action problem on a floyd

[Special-K]

I use a mm ruler...it`s really accurate ...

[kelly user]

well i figured the neck is supposed to be like that the post are all the way down. so it can't go any lower, i didn't have the hex tool, so i had fun taking it completely apart. the floyd i mean. it looked cool. i think its just the way it is??? i'll wait a few days for the guitar to settled.

[69buickman]

I would probably get my problem fixed

[S-man]

My opinion...

Nut hieght affects feel/action on fret 1-3. Truss rod affects action on 4-12. Bridge hieght affects action on 12-24. All affect one another to a degree, but that's how I think about in my mind..

Neck angle affects bridge hieght. If you can't get low enough action with a bolt on neck, simply add a shim to the neck pocket to increase the neck angle.

[kelly user]

s-man, good advice, riddle me this, what do i use as a shim?

[wakeUPdead]

This image is your neck the arrows are showing a turn counter-clockwise and its result. To word this is hard, to me: the neck has a dip the action will be higher in those areas but most importantly the nut area will be at a higher point of this little valley on the fretboard. So when your strings follow over the dip like a skylift of sorts its pretty high up there to avoid your frets. Your lowering your Floyd as low as it will go and see no results because of the higher point on the nut.


So now in tightening the truss rod were going to make a mountain that the strings have to go over. The nut is now lower than being at the end of the valley so now your going to be fretting out in the center of the fretboard.

But hopefully I showing why the truss rod is used and how it can be used, and since were dealing with increments of millimeters, yes these minute adjustments will show drastic affects. Now for the major pump


We have ourselves here a nice flat even truss rod the nut is pretty level so its in a middle ground, if anything you can over due this a little bit if you want to have a little hump in your fretboard, or even go for a little more relief than others, you can make it what feels right to you.

So we have a straight neck finally and now you can adjust your Floyd rose, infact you'll raise it to compensate for the more even/lower nut.

Once again try these steps before you go the shimming route and in the case you do:

http://members.shaw.ca/wilkatguitars/git_tips8.htm

I hope these images give you some insight to how a truss rod can affect your playing action but is only a small step in making it how you want it. If your too concave you'll fret out on the upper reigons of the fretboard, if your too convex you'll be fretting out among the middle reigon and lower frets. Set your neck straight with a little give in either directions your floyd can compensate.

So if you get your neck straight and you raise your trem up and still don't feel your getting a result you want go for the shim.

[straycat]

A small piece if sandpaper or a match book cover placed at the base of the neck pocket.Cut it the width of the neck pocket and about 1/2 in length.Also drill holes for the neck screws to pass thru the shim.Real simple really

[kelly user]

is this a usual occurrence, because if it is, this sucks

[wakeUPdead]

What do you mean by usual occurance? The neck shifting? Because temperature can affect it, anything can. Hence the dun da dun! Truss rod to slap it back in place!

[69buickman]

You should be able to tweak it.....my buddy has the same model....let me look at his and ill get back

[nightrider340]

agreed shim the neck.... as far as adjusting the truss rod... i was always afraid to do it.... but once i did it and found how easy it is to do all my guitars got a fresh setup.... just remember small adjustments and let it settle... good luck

[kelly user]

i haven't messed with it for a couple of days. i'll wait untill the weekend so it can adjust better to the climate. its humid as hell where i live.

[Spivonious]

Taking a look at your location....McAllen? My sister lived there for a few years. We went down to visit once and the temps were in the 60s. Everyone was walking around in winter coats!

Good luck on the rod. It's really not that hard to do and, once adjusted, you will find a new appreciation for the guitar.

[scotty]

Have you talked to the Guitar Tech at Melhart's Music? I have never had him set up a guitar for me but I have had him do a few other things. You also might want to talk to the guys over at Muir's Guitars on north 10th Street. They do good work. I use to take all my high end stuff to Danny McKenna but he is no longer with us.

[kelly user]

melharts people are idiots, they scratched every guitar thats been in there. i was thinking of going to muir guitars, but i don't have the cash, they want $65 for a set-up. Mcallen is right in my neighborhood. it is 15 min. away from where i live.

it is rare when it gets cold and when it does mexican break out the parkas.