Action or Truss Rod

[pianoguyy]

I recently acquired another guitar. I ripped the strings off. Cleaned up the board. Restrung it. Adjusted the action. Adjusted the truss rod. Yadda Yadda Yadda.
Everything is almost perfect.

BUT...

Would it be better to raise the action or to adjust the truss rod?

Up around the 16/17th fret, the middle of the board frets out.
I say that middle of the board because it isn't limited to the D and G strings, so it isn't the saddles. It happens with the E and B strings as I bend them.
Admittedly, I haven't played it enough to get an exact number of frets or how dead each is. But I can tell you that on the bends it is a gradual deadening as I approach the middle. I can also say that this is not supposed to be a compound radius.





On an unrelated note on the same guitar -
It is an ebony board. When I cleaned it, hiding under all of the finger gunk, it looks like it has some water stains. Any idea how to get rid of them?

[Guitarkid8]

I would check & set relief first then mess with action. However 17th sounds like action at the bridge to me.

[paranoid]

Take a good look at the board with a good straight edge. could be a high fret or 2. but I agree that neck relief should be set before action height.

[pianoguyy]

I will give it a shot.

[xenophobe]

If you're fretting out on the hump like it sounds like you are, raise the action and then try flattening it a bit if you need to.

Fretting out at the hump is more an action height issue than a truss issue, IMO. At least from my experiences.

[pianoguyy]

My bad. I have a high fret.
Action raised. All is well - for now.