buying for my specific model? The opening for the truss rod is on the inside of the soundhole , after and underneath the end of the neck.(I can take photos if it helps as well.)

This is my first time attempting to make this adjustment so any general tips in addition to the proper rod are greatly appreciated, Thanks for your help!

Also looking up the maintenance issue on my guitar has left me with a few questions that if anyone can answer would be a big help...

- Is it worth getting guitar humidifiers when I'm not playing it? I've seen the "damp it" recommended on several sites. Would these humidifiers be able to reverse the action on the neck on their own or this more of a preventive measure for future issues? Is a truss rod my only solution to my problem?

-It has also dawned on me I have an electric guitar (It's a Jazzmaster if that makes any difference) also in a soft case in my room, Should I be leaving that in a hard case as well as the acoustic so it isn't affected by the humidity? Should i be putting a humidifier in the case for that too?
 

SFIV1967

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Welcome to LTG!

The Guild OM-240E needs a 4mm allen key as truss rod wrench to access the truss rod. That's written in the specs on the Guild webpage.

https://guildguitars.com/g/westerly-om-240e/

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Regarding truss rod adjustmensts, never turn it more than 1/8th of a turn at one time between measurements, one can destroy a neck pretty quickly with overturning a truss rod.

Follow the basic procedures given here by Taylor guitars, it doesn't matter from which side a truss rod is accessed, the procedure is always the same.



Ralf
 
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gjmalcyon

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Welcome. Stick around - nice bunch of folks around here.

You absolutely need to humidify your guitar unless you are living in a chronically humid location. In fact, I would suggest you start humidifying your guitar first and forget any truss rod adjustments for a couple of weeks to see what happens.

There are a bunch of different options for humidifying guitars: Dampits, Oasis case and sound hole humidifiers, D'Addario, home-brew humidification systems using sponges in soap cases or open baggies...
 
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Welcome. Stick around - nice bunch of folks around here.

You absolutely need to humidify your guitar unless you are living in a chronically humid location. In fact, I would suggest you start humidifying your guitar first and forget any truss rod adjustments for a couple of weeks to see what happens.

There are a bunch of different options for humidifying guitars: Dampits, Oasis case and sound hole humidifiers, D'Addario, home-brew humidification systems using sponges in soap cases or open baggies...

Any you would personally recommend?
 

gjmalcyon

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Never used Dampits.

I have both case and sound-hole versions of the Oasis humidifiers. They require annual maintenance - you remove the lid and let them dry out and replace the water-absorbing gel beads. I have the D'Addario humidifier in the wife's '51 Martin O-15 and it works fine, but dries out faster than the Oasis. I check my humidifiers every couple of weeks during heating season here in Jersey. Distilled water. Always.

Other members of this forum are perfectly happy with their home-brew humidification systems - hopefully one of them will weigh in.
 

adorshki

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-It has also dawned on me I have an electric guitar (It's a Jazzmaster if that makes any difference) also in a soft case in my room, Should I be leaving that in a hard case as well as the acoustic so it isn't affected by the humidity? Should i be putting a humidifier in the case for that too?
Welcome aboard, "Folkin"! Solid-body guitars aren't subject to the stresses of humidity variation in the same way acoustic guitars are.
I don't recall ever seeing recommendations to humidify 'em but perhaps a couple of the "electric guys" will have other insights.
 

SFIV1967

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Never used Dampits.
I have both case and sound-hole versions of the Oasis humidifiers. They require annual maintenance - you remove the lid and let them dry out and replace the water-absorbing gel beads.
I agree on the "never use Dampits" as there amount of water they hold is simply tiny...The Oasis humidifiers hold much more water.
I disagree a bit on exchanging the gel-beads every year, yes you can do it but it's not really necessary. I use only distilled water in the Oasis as normal tap water might clog the membran over time. And at the end of season I let them simply dry out with closed lid, so nothing can come inside. At the start of the new winter season I heat some distilled water just a little bit (just lukewarm) and fill them again and the hard gel will soften again. I do this since a few years already without problems. Refilling might be necessary every week or every 3 weeks like in my case, depending on the place one lives. They usually hold about 25 ml (2 1/2 10ml syringes) each.

Solid-body guitars aren't subject to the stresses of humidity variation in the same way acoustic guitars are. I don't recall ever seeing recommendations to humidify 'em but perhaps a couple of the "electric guys" will have other insights.
In general you are correct but you might feel sharp fret ends on solid body guitars if they wood is very dry. In extreme cases like this:

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I have a Hawaiian made (high end) ukulele, which was made under humid Hawaiien conditions and this is exactly what happened under Central European climate. So the only fix is filing them a bit, so this does not happen again.

Ralf
 
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lungimsam

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I filed my Gibson bass last year. This winter it shrunk some more and I will need to refile once spring comes. It is a non glossy worn brown finish.
 

Rocky

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Yep. Humidify solid wood acoustics, if you live in a place where it gets cold or dry. In the North half of the US, that means Thanksgiving through Easter. Those green snake things aren't great, and if they come with the plastic cap, they only humidify the body. I use a travel soap dish with about a dozen holes drilled in one side, and a sponge cut to fit. Costs a buck or two, and it's at least as good as any aftermarket case humidifier. Moisten, and squeeze it out. Put it in the headstock section, and it'll keep your guitar happy. Some cases trap moisture better than others, so check on it regularly until you get a feel for when it dries out.

Oddly, I've never had issues with fret sprout on laminates and solidbodies. :unsure:
 
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